October 29, 2014 2nd Annual Quiz Bee Competition Held At Kosrae Campus TOFOL, Kosrae (COM-FSM News, Oct. 29, 2014) — Kosrae Campus began Spirit Week activities on October 27, 2014, featuring the 2nd Annual Quiz Bee Competition on its first day. Six groups composed of three students signed up for the competition. Ten questions were asked in the three rounds of easy, average, and difficult questions. Top scorers were members of Team B composed of Debrum Melander, Marieta William, and Edwina Esau. Second place was Team E: Vickson Shrew, Joyceleen Etse, and Jayleen Noda; and third place went to Team D: Sydney Jesse, Maymay Andon, and JayTee Joston. Team B was named Champions of the 2nd Annual Quiz Bee Competition at Kosrae Campus. “It is an opportunity for students to learn and enhance their skills outside the classroom and to improve to meet current accreditation standards through the COM-FSM cycle of assessment and review in the strategic goals and objectives.” were sentiments shared by Professor Bueno and Instructor Oviedo, who coordinated the event. Over eighty students watched the competition which also includes staff and faculty. Arthur Jonas, SSC and Nena Mike, CDEP did the opening and closing remarks. The SBA and Peer Counseling office assured the audience that the Quiz Bee is an annual event at Kosrae Campus. Vice-President Alik Returns From Official Visit To China PALIKIR, FSM (FSM Embassy, Beijing/FSMIS, Oct. 21, 2014) — Vice-President Alik L. Alik has returned from his Official Visit to the People’s Republic of China at the invitation from China’s Vice-President Li Yuanchao. Vice- President Alik lead a five-member delegation to China from 13-18 October 2014. The visit was scheduled to coincide with this year’s 25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between FSM and China on September 11, 1989. The visit consisted of a welcoming ceremony held in the morning of October 14, 2014 at the Great Hall of the People, followed by official talks with Vice President Li Yuanchao. In the afternoon, Vice-President Alik also met with China’s top legislature, Chairman Zhang Dejiang, who is the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. The meetings with leading officials in Beijing reaffirmed both side’s satisfaction with the state of relations these past twenty-five years and has reassured that both sides want to work together to further enhance the relationship beyond and into the future. Both sides agree to work together to strengthen bilateral, regional, and multilateral ties. Furthermore, the meetings encouraged more business cooperation through tourism, trade, and investments. Recurring themes during both high level meetings suggest that both FSM and China desire to further explore and to expand cooperation in the areas of tourism, agriculture, and fisheries. The FSM has indicated its desires to open its shores to interested and serious investors from China. Vice-President Alik expressed desire to cooperate beyond the bilateral relationship. He encouraged the strengthening of ties at the regional and international fronts. China welcomes and also desires to enhance cooperation at all levels. Vice-President Alik expressed FSM’s appreciation for all the assistance China has provided to the FSM and reiterated FSM’s strong unequivocal support and adherence to the “One China Policy”, a primary pillar to the FSM-China relationship. Vice-President Alik’s visit to Guangzhou gave him the opportunity to visit agricultural and fisheries related sites where he witnessed technologies in agriculture and fisheries that can be replicated in the FSM. The province is eager to take the lead in cooperating with the FSM on key areas given their geographical proximity to the FSM. The Vice-President also made a visit to Hong Kong, where he met the FSM Honorary Consul, Dr. Tan Siu Lin in Hong Kong. Dr. Dan is also the Chairman of Luen Thai International Group Limited. The issues raised during the meeting are in the areas of fisheries, dry docking and other cooperation for mutual interests. Vice-President Alik’s official visit marks his fifth visit to the People’s Republic China as the Nation’s Vice President. His meetings with Vice President Li and Chairman Zhang were productive and both meetings reached consensus. Staffing Vice President Alik in the official talks and meetings were Deputy Chief of Mission Jackson T. Soram, Deputy Assistant Secretary Carson M. Mongkeya, First Secretary KS Vincent Sivas, Mr. Madison Nena, and Mr. Tatchuo Sigrah. For further information, contact the FSM Embassy in Beijing at Ph: (86)1065324708 or e-mail address: [email protected] Fully Funded Fellowship Opportunity For Emerging NGO Leaders KOLONIA, Pohnpei (U.S. Embassy, Kolonia/MV, Oct. 29, 2014) — The U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce a special opportunity for emerging civil society leaders to participate in a 6-18 month professional fellowship in the United States. All Fellows will be placed at a leading social change organization in the United States. This fellowship is the result of a partnership between the Department of State and the Atlas Service Corps. Individuals in the nonprofit/NGO sectors with two or more years of experience, a college degree and English proficiency are encouraged to apply. Atlas Service Corps has supported over 300 emerging leaders from over 60 different countries and seeks candidates to apply as soon as possible for their next class of fellows. To apply and to find out more information, please visit atlascorps.org/apply.php/. Sport: Guam Takes Out Micronesia Cup Canoe Event GUAM, Micronesia (Radio New Zealand International, Oct. 29, 2014) — Guam have dominated the 16th Micronesia Cup paddle race over the weekend. Hong Kong proved their strength as well. The Cup was the biggest outrigger canoe event in the Micronesian region with over 50 teams represented from seven different islands. Cup Chairman Joe Nowell says the hosts came out on top, particularly in the womens events. The Guam team Poksai came in first for the 500 and they came in first for the 12 mile. They missed out on the 1000m but they won first place dominantly on the distance. Coming behind them was Hong Kong and then behind Hong Kong for third place was another Guam team called Animun Tasi Metgot for the distance race. In the open mens division, Taotao Galaide was first with Hong Kong United and Guatdan Tasi finishing second and third