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By Fili Sagapolutel

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa, (Samoa News, Aug. 28) - A three-day training workshop focused on increasing the effectiveness of workers' performances and further enhancing their ability to carry out their duties concludes today at the Office of Procurement (OP).

The University of Hawaii's Pacific Business Center Program (PBCP) conducted the training.

"It's a transitional management training workshop," said acting chief procurement officer, Pat Tervola. "It's management skills to increase the effectiveness of workers' performance."

"It helps management, along with workers re-focus their attention on the agency's mission," he elucidated. "And this is the perfect time for this training."

The Acting Chief Procurement Officer did not mention the tensions created by recent testimony before a Select Senate Investigative Committee over the CPO's awarding of government contracts.

But, one Procurement Office supervisor told Samoa News...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, Sept. 5) - Children as young as nine years old and babies are among the 466 new cases of HIV/AIDS recorded in Papua New Guinea during the past six months. 

This is an increase of 30 percent since the last quarterly report of 2002, released in December.

The babies were infected through their mothers either while in the womb, during delivery or from breastfeeding. 

The March 2003 report published by the National AIDS Council and Department of Health, however, does not state how the young children as old as nine years old get infected, although HIV/AIDS counselors had told the Post-Courier that some of them were getting infected through sexual abuse, even by their immediate families members. 

There are also others who may have been sexually active at a very young age. 

The latest quarterly report also states that PNG now has 7,036 people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS since the country first reported an HIV/...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Sept. 4) - Papua New Guinea’s defense minister says the country’s soldiers in Solomon Islands could return home in the next two to three months.

Defense Minister Kappa Yarka said yesterday it would be best if the Kumul Force members -- part of the regional interventionist force -- return before Christmas to celebrate with their families.

He said that the landscape in Solomon Islands has changed with the surrender of rebel leaders including self-proclaimed warlord Harold Keke, following the launch of Operation Helpem Fren in July.

"That is my personal assessment but the people on the ground, especially the Australian's who are in charge of the multi-regional force, have to tell us, whether we should leave our troops there or withdraw them," he said.

Yarka said it was also up to the Solomon Islands government, if it was satisfied that peace and stability has been established in their country.

He said the...

Commentary

By Tala Ropeti

PAGO PAGO, American Samoa, (Samoa News, Aug. 30) - Any organization that wants to become better must want to make changes. The business climate is not always stable. And the business mind can become stagnant. So, yes, like organizations, we, as a people, have to accept modern changes.

In my very young eyes, American Samoa has changed and continues to change.

I see changes everywhere and it can be good and it can be bad. Changes can be helpful. Changes can eradicate. Changes can obliterate. It can change your life, our traditions and our customs as an island home.

We have been exposed to a variety of changes that has enabled us to accomplish better goals. We are able to get a lot of financial support and most of all, as a government, we have become stalwart. These changes have come by way of progress and has made us move swiftly from one level to another. At the same time while we indulge these changes, our own Fa'asamoa...