Teilweise neu: 2001-10-30 Contents of this issue:
1. No Rain, No Taro 2. No Easy Solution 3. Repopulation Plan 4. Dead Whale Freed 5. Anthrax Pacific ======================================================================== Old contents were: 1. No Rain, No Taro 2. 3. No Easy Solution 4. Repopulation Plan 5. Dead Whale Freed 6. Anthrax Pacific October 30th, 2001 1. No Rain, No Taro: Dry, hot conditions have reducted the number of Niue taro exports to a trickle.The last shipment to New Zealand consisted of 200 bags and a similar number of coconuts. normally there can by up to three container loads (1800 bags) of the popular Niue produce exported each month. Payment to growers puts cash back into the economy and many families are now reliant on taro exporting as their sole income. Other income earning crops being developed on Niue include kava, nonu and vanilla which individual growers are now starting to specialise in producing. 2. No Easy Solution: Don't expect a quick fix solution to air services - that's the word from NZ Pacific Affairs Minister Mark Gosche to Niueans after a three day visit to the island. He said the current situation with airlines regionally and worldwide prevents any hope in the immediate future of any dramatic changes to the twice weekly service from Tonga. New Zealand is funding an airlines consultant in a bid to get a dedicated service from Auckland to Niue return but so far any attempts have proved fruitless. Niue's tourism industry is suffering from the lack of a direct service with tourism figures well down this year and little hope of the problems being resolved by the next visitor season that starts in May. The island now has more than 100 beds available following the re-opening of the Niue Hotel. The NZODA is at present hiring a consultant to investigate the expenditure of funds provided to the Niue Tourism Office during the past three years. 3. Repopulation Plan: Niue's Premier Sani Lakatani wants to see the island's population trebled by the year 2005. He told Radio New Zealand that a data base is being set up in NZ to find out how many Niueans are living there, what skills they have and whether or not they are willing to return home. At latest count the island has 1400 Niuean residents and 340 residents of other ethnic groups, the largest being Tongan. But attempts over the past 27 years including funded resettlement schemes have been unsuccessful and the migration trend continues as young Niueans seek better job prospects and education in NZ and Australia. Successive island government's have been unable to establish stability in private sector development or overseas investment and 95% of the workforce are public servants. 4. Dead Whale Freed: The carcass of an 11metre dead sperm whale which was beached on the reef near Lakepa on Niue has been towed out to sea. Niue fisheries officer Brendon Pasisi said the carcass was pulled off the fringing reef by the public works launch and towed about five nautical miles off the northern tip of the island. "The carcass was starting to smell and could have created a major health problem for people in Lakepa," said Mr Pasisi. He said the currents would take it well to the north of the island and the carcess would soon disintegrate. 5. Anthrax Pacific: There have been three anthrax scares in the New Caledonia capital of Nouméa. Authorities closed two banks and a Post Office. In all cases the scare was triggered by letters containing a white powdery substance which "looked like sugar". The powder was discovered in envelopes sent to two banks, the Société Générale and a Nouméa branch of US-owned Bank of Hawaii. The pac ets, which had no name or address, were placed in the firms' mailboxes. The premises were immediately evacuated and police, firemen and arm rushed in. As a precautionary measure, nine people were taken to the territorial Gaston Bourret hospital, where they had to undergo a disinfecting shower. All three establishments have closed down until further notice. Authorities have reminded the general public that triggering such false alerts can be assimilated to "threat of violence" in the French penal code and is punishable of a maximum sentence of three years imprisonment.(Oceania Flash/SPC) __END__
