SOUTH PACIFIC APPLIED GEOSCIENCE COMMISSION Number 2002(4), October – December Demonstration EVI set for March 2003 A “Demonstration EVI” is tentatively set for March and temporal scales and hierarchial levels relating team to secure as 2003 as a show and tell for the international to ecosystems, and even incorporates sub-indices much data as audience on how the EVI will look and work when to cater for the great complexity of the possible; or to it is completed. interrelationship of the variables being monitored. arrive at alternative proxies For those who came in late, the Environmental The EVI Project entered its third phase at the end for those indicators Vulnerability Index (EVI) is an indicator based of 2002. The main tasks that remain to complete for which data is tool for estimating vulnerability of the Phase III include the globalisation of the EVI by unavailable. environment of a country to future shocks. It is a establishing links with collaborating countries (32 method that uses 54 smart indicators to assess countries around the world that are targetted). The EVI Project this vulnerability. (An informative booklet that This would be for the purpose of collecting country recently secured a thoroughly discusses the logic behind the EVI Tool data so a country-by-country testing of the EVI further sum of is available on our website; and can be sent to tool could be carried out. Also, creation of a 100- US$100,000 from interested people on request.) country database is underway from public sources the Government of Ursula Kaly to allow for more extensive testing of all the The 54 smart indicators have been developed to indicators. Indicator-by-indicator testing is also to Ireland to assist in monitor environmental conditions and at the same be enhanced by convening another Experts Think completing its work. Funds contributed by New time focus on the vulnerability of human systems Tank – another task set for Phase III. The Zealand, Norway and Italy are also most gratefully as responders to social, climatic and other successful completion of Phase III tasks are all acknowledged. International and regional partners environmental factors or hazards. essential for arriving at a fully-functional and in developing the EVI include UNEP, WMO, SPREP, robust global EVI. SPC, the Forum Secretariat and the University of The maintenance of ecosystem or ecological Malta. integrity is at the heart of the development of a At the end of 2002, the EVI Team has collected vulnerability index for the environment. The data for 100 countries for 30 out of the 54 Collaborators have been urged by the UN General environment is threatened by natural and indicators. The minimum data requirement of 80% Assembly to finalise their contributions to the anthropogenic hazards, which when damaged can data for a country profile has, so far, been vulnerability index, “by 2004.” This sets the at a fundamental level affect the welfare of collected for 21 collaborating countries. Collection deadline for the completion of the global and humans. This notion of ecosystem integrity is of data is crucial for the complete and thorough robust EVI shortly thereafter.§ complex and testing of the EVI for global application. Two major Ursula Kaly & Craig Pratt depends on factors hamper data collection; these are : the biodiversity, unavailability of data in the appropriate form; and ecosystem function the lack of funding to enable collaborating and resilience, all countries to collect their data. Funding available to ALSO IN THIS ISSUE ...... of which are SOPAC is invariably Pacific-specific and justifying interrelated its use in other regions is difficult. variables. This complexity cannot To assist in raising funds for the completion of the Cyclone Zoe in the Solomons ..... 2 be expressed EVI, a Demonstration EVI is being set up for peer through a single review and trial in March 2003. It will be set up indicator; hence and tested as if all the required data was at hand. EU-SOPAC Project Update ...... 3 the set of smart While this Demonstration EVI will not have met indicators. the criteria needed to cover global vulnerability, it will provide a glimpse to collaborators of the type Freshwater Kit for Schools ...... 6 The smart of results that can be expected when the full EVI indicators are set can be tested. Efforts have been stepped up by the at different spatial Swath mapping help for cops ..... 