respectively. UH Pacific Business Center Program Wins National Economic Development Award HAWAII, Oceania (University of Hawaii News, Oct. 29, 2014) — A University of Hawai‘i project to promote and expand breadfruit use in the Pacific has won a top award from the University Economic Development Association (UEDA). Recently the Pacific Regional Breadfruit Initiative, a project of UH’s Pacific Business Center Program (PBCP), won UEDA’s award for Research and Analysis in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Receiving the UEDA Award of Excellence was the PBCPʻs Senior Business Development Manager C. L. Cheshire, and Director Failautusi Avegalio. Avegalio attributes the Pacific Regional Breadfruit Initiative’s success to the groundbreaking research and analysis led by the National Tropical Botanical Garden (NTBG) Breadfruit Institute and its Director, Professor Diane Ragone. That research affirmed the many uses of the breadfruit tree and fruit or ‘ulu in Hawaiian. According to Avegalio, breadfruit is gluten free and the U.S. market demand for gluten free products is projected to hit $15.5 billion in 2016. Major byproducts of breadfruit include the breadfruit sap that is 100 percent organic latex, and the breadfruit flower, which contains several powerful chemical compounds more potent than those used in the leading synthetic insect repellent on the market. The tree’s wood is resistant to marine worms and termites. The breadfruit tree also has a high salinity tolerance, enabling it to survive inundation from rising tides where traditional food crops such as taro, banana, tapioca, and yams cannot. Avegalio said, “There is no better combination for natural food security in the world than breadfruit, together with the coconut tree for water.” The Pacific Regional Breadfruit Initiative team includes the NTBG Breadfruit Institute, the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa’s College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) and Shidler College of Business; Kansas State University College of Agriculture; University of British Columbia, Okanaga, Fipke Centre for Innovative Research; Scientific Research Organization of Samoa (SROS); Robinson Fresh/C.H. Robinson, California; Natural Foods International, Samoa; Intertribal Council On Utility Policy (COUP) Rosebud, South Dakota; Olohana Foundation, Hawai‘i; Agroforestry Net, Inc. Hawai‘i; and the American Samoa Department of Commerce. “We’ve assembled a world class team of experts,” said Avegalio, “From that core group, we’ve developed an amazing and enthusiastic network of collaborators” The network spans millions of square miles from Washington D.C. to the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas in the Northwest Pacific, to the Federated States of Micronesia, in the Central Pacific, and to the Samoas and Fiji Islands in the South Pacific. Collaborators include U.S. and Pacific land-grant community colleges, regional universities, research institutions, health and nutrition organizations, medical technology, non-profit, community, faith based, native Hawaiian and indigenous organizations, and local and federal government agencies. The PBCP envisions Hawai‘i as the major processing, refinement, and export hub to the U.S. market for sustainable and gluten-free food products, such as flour made from breadfruit. The Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands (CNMI) would serve a similar function for the Asian market. A regional approach is imperative if the developing industry is to achieve fruition within the projected three-year time frame, according to Avegalio. He noted that global food distributor C. H. Robinson moves at least 300 tons of regular flour a week. “No one island group can supply that demand,” he said. “Only a collaborative regional approach can expect to do so.” Support from the Ulu Pono Initiative of Hawai‘i helped to launch the Pacific Regional Breadfruit Initiative’s inaugural Breadfruit Summit in 2012, which was hosted in Pago Pago by former Governor Togiola of American Samoa. American and Western Samoa are leading the initiative in Polynesia. In 2013 the Micronesian Chief Executives Summit endorsed the Breadfruit Initiative for Micronesia under the leadership of Governor Inos of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas Islands in Saipan. Fiji-based agriculture consulting firm Koko Siga Pacific, the University of the South Pacific, and the U.S. Embassy in Fiji are collaborating on a Melanesian Breadfruit Summit in early 2015. A Pacific Regional Breadfruit Conference is being planned for October 2015 in Hawai‘i. Avegalio serves in two management roles for the University of Hawai‘i. He serves as the Director of the PBCP and as the Executive Director of the Honolulu Minority Business Enterprise Center (HMBEC), both housed at UH Mānoaʻs Shidler College of Business. The UEDA Award marks the second national honor for programs under his management within months of each other. In August, the HMBEC was inducted into the Minority Business Development Agency Century Club and further recognized as a National Top Performing Center by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Avegalio credits this national recognition to the outstanding leadership of HMBEC Director Dana Hauanio. “My PBCP and HMBEC office colleagues are exceptional,” said Avegalio. “Their commitment, knowledge, expertise, work, and passion for Hawai‘i and the Pacific region reflect well on our University of Hawai‘i System, the State of Hawai‘i, our Pacific community, and our nation.” About The Pacific Business Center Program (PBCP) The Pacific Business Center Program was established in 1979 to provide governments, companies, and institutions in Hawai‘i with business-related services such as financial analysis, management reviews, business plans, and other business technical support. Since its inception, PBCP has expanded its span of services to include other Pacific Basin islands, including the territories of American Samoa and Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republics of Palau and the Marshall Islands. Current funders of the PBCP include the U.S. Department of Commerce‘s Economic Development Administration and the U.S. Department of Interior‘s Office of Insular Affairs with matching support by the University of Hawai‘i. -END-
Posted on: Wed, 29 Oct 2014 08:57:57 +0000
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