PIANGO Monthly 2.3

The production of the PIANGO MONTHLY is made possible through funding from the Commonwealth Foundation and CCFD

Editorial
PIANGO-Vanuatu M.O.U.
Tuvalu Association of NGOs
Tuvalu Association of NGOs (TANGO) Reviews its Constitution
New Zealand Consultation Summary
PIANGO Prepares For Strategic Planning And Capacity Building Workshop, July 25-30 1999
Engagements

Editorial

The Memorandum Of Understanding between the Government of Vanuatu was signed 4 months after it was lodged in December 1998. The PIANGO MOU was the first to be passed through the intensive screening process of the Vanuatu Government since the adoption of the Commprehensive Reform Programme in 1997.

PIANGO-Vanuatu M.O.U.

The Pacific Islands Association of Non-Government Organizations (PIANGO) wishes to announce the signing of the Memorandum Of Understanding between the Government of the Republic of Vanuatu and PIANGO on Wednesday the 31st of March 1999. The signing of the MOU symbolizes a commitment by both the Government and PIANGO to try and work together to ensure that the voices of the communities at the local, national and regional levels are heard and appropriately addressed. The decision by PIANGO to set up its Secretariat in Vanuatu followed PIANGO's failed attempt to set up its base in Nadi, Fiji, in 1998. The Coordinator of PIANGO, Mr. Henry Vira, conveys PIANGO's sincere gratitude to the Government of the Republic of Vanuatu for accepting PIANGO's request to set up base in Port Vila. Mr. Vira would like to especially thank the Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, Attorney Generals office, Director Generals, members of VANGO and individuals who have assisted in ensuring that the MOU became a reality.

(The above is copy of the press release following the MOU signing)

Tuvalu Association of NGOs

Tuvalu Association of NGOs (TANGO) has a new Coordinator, Mrs. Annie Homasi. Mrs. Homasi is very well qualified and brings into the organization a wealth of knowledge and experience. She is a qualified nurse and has worked extensively within the health sector both within and outside of Tuvalu. Mrs. Homai held for five years the position of UNFPA Health Project Director in Tuvalu and was also Coordinator of World Health Organization projects within Tuvalu. In recognition of Mrs. Homasi's experience, she was appointed to Director of Health in Tuvalu in 1996. In April 1997 till she retired in July 1998, Mrs. Homasi worked as Assistanct Secretary Foreign Affairs, Office of the Prime Minister.

Tuvalu Association of NGOs (TANGO) Reviews its Constitution

The Tuvalu Association of Non - Government Organizations (TANGO) reviewed its constitution during January to February 1999. The reviewed constitution was approved and endorsed at the Annual General Meeting which took place on 27 February 1999. A Constitutional Review Task Force was set up to carry out this task, and it consisted of the TANGO President, a lawyer from the Attorney General's office, a pioneer member of TANGO and the TANGO Coordinator, Mrs. Annie Homasi.

TANGO Workplan

Since January 1999, the TANGO Coordinator has been involved in:

the establishment of a fully functional TANGO office
developing the financial viability of TANGO
strengthening the institutional capacity of TANGO
Conduct survey of members needs and priorities
developing a training assistance project for TANGO

New Zealand Consultation Summary

13th to 20th March 1999
(By Henry Vira, Coordinator, PIANGO)

Objective: The New Zealand consultation by John Taylor (Regional NGO adviser) and the PIANGO coordinator aimed to establish new contacts, reinforce existing links with NGOs and funding agencies, promote PIANGO activities, and seek funding for the PIANGO Strategic Planning workshop planned for 25-30 July 1999. The consultation involved meetings in Wellington, Porirua, and Auckland. The consultation was made possible by financial assistance from Canada Fund.

Council for International Development (CID)
Our first visit was to the Council for International Development (CID) office where we met with Pat Webster, the Executive Director of CID and her staff. We used the CID office as our base during our time in Wellington. Issues discussed included CID activities, its relationship to the Association of Non-Government Organizations Aotearoa (ANGOA), CID as a representative of ANGOA to PIANGO, its connection to the Management and Economic Working Groups of PIANGO.

We were informed that CID is involved in drawing up an MOU to bring ANGOA (Association of Non - Government Organizations) and CINGOA (Council for Indigenous NGOs - Aotearoa) more closer together. CID has been responsible for producing the PIANGO LINK, a quarterly production of PIANGO. PIANGO Secretariat will take over responsibility for production of the LINK after the next issue.

We also had a meeting with CID's training officer, Michael, to discuss various techniques of carrying out trainings.

Information Technology (Planet New Zealand) / Development Resource Centre

Don Anderson, Director of Planet New Zealand, and Philip Hewitt, Program Manager of Development Resource Center met with John and I at their office in Wellington. Information technology and sharing of resources were the main topics discussed.

An MOU is being processed to guide the work and specify the relationship between PIANGO, Planet New Zealand and Development Resource Center.

A project proposal is currently underway which addresses the need for cheaper means of communication with the Pacific region, particularly within the NGO sector.

Volunteer Service Abroad (VSA)

John Tylor and I had a discussion with Andrea Steward on the activities of VSA and PIANGO around the Pacific region and looked at possibilities of working together. VSA's Pacific focus is mainly on: Gender, Capacity Building, and Education (especially on Bougainville, Vanuatu, PNG, Samoa, Tonga, Solomon Islands and Fiji).

