Alumnus Is Tongan Minister of Education 2
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ISSUE F 2 E 0 B 2 R 0 UARY 2 IN THIS ISSUE ALUMNUS IS TONGAN MINISTER OF 02 SUCCESS EDUCATION STORIES Hon. Siaosi 03 'Ofakivahafolau ALUMNI Sovaleni, PROFILES The Hon. Siaosi 'Ofakivahafolau Sovaleni, Prior to his current role in the current Minister of Education & Training - King- Tongan Government; Hon. Sovaleni was dom of Tonga is an alumnus of The Uni- the Deputy Prime Minister, and the Min- versity of the South Pacific (USP); where ister for Meteorology, Environment, he obtained a Gold Medal for a Postgrad- Information, Disaster Management, 04 uate Diploma in Managers in Advanced Energy, Climate Change and Communi- WHERE Analytics Skills in 2008, and a Master of cations (MEIDECC). He is also the former ARE THEY Business Administration in 2009. Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Public Enterprises (MPE). He also led NOW? Hon. Sovaleni also studied in New Zea- the state-owned enterprises (SOE) re- land and England, where he received his form programme that focused on board Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Comput- governance, improved compliance and er Science, a minor in Mathematics from Auckland, New Zealand and his Master improved financial performance. Hon. of Science in Computation from Oxford, Sovaleni is a member of the electoral England. Constituency People's Representative for On February 19, 2020, the new entrance Tongatapu No. 3. at USP’s Laucala Campus, called “Uni- Hon. Sovaleni has held several key gov- versity Avenue” was opened by Hon. ernment and non-government positions Hon. Sovaleni has also previously served Sovaleni. This new entrance is for the throughout his career. He is a member as Deputy Team Leader, of the Tonga - improvement and maintenance of USP’s of the Pacific Internet Society (PICISOC); Asian Development Bank (ADB) Strategic estates and infrastructure, which works a former member of Pacific Computer Program for Climate Resilience (SPCR). towards providing enhanced accessibil- Emergency Response Team (PACCERT) He was Manager of the Pacific ICT Out- ity and to improve the social environ- and also a member of Regional ICT for reach Program (PICTO) at the Secretar- ment of USP’s campuses. The new USP Education Working Group. He is also cur- iat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and entrance fundamentally reshapes the rently a Board member, as the Pacific served more than 10 years as a senior orientation of the University towards representative, of the Commonwealth of official at the Ministry of Finance of the the Pacific Ocean; the ocean which sym- Learning (CoL). Kingdom of Tonga. bolises our common home. VICE-CHANCELOR & PRESIDENT VIDEO LOG LINK AND SUMMARY | youtu.be/nVdyNehrECg 1 Success Stories CBSI DEPUTY GOVERNOR IS AN ALUMNUS Mr Raynold Micah Moveni, The Universi- Accounting, from USP, in 1996. ty of the South Pacific (USP) alumnus has been appointed for a six (6) year term as Prior to his appointment as Deputy Gov- the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank ernor, Mr Moveni was the Chief Manag- of Solomon Islands (CBSI). This appoint- er for the Financial Systems Regulations ment was made by the Solomon Islands Department (FSRD) at CBSI, for 11 years. Government through the Minister of Fi- He has been with the Central Bank for nance and Treasury and is effective since more than 20 years, holding various posi- January 30, 2020. He is the sixth Solomon tions within the economics and financial Islander to hold the position as Deputy supervision and regulations office. He ini- Governor to CBSI. tially joined the economics department in Mr Moveni is married to Neroly Toa- 1999 as an analyst, rotating around dif- ta-Moveni and they have three children. ferent units within the department and He is from Megoju Village, Dovele on Vel- for a brief period was acting as the As- la la Vella Island, in the Western Province sistant Manager for the department, be- of Solomon Islands. fore switching to the financial regulation and supervision department. In 2006, he He holds a postgraduate qualification in worked as an Advisor to the Executive Economics and Econometrics from Uni- Director at the International Monetary versity of Sydney, Australia in 2012, and Fund (IMF) in Washington DC, the United his undergraduate level includes quali- States for two years, and returned to lead fications in Digital Money at the Fletch- the financial markets and supervision de- er School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts partment up until his latest appointment. Raynold Micah Moveni University, the United States in 2015, Civil Photo credit: Solomon Star News Law from USP in 2007 and Economics and ALUMNUS IS PERMANENT SECRETARY David Kolitagane, Fiji’s Permanent Sec- their overall services. retary for Agriculture is an alumnus of The University of the South Pacific (USP) Prior to this position, Mr Kolitangane was where he received a Bachelor of Arts de- the acting Permanent