Aingimea Government Announces New Boards

REPUBLIC OF NAURU Nauru Bulletin Issue 15-2019/199 24 September 2019 Aingimea government announces new boards

abinet convened over Nauru Lands Committee is a Cthe weekend of 13-15 team of nine chaired by Vinson September and confirmed board Detenamo with vice chair and committee members across Bernadette Aliklik. Nauru’s state-owned enterprises David Aingimea is chair and CEO and other entities. for Nauru (RPC) Corporation. Highlights include Nauru The Licensing and Importation Air Corporation, welcoming Review Committee is three Dr Kieren Keke and Captain members plus chair Minister Voderick Detsiogo as chair and for Justice and Border Control vice chair respectively, along with Maverick Eoe. four directors appointed for four years. The Port Authority of Nauru (PAN) is now headed by Link The Civil Aviation Authority sees Uera as chair, supported by newly-appointed Secretary for Nauru Government offices and forecourt, Yaren Deputy Chair Wanganeen Emiu, two Transport Nodel Neneiya as chair. directors and one ex-officio director. Ronphos chairman is Newman Rykers, with over by chair Zikki Eoe supported by two directors. Gazette 175, dated 17 September announced a board of four directors, appointed for a the creation under the Office of the President three year term. Interim chair for Eigigu Holdings of two new departments: Department of Nauru Rehabilitation Corporation retains Corporation is Loni Can, with a four director Presidency and Department of Ministerial. Peter Jacob as chair, with Brett Satto as vice board including Vyko Adeang and Limay Agege. In addition, the Department of Information, chair and four directors for a three year term. Communication & Technology (ICT) and Winnie Tsitsi leads three directors as chair of Nauru Utilities Corporation will be chaired the Department of Media were created, Nauru Phosphate Royalties Trust (NPRT), by Abraham Aremwa, and Peter Chanel replacing the combined ICT and media while Cenpac Corporation will be presided Diema will chair Nauru Fisheries and Marine department with two distinct and separate Resources Authority. Cont pg 2... Gadabu hits the ground running on climate

ust six working days after his swearing-in to the 23rd Parliament Jof Nauru, Rennier Gadabu was in Samoa delivering a statement at the environment ministers’ high-level talanoa, 6 September. The 29th Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment (SPREP) meeting, held from 3 to 6 September, brought together 21 Pacific island members and five metropolitan members including New Zealand and Australia, to discuss resilience strategies to ensure the livelihoods and survival of the Blue Pacific region. Rennier Gadabu is Nauru’s new Minister for Climate Change, and Minister for Commerce, Industry and Environment. He is also Minister for Infrastructure, which includes sea wall construction. Mr Gadabu began his statement at the talanoa providing a SPREP members of the 29th Secretariat meeting, with Nauru’s history of Pacific leadership on the issue of climate change and Minister Gadabu (front, 3rd from right) SPREP Cont pg 2... Produced by the Government Information Office PAGE 2 Nodel Neneiya is appointed Secretary for Transport, moving from his Aingimea government announces new boards role as Green Climate Fund Readiness Coordinator working with the ...from pg 1 Department of Commerce, Industry and Environment. departments. Geoffrey Harris is Secretary for ICT and Joel Waqa is Lesi Olsson remains Secretary for Infrastructure. duly appointed Secretary for Media. The change of title of office of assistant ministers was also gazetted The Nauru National Commission for UNESCO moves from an eight at this time, with the coming into effect of the Deputy Ministers Act to a 10 member team, with sectors education and social and human 2019, replacing the Assistant Ministers Act of 2016. science and youth added. For full details, subscribe to the Government Gazette through the The Expatriate Monitoring Committee is abolished with immediate Gazette section of the Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages at: effect. [email protected] •

