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Work begins on environment training center
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Posted on Feb 26 2001
Work has officially started on a $ 3.2 million Training and Environmental Education Center for the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) after a groundbreaking ceremony last week.
Funded by the Japanese Government grant aid to Samoa, the center will provide Pacific islanders with training and education on environmental issues and related technology.
In thanking both the Japanese and the host, the Government of Samoa, for arranging the grant, SPREP Director Mr. Tamari’i Tutangata said support for the center was timely, with international interest in Pacific environment issues, such as climate change at unprecedented levels.
“At the moment all our training and education activities are undertaken in hotels and other facilities available in Samoa and in other member countries. We believe this center will allow us to become an even sharper, more focused organization in getting information and environmental training out to as many Pacific islanders as possible,” he said.
His comments were backed up by Samoa’s Environment Minister, the Honorable Tuala Sale Tagaloa.
“Environmental issues in the Pacific Islands region have expanded. SPREP has grown, its activities have diversified, and its workload has increased. This noteworthy gesture by Japan comes at a time when SPREP is looking to further increase public awareness and to build on the standard of its training programs.”
With a completion date of February 2002, training for government and non-governmental environmental workers and media representatives will come through the use of specialist SPREP staff, covering environmental publications, computers, the Internet, videos, radio, teleconferencing and multi-media conferencing, and Pacific-wide virtual classrooms.
