BRIEFS August 29, 2014 ANNOUNCEMENT: EPA Seeks Amendment To Prohibition Of Plastic Grocery Bags To Exclude Others COLONIA, Yap (Yap EPA/Media Division) — By authority of, and in accordance with, sections 1507(a) and 1701 of Title 18, and section 131 of Title 10 of the Yap State Code, the Yap State Environmental Protection Agency (Yap EPA) hereby gives thirty days notice of its intent to amend the Yap State Regulations for the Prohibition of Plastic Grocery Bags. The proposed amendment to the Regulations for the Prohibition of Plastic Grocery Bags seeks to amend the definition of ‘plastic bag’ to exclude: • single use, fresh produce bags without handles (barrier bags), when used for otherwise unpackaged fresh produce including meat, fish, fruits, and vegetables; • garbage bin liners and garbage bags, when distributed in their original packaging and not distributed individually to consumers; and • freezer bags and snap lock bags designed for food storage, when distributed in their original packaging and not distributed individually to consumers. Any person wishing to view a copy of the amended to the Regulations for the Prohibition of Plastic Grocery Bags may do so in person at the Yap State Environmental Protection Agency office, or online at yapstategov.org. Persons wishing to present views to the Yap State Environmental Protection Agency regarding the amendment to the Regulations for the Prohibition of Plastic Grocery Bags may do so in writing by no later than Monday 29 September 2014. Yap EPA reminds retailers of their ongoing obligations to display signage regarding the plastic grocery bag ban in accordance with the Regulations until 4 March 2015. Yap EPA is also accepting remaining stocks of plastic grocery bags from retailers for environmentally responsible disposal prior to 4 October 2014. Thank you very much for helping to keep our island home beautiful and in helping to keep Yap a plastic bag-free State. ANNOUNCEMENT: Notice To Suppliers Of Wind Turbines, Solar Panels, Diesel Generators And Power System Integration Hardware And Software YSPSC HQ, Yap (YSPSC/Website Office) — The Yap State Public Service Corporation (YSPSC) is the Yap State government-owned supplier of electricity and water on the island of Yap, which is part of the Federated States of Micronesia. YSPSC has secured a loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to implement the Yap Renewable Energy Development Project. This project will consist of around 750-1000 kW of wind turbines, 300 kW of rooftop solar panels and two high speed diesel generators of around 1,800 kW and 800 kW, respectively. A third diesel generator of around 1,800 kW is to be supplied under alternative financing arrangements. Notices will shortly appear on the ADB website as well as the websites of the Yap State Government and the Pacific Power Association for the following: • Pre-qualification of wind turbine suppliers – Reference: YREDP-IFP-Ol • Pre-qualification of system integration and control equipment – Reference: YREDP-IFP-02 • Tenders for the supply of 300 k W of solar panels and inverters – Reference: YREDP-IFB-03 • Tenders for the supply of two diesel generators – Reference: YREDP-IFB-04 Suppliers who wish to seek pre-qualification or to tender, as the case may be, should monitor the websites above-mentioned for further notices. Supplies are advised that there will be a compulsory site visit for the diesel, wind turbine and system integration and control suppliers at which there will be ample time to examine the various sites and local conditions. For more information, contact the YSPSC Headquarters at Tel: (691)350-4427. Workforce Enrichment Division Announced Gates Millennium Scholarship COLONIA, Yap (WED/Media Division) — The Workforce Enrichment Division (WED) of the Yap State Department of Resources & Development (R&D) is announcing the Gates Millennium Scholarship through a statement issued to the Division of Media and Protocol on Thursday, August 28,2014. It stated that the Gates Millennium Scholarship application for 2015 is currently available and can be picked up at the Yap State Scholarship Office. This is a full scholarship and an excellent opportunity for current high school seniors who will be enrolling for the first time at a college or university during the 2015-2016 academic year. The Workforce Enrichment Division also stated that students are eligible to be considered for the award if they: 1.Have attained a cumulative high school GPA of 3.3 or higher, or have earned a GED; 2.Will be enrolling for the first time at a U.S accredited college or university as a fulltime, degree seeking, first year student in the fall of 2015; 3.Have demonstrated leadership abilities through participating in community service, extracurricular, or other activities; and, 4.Have completed and submitted all three required forms by the deadline. Those individuals who will be selected as Gates Scholars will receive funds in an amount to be determined by the Gates Millennium Scholars Program, based on financial need. The award will be based on the cost of tuition, fees, books, and living expenses for the 2015-2016 academic year. The scholarship may be renewed annually based on satisfactory academic progress, full-time status, and timely submission of required documents. Applications must be submitted online at gmsp.org. Please note that the deadline for all necessary documents will be January 14, 2015. For additional information, please contact Brian