Copenhagen was a total failure!

It was not a surprise that the outcome of Copenhagen was no binding deal. There was nothing to demonstrate any respect for the fatal pollution caused by greed and greed and more greed. What's $100b pledge to victims of global warming mean when people and their islands or community will drown or disappear from the earth?
Like someone at the summit already said, "if the planet was a bank they would have already saved it!" Trillons of dollars was spent to rescue many banks from the global financial crisis.

Brisbane March Against Global Warming

Moral vote to regain self respect

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Meripa Weir to samoaobserver

show details 4:12 PM (17 hours ago)

Dear Editor,

Fetu Saunders letter ' Samoa's loss of self respect' (Samoa Observer 09/12/09), is a timely reminder that the voters ought to think seriously about who should be the leaders of Samoa at the March 2011 elections. The big challenge though is whether it is the will of the people to regain Samoa's self respect from the enemies of democratic processes (domestic and international) reiterated by Saunders and many others in this media.

It is time for all voters to look into the faces of their children and grandchildren as they will be the bearers of all debts and global-driven decisions by the current leaders of Samoa.

It is time for the voters to look into and ask questions like: How will Samoa's debt be paid back to the money lenders? If all our moneys is spent on interest for the overseas loans, will Samoa's customary lands be targeted for global-driven investments like dumping nuclear waste? How can agriculture for domestic consumption be improved to encourage a revaluing of farming, planting skills so not to rely excessively on imported stuff? Is our water being managed from overseas? There are many questions that challenge the current leadership. The voters need to have the will to act.

It is time for voters to remember that Samoa was once colonized as do many parts of the world. The colonization process has not disappeared. It has come back in a more fierce economic form called neo-liberal economic globalization. If voters are willing I suggest to find out what is happening at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Copenhagen. Already African representatives are calling the dynamics of the conference, "the colonisation of the sky". Lord Curzan, viceroy of India over a century ago said that "countries are pieces on a chessboard upon which is being played out a great game for the domination of the world". Moving into a new status of being "a developing country" reinforces that Samoa will still be a pawn on the chessboard of global domination.

It is time for voters to push for Samoa to be a leader in strengthening the regional approach for pacific island nations. Samoa needs the other Pacific nations just as the other Pacific nations need Samoa. It is well documented that conflicts in democratic states can be instigated as part of the great game for world domination. It could be very well the situation in Fiji and the Solomon Islands. Voters ought to learn from the Coconut Revolution of the people of Bougainville who fought and won.

It is time to think the future of Samoa. It is time for a moral vote at the 2011 Elections.


Ma lo'u fa'aaloalo lava


Meripa Weir

Keen Samoan Watcher from Abroad
meripaweir@gmail.com

Copenhagen: duty or self interest?

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Meripa Weir to samoaobserver

show details Dec 6 (5 days ago)

Dear Editor,

Last Friday I attended a concert put on by five and six year old children from up to eight or more different ethnic backgrounds. One being my grand-daughter. I was indeed moved by the enthusiasm, friendships, cooperation fostered in these tiny people by the hard working teachers. These children have been prepared and will enter the big schools in the new year. Thus the educational pathway to become responsible citizens of the world has begun.

Yet, thinking about these beautiful children and looking at their pictures (attached) I am concern for the future world that will be passed on to them by the now generation of world leaders. I am prompted to think about the gathering of all the world leaders who will decide what kind of world will they pass on to our grandchildren and their children?
I share with your readers my thinking; that the moment of truth about global politics is about to be played out in Copenhagen over the next two weeks. Will the world's politicians unite based on a duty to save the earth from global warming, or will they be subdued by self interest and pressure from their respective State domestic politics?

There is already mounting pressure at Copenhagen by representatives of the world's civil society incorporating the world's best climate scientists, environmentalists, global climate justice organizations, community of faith groups from many churches, synagogues, temples, and many many non-government organizations and individual climate activists.

These activists and their visible and sounding messages will no doubt be very reassuring to those governmental delegations wanting a real deal on climate change; a real deal that will reduce global carbon-dioxide emissions from the current unsafe level of 387 parts per million in the atmosphere to 350ppm (recommended safe level for survival). A real deal that will slow down global warming and its threat to peoples livelihood including those of Samoa's island neighbors - Tuvalu, Kiribati already making plans for relocation.
On the other hand, the pressure from civil society may not matter very much to the big player governments whose priorities lie elsewhere. Look at the countries committing at this very time thousands and more soldiers to the war in Afghanistan? It is documented that for one year for one soldier in Afghanistan,the costs is one million dollars (US taxpayers money). What does a real deal at the United Nations Climate Summit mean for the big power governments whose priorities are expensive wars and modern weapons to protect their polluting oil and coal based industries?

Will the outcome of Copenhagen one of duty to a livable planet one that our grandchildren and their children will embrace? or Will the outcome be based on self interest short term political needs?

My prayers is for our leaders at the United Nations Summit to remember their grandchildren and their children.


Ia manuia lava Samoa

Ma lo'u fa'aaloalo


Meripa Weir

Keen Samoan Watcher from abroad.

Letter to Samoa Observer

Way forward for Samoa: people must consent | Meripa Weir to samoaobserver show details Nov 25 (7 days ago) Dear Editor, Let me acknowledge Bob Rankin and his letter 'Globalisation and WTO: Disastrous for Samoa' (Samoa Observer Friday 06 November 2009). Mr Rankin responded to 'The enemies of Reason' by Mike Moore, published in Samoa Observer Monday 02 November 2009. Mr Moore is a former New Zealand PM and a former director of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), who has authored a book called 'Saving Globalisation'. I totally agree with Mr Rankin that Samoa should avoid Mr Moore's prescription for future prosperity which relies on globalisation and its elements of foreign intervention, immigration, free trade, and investment and money lenders from overseas. Why should Samoa rely on the globalisation of a free market economy with international rules that have proven to impoverish the lives of 80 percent of the world's people over the last 60 years? The wealth that Mr Moore proudly claims as the result of an economic-growth-centred approach to prosperity over the last 60 years is only enjoyed by a few people in our planet. What Mr Moore fails to acknowledge is that this wealth came about as Rankin says "...through unbridled greed and raping of the world's resources to such an extent that the very existence of life on planet earth is endangered..." Why, my beloved Samoa, is there so much reluctance and dragging of the feet by countries with developed economies when it comes to agreeing to a global treaty to reduce the dangerous levels of carbon emissions that are now causing global warming, climate and weather changes, devastating man-made earthquakes and tsunamis? I suggest to watch the events of the United Nations Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change in Copenhagen next month. Many people await in deep anxiety the outcome of Copenhagen as it could determine global suicide or survival of our planet. I suggest that Samoa be very cautious of Mr Moore's economic-growth-centred approach delivered in trade liberalisation and globalisation. This is also the methods that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) promotes to all governments in our planet. With elections pending in 2011, the people of Samoa should be informed about government plans and policies for the future of Samoa. People's referendum must decide issues like joining WTO. Ia manuia Samoa. Ma lo'u fa'aaloalo lava, Meripa Weir (Keen Samoan Watcher from Abroad).