consolidating competing proposals; one example is that while Gadabu hits the ground running on climate PSIDS are calling for a Special Representative to the Secretary- ...from pg 1 General on Climate and Security, the Kainaki II Declaration regional security, recounting its beginnings in 2008 with the Niue signed at the recent 50th Pacific Islands Forum in Tuvalu calls for Declaration and small island states taking the issue to the United a Special Advisor and Special Rapporteur. Nations Security Council, where the idea was initially “literally “We need to be clear what we want, not only with regards to the laughed out of the room”. post, but also the mandate,” Mr Gadabu said. “A resolution at the General Assembly to refer the security The minister referred to UN Group of Friends on Climate and implications of climate change to the Security Council and further Security, formed in August 2018, as another conduit for the mobilise the United Nations system” was not well received. promotion of the Pacific’s objectives. “While it was widely understood that climate change would have Lastly, Minister Gadabu reminded members how important it is to some negative impacts, these countries were not convinced that it clarify Pacific islands’ expectations of country candidates seeking would ever undermine peace and security,” Mr Gadabu recalled. a seat at the Security Council in exchange for support, and how the However, it only took another 12 months before a resolution Pacific must support Security Council members to raise what can was unanimously passed with the UN Secretary-General calling be a politically-risky issue. climate change a “threat multiplier” interrupting peace and security In seeking ways for the UN to deliver improved outcomes in the through “food and water security, sea-level rise and migration.” Pacific, he urged members to continue being “engaged in the Within three years, persistent lobbying by Pacific Small Island debate and actively shape the outcomes to our specific needs” • Developing States (PSIDS) representatives, with the support of Read the SPREP Environment Ministers and High-Level Representatives nations like Germany, prompted both the UN General Assembly Talanoa Communique 2019 at: and the Security Council “to recognise that climate change poses https://www.sprep.org/publications/sprep-environment-ministers-and- a threat to international peace and security.” high-level-representatives-talanoa-communique-2019 Mr Gadabu provided some guidelines to retain Pacific leadership on the issue of climate change moving forward, including Make the child safe, the priority hild protection stakeholders met this month for their third Cfull week of child protection certificate training 9-13 Child September, again under workshop facilitator, UNICEF’s Peta- protection Gaye Bookall. workshop participants Home affairs, health, education and police came together for working the multi-sectorial approach required to provide a quality through child protection response on Nauru, working all week on Module 3, case management skills related to accurate completion of risk 9-13 Sept assessment forms in accordance with the child protection referral pathway. The 53-page referral pathway document dated September While a single child protection risk assessment and referral case 2019 outlines referral procedures and is intended to increase may require input from family members, the accused, and child interagency collaboration, providing case workers with a clear itself, members of the general public, as well as police officers, framework that increases their ability to make professional head teachers and classroom teachers, doctors, nurses, pastors judgements and decisions under particularly adverse conditions. and church and community leaders, page 11 of the referral According to the document, “a good child protection response pathway serves to ground case managers in the primary and includes multiagency partnerships, effective co-ordination, guiding principle of their vital work: “The primary aim is to agency accountability and reliability.” make the child safe.” Cont pg 3... NAURU BULLETIN Issue 15-2019/199 • 24 September 2019 PAGE 3 Make the child safe, the priority assessment; identifying risk and protective factors and then ...from pg 2 making decisions on the kind of response required – emergency protection, protection, welfare assistances or follow up – The preliminary child protection risk assessment form is a followed by a detailed action plan, post-assessment. comprehensive 14-page document that provides case managers Further data collected provides details on the child’s with a detailed understanding of how the family and extended developmental needs, divided into the categories of health, family of the abuse victim/s functions. education, social, emotional, spiritual and moral needs. It seeks the child victim’s perspectives; his or her reflections on Quality of care is also assessed, along with observed behaviours family and school life, friendship networks, the abuse event or and body language exhibited by the child victim – all indicative situation itself as well as how he or she envisions their future. of the nature and extent of the abuse inflicted on the child. Caregivers, encompassing parents and guardians, are required to Course participants have two further week-long sessions this provide their perspectives on the abuse event or circumstances, year to attend to become certified. their concerns for the child victim, a description of the child’s life and what the future will hold for the child, along with the As their capacity and expertise grow, coupled with the rollout of bigger picture of family life and the challenges therein. a public education campaign, it is hoped that the child protection division, now seated under the Office of the President, will Perpetrator details are also recorded in detail. improve community understanding and reduce the incidences of Child protection officers at the training learned how to this blight on Nauru society – the abuse, neglect and exploitation comprehensively and accurately perform an analysis of their of our children •