Southwick, Scholarship Coordinator, at Tel: (691)350-2182 or Email: southyap@yahoo, or visit the R&D website at yapdevelopments.org. Building Capacity To Manage Emergency Operations In Palau KOROR, Palau (SPC, August 29, 2014) — Participants from Palau Government departments, Palau Red Cross and the media attended training last week on establishing and managing Emergency Operations Centers. In 2012, Typhoon Bopha impacted Palau and affected hundreds of people and destroyed 70 homes, displacing 131 people, while in 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan devastated the whole northern-most state of Kayangel, destroying 39 homes and severely damaging dwellings from Babeldaob to Koror. These two events highlighted a need for Palau to increase the number of personnel trained to manage the response to emergencies and to work in the National Emergency Operations Center. The Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), through support from the European Union project, Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific, is working with Palau to address this need by providing training in Emergency Operations Centers for 17 representatives of government, civil society and the media. Ms. Priscilla Subris, Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Office, opened the week-long training by stressing the importance of all agencies working together and thanking participants for taking the time to learn how to be part of Palau’s response to future emergencies. On behalf of the Republic of Palau, Ms. Subris also expressed appreciation to the European Union, the Secretariat of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States and SPC for making the training possible. The National Emergency Operations Centre, which was the venue for the training, was constructed with the support of the EU and under the supervision of the SPC through a multi-country project called: Disaster Risk Reduction in Eight Pacific ACP States. The center was completed in May 2011. During the training, participants studied the establishment and management of Emergency Operations Centers. They learnt about the facilities and equipment needed to ensure smooth running of a center, and staffing requirements and staff roles and responsibilities. Information management—essential for effective decision making—was also covered in depth. The training ended with a five-hour table-top exercise in which participants put their new skills into practice in responding to a simulated emergency. The training was supported by the European Union and implemented by SPC as part of the Building Safety and Resilience in the Pacific project. The purpose of the project is to strengthen the capacity of Pacific Island countries to address existing and emerging risks posed by natural hazards and related disasters, while maximizing synergies between Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) strategies and Climate Change Adaptation (CCA). CNMI Rep Pushes 2nd Political Status Commission After Veto SAIPAN, CNMI (Marianas Variety/PIR, Aug. 28, 2014) — Representative Felicidad T. Ogumoro has addressed the concern of Gov. Eloy S. Inos who vetoed her original bill to create a Second Marianas Political Status Commission. Ogumoro, R-Saipan, pre-filed House Bill 18-206 last week that contains the same language as the original measure, H.B. 18-112, except for the provision that concerned the governor: that members of the political status commission should be persons of Northern Marianas descent. In his veto message on May 9, Inos said this language violated the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Article 1, Section 6 of the NMI Constitution. The governor said the equal protection clause prohibits the government from discriminating between similarly situated individuals. H.B. 18-209 does not have that language anymore. It now only requires that commission members be 25 years old and not have been convicted of a felony. Commission members must also be U.S. citizens and domiciled in the CNMI for at least five years, have a good knowledge of Northern Marianas political history, the Covenant, the status of other U.S. territories and the former Trust Territory districts and the CNMI people’s desire to attain full, meaningful and well-defined self-government. In an interview yesterday, Ogumoro said she took into consideration the concerns raised by the governor in his veto message. She said she will continue to propose a second political status commission because it is about time that we sit down and reassess and evaluate our relationship with the U.S. Ogumoro said this will be an opportunity to see both the strength and weakness of the CNMI’s ties with the U.S. Judging from conversations with the people I think it is time to establish a second political status commission, she added. H.B. 18-206 is now with the House Committee on Federal and Foreign Relations chaired by Rep. Trenton B. Conner, IR-Tinian. Kiribati To Mainstream Disabled Children TARAWA, Kiribati (Radio New Zealand International, Aug. 29, 2014) — The Kiribati ministry of education is implementing the inclusive education project that will see disabled children in primary schools. The coordinator of Gender and Social Inclusion, Teburantaake Kaei, says the project is targeting disabled children to be taught alongside other children. Teburantaake Kaei says children who are deaf and unable to speak will receive special education at the disability school. The inclusive project was first