8 Craig Pratt 1 Cyclone Zoe assessment team confirm “no deaths” The Eastern outer islands of the Santa Cruz exposed locations such as hilltops and along other islands in the to verify group of the , , the shore have been damaged. that no other communities suffered any losses and Fataka were hit by Zoe, a rare category because of Cyclone Zoe, the MV Isabella 5 cyclone between 28-30 December The supplies on board Auki – tarpaulins, returned to Honiara with the assessment team 2002. plastic sheeting and 2MT rice – will meet the on 12 January. immediate needs of the community. Those on The initial rapid assessment conducted on the other two vessels should meet the longer- The inter-island freighter, MV Hamakyo Maru Tikopia found no fatalities and only minor term relief needs. The nurse on the assessment departed Honiara on 8 January 2003 with injuries, in spite of major damage to housing, team confirmed that there were ten cases of 170 x 200 litres drums of diesel, 2 drums of especially in the coastal villages. People chicken pox and a range of other diseases. kerosene, 24 MT rice, 100 household kits, survived the storm by moving inland and 300 mosquito nets, fishing equipment, 34 sheltering in caves. The island’s partially piped The assessment and relief operation on bags of cement, 4 community water tanks, a water supply system was damaged, although Tikopia are still underway, now being quantity of PVC guttering and pipes, the water source was intact and coordinated from the MV Isabella. One of educational materials for 3 schools, and seeds. uncontaminated by seawater. Many More food was also supplied by the Tikopians subsistence gardens were damaged. Root living in Honiara. Local bush construction crops and fruit trees destroyed or damaged materials will be picked up in Lata on Nendo would take three to four months for new Island. An NDMO official will manage the crops to grow, but the islanders still have distribution and a plumber provided by World about two weeks of food stocks remaining. Vision will carry out the water supply system The island’s sole medical clinic was only repairs. This delivery of relief and slightly damaged, but the school and church reconstruction items on the MV Hamakyo were both badly damaged. Maru will conclude the emergency phase.§ The assessment team sent to Anuta reported Source: OCHA Situation Report No.5 (8 less severe damage than in Tikopia. There are January 2003) no casualties. The main village of three hundred inhabitants, two churches and the school are still standing and overall 90% of At the time of compiling this issue, came buldings across the island are intact, with only in for a turn to bear the brunt of another minor damage. Minor damage was sustained cyclone called Ami, in mid January. Though by the water supply system, and a not as severe a storm as Zoe, the official replacement tank for the community was the first tasks completed was the repair of the death toll at the end of it was 14 with 6 still loaded onto the Hamakyo Maru. 70% of island’s HF radio, located in the clinic. The missing. As in the Solomon Islands with Zoe, gardens are intact but banana and coconut population has been divided into eight groups all communication links between affected areas palms have been blown down, and gardens in for the distribution of relief items. and the centres of business were destroyed Assistance is now needed to reconstruct during the storms. Large-scale relief operations ews is not good nowadays. Here we are homes, using traditional bush materials that could only get underway after communication trying to confine our reporting to the must be supplied from unaffected islands in links were restored.§ period October to December 2002, and the Temotu Province, to replace lost or just the bad news in January 2003 alone damaged household possessions, and to Ncan fill this whole issue. So if I’ve sneaked in a Opinions expressed in this publication are not repair the water supply system. Much of the mention of in Fiji; by rights I should materials for this work are being dispatched necessarily those of the SOPAC Secretariat, also mention the bushfires in Australia – they got neither does the mention of any firm or licensed a bit out of hand in Canberra last weekend. on the third vessel, the MV Hamakyo Maru, which left for Tikopia on 8 January. process imply endorsement by SOPAC. The new EU-SOPAC Project finally gets off the SOPAC News is published by the SOPAC ground. Staff recruitment got underway in earnest On Honiara, a small and effective Central Secretariat. with some positions filled. We begin updating you Control Group (CCG) has been established, on the happenings on that front, see page 3. chaired by the Acting Police Commissioner, Director : Alf Simpson with membership including the Adventist Deputy Director : Russell Howorth The time of “suddenlies” I mentioned at the turn Relief Agency (ADRA), Solomon Islands Please address correspondence to: of the century is upon us. If you like keeping track Red Cross Society, World Vision and the The Director of trends and watching human history, then these National Disaster Management Office things will not be suddenlies for you. You can SOPAC Secretariat (NDMO). The CCG reports to the Private Mail Bag expect certain global events to unravel quickly, National Disaster Council (NDC) and is the even