Ads by Google Ads by Google

Pacific News Briefs

compiled by Samoa News staff

OVER 150 BoH VOLUNTEERS TEACH CHILDREN TO SAVE

More than 5,500 students in 40 schools and locations throughout Hawai‘i, American Samoa, Guam, Saipan and Palau recently received lessons on the importance of saving from Bank of Hawaii as part of the 2018 American Bankers Association Teach Children to Save Day program.

More than 150 BOH employees spent time with elementary and middle school students exploring topics on the importance of saving, how interest makes money grow, determining differences between needs and wants, and budgeting.

As part of the Teach Children to Save curriculum, BOH volunteers also encourage parents to take an active role in their children’s financial education, including:

  • •            Setting the example of a responsible money manager, active saver and conscientious spender
  • •            Talking openly about money and encouraging children to ask questions
  • •            Explaining the value of saving and budgeting

“Teaching people financial literacy and how to save and be lifelong savers, we feel is really important to getting them off to the right start,” said Bank of Hawaii Senior Vice President and Kalihi Market Manager Timothy Chang. “We find that children that know about savings have a higher propensity to attend college and we think it's a really good investment in our community.”

(Source: Big Island Now)

$60,000 DRUG BUST AT SAMOA AIRPORT

Drugs estimated to be worth $60,000 were intercepted at the Faleolo International Airport this week.

Methamphetamine — commonly known as “ice” — was discovered by the Police and the Customs K9 Unit on Tuesday evening in a suitcase that belongs to a man in his 40s. 

The accused was a passenger of a Fiji Airways flight from Nadi to Apia.

The K9 alerted the authorities to the suitcase.

The man was stopped, searched and questioned.

He was immediately charged with possession of narcotics and has been placed in Police custody at Tafa’igata Prison, to await his court appearance. 

Police Superintendent, Auapa’au Logoitino Filipo, said the drugs weighed around 26.6grams.

The last time there was a methamphetamine bust at the Fagali’i Airport was last July, where the package from American Samoa went through the x-ray machine and ice was detected. 

(Source: Samoa Observer)

KUA CHEFS SHOWCASE SAMOAN CUISINE IN AUSTRALIA

Prospect, Australia will be getting a triple dose of Polynesian flavor at an event in June featuring three very popular Samoan chefs.

Our very own local celebrity chef, Kopelan Tuulame, also known as Chef John, has joined forces with Ugapo Uaealesi Tutunoa (Savage Samoan Chef) and Chef Anania Tavita Betham (owner of Pappas Nuthouse cafe) of Sydney to form “the Kua Chefs”.

The group of chefs came up with the name ‘Kua’ to symbolize several things, one of which are the three initials of their names. According to the group description online, it is also a reference to their roles as being in “the back” and unseen in the kitchen and a tongue in cheek nod to the Samoan meaning of being from the outback.

The Kua Chefs will present “From the Ground Up: Evolution of Samoa Food”. It will be a first event of its kind in Australia to showcase some of the talented Pacific Island chefs in the area.

The three Samoa chefs intend to take Australians on an island food journey where attendees will get to enjoy a 10 course degustation menu as well as experience them in action as they prep and plate each dish in front of the guests.

Each chef will bring their own flavors and creativity to their plates by infusing island flavor with western modern methods. They have chosen the degustation approach to their service because they want their guests to appreciate the careful tasting of various foods, which involves sampling small portions of each chef’s signature dishes.

Being fans of each other’s work for quite some time now, the three chefs followed each other on social media with Chef John and Irlene dropping in to meet Chef Anania at her café in Prospect, Sydney. 

“From the Ground Up: Evolution of Samoan Cuisine” will take place at the “Guts & Glory Crossfit” premises in Prospect on June 2, 2018. For more information check out their facebook page ‘The Kua Chefs’.

(Source: Samoa Observer)