Kephas new Ambassador in Taiwan

arden Kephas presented his credentials to Taiwan President Pacific Region, a meeting with new students on the Taiwanese JTsai Ing-wen on 9 September in Taipei. scholarship and a joint dinner function by the Embassies of His new title is Republic of Nauru Ambassador Extraordinary Nicaragua, Guatemala and Honduras celebrating the 198th and Plenipotentiary to Taiwan. Anniversary of Independence of Central America.” Ambassador Kephas replaces Chitra Jeremiah, who is now While Ambassador Kephas does not see the defection of the Permanent Representative of Nauru to the United Nations Office Solomon Islands to China changing Nauru's relationship with at Geneva. Taiwan, calling it an “unfortunate incident for Taiwan”, Nauru will, in fact, feel the consequences of the decision by the Mr Kephas spoke exclusively with Nauru Bulletin about his role, Solomon Islands government, and now Kiribati. his engagements to date in Taiwan, and his anticipated outcomes at the end of his three year appointment as Ambassador. According to Taiwan media reports, Taiwan’s remaining diplomatic allies in the Pacific will now benefit financially, with funding destined for the Solomon Islands and Kiribati now Ambassador Kephas diverted to Nauru, Tuvalu, Palau and the Marshall Islands. shares a momento of Nauru with Taiwan News reports that Taiwan recently “submitted a 2020 Taiwan President budget of NT$28.2 billion (US$902 million) in diplomatic Tsai Ing-wen at programs for review, an eight per cent increase from last year. the presentation The funds will be allocated to aid in the form of infrastructure of his credentials, and civil projects as well as support the operations of Taiwan’s 9 September technical groups stationed in allied countries.” Looking forward, Mr Kephas hopes that in the next three years, he can continue to “build upon and further strengthen the Taiwan Today relationship” with Taiwan, with a focus on education and health. “I hope to work with the education department to keep a tracer “I will have a similar focus [to the previous ambassador] building on the students that have undertaken scholarships here, and to and enhancing the co-operations between the two countries,’ see whether the roadmap for the scholarship is achieving its aim, saying that, at this point, Nauru’s recently-elected government if not, then I would like to work with education and Taiwan to has yet to advise any changes to the role or its focus. adjust the terms of the scholarship for better fruition. A former educator, Mr Kephas has also held posts as Nauru “In health, I would like see Nauru and Taiwan develop a working Consulate General to Australia and Nauru High Commissioner relationship on the ‘technology’ side of health,” Mr Kephas said. to Fiji. On a steep learning curve in terms of culture and language, Mr In the week since his credentials presentation, Ambassador Kephas reports that he will soon undertake Mandarin studies, Kephas has had a full schedule, including a “welcome dinner with Taiwan’s ministry of foreign affairs offering language by my Pacific colleagues, the opening ceremony for the US/ tuition to embassy staff • Taiwan Consultation on Democratic Governance in the Indo-

Issue 15-2019/199 • 24 September 2019 NAURU BULLETIN PAGE 4 Lutruwita language expert visits Nauru