though we can hope till we’re blue in the GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands face that they don’t. With the global reach of working-level body managing the day-to-day Phone : (679) 338 1377 telecommunications and the information operations. It has allocated responsibilities for Fax : (679) 337 0040 superhighway, noone need be caught by surprise. media liaison, donor liaison, local donations, http : www.sopac.org Just be sure that you’re sure that all your NGO coordination, logistics, manning the contingency arrangements will hold. operations room, and administrative support. Attention: Ms Lala Bukarau SOPAC News Editor 20 January 2003 Whilst the SOI Patrol Boat has travelled to E-mail: [email protected] 2 EU/SOPAC Vulnerability Reduction Project: Update

The new EU-SOPAC “Reducing Vulnerability of covered by the Project; by complimenting Pacific Island States: an Island Systems ongoing work undertaken by SOPAC in these Management Approach” Project (from now on countries and by enhancing and strengthening the Project Staff: referred to as the Project) has been extensively capacity within the SOPAC Secretariat and the covered in this newsletter, see issues SOPAC countries for future institutional and technical News 2001(1), and 2002(1). We just present support in the areas of hazard mitigation and risk here a quick update of where we are at early assessment; aggregates for construction; and January 2003, with regards to project planning, water resources supply and sanitation. recruitment, beginning of implementation etc. It’s based on the Project Implementation Flowchart in Special effort is being made by those tasked with the Project’s Information Brochure 1, and we hope monitoring the Project to ensure that its outputs it is interesting and informative to our readers. The tangibly impact the resilience of communities in NewsDesk will endeavour to make this a feature of the area of operation within the key result areas our quarterly reporting, for the duration of the listed in the paragraph above. Project. In a very real way, the EU-SOPAC Project is a At the outset SOPAC decided to produce an golden opportunity to also test the new Information Brochure on the Project which are like integrated strategy of doing business that Franck Martin, Information ‘snapshots’ of the Project’s areas of intervention. SOPAC has formalised in it’s recently approved Communication Technology Specialist. The brochure will publicise the achievements in the corporate restructuring. The Secretariat begins key result areas of the Project, and generally reporting under this new structure from 2003. update the beneficiaries of the project on progress. These brochures can be downloaded off our The rest of this article will walk you through the website and be sent to anyone on request. Project Implementation Flowchart below and attempt a “ground truthing” exercise, i.e. give Although stand-alone, in terms of specific Project meaning to the terms used in it, tell you what outputs, the Project is fully integrated into the has happened so far and explain some of the SOPAC mandated areas of responsibilities, by concepts we erroneously assume that everyone drawing on the huge bank of historical data already understands (blame the ‘obscure’ nature of the collected by SOPAC in the eight countries sciences involved!).§

The Project to achieve its goals needs staff, The Project aim of Reducing equipment, software and data that are set out Vulnerability, if achieved, will in the Project document for acquisition. Staff result in increased resilience in the already recruited include the guys on the right – study areas. Our EVI pamphlet seven more are expected. gives an excellent explanation of this connection.

PROJECT GOAL: Reducing Vulnerability of Pacific ACP States Using Island Systems Management Quan Chung, Project Technician. PROJECT STUDY AREA PROJECT PROJECT GOAL ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES OUTPUTS BENEFITS

Study Planning Sustainability Island Systems Management areas are Strengthened Institutions Increased resilience Increased Resilience the 8 ACP Technical Studies Informed decisions states of: Fiji, Considered decisions Equipment Strengthened Sustainable resource Kiribati, Capacity PNG, Samoa, Good Governance Solomon IT Systems Policy and regulations Islands, Information Sound management Tonga, Capacity Building Systems & Sound regulatory . Empowered Data Communities framework Accountability

TS & CB in hazard Project Outputs will This concept is mitigation & risk be reported as they appear. a long story, assessment; aggregates we’ll save it for construction; and Measuring some of these for next issue! Wolf Forstreuter, Remote Sensing and water resources supply Project Benefits will be GIS Specialist. & sanitation. tricky. 3 Compiled from SOPAC NewsUpdates 11-14, 17 October to 22 November 2002.

