45 percent greenhouse emmissions by 2020 for islands survival

Lets pray for real commitment by the industrialised nations in New York today to come up with a caring outcome that will make the Copenhagen meeting on climate change a success for humanity.

EU countries have commit to a 30 percent cut.
Let's pray China will aim for a higher cut.

The islands need up to 45 percent cut by 2020 to guarantee survival.

Talofa e i tupulaga fai a'e?
Tatou tatalo ia faia ma le tonu ma le fa'amaoni a e maise i le agaga alofa fuafuaga um aa ta'ita'i o le lalolagi o e o lo'o feagai ma nei tonu.

Meripa

World focuses on Samoa's switch

Today is switch day in Samoa. The world are tuning in on how our small island nation are coping with this most apposed government plan.
According to reporters on site, many buses are not running as the owners need money to fix them to suit the road change. I hope the government will step in and help.
Pedestrians have to change the way they check the road for cars before proceeding.
Some people are finding themselves switching back to the right side.
But many people are staying home for their safety.

To all those daring to drive today. Please be careful.
Ia maua pea le to'afilemu i luga o aualatele o Samoa.
Ia manuia ma saogalemu le feagai ai ma nei suiga fou ua tula'i mai.

Checking up on family members studying

Here's a checking up Hello to all the hard working students studying -

Chris in London, Vavae in Fiji, Lailai in Brisbane,Pose in Vanuatu, Atele in Wellington
Samuel, Malcolm, Olive, Lauren and Sinamoli in Samoa,
Alex in Melbourne,

and all the younger ones like Nathan, Michelle, Malachai in Brisbane and Elenise and Tracies kids going to school in Wellington

To all of you - All the best and don't forget the one who's always at your side if things get tough!

Lots and lots of love

Meripa

Entering the Sixth Decade

Many thanks to my dear family in Brissyland for coming together on Sunday 9 August to celebrate my reaching the big 60. It's a great feeling to be surrounded by family especially "the little ones" - they are very precious, they are also the future of family.
My thanks also to my family in Samoa for the special toast.Apparently they sang "Happy birthday to Meripa and Masina..." during a celebratory to'ona'i at Vaivasetai with Aunty Joce Poka Toma and all her family who were in Samoa for the occasion of affixing the headstone on the grave of Uncle Aeoainu'u Muaausa Uatisone Poka Toma who passed away early this year.
My prayer at being 60 is that we continue to love one another and be guided by the 'faith in Jesus' that our parents, grandparents and their parents had lived and passed on to us.
I also pray that the world of the future will be safer for the little ones to live and that leaders of the world now will take this as an urgent priority for our little ones sake.
Thanks for all your love and support.
Keep on "sticking to Jesus" in Samoan Tumau pea ia Iesu lo tatou Fa'aola.

God Bless
and lots of alofas

Meripa

My response to outcome of courtcase PASS vs PM

Meripa Weir
to samoaobserver

A MATTER OF INTERPRETATION

Dear Editor,

The courtcase between People Against Switching Sides (PASS) and the government regarding the switching of sides to drive vehicles appears to have boiled down to 'a matter of interpretation' of the word "intentionally" in the Constitution in section 5(1). Hence the interpretation of the Supreme Court Justice i has given the green light to the PM and his government's plan for the switch to go ahead on September 7. Good thing for the PM and his political party that Supreme Court Justice Vui took this one interpretation instead of the interpretation of the wording by the PASS side which a different judge may have adopted.

My point is, like many constitutions that were thought up and written many decades ago, no one really knows the intention of the original writers. So we end up with words or phrases which can be interpreted in many different ways in court.

My concern is that whilst the PM and his government's plan is found constitutional in one sense based on one interpretation, the claim that it is unconstitutional in that the Bill was passed through parliament without seeking the consent of 2/3 of matai voters remains. I support therefore the move by the group Tu ma Aga Fa'amatai Fa'aSamoa (TUMAS) mentioned by Alan Ah Mu in, 'Matai group calls for consultation on switch' (Samoa Observer 30/08/09) to pursue the unresolved issue.

So as far as I see it, the case is not over yet, as 'a matter of interpretation' approach will never fully addressed the grievances and genuine concerns that have been democratically voiced as published by this newspaper.

My prayer is for justice to be done.

Ma le fa'aaloalo lava,

Meripa Weir
(Keen Samoan Watcher from Abroad)