Your Excellency, the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon; Honourable Presidents, Heads of States, Leaders of International Organizations, Elected Representatives, all the 3,000 Guests and Friends gathered here today.
Talofa and greetings to you all.
Before I continue I have a special duty to perform. As the Publisher of the Samoa Observer Newspaper Group, it is my duty to acknowledge the unwavering effort put in by our Head of State, His Highness Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese, Honourable Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sa’ilele Malielegaoi and his government, and all the way down to the people in the villages who did all that they could willingly, so that the S.I.D.S. Conference we are about to officially open this morning, is possible.
And having said that, it is my pleasure and privilege to say we join our government and the people of this country, in welcoming all our guests and visitors to our humble nation, Samoa.
Today is a special day for all of us. Because today, we are hosting this August conference of the 52 nations declared by the United Nations Organization (U.N.O.) as Small Islands Developing States (SIDS), right here in Apia.
I say today is special to us, since when we accepted the invitation to be the host, we also declared our support for the work the U.N. has been doing – and it is still doing today - to help the needy and the poor around the world.
Samoa is one of the 52 nations declared S.I.D.S. by the U.N.O.
The others are in the Caribbean, Africa, the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, the South China Sea and elsewhere in the Pacific; they account for five per cent of the world’s population.
For S.I.D.S.’ two previous events similar to the one starting in Apia tomorrow, the hosts were Barbados and Mauritius; this one then is the first to be held in this part of the world, the Pacific Ocean.
Which is why this week’s conference is even more special to all of us who call this country home.
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And why is that so? Because 52 years ago when we became the first nation in the Pacific to say goodbye to colonialism, the United Nations gave its approval and blessing and they then helped Samoa in ushering home political independence as well.
And this time, with the U.N. naming 2014 the Year of S.I.D.S., we were invited to host this week’s event in which some 3,000 delegates from 200 nations are attending, and we accepted.
In other words, we were being given the chance to say how we felt about the U.N.’s work in helping the less fortunate around the world, and by accepting we said: Yes, we do care, and we thank you the U.N.O. for helping to make life better for the less fortunate around the world.
And today, we welcome the opportunity to show that we are, indeed, grateful to be a part of the United Nations Organization, whose mandate would surely remain founded on the principles of equality, freedom and justice.
Which is why we are saying today to Your Excellency Ban Ki Moon: Thank you. Thank you for inviting our country to play a part in the work of W.H.O., for the wellbeing of all.
For over a year our government and the whole country have been working hard in preparation for the rare opportunity of hosting this once-in-a-lifetime event.
By now, you’ll have already seen what we’re talking about as you’ve ridden along the twenty-five mile road trip from Faleolo International Airport, towards the capital of Apia.
Every family has been chipping in to make those villages along the way look welcoming to you, our guests while you’re in our country
There’s been gardening, landscaping, fence painting, beautification, and so forth. Even schools are on holiday so that roads are freed up during the conference.
And there is also the annual “Teuila Festival” taking place in Apia right now.
It’s in the middle of town, so go on down town and be entertained the Samoan way.
There should be enough fun there to keep you well occupied.
To our guests and visitors, we assure you that our government is doing all it can to ensure your stay in Samoa is both happy and memorable.
As you can well see there is freedom everywhere; there are happy smiles and laughter too.
You may go anywhere and feel free to ask; we can assure you that everyone is eager to help where one can.
And if you have the time to spare, rent a car and drive around the country, or island if you will.
You can start going west from Apia and return from the east or vice versa; you choose. Either way, you are most likely to find the trip hugely satisfying.
But whatever you do please be careful. Please don’t allow yourself to be sidetracked by unspoiled, mesmerizing Paradise.
Have a wonderful and memorable holiday in Samoa and please feel free to return any time.
Soifua, Muliaga Jean Malifa, Publisher. End Here
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