1. Workshop on Potential Applications of interventions to the beneficiary countries from fourteen Pacific island countries took part Ocean Observations for the Pacific within the EU-funded projects: SPC in the 2002 Pacific Islands Forum Diesel PROCFISH and SOPAC’s Reducing Maintenance Programme held in the A week-long meeting on Potential Vulnerability of Pacific ACP States. The Sagamihara and Isezaki prefectures in Japan Applications of Ocean Observations for the regional consultation was a requirement at the from 30 September to 9 October 2002. Pacific (PAOOP), was held immediately inception phase of the implementation of the The training programme was hosted by the after the SOPAC 31st Session at the EU-funded projects administered by the two Japan Atomic Industrial Forum (JAIF) and Mocambo Hotel, in Nadi, Fiji, from the 4th organisations.§ funded by the Federation of Electric Power to the 7th of October 2002. The Companies, Overseas Reprocessing PAOOP meeting discussed the applications 4. Working Group fine-tunes new SOPAC Committee. Training was delivered by that can be derived from the use of scientific Work Programme Strategies Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd and Taiyo data from long-term ocean observation Electric Company Ltd. The programme systems that can be of benefit to Pacific A working group consisting of the Secretariat introduces participants to diesel engine and Island countries [PICs] in an effort to and the representatives of SOPAC member generator maintenance and troubleshooting establish linkages between the developers, countries with Suva-based missions met three procedures, control panel design and the creators and the “Pacific Island” users of times over a period of 2-3 weeks in the later operation; and highlights the importance of products and services. A diverse range of half of October to fine-tune the new Work safety in the work environment. The training potential applications such as seasonal to Programme strategies under the new corporate was presented in lectures and hands-on inter-annual forecasting, monitoring and framework endorsed in October by the practical sessions.§ predicting sea level change, marine pollution Governing Council at its 31st meeting. To and coral reef health and, modelling fisheries enable the Secretariat to begin 8. Pacific Freshwater Education Kit: A populations as well as modelling for marine operationalising the new strategies from the Package for Schools search and rescue were discussed. Through beginning of 2003, the SOPAC Council intensive working group meetings, a regional agreed that the fine-tuning exercise and the A SPREP and SOPAC collaborative venture initiative for a Pacific Island Ocean approval of the new strategies would be has seen the production of A Pacific Information System that will provide completed out of session by the end of Freshwater Education Kit designed to be used products and services at the regional and 2002. The final draft of the new strategies by teachers and students in Pacific island local level, to enhance the capacity of PICs were sent to capitals on the 31st of October, schools. The kit is aimed at increasing to address important environmental, and the deadline for responses was set for 15 awareness among primary school students resource, coastal management and public use November.§ about water as a vital and precious resource. issues was developed. Its further The kit educates on water properties and development will need to be carried forward 5. EU/SOPAC Project Staff Recruitment teaches on the importance of conserving it. It by key stakeholders both from within the underway has practical activity sheets useful in classroom exercises to pass on concepts, and ideas for Pacific Island Region and their external Following the opening of the new office partners.§ extension exercises that allow for field trips building donated by the European Union are also included. SPREP and SOPAC will 2. Disaster Awareness Week 2002 in Fiji (EU) under its joint Project with SOPAC, pilot it shortly through their combined interviews for the first of the Project staff networks. The Pacific Freshwater Education SOPAC Director, Alf Simpson, replaced positions are underway. The Project has Kit was funded by UNEP and the New the Australian High Commissioner to Fiji at provisions for twelve staff positions, seven Zealand Agency for International the last moment, as Chief Guest at the professional positions and five support. One Development.§ opening of Fiji’s National Disaster of the professional positions will also be Awareness Week on Monday, 14 October tasked with being the Team Leader. The 9. New Satellite Image acquired for ICZM 2002. While Fiji organisers had been Project will concentrate on the three major on Fiji’s busiest coastline preparing for the week since the beginning of areas of hazard mitigation and risk assessment; the year; Australia was not expecting the aggregates for construction; and water A joint USP-Fiji Mineral Resource-SOPAC horrific act of terrorism carried out in Bali, resources management. New staff members are initiative recently acquired high-resolution Indonesia, the weekend before, that claimed all expected to be in position in early 2003, IKONOS imagery of the southern coast of many Australian lives. It has been termed the more in this newsletter.