s part of International Year of Indigenous Languages, the AAustralian High Commission in Nauru hosted Aboriginal linguistic consultant Theresa Sainty on a week-long tour, 15 to 20 September. Aboriginal linguistic consultant Theresa Sainty Ms Sainty is from Lutruwita, more commonly known as examines illustrations Tasmania. She is an Aboriginal linguistic consultant at the of traditional Nauruan Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre and a First Languages Australia technology and design at committee member. Naoero Museum during her visit, 15-20 September Ms Sainty met with stakeholders in Nauru’s language preservation projects, including Home Affairs Language Manager Pansy Olsson and Language Co-ordination Officer Anita Koroa, as well as Secretary General, National Commission of Nauru for UNESCO Lyn Teleni, who is the direct aid project (DAP) lead on the Nauru Memories project. Throughout the week Ms Sainty also met with secondary “It’s a bit prescriptive, but the shame will be if we let this school students for a short-film screening, conducted a book- opportunity go begging. reading with Boe Infant’s school students and visited the Naoero “Like Nauru, not everyone in the community agrees but it’s so Museum. important that it’s documented in some way – either written There, she spoke with Nauru Bulletin about the nature of her down, or by film, or recorded.” work, the similarities and differences she perceives between Ms Sainty’s work extends to collaborations with Australia’s Naoero and Lutruwita, and the future she sees for the reciprocal National Indigenous Television (NITV) channel, the most recent relationship she wishes to foster between them. being episodes of the children’s cartoon Little J and Big Cuz in While she said that both places are islands, and she believes Palawa kani. there is a certain ‘way of being’ when you live on an island, she In addition, she recently worked on the script for a full-length expressed her awe at seeing how indigenous Nauruans live on feature film The Nightingale, directed by Jennifer Kent, with their ‘country’ (ancestral land) and speak their own language – Aboriginal actors speaking Palawa kani with English language something she and many others were not able to do growing up. subtitles. She has dedicated decades of her life to bringing her language “How fantastic is that!” back into use. For unknown words in language, Ms Sainty believes it is okay to “Palawa kani language has been revived after 150 years. use English language words where there may not be indigenous “We haven’t had a fluent speaker of our language in 150 years. language equivalents. “It’s just such important work,” Ms Sainty said. “You are still putting the concepts out there. There are recordings of Palawa kani in existence, captured on “By getting the language out there, we are building the profile beeswax cylinder, and while modern technology has managed to not just of our language, but of our people.” extract some sounds, it is not enough to learn all there is to know. Ms Sainty knows how isolating it feels being a steward of She observed that Nauruan language must be taken seriously if your mother-tongue. She is inspired by the Nauruan staff at the a legacy is to be left. language bureau to reach out to provide collegial support and professional development opportunities for cultural exchanges, “I see that there isn’t that documentation of the language a ‘sister’ program, including sponsorship to attend the 2021 (Nauruan). PULIiiMA* Indigenous Language & Technology Conference “Maybe there are words waiting to be reawakened. and other regional indigenous language events for her Nauruan “There seems to be a fair amount of work to be done and I see ‘sisters’. that there are not enough resources,” Ms Sainty observed. On the final evening of her visit, Ms Sainty enjoyed performances By resources, she is not only referring to financial resources, by Nauru’s Ekawada and Edogoropa groups. but also community and collegial support, both on-island and The public is invited to view a framed copy of the Apology to internationally, as well as political will. the Stolen Generation presented to the University of the South The retrieving, reviving and then maintaining of Palawa kani has Pacific, Nauru Campus by Ms Sainty before she departed Nauru required extensive community consultations to find agreement on the afternoon of Thursday, 19 September • on how to represent sounds using Roman alphabet symbols and *PULiiMA means 'making voice' in the Awabakal language, the determining consistent spellings, something Ms Sainty and her traditional language of Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Lower Hunter, team said was determined at the very beginning of the project, to in New South Wales, Australia. ensure a living, ongoing reference was established. Watch Little J and Big Cuz at https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/jarjums “We use linguistics with community knowledge and then also Read more on the work of Theresa Sainty and the Tasmanian Aboriginal look at languages that are still spoken, and the grammar. Centre at http://tacinc.com.au/

NAURU BULLETIN Issue 15-2019/199 • 24 September 2019 PAGE 5 News-in-brief IMF Article IV consultations resident Lionel Aingimea and Minister for Finance Martin PHunt met with International Monetary Fund (IMF) team members, led by Stella Kaendera on 17 September. The IMF team is in Nauru for IMF Article IV consultations with government representatives, assessing economic and financial developments and policy, as required by the articles of agreement as a member country of the IMF. Nauru became the 189th member of the IMF in April 2016 • IMF team members, Ms Kaendera to the right of President Aingimea, 17 September

attendees, including President Lionel Aingimea, cabinet The USP open day ministers and deputy ministers, leaders of education, USP staff, students, alumni and high school students. haping Pacific Futures is the theme of the University of the SSouth Pacific’s Nauru Campus annual open day this year, Australia’s Deputy High Commissioner Sonya Gray and Taiwan held Friday, 13 September. Ambassador Dean Wang were also in attendance. After the opening address by campus director Alamanda Lauti, “Ultimately, well-educated Nauruans will be better able to Deputy Minister for Education Richard-Hyde Menke addressed strategically engage with the Pacific in shaping its future as a region,” Mr Menke said. USP student alumni and financial controller at Capelle and Partners Abigail Limen spoke about her life-changing journey through her Bachelor of Commerce degree at USP Laucala Fiji. The USP short essay competition winners and cash prizes were announced from Years 10 to 12 before Open Day was officially declared, and morning tea and the inspection of facilities and study and career pathways followed. The USP Nauru Campus delivers study options from Community and Continuing Education (CCE) basics and professional development short-courses, through Pacific TAFE certificate President Aingimea (front, centre) with ministers, deputy ministers courses and the USP undergraduate and post-graduate studies. and guests as the USP Director Alamanda Lauti declares open day, 13 September To learn more, contact the USP Nauru campus on 557 7262 •

