Samoa

Highlighting increasing horticultural regional collaboration, the workshop was attended by senior representatives from Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Forests and Fisheries of Tonga (Losaline Ma’asi), the Fiji Ministry of Agriculture (Shalendra Prasad), Pacific Community (SPC) (Dr. Siosiua Halavatau), UN-FAO (Tim Martyn), the University of the Sunshine Coast and The University of Queensland (Professor Steven Underhill), and SROS (Tilafono David Hunter and Tuimaseve Kuinimeri Finau-Asora).

RNZI reports Eremasi Radrodro has been rewarded with a start at number eight after scoring the match-winning try against Tonga at the weekend.

Api Ratuniyarawa starts at lock, with Leone Nakarawa moving to blindslide flanker and Naulia Dawai to the openside.

Henry Seniloli gets the nod at halfback among three changes to the backline, with Seremaia Bai moving into first five and Eroni Vasiteri filling the vacancy at inside centre.

The other newcomer is Waisea Nayacalevu on the right wing, with Patrick Osborne switching to the left.

The New Zealand government has provided assistance for the shelter which will cost about $980,000 Tala.

"Since the Canine Control Act in 2013, a total of 10,014 dogs have been registered to their own families, and another 5,874 were impounded. Unfortunately some of the animals could not be re-homed resulting in some of them being euthanized," said Police Commissioner Egon Keil.

The Canine Control Act was a push by government to clean Samoa's streets of the growing number of stray dogs.

The Agreement was signed by the Prime Minister Tuilaepa Aiono Sailele Malielegaoi and the European Union Commissioner for International Cooperation & Development Mr. Neven Mimica on Wednesday the 15th of June.

The members of the Tactical Operation Sector or TOS were part of the team that raided the property mid last month.

"We risked our lives doing this job and two of our officers have been in the hospital for a while now after that last raid," said Commissioner Egon Keil.

He said their injuries were from booby traps allegedly set by the operators of the plantation.

RNZI correspondent in Apia said representatives from the company would meet government officials this week to discuss the proposal.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and other government agencies are at the centre of preparations for the proposed business venture which government sources said would create many job opportunities for local people.

In 2014 the government revealed it was in talks with the firm Bumble Bee over establishing a cannery and fish loining plant on the main Apia wharf but that never came to fruition.

RNZI reports Patrick Fa'apale and Merab Kviriashvili both kicked 14 points as Samoa captain David Lemi and Georgia flanker Giorgi Tkhilaishvili crossed for the only tries of a tight affair at Apia Park.

A late drop goal attempt from the Europeans went wide to ensure Namulauulu Alama Ieremia's coaching reign did not start on a losing note.

Hooker Motu Matu'u said they went into the match feeling confident and it was disappointing not to come away with the win.

He said the team was trying to play more expansively than Samoan teams of the past.

RNZI reports Samoa's country review conducted by the UN body in Geneva last week called for more work to protect children's rights.

Among its recommendations are prohibiting physical punishment, raising the minimum age of criminal responsibility from ten, stopping the use of children as street vendors and compulsory free primary education.

The chief executive of Samoa's Ministry of Women, Community and Social Development Beth Onesemo said all of the recommendations had been taken on board.

RNZI reports Skyeye set up a GPS vehicle tracking solution to help combat company vehicle misuse in both the private and government sector.

But in order for the technology to work, they had to map all of Samoa so they had location points to work from.

Managing director Christopher Saili said they had now also geocoded American Samoa, Solomon Islands and were thinking of doing Papua New Guinea next year.

Police spokesperson, Inspector Maotaoali’i Kaioneta Aliisolia told Loop Samoa the woman lodged a complaint with police on 1 June, the same day of the alleged attack.

The student got into a taxi to go to Faleata for the Flag Day march but taxi driver allegedly took her somewhere else and raped her.

"The report she filed says she was taken early in the morning and she filed the report at noon. We have apprehended the accused and he will remain in custody until the 27th of this month," said Maotaoali’i.