§ from the mouth of the Navua River worst act of terrorism in Indonesian history. through to Momi Passage. The image is to aid While the Fiji Disaster Week completed it’s 6. Pacific Island Region Aviation Accident in the integrated coastal management programmed activities this week, the major Preparedness Workshop (ICZM) of an area that is part of the busiest sponsor of the activities of the Week, the coastline in the whole of the Fiji group. The The 4-day workshop was jointly organised by study will not only examine the physical, Australian Government began dealing with a the Association of South Pacific Airlines, national crisis that shall have a bearing on the geological and coastal processes of the area, Emergency Management Australia & SOPAC but will also look at social aspects like the whole security or community risks issue in the in Nadi, from 21 to 21 October. 50 Pacific region.§ ‘qoliqoli’ (fishing grounds), and the conflicts participants from 12 Pacific nations discussed that often arise from placing competing 3. Joint SPC/SOPAC Regional issues relating to improving aviation accident demands on natural resources. The imagery is Consultation on EU EDF8 Project safety. The Workshop looked at 3 accident to aid in the holistic presentation of the Implementation scenarios, via case studies and shared findings of the study using GIS and remote experiences. All major airlines in the region sensing technology. The technology is fast A regional consultation between SPC and were represented.§ proving its worth as an excellent management SOPAC was held at the Nadi, Fiji, during tool through the power of 3-D visualisation 8-9 October to establish and/or strengthen 7. Diesel Engine Maintenance Programme for Pacific Forum Islands of field results combined with the ease of linkages between the two organisations that transmission into boardrooms afforded by the would ensure a stronger delivery of project Engineers, mechanics, operators and trainers Internet and other ICT tools.§

4 THE PACIFIC 1. Jonathan Mitchell, 22, joined the EVI team as a research assistant in December. He recently completed a BA degree INET 2002 at USP with a double major in Marine Affairs and Management. Computer systems engineers in the Pacific region were brought He has always been interested in together for a seminar in Nadi during 25-28 November 2002, to pursing a career in environmental exchange the latest information on, among other things, Internet management and is excited about security. It was the first ever private sector-sponsored Pacific INet joining the EVI team. He hopes seminar on Internet security supported by the Internet Users Society to learn a lot while on the project of Niue and the Pacific Island chapter of the Internet Society. and hopefully contribute something to this important 1. Jonathan Mitchell The seminar gave hands-on experience to the participating engineers international work.§ on available technology for building secure systems. Engineers returned to their countries with a knowledge of what is available and how to install it. 2. Kirti Poonam Mala graduated with a BSc degree from USP last Connect and Telecom Fiji provided the digital connection to the year (2002) majoring in seminar and HP and Patara Communications the equipment. The Niue Chemistry and Physics. She was Society is one of the chief sponsors of the seminar, because it the recipient of the gold medal in considers it has “a responsibility to assist Internet development within chemistry and was also the winner its neighbouring countries. of the “Shell Fiji, Award”. At SOPAC News asked the Secretariat’s Jim Tora what he learned at the moment Kirti is working in the the seminar, and the rest of this article is the report he gave: Energy Unit, SOPAC. Kirti is assisting with Regional Information “The seminar was presented in an informal manner which was good, as Database, technical publications, most meetings being formal restricted user participation. The workshop organising regional earth day was organised by PICISOC (Pacific Island Chapter of the Internet competition 2003 and other Society) of which I am a member. energy projects. She is with the Energy Unit temporarily and will “What I did during the seminar: be leaving in February to pursue 2. Kirti Mala further studies at USP.