piloted in 2011 in the capital, and the ministry was impressed with the result and is extending it throughout the country. The ministry says it is aware of local peoples attitudes towards disabled people but the project has encouraged it that things can change. Samoas Head Of State To Address ‘Future Leaders Of The Pacific’ Conference APIA, Samoa (Talamua Online/PACNEWS, Aug. 28, 2014) — Youth leaders from 18 Pacific nations converge in Samoa this week for the second ‘Future Leaders of the Pacific’ conference. The conference will tackle issues crucial to the Small Island Pacific States. The youth delegates, will meet with over a dozen of the region’s top dignitaries, including the Head of State of Samoa, Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Efi, Premier of Niue Toke Talagi, Assistant Secretary for Oceans, Environment and Science Judith Garber, U.S. Ambassador to Fiji Frankie Reed, and former All Black legend, Michael Jones from Matson South Pacific. The conference, co-organized by the US Embassies in New Zealand and Samoa in partnership with the East-West Center in Hawaii, will be held 27-31 August, in the lead up to the Small Island Developing States conference in Apia. The delegates will spend three days discussing regional issues such as non-communicable diseases, gender equality, climate change and sustainable development in the Pacific. US Embassy Apia Chargé d’Affaires Peter Ganser said the US Embassies in Samoa and New Zealand were pleased to partner with the East-West Center’s Pacific Islands Development Program to offer this opportunity to Pacific youth for a second year. “The participants at this conference will one day be leaders of the Pacific. By encouraging open dialogue and discussion now, we better equip these dynamic young leaders to deal with future issues in the region,” Mr. Ganser said. The conference was an outcome of former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to the region for the 2012 Pacific Islands Forum. Each youth delegate for the conference was selected based on his or her leadership qualities, community involvement and future aspirations. The delegate to represent Samoa will be Felton Pavitt, Policy Officer of the Planning and Urban Management Division (PUMA) at the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. The conference itinerary includes themed breakout sessions, keynote speakers and plenary discussions with the aim of creating value-based partnerships to help youth leverage their country’s resources and address key issues. UN Chief, Security Council Deplore Detention Of UN Peacekeepers In Golan UN HG, New York City (UN News Centre/PACNEWS, Aug. 29, 2014) — United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council today strongly condemned the detention of United Nations peacekeepers serving in the Golan amid increased fighting in the area between Syrian Government forces and armed elements, and demanded their immediate release. The 43 Fijian peacekeepers from the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) were detained by armed elements of the opposition in the vicinity of Al Qunaytirah, according to the world body. Another 81 peacekeepers are currently being restricted to their positions in the vicinity of Ar Ruwayhinah and Burayqah. In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Ban called for the immediate release of the detained peacekeepers, as well as for the immediate lifting of the restrictions on the movement of the Force. The Security Council made a similar call in a press statement: “The members of the Security Council demanded the unconditional and immediate release of all the detained United Nations peacekeepers and called upon all parties to cooperate with UNDOF in good faith to enable it to operate freely and to ensure full security of its personnel. “They called on countries with influence to strongly convey to the armed members of the opposition in the UNDOF area of operation to immediately release the peacekeepers.” UNDOF peacekeepers were previously detained by armed elements in March and May of 2013 and were released safely. “The United Nations is making every effort to secure the release of the detained peacekeepers, and to restore full freedom of movement of the Force throughout its area of operation,” UN Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told reporters in New York today. Peacekeepers serving with UNDOF monitor the 1974 disengagement accord between Syria and Israel after their 1973 war. In June, the Security Council extended the mission’s mandate until 31 December 2014. As of 31 July 2014, there are 1,223 peacekeepers from six countries—Fiji, India, Ireland, Nepal, Netherlands, and the Philippines—serving in UNDOF. -END- COMMUNITY MESSAGE: “Nge m’ug riy ya nganog nib sorok”—an aspect of human nature that some of us cannot live without, even though odd culturally. Generally, down to earth folks in our community do not brag or take credit for anything they have done, even when praised by many for the extraordinary. There is actually nothing wrong with bragging right and glory if the toiling is done by the person involved. It is quite different, however, when others or a community is dragged into the toiling for one’s bragging right and honor, and worse when the end result of the toiling is not needed by the people or community involved. But, not everyone can recognize odd things.
Posted on: Thu, 04 Sep 2014 14:05:29 +0000
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