Association of Non – Government Organizations Aotearoa (ANGOA)

A meeting was held with Peter Glensor, Chairman of ANGOA. Peter informed us that Pat Webster is ANGOA's representative in PIANGO activities. Peter was informed of current and future activities of PIANGO.

ANGOA has a part time coordinator, Gina Straker who works 15 hours a week. We visited her at the National Students Union office in Wellington where she works.

Canada Fund

There was a lot of discussions around PIANGO's current and planned activities. The proposed Strategic planning and Capacity Buidling workshop was also presented and discussed.

Te Korowai Aroha – Maori Training Group

We met with Jenny Thompson and her team of trainers at Porirua where they were running a training programme. They were quite interested to assist in training trainers within the Pacific region. The group uses indigenous Maori philosophies and ideologies as basis for their trainings.

Members of the group, when discussing training issues, insisted that whoever attends the training must be a representative of the community and must return after training to assist the community. Other issues raised included:

Criteria for roles of NGOs in training
Code of ethics
Guiding principles and working with reality

A concept paper is currently being drafted to map out areas where Te Korowai Aroha and PIANGO may collarborate. The paper is to be presented at the PIANGO Strategic planning and Capacity Building workshop in July 1999.

NZODA (New Zealand Overseas Development Assistance)

John and I met with Don Clarke on the 16th of March 1999 at the NZODA office in Wellington. Presentations were made of the Capacity Building Strategy, information technology initiative, the Council proposal and PIANGO planned activities in general. Mr. Clarke was quite interested in PIANGO's planned activities.

UNEMPLOYMENT PEOPLE'S CENTER – AUCKLAND, 18 MARCH 1999

A staff from the office discussed with us the activities carried out by the Center and future plans. A lot of development agencies are located at the same premises. Also located within the premise is a hair dresser, dental surgery, Clinic, CORSO, etc. The Center appeared very well set-up and supported by the community members.

John and I talked about PIANGO activities and also discussed ways of sharing information between the center and PIANGO.

OXFAM – AUCKLAND, MARCH 19TH 1999

This meeting was held between Wendy Cook (Programme Director), Phillip Twyford (Executive Director) John Taylor (Regional NGO adviser) and Henry Vira (PIANGO Coordinator). There was a lot of collarborative issues discussed and information shared. Members expressed concern particularly on issues of duplication within the Pacific region.

OXFAM may be invited to participate in some of the PIANGO working group activities.

APEC MONITORING GROUP

The coordinator of PIANGO was involved in a teleconference with members of the group. Members of the monitoring group are willing to share information on APEC activities and invite PIANGO's Economic Working Group to be more active concerning this issue.

Conculusion

Overall the week-long trip was quite successful. We made a lot of contacts which we believe will be quite beneficial to PIANGO. There was significant awareness raising of the activities and planned activities of PIANGO. Presentations of the PIANGO Strategic Planning proposal were quite well received.

Overall, we took part in 13 meetings in the space of 5 days.

PIANGO Secretariat wishes to thank Canada Fund for financing the trip and everyone who was part of making the trip possible and a success.

PIANGO PREPARES FOR STRATEGIC PLANNING AND CAPACITY BUILDING WORKSHOP, JULY 25-30 1999

This Capacity Building and Strategic planning workshop is a further step towards assisting NGOs within the Pacific region to be more effective an thus increase their contribution to their respective constituencies.

As is the practice in NGO gatherings, the process of the 5-day meeting will be fully participatory, and designed with flexibility for responses to identified needs and priorities. There will be a mix of input from resource persons and facilitation of participant's own input and discussion. The objectives of the workshop are:

To provide an opportunity for participants to develop practical knowledge and skills in Strategic Planning and the use of information technology;
To provide an opportunity for participants exchange information, share information, share experience and strengthen links between other NGOs, Regional organizations and donor agencies;
To identify the current development issues and challenges confronting people in the Pacific;
To identify the priority learning needs of the National Liaison Units (NLUs) and their NGO constituencies;
To provide an opportunity for dialogue with donors, intergovernmental bodies and regional NGOs;
To review and make changes to the PIANGO Constitution, organizational structure and membership;
To review PIANGO's performance since the last Council in 1995;
To achieve consensus on the priority areas of focus for PIANGO and draft a three year Plan of Action;
Evaluate and recommend for improving future PIANGO Council Meetings.

Engagements

PIANGO has been invited to participate in the Commonwealth Foundation “Civil Society in the New Millennium” project meeting in Western Samoa from the 22nd to the 24th of April 1999. Many PIANGO members are involved in the project. PIANGO has been involved also in discussions surrounding the programme for the Polynesian Capacity Building consultation. The consultation from April 19-20 in Apia is sponsored through the International Forum for Capacity Building and ASPBAE. Engagements: PIANGO has been invited to participate in the Commonwealth Foundation “Civil Society in the New Millennium” project meeting in Western Samoa from the 22nd to the 24th of April 1999. Many PIANGO members are involved in the project. PIANGO has been involved also in discussions surrounding the programme for the Polynesian Capacity Building consultation. The consultation from April 19-20 in Apia is sponsored through the International Forum for Capacity Building and ASPBAE.