§ • exchanged ideas and information regarding ICT Security, especially in the areas of anti-hacking tools, geek tools such as Content Filter which I intent to implement within SOPAC; 3. Luke Mosley is the Water • showed off the latest in our wireless LAN modules; Quality Officer with the Water • met up with regional system administrators from the likes of Phil Resources Unit. He completed Hardstaff from SPC, Noumea to Rajiv Prasad of .NU domain his PhD from the University of Ltd; and Otago, New Zealand in 1999 and has been working for the last • also learnt a lot about implementing security within our own year at the Institute of Applied organisations. Sciences, USP. He remains “Relevance to SOPAC: working at USP and is contracted half-time to SOPAC.§ • Learnt about new ICT tools which I intend to test and implement as SECURITY is an important factor for any organisation. I will be looking at the vulnerabilities and into ways of tightening of ICT security @ SOPAC. 4. Rizwan Ali joined the Community Risk Programme “This type of meeting will be held annually under different themes; (CRP) team as a temporary staff, 3. Luke Moseley and we are currently in the process of deciding the location and the November 15. Rizwan is theme for the 2003 meeting.”§ currently a student at the University of the South Pacific Richard St Clair (Niue Society)/Timoci Tora (SOPAC) pursuing a BSc study programme in Computing Science and Information Systems. His work at the CRP involved in making Regional Resource and Training Management Databases. He says that his getting the taste and experience of working in a professional environment and the work are just like assignments and challenges that have to be met in order to be productive. He is 20 years old and wishes to learn alot while at SOPAC.§ 4. Rizwan Ali SOPAC’s Jim Tora is fifth down the line. 5 Pacific Freshwater Education Kit for Schools

The Pacific Freshwater Education Kit was produced in response to requests from Primary school teachers from around the region. Participants at two sub-regional training workshops on environmental education (Tonga 1999 and Fiji 2000) noted that while water conservation was an important issue for the region, there were very few teaching resources available on the issue. UNEP provided seed funding (of USD5000) for the development of an education/ information kit specifically for use in schools. SPREP and SOPAC joined forces in the production of the kit; with SPREP’s Environmental Education Officer, Seema Deo and SOPAC’s Sanitation Officer, Rhonda Bower doing the bulk of the work. Development of materials for regional use is always challenging as education systems and national curricula tend to vary. This kit was designed with this in mind and includes a series of large colourful information sheets that can be used by teachers and students alike. Thirty activity sheets are also provided together with a chart showing subject areas in which they can be used. Thus schools can decide for themselves how they will carry out water education – either as a full-blown module over a two- or three-week period or by selecting specific topics and activities as relevant to their subject needs. We are also hopeful that some schools will consider a whole-school approach and make practical water conservation a part of the overall school activities. The kit was distributed to schools throughout the region with a feedback questionnaire to gauge the usefulness of the Kit; and whether a revision and redistribution was necessary. Also, where required, teachers can be assisted with the development of water education programmes SOPAC’s Sanitation Officer, Rhonda Bower. through SPREP’s Environmental Education Officer. Schools and other users, throughout the region that have received kits, are urged to fill in these questionnaires and send them back to the address shown on the form.§ Seema Deo (SPREP) EMERGENCY OPERATIONS Major Partners in CENTRES PILOT COURSE The Emergency Operations Centres (EOC) The purpose of the course was to provide Disaster Reduction Pilot Course was conducted in Nadi, Fiji, knowledge and the skills necessary for the from 18 to 22 November 2002. This is the establishment, operation, management and visit Suva 2nd course in the Pacific Disaster Training administration of an EOC and specifically Programme (TAF/OFDA) to be piloted in covered: Francesco Pisano, Senior Officer, from the the region within the last two years. The UN International Strategy for Disaster EOC course was an outstanding request by • Overview of EOC Use; Reduction (ISDR) Secretariat in Geneva and member countries carried forward from the • Meetings; Kathy Hilgert, Business Manager from the UNDHA Project days. While a manual had • Facilities and Resources; Emergency Management (of) Australia been prepared during the Project, a course to • Staffing-roles and Responsibilities; (EMA) spent a few days in Fiji in November test the material in the manual hadn’t been • Documentation; attending the opening of the Pacific conducted. This course follows on from the • Information Management; and Emergency Operations Centres Course Pilot delivery of the Pacific