Neu: 2001-11-14 Contents of this issue:
1. Diabetes Prevention 2. Fault Traced 3. Misread Message? 4. Christmas Extras ======================================================================== November 14th, 2001 1. Diabetes Prevention: Niue celebrates World Diabetes Day today. Like many other islands in the South Pacific Niue faces major health problems resulting from diabetes. Health officials are conducting a preventative education program to encourage Niueans to eat fresh fish, local fruit and vegetables and reduce the intake of imported tinned foods and sodas. Weight loss programs are also being encouraged in a bid to reduce associated problems related to diabetes such as cardio vascular and kidney disorders. 2. Fault Traced: A problem with power distribution on Niue has been traced to the three generators at Tuila. Frequent power cuts have been the result of testing the diesel-run generators during peak periods. The power corporation is asking residents to use power sparingly and expect further power cuts while the tests on the three generators continue. 3. Misread Message?: Niue Premier Sani Lakatani considers some people misinterpreted his message at a State feast held last month to mark his tiny country’s centenary celebrations, according to John Andrews an Auckland based Pacific correspondent. The island leader's comment at the Niue High School that “Niue is going to go ahead with or without New Zealand’s help” caused consternation in some quarters of his 300-strong audience. Dignatories at the feast included the Governor General, Dame Silvia Cartwright, and two New Zealand Cabinet ministers, Sandra Lee and Mark Gosche. Noting that many people did not applaud the comment, senior Niue Opposition figure, Veve Jacobsen, said: “The premier insults the hand that feeds us.” Back in Auckland this week after high-powered meetings in Brussels and the Netherlands, Mr Lakatani told Pasifika Times: “Young people liked the speech but some politicians…they said you should not run New Zealand down. “That was not the thought behind me. I think we have to stand on our own. If New Zealand comes to help us, that is good. “But we should not have to rely on New Zealand to help us out all the time. “Some people may have got the wrong impression. I was not running New Zealand down. “I thanked New Zealand but it is about time for us to stand up and do something for ourselves.” Mr Lakatani said he was aware the Niuean people were “frightened” of the citizenship issue but that and sovereignty rights were too different things. He said New Zealand benefited threefold from the annual, $6.25 million investment it made in Niue. Ninety-nine per cent of Niue’s $21 million budget returned to New Zealand in some form or other. Mr Lakatani said he was creating jobs on Niue to give Niueans living overseas incentives to return to their homeland. While in Brussels, he said, he told officials he wanted to set up a database in Auckland to survey the 18,000 Niueans in New Zealand to ascertain their skills and views about returning to the island. 4. Christmas Extras: The Christmas umu on Niue won't cost as much as turkey and plum pudding in New Zealand but the extra trimmings will stretch island families budget this year as the 7.8 per cent rise in across the board food prices in Auckland is exported into the South Pacific. With only small amounts of fruit and vegetables imported Niueans are feeling the pinch of 13.1 per cent price hikes in NZ imported meat and poultry. Niue imports most groceries and freezer foods from New Zealand.The mark up on goods are regulated by a Price Control Authority. __END__
