Neu: 2002-04-09 Contents of this issue:
1. Alarming Algae 2. New Gear 3. Top Boxing 4. Kiwis Provide Homes 5. Son Joins Dad ======================================================================== April 9th, 2002 1. Alarming Algae: Toxic algae at Niue which causes ciguatera or seafood poisoning has been discovered around the island's Alofi wharf. "The levels are alarming," says Niue's principal fisheries officer Brendon Pasisi after receiving reports from the South Pacific Community which has been examining algae samples from the island. While the concentration of toxicity is about the third highest in the South Pacific Mr Pasisi says his department is setting up a sampling and monitoring program and the public are being warned not to eat reef fish caught in an area from Omahi to the north of the wharf and Utuko in the south. "We intend to develop awareness and education programs for residents and we'll list what fish to avoid," added Mr Pasisi. Several Niue residents have suffered from fish poisoning in the past six months. 2. New Gear: The Niue Rugby Union has accepted $6000 worth of training equipment from an Auckland sponsor as the national XV prepares for three international games. On May 29 Niue plays Vanuatu in Port Vila then returns home to play Tahiti and the Solomon Islands.The games will determine IRB rankings. Niue's coach Steve McCoy (37) who has been co-ordinating on island training programs with Niuean top club players in Auckland and Wellington in association with Ricky Tagelagi an IRB promotions officer. 3. Top Boxing: The good news outweighed the bad for New Zealand fighters at the Oceania amateur boxing championships in Taupo NZ yesterday. Of the six New Zealanders in action, four emerged with the result they wanted on the second day of the championships. New Zealand boxers need to reach the finals in Taupo to press their claims for selection for this year's Commonwealth Games. Among those to keep alive their hopes was Wellington light welterweight Daniel Headifen, who scored an impressive quarterfinal victory over Vanuatu's Sam Kaweil. In the same division, Aucklander Adam McKenzie was eliminated when the referee stopped his fight against hard-hitting Tahitian Albert Tamaitahio. The opening women's bout of the championships was an action-packed affair, with the light middleweight semifinal being won 16-13 by Australian Desi Kontas over Daniellea Smith, of Auckland. But three other New Zealanders enjoyed success, among them Christchurch featherweight Noah Lopez, who was in devasting form in his quarterfinal bout against Tausolo Aieti, of American Samoa. Niue boxers did not contest in an bouts. Results: Women's light middleweight semifinals: Desi Kontas (Australia) bt Daniellea Smith (NZ) 16-13, Visitasia Asiata (Samoa) bt Rachael Dedman (Australia) referee stopped contest. Light welterweight quarterfinals: Daniel Headifen (NZ) bt Sam Kaweil (Vanuatu) 15-point differential, Jarrod Fletcher (Australia) bt Malo Alaimanu (Samoa) 15pt differential, Albert Tamaitahio (Tahiti) bt Adam McKenzie (NZ) rsc. Featherweight quarterfinals: Ben Tami junior (Papua New Guinea) bt Tarawai Naling (Vanuatu) 15pt differential, Greg Eadie (Australia) bt Sada Wulf (Samoa) on countback, Noah Lopez (NZ) bt Tausolo Aieti (American Samoa) rsc. Lightweight quarterfinals: Mike Norsemat (Tahiti) bt Nathan Polley (Australia) 15pt differential, Allan Luxford (Australia) bt Vaiavea Tausaga (Samoa) 15pt differential. Welterweight quarterfinals: Brad Milner (NZ) bt Ulai Qalomai (Fiji) 15pt differential, Daniel Codling (NZ) bt Alema Alema (Samoa) 15pt differential, Daniel Geale (Australia) bt Mark Peters (Vanuatu) rsc, Opeti Tagi (Fiji) bt Siaosi Vaka (Tonga) 28-15. 4. Kiwis Provide Homes: New Zealand may again help Australia out with its boat people crisis by taking in refugees detained on Nauru. Immigration Minister Lianne Dalziel said yesterday that the Government was expected to decide in the next couple of weeks whether to accept more asylum-seekers whom the United Nations had approved as genuine refugees. They would be taken as part of New Zealand's existing quota of 750 a year. Ms Dalziel said the Government had previously indicated it wanted to ease the burden for transit countries in this region and encourage asylum-seekers to seek refugee status rather than use people smugglers. Ms Dalziel's comments came after reports yesterday that 311 boatpeople detained in Papua New Guinea and Nauru under Australia's "Pacific Solution" border-protection policy had been declared genuine refugees by the UN. A further 1100 are still waiting to be processed. (NZ Herald). 5. Son Joins Dad: Former Niue hotel manager Dylan Viviani has joined the Niue Peoples Party common roll line-up in the forthcoming election. He's the bachelor son of the prominent NPP Cabinet Minister Young Viviani who retains the Hakupu seat which was uncontested this year. Also in the Party bid to clinch the majority of the six common roll seats are second time contestant Noga Bray of Tuapa the NPP president, Premier Sani Lakatani of Fualahi, Michael Jackson (50), Hakupu, publisher of the Niue Star and Timothy Magaoa of Lakepa. A familiar face from the previous government led by the late Sir Robert Rex is also one of the 18 nominations. Morris Tafatu is (66) a common roll Assembly member from 1984-1988 and 1990 to 1993 and former director of agriculture is now chairman of the Niue Development Bank. __END__