Exercise Management • Response Management. in Nadi, meeting with the SOPAC Director course earlier this year. and staff and representatives from a number of The course was a Suva-based organisations, including the Fiji collaboration between NDMO. They also visited the Namatakula SOPAC and TAF/ village community on the coral coast and held OFDA. EOC content discussions at the Outrigger Hotel which is expert Joe Barr and the venue for the big Communities@Risk Materials Development Conference in May 2003. ISDR and EMA Specialist Jerry Williams are major partners in convening the May were the principal 2003 conference. Other partners involved in developers of the course the Communities@Risk conference are the with input from a number Asian Disaster Preparedness Center, the of the regional Asian Disaster Reduction Center, the stakeholders. Australian Fire Authority Council, the Fiji Ministry of Regional Development, the NZ Input from the 16 Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency participants and 8 resource Management, the Pacific Disaster Center, the personnel at the Pilot will Queensland Department of Emergency Francesco Pisano (ISDR) and Kathy Hilgert (EMA) with children at result in a product which is Services, and The Asian Foundation/Office of Namatakula Village. The Outrigger Hotel, venue of the Communities applicable to the region.§ the US foreign Disaster Assistance.§ @Risk conference, draws its work force from this community. 6 TOWARDS Fisheries librarians visit SOPAC ACCREDITATION IN Mrs Akosita Seru, Fiji Fisheries PUBLIC SAFETY & Department Assistant Librarian and Ms Ulusapeti Tiitii, Samoa Fisheries RISK MANAGEMENT Information Officer spent a day at The anticipated Managing Community Risk SOPAC Library on 27 November Course, a component of the new Public 2002 with Sunita Prasad, SOPAC Safety and Risk Management Programme was Librarian playing hostess. The purpose piloted at the USP Laucala campus from 25 of their visit was to see the way we do to 29 November. The 24 participants business at the SOPAC Library and included the disaster managers from Cook Sunita Prasad, Akosita Seru and Ulusapeti Tiitii. to get an orientation tour of our Islands, Fiji, Tonga and Vanuatu and library. nominees from various government Mrs Seru’s duties at Fiji Fisheries Department Library include collating information dealing with departments in Fiji. fisheries, accessing of books, cataloguing and updating cataloguing cards, disseminating The key instructors at the 5-day course were relevant and appropriate information to users and searching for information through the Shane Wood and Susan Williams from the Internet. Asked what she wished to achieve during the SOPAC Library orientation day: “To Queensland Department of Emergency know more about publications, how they are processed and whether inter-library loans could Services who also assisted in the be done. To experience more in the field of searching and disseminating information to users in development of the course materials. better ways”. Mrs Seru holds a Certificate in Librarianship (USP) and is currently undertaking Diploma in Library Studies at the University of the South Pacific (USP). SOPAC staff Craig Pratt Project Coordinator, Global Environmental Ms Ulusapeti Tiitii’s current duties at Samoa Fisheries Division is to carry out public awareness Vulnerability Index (EVI) Project and campaigns, look after library processes and also has Fisheries Division duties for community- Purnima Naidu Hazard Assessment Assistant based programmes as a Fisheries Officer. Ms Tiitii aimed to pick up ideas from the SOPAC presented examples of hazard assessment library and utilise them in managing a government department library for its staff and outside tools developed and available for Pacific users. She also wished to expand her partnership base with SOPAC library in terms of Islands Countries. information sharing and future assistance. Ms Tiitii holds a Diploma in Environment Management (AUT). The resource team from Australia included Mark Goodwin, Director, PM Group from The visit was arranged via the Pacific Islands Marine Resources Information System (PIMRIS) Sydney who put together the course package network, administered out of USP and with SPC, SPREP and SOPAC as the other regional for this component of the programme.§ cooperating institutions.§ JAPAN DIESEL ENGINE MAINTENANCE PROGRAMME FOR PACIFIC ISLANDERS

