Tagata o te Moana is a weekly Pacific programme, broadcast on Radio New Zealand National (Saturdays at 5.30pm). It features news, interviews, and discussion of issues. Presented by Don Wiseman.
The programme for 24 November 2007 includes the following:
- Floods in Oro Province in Papua New Guinea. The Acting Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea says he believes there will be big improvements in getting aid around the flood-battered province this weekend. The Australian Air Force has dispatched several aircraft to assist. Thousands are still homeless after Cyclone Guba brought flooding to the entire province, on Papua New Guinea’s north-east coast.
- The possibility of elections in Fiji may be more than a year away (due for March 2009), but the political parties are already beginning to think about preparations. At the same time, many are unsure about what sort of environment they’ll be operating in during any future election. Philippa Tolley reports.
- The Solomon Islands Governor General, Sir Nathaniel Waena, has set December 13 as the new date for the national parliament to meet. The proclamation comes amid political tension between supporters and opponents of Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare, following a mass defection from his government two weeks ago. Dorothy Wickham reports.
- This Sunday is White Ribbon Day, a day set aside to raise awareness about domestic violence. The topic was discussed at a workshop in Vanuatu during the week. The workshop discussed ways to protect women against violence in Vanuatu, Samoa, Fiji, and the Cook Islands – aiming to show how these countries can better implement ‘The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women’ (or CEDAW). Dubravka Voloder spoke to some of the delegates.
- A new music video, DVD, and CD has been launched by Māori and Pacific male musicians to raise awareness against violence towards women. The launch in Otara during the week was part of the build up to White Ribbon Day. Elma Maua reports.
- The decision on who can mine the Cook Islands’ multi-billion dollar manganese resources is some time away. The committee set up by cabinet to review expressions of interest in the seabed resource has received several expressions of interest, and says all are being treated with caution. Megan Whelan speaks to the Chairman on the Cook Islands Manganese Resource Review Committee, Terepai Maoate.
- Police from around the Pacific are to provide mentoring and training for the senior staff of the regular police in Bougainville, which got its own police force as part of the agreement establishing it as an autonomous province (of Papua New Guinea) two and a half years ago. An additional two New Zealand police officers, and two from the Pacific, will be deployed to Bougainville.
- Tributes are being paid to Samoa’s first female MP, La'ulu Fetauimalemau Mata'afa, who died earlier this week (19 November 2007) in Samoa. She was also the widow of Fiame Mata'afa Faumuina Mulinu'u II, who led Samoa to independence from New Zealand in 1962; and she was one of the first Samoan women to receive a university education. She was also the Pro-Chancellor of the University of the South Pacific in 1970.