Call for Papers for the 12th PIPSA Conference - December 8 - 9 2011

Call for papers

12^th Pacific islands Political Studies Association (PIPSA) Conference

Hosted by The University of the South Pacific, Alafua Campus, Apia, Samoa,

December 8-9 2011

Pacific politics, Pacific communities

This is a general call for papers for the 12^th PIPSA conference to be held in Apia, Samoa, hosted by the University of the South Pacific, Alapua Campus. The conference aims to explore a range of issues pertaining to the relationship between politics and community in the Pacific.  The broad theme Pacific politics, Pacific communities attempts to capture the complex relationship between communities and politics at the local, national, regional and international levels in the Pacific. It covers a range of issues and individual papers may focus on any of these specific areas:

...participatory democracy; community and grassroots governance; sustainable development; regime change; media and democracy; migration and development; conflict and conflict resolution; regional geo-politics; regional intervention; human rights; law enforcement; land and indigenous rights; youth participation; sovereignty and autonomy; sea-level rise; poverty and marginalization; gender participation; aid and development; cultural identity; citizenship; religion and politics; human security; regional security; globalization and free trade; community violence; intra-regional challenges; nation-building; constitutional and legal reform; electoral democracy; civil society engagement; cultural and ethnic diversity; political mobilization through virtual social networks...   

The 100 word abstract should be sent to Sue Rider (sue.Rider@anu.edu.au), Australian National University or Folole Asaua (f.asaua@auckland.ac.nz), University of Auckland, by 30 April 2011 and the 4,000 word paper by October 30 2011. Other details of the conference will be sent out later.

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PIPSA committee: President, Steven Ratuva (University of Auckland); Vice-President, David Hegarty (Australian National University); Secretary, Jon Schultz (University of Melbourne); Tarcisius Kabutaulaka (University of Hawaii); Anne Brown (University of Queensland); Sandra Tarte (University of the South Pacific); Michael Leach (Swinburne University).     

Report finds mismatch in young Pacific peoples’ Career choice

A new report by the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs and the Department of Labour, looking at possible careers for today’s young Pacific peoples has found a mismatch between future job growth areas and current subject choices and achievement at school.

Published by the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, the report says the key to improving future employment prospects for Pacific people lies in effective schooling and choosing the right subjects.

Current trends show that Pacific peoples continue to be over-represented in low-skilled, low-paid jobs.

“The best way forward for Pacific peoples is sound education at primary and secondary level, and choosing the NCEA subjects that fit areas of future employment demand and/or tertiary studies,” Ministry Chief Executive Dr Colin Tukuitonga says.

“Pacific peoples will be ten percent of the population by 2026, compared with six percent now. Today’s Pacific students need to be better informed about subjects, qualifications and future career pathways, and they need better support at tertiary level so that they stay and complete their qualifications.”

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Currently only 27.8 percent of Pacific school leavers qualify for university compared with 51.7 percent for Europeans and 67.8 percent for Asians.

“Our young people need to succeed not only for their own sakes, but so they can play their part in New Zealand’s future,” Dr Tukuitonga said.

The report, developed by the Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs and the Department of Labour, looked at occupations and industries with the highest future growth forecast, the current numbers of Pacific peoples now employed in those areas and the educational pathways required for high-skilled, high-growth employment.

It identifies the top 10 growth occupations by 2018, and offers a number of suggestions for improving labour market prospects for Pacific people.

For more information:

Contact: Janine Gray

Senior Communications Advisor

Tel: 04 471 8246

'Racist' remark hurt Pasifika winners

By JO GILBERT - The Press

16 October 2010

St Thomas's College Young Enterprise Pasifika team, from left, Jordan Koloamatangi, Mathew Elia, Thomas Scott and Charlie Latulipe.

An award ceremony host's remark to a group of Pasifika pupils that "they can all read and write" has sparked anger.

The Oceanic Fusion team from St Thomas's of Canterbury College, made up of mainly Samoan and Tongan pupils, won a regional award in the Young Enterprise Scheme (Yes).

After announcing their success, host Tom McBrearty said: "I can assure you they can all read and write."

The remark was reportedly met with gasps and silence by the audience at Wednesday's ceremony at the New Zealand Institute of Management (NZIM) in Christchurch.

McBrearty, a former NZIM chief executive and current director and a Yes judge, said he had "engaged my tongue before my brain" and had not meant to say it.

One audience member, Community Law Canterbury manager Paul O'Neill, whose organisation mentored the St Thomas's team, said he was so disgusted he walked out.

The comment angered him because it was "a relatively small event that had a big issue around it", he said.

"It was a racist comment based on ignorance, I'm not saying it was done with maliciousness," he said.

"The worst thing was that when a St Thomas's teacher apologised to the boys afterward, they said, `That's all right sir, we are used to it'."

A member of the Oceanic Fusion team, Jordan Koloamatangi, 17, said the statement was distressing, but the boys could see McBrearty was genuinely sorry when he apologised afterward.

"It hurt us quite a bit," the year 13 pupil said.

"We, as individuals, have faced these stereotypical comments before, but having it come from someone like that, and at that level, we took it more heavily."

Maori and Pasifika pupils all across the country were trying to overcome the "stereotypical barriers", Koloamatangi said.

"We still hurt about it, but it makes us stronger and gives us more reason to work hard and strive for excellence in whatever we do."

McBrearty said his statement was "not at all" what he meant to say.

"I engaged my tongue before my brain," he said.

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"What they've done is achieve amazingly well and they're an example to all young people, that's what I was aiming for.

"I meant they've read up their briefs, written really good reports, and there's an absolute connection between them, their product and their business practice, but it didn't come out that way and it was an absolute tragedy."

As well as apologising at the time, he had sent a written apology to the pupils and their school.

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St Thomas's principal Christine O'Brien said the comment was highly offensive and disappointing, but McBrearty seemed genuinely apologetic.

St Thomas's was in the process of organising a restorative justice conference with McBrearty, the pupils and their families. It was reviewing whether to participate in the scheme next year.

Ali Hughes, chief executive of Core Education, which administers Yes in the region, said McBrearty's remark was distressing and disappointing, but out of character.

He did a lot of good work with young people in Canterbury, she said.

OCEANIC FUSION

The six members of Oceanic Fusion are set to wing their way to Wellington after collecting the Young Enterprise Scheme's Canterbury regional award. Charlie Latulipe, Caleb Reweti, Kasiamo Petelo, Mathew Elia, Thomas Scott and Jordan Koloamatangi will attend the national awards on November 3. Reweti said the group, which included Samoans, Tongans, a Maori and a Pakeha, was proud of its achievement. Their company sells luxury soap with ingredients sourced from Samoa, with plans to donate profits to aid assistance in the country. The team is aiming for the Pacific Achievement Award.