Electricity in the Pacific islands is usually Pacific Islands Forum Diesel Maintenance The training itself was delivered by Mitsubishi primarily generated from diesel generators. Programme was established in 2000. Heavy Industries Ltd and Taiyo Electric Technical know how for the important task of Company Ltd through a series of classroom the maintenance of these generators is In the year 2002, the Diesel Maintenance and practical sessions. In general, the something Pacific island utilities generally lack. Programme was held from 30 September to 9 programme content focused on the basic October and was hosted by the Japan operation of diesel engines and generators, This was an issue highlighted at the Forum Atomic Industrial Forum in the Sagamihara and maintenance and troubleshooting, safety, and Leaders meeting in 2000 where a request Isezaki prefectures, Japan. Funding for the the current development in these respective was made to the Government of Japan for Programme was provided by the Overseas technologies. assistance in this area and subsequently the Reprocessing Committee of the Federation of Electric Power Companies. Fourteen Pacific island countries participated in the 2002 programme. Participants included engineers, mechanics, operators and trainers (or teachers). Since the beginning of the Pacific Islands Forum Diesel Maintenance Programme in 2000, its focus has been on the basic maintenance of diesel engines. Major mechanical and service work on diesel engines and generators in the respective power utilities are usually referred to the suppliers of the equipment due to limited manpower, knowledge, skills and availability of appropriate tools in the Pacific islands. The excellent arrangements, training skills and hospitality provided by the hosts and the enthusiasm and response of the participants contributed to the great success of the 2002 programme.§ 7 n unforgettable atoll experience during the SOPAC 29th Session hosted by A the Republic of Kiribati in Tarawa in Swath Mapping 2000 inspired this poem. Noumea Simi is currently Assistant Secretary for Foreign Affairs for the Government of Samoa. help for Police

ATOLL EXPERIENCE (2000) BOOK REVIEW ABAIENG The SOPAC multibeam mapper was used in building, a target that had the potential of late November in police investigations into being the missing vehicle was located. The piercing summon of the conch shell floats Lapped up by the gentle surf cradling the mystery disappearance of a couple, their Confirmation by divers was required to verify Waves of pristine blue morph motor vehicle and the recovery from the this. At around noon of the same day, Navy Into vibrant green and midnight ocean depths waters of the Suva harbour, of the body of divers confirmed the presence of the vehicle their daughter. which was then retrieved. Everywhere loneliness hovers Endless stretches of rust tainted sand Following a request for assistance by the Post-processing of the multibeam dataset to Pockmarked at intervals by the footfalls Criminal Investigation Department of the Fiji generate a computer image of the vehicle was Of barely clad children Police, a survey was carried out along the completed immediately after the survey. This Searching for their livelihoods face of the Kings Wharf, Suva and the was done to assist the investigations in an In the haunts of spider crayfish Nabukalou Creek side of the main wharf on attempt to reconstruct the events which led to And the occasional rubble of Foster cans Wednesday morning the 27th of November the car’s position and location in the water. And human pollution using the Reson 8101 multibeam system with sidescan. The image below is one of the final images Could one still remain generated and submitted to the authorities. Hung on time Approximately midway along the face of the Water depth where the vehicle was located Clinging to the simplicities of life Dictated by the sea, the harsh land Kings Wharf, north of the Ports Terminal was between 13 and 14 metres. From the And climate change

But Abaieng can A swept away surrealism of the past Dedicated solely to the sunrise Setting suns and well being of the soul Wharf pylons

Can it be possible That life can be sublime on an atoll niche Removed from the bustling disarray Of external intrusions Deeply wedged in the rainbow Sweetness of the pandanus fruit And abundant marine riches

Will the magic end With the probing satellite beams Remote sensing your hidden contours Revealing slowly persisting submission To the demands of the rising tides Vehicle target Welcome Abaieng To the unfeeling touch Of the 21st century Seafloor junk Noumea Simi Samoa

contouring parameters set at 10-cm contour interval on a 25-cm grid, conclusions were SEND TO: drawn as to the orientation of the vehicle and the fact that it was upside down. Conclusions on whether the vehicle was oriented with the front or back to the wharf could not be determined from the processed data. Physical water properties like temperature and salinity measurements were also carried out at the request of the Police. Since the acquisition of the mapper in 1999, this is the second request of a “service-to- society” nature that SOPAC has been able to respond to. The first was in May 1999 when Sender: SOPAC Secretariat an Air Vanuatu twin otter disappeared while SOPAC News approaching the Bauerfield in Mele Bay, October – December 2002 Private Mail Bag, GPO, Suva, Fiji Islands Vanuatu.§ 8