Taiwan alumni celebrate

mbassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) Dean Hai- ALong Wang hosted the first Taiwan alumni dinner reception at the Meneñ Hotel, Friday 13 September. Taiwan alumni at the inaugural Around 35 alumni across the four education and training alumni dinner categories offered by Taiwan; scholarship, Pacific Island leaders at the Meneñ program, vocational training and the media delegation gathered Hotel, for the dinner. 13 September The dinner was arranged to coincide with the Mid-Autumn Festival, also called “Moon Festival”, traditionally observed in Taiwan. According to Taiwan Embassy’s Counsellor in Nauru Shau Ann Lee, “the festival means ‘family reunion’ and our Nauru alumni is like a big family.” •

Issue 15-2019/199 • 24 September 2019 NAURU BULLETIN PAGE 6 US inspires Nauru’s next gen scientists and mathematicians

he American Shelf came to Nauru in a celebration of US Embassy, education on Saturday, 7 September. Suva-based T Rebecca Held at Nauru’s community library at the University of the South Archer- Pacific (USP) campus in Yaren, the event was hosted and opened Knepper by the University of the South Pacific’s Nauru Campus director talking Alamanda Lauti. attendees through Then Acting Secretary for Education Bernard Grundler, on behalf the STEAM of the community library, accepted the collection of science and collection of mathematics books and resources presented by United States resources, embassy regional public diplomacy officer Rebecca Archer- 7 September Knepper. “It’s not just about the books. It’s about the relationship… where “We are appreciative of this venture. we can work together to have the future generation of Nauru “One of our shared values is the importance of reading skills achieve its goals,” Ms Archer-Knepper said. among our people,” Mr Grundler said. On this visit, the resource focus is on what is commonly referred American Shelf is brought to Nauru by the United States to as the STEAM subjects; science, technology, engineering, the embassy in Fiji. arts and mathematics, which are foundational subject areas for Ms Archer-Knepper explained that American Shelf is part of the careers around the globe in the 21st century. American Spaces concept; platforms for providing information Other American Spaces in the Pacific region are located in Fiji, and engagement with the US and what it has to offer in terms of where there are two, as well as Tonga, Kiribati, Tuvalu and now study opportunities, cultural exchanges, workshops and English Nauru • language and other education. Infants schools journey through history eneñ, Anetan and Nibok Infants School preschool students The educational value of the museum for this age group is Mwere the latest visitors to the Naoero Museum in Yaren multi-pronged; apart from the obvious learning about Nauru’s during September. history, students develop social-emotional behavioural skills as Education department early childhood education (ECE) manager they learn to respond with the expected behavioural standards Sharon Kam has been organising infants school tours throughout required in such a venue. the year, since the museum opened in January. Students also learn critical thinking skills as they are challenged to take note of and memorise important symbols, such as the Nauru flag and the national emblem, and develop their ability to formulate and ask questions relevant to what they are Infants experiencing. school students are It is anticipated that in the years to come, these five year olds invited to will eventually be introducing their children and grandchildren look, think to the Naoero Museum collection, and this early exposure means and ask these students can take on the history and stories of Nauru and questions as its people at an age-appropriate level as they grow up with their their elders share their very own cultural and historic space they have a hand in shaping knowledge in over time • the Naoero Naoero Museum is now open to the public 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday Museum to Friday. space Schools and other groups can book their tour by contacting Ms Deloris Akibwib on 556 3587 or [email protected]

The Nauru Bulletin is a fortnightly Office contact: publication of the Government of the Government Information Office Republic of Nauru. Government Offices It is produced by the Government Yaren District, Republic of Nauru Information Office (GIO). [email protected] The GIO was established in May Republic of Nauru Tel: +674 557-3009/3133 ext. 307 2008 and is a section of the Office of www.naurugov.nr the President. Issue 15-2019/199 • 24 September 2019 NAURU BULLETIN