Secretary for Rural gree, majoring in Economics from 1999. and Maritime Development. During the Ministry’s Strategic Develop- Mr Kolitagane also has extensive expe- ment Plan Workshop in July 2019, in Nadi, rience holding multiple portfolios and Mr Kolitangane spoke about the gap in board positions including that in the the Ministry’s service delivery and shared Amalgamated Telecom Holdings Ltd. It plans on how to improve it by addressing was due to his proven performance, that stakeholder complaints in a timely man- the Public Service Commission (PSC) be- ner. He also spoke about enhancing their lieves that Mr Kolitagane is the ideal can- didate to take this portfolio to its next business functions and work practices David Kolitagane level and help fulfil the plans in this area. which will contribute towards improving Photo credit: Fiji Sun ALUMNI ISSUE nov-dec NEWS 6 2019 ISSUE 1 2017 Tuvalu Prime Minister is USP Alumnus 2 i-KIRIBATI ALUMNUS ADVOCATES ALUMNI NEWS & HIGHLIGHTS FOR CLIMATE CHANGE FOR PREVIOUS Tuvalu is the moving to Kiribati as an Assistant Secretary frontline of in Foreign Affairs. That started her journey in International Relations. the climate She felt inspired working in Kiribati. “Kiribati is ´JKWDQGDVD a small country and your contribution is more NEWSLETTERS, valued and you feel you are really making a country we have difference.” 8 ALUMNI DIARY contributed the Talking about climate change, HE Rimon says, OHDVWWRJOREDO “Climate change is a global issue but affects CHECK OUT countries with different degrees especially those HPLVVLRQV such as Kiribati and Tuvalu that are low lying.” but we still This complicates the equation even more since the proposal of relocation is on the table for the do our part to people of Kiribati. She echos what all Pacific implement Paris Islanders would identify with – “We have a and reduce our spiritual connection to the land. It’s part of us.” 9 No one would be keen to leave a place they want IN BRIEF www.alumni.usp.ac.fj reliance on fossil HE Reteta Rimon to stay in which is why HE Rimon and the Kiribati government are looking at other options. fuels.” Her Excellency Reteta Rimon is the Kiribati “We are trying to maintain our islands by getting High Commissioner to Fiji and well known for outside innovations, technical assistance, and advocating for climate change for Kiribati and financial support to help us keep the islands.” capacity building activities, and to the Pacific Islands. HE Rimon is working closely with the international Prime Minister of Tuvalu Kausea Natano focus on adaptation and mitigation She came to The University of the South Pacific counterparts exploring all options to tackle (Photo Credit: Tuvalu Government) from the effects of Climate Change. (USP) to do her Diploma in Education in 1978 climate change. “Relocation is the last option. USP alumnus, Honourable Kausea Climate Change, and sea water level Natano is the thirteenth (13th) Prime on a Fiji government scholarship and later We don’t want to be refugees and are upskilling and has been a high-profi le cham- rise in particular is a serious issue for our people so they can be easily marketable 10 Minister of Tuvalu and was voted into Tuvalu as the highest point of eleva- completed a Bachelor of Arts in History and Prime Ministership on 19 Septem- pion for action on climate change, Politics in 1987. The present Vice-Chancellor overseas. So that they will not be looked down ALUMNI co-chairing the United Nations cli- tion on Tuvalu is just 4.50 metres, and ber, 2019 by ten (10) of the country’s the average elevation is just 1.80 me- and President, Professor Rajesh Chandra was upon as burden – so that they can contribute to PROFILES mate change summit in 2014 and 16 Members of Parliament to form a tres above sea level. This makes Tuva- one of her Lecturers along with Professor Konai their adopted country.” new government. He also serves as a has vowed to continue the country’s climate change advocacy. He said his lu vulnerable to rising sea levels. Thaman, Professor Vijay Naidu, and Professor Member of Parliament for Funafuti, 2 On the University, HE Rimon says, “USP is region’s government will carry on Tuvalu’s “As we have said often, if we save Tu- the capital Tuvalu. Subramani. premier institution. USP will continue to be very leadership in the climate arena. valu, we save the world,’’ said Pacifi c Prime Minister Kausea Natano is a She states her years at USP as the most important in addressing the contemporary “Tuvalu is in the frontline of the cli- Islands Forum Chair, Prime Minister issues as long as it remains relevant in kinds of prestigious alumnus of The Universi- Natano. enjoyable time of her life. During her time at the ty of the South Pacifi c (USP); where he mate fi ght, and as a country we have programmes it offers and the quality.” University she was part of the USP choir which obtained his Bachelor of Arts Degree contributed the least to global emis- Prime Minister Natano is also Tu- was similar to the present day Pasifika Voices.