Weekly Niue News http://www.niuenews.nu/ _______________________________________________ > > [newsban.gif] > > [bewsline.gif] > > Pacific Island Report > Top News > Radio New Zealand > Niue Island Updates > > Niue Weather Forecast > > [bewsline.gif] > > [ad_left.gif] [ad_right.gif] > www. ______________ Go! > > [bewsline.gif] > > Weekly Niue News > > [bewsline.gif] > > April 16, 2004 > > Niue's disaster recovery plan faces the donor test at the > end of this month. The tiny island's leader Young Vivian > has told Radio New Zealand International News that > obtaining financial backing for a massive $NZ37 million > facelift, following the hurricane force winds that badly > damage parts of the raised atoll in January, will be the > biggest hurdle the government has to face. He was confident > the plan has been well prepared. The French Polynesia > government has provided massive financial backing and > skilled labour for constructing kitset houses for the > homeless and clearing the Alofi South and western village > debris. The European Union has offered to finance an > urgently needed new hospital, the South Pacific Community > is backing subsistence agriculture schemes and China and > Australia along with the Cook Islands and New Zealand > communities have provided emergency funding. It is now > uncertain if New Zealand will contribute more than the $5 > million it has already donated. Niue's recovery plan is a > complex all-embracing project which covers the restoration > of infrastructure, new and repaired public and private > housing, and support to keep private businesses afloat. New > Zealand will continue to provide $8 million recurrent > budgetary support in July. The cyclone recovery plan > incorporates many previous national objectives and the > government is likely to face some tough questioning from > potential donors who are reported to be interested mainly > in contributing to fixing the damage caused by the > mountainous seas and 300km winds. Niue has a population of > 1300. > > Budget Balancing: The island's Treasury department is busy > preparing estimates for this year's budget to be tabled in > the Legislative Assembly after June 30. But with government > officials dedicated to organising the cyclone clean-up > there could be delays with the budget presentation. Despite > emergency aid provided after Cyclone Heta the island's > recovery plan, when completed, will require substantial > on-going funding to maintain the tiny community's > infrastructure. Supporting the Niue Government's commitment > to improving the country's economic self-reliance has > resulted in boosting backing for tourism, air services, > fisheries development and vanilla farming. Four years ago > New Zealand budgetary assistance was capped at $NZ3.75 > million with a $2.6 million special project fund. But last > fiscal year Wellington increased its input to meet almost > half of the national budget of $18million. The funding is > provided in accordance with constitutional obligations made > in a 1974 act of Parliament when Niue became self governing > in free association with New Zealand. Emphasis is also > placed on education, small scale community projects and > organic farming. Talks in Wellington with potential aid > donors and the new cyclone recovery plan consultant later > this month are likely to clear the way for more accurate > assessments of Niue's national budgetary support for the > 2004/2005 year. [ Latest statistics reveal Niue's annual > population growth was 0.01%, its GDP per capita was > $USD3600 while it recorded a minus 0.3% GDP growth.] > > Support For Tahiti: Niue is likely to be one of the first > countries in the Pacific to back a French Polynesia request > for observer status in the Pacific Forum.. Regional > commentators say strong links with French Polynesia have > been strengthened by the territory's disaster action group > that cleaned up the island after Cyclone Heta and built new > kit-set houses for those left homeless. News of French > Polynesia plans for observer status in the Pacific Islands > Forum, came after the territory's vice president said they > were also working towards setting up its own embassies > abroad. Edouard Fritch said they are also hoping to get > observer status within the Pacific Islands Forum, now that > the territory has more autonomy from France. Mr Fritch said > last week's recommendation to Forum leaders to open up to > French and American Pacific territories was an important > step forward. The report, submitted by an eminent persons > group at a special Forum meeting in Auckland last week, > said this would enhance regional inclusiveness and > cooperation. Mr Fritch says that's good news for French > Polynesia, whose president, Gaston Flosse, is working > towards greater political autonomy overseas. > > Fish Quandary: A decision to pull out of a commercial > fishing project in the Cook Islands by the New Zealand > fishing company SeaLord has raised questions of the > viability of the fisheries project in Niue. Reef Shipping > Company and the Government of Niue partners in a $1.5m > venture building a fish processing factory at Alofi. They > hope market the fish in New Zealand. SeaLord said it has > abandoned the Cook Islands because the fisheries were > seasonal. SeaLord sold its shares in Cook Islands Fish > Exports only nine months after saying it would lead the > development of the country's fishing industry. Another > major player in the New Zealand fishing industry, Hawkes > Bay Fisheries, has also sold its interest in the company, > which was set up last year in conjunction with local > businessman Brett Porter. A spokesperson for SeaLord, > Merrill Coke, said the company needed a reliable supply for > export. "Our part of the business was sales and marketing > and we were looking for consistent year round supply for > export. The fisheries proved to be seasonal and won't meet > our objective so we've decided to exit the shareholding. We > wish Brett well and we'll continue to assist in his > marketing." Brett Porter has purchased the overseas > companies shares and says that the company will stay afloat > despite their withdrawal. > > Small Is Better: While Niue is considered a potential haven > for terrorists it is tiny enough to prevent organized > criminals moving onto the island. A Pacific leader and New > Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister have both said lax > security and immigration systems make smaller states the > "soft belly" of the war on terrorism. New Zealand keeps a > close eye on Niue's foreign affairs through constitutional > links. Very small is different. "Everyone knows everyone > else on the tiny island and unless government immigration > and police officials slip up once a week when the plane > lands the chances of Niue being infiltrated are fairly > remote," said a Pacific commentator. Niue also gets > substantial financial assistance from New Zealand so its > need to bolster local revenue from dealing with organized > criminals is minimal. But Niue has had several close calls > several years ago. It took immediate action to cancel its > offshore banking licences when the bona fides of the > licence holders were questioned and its legislators refused > to pass a law permitting a Canadian-German con man from > setting up a Cyber City in the centre of the 265 sq km > island. A Korean based church group was also denied entry > to construct a Holy City after they sought land and operate > within their own jurisdiction. Cook Islands Prime Minister > Robert Woonton and New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff > have told The Australian newspaper that small Pacific > nations were the "soft belly" of the war on terrorism > because of a lack of computerised passport records and > archaic security systems. "It may be happening already and > unless we address security it will become a real problem." > Mr Goff said money launderers and organized criminals had > already eyed vulnerable Pacific islands for their > activities, and while they did not believe terrorists were > operating now, the potential could not be ruled out. "The > same situation appeals to both groups... they're both > looking for more opportunities," Mr Goff's spokesman said > today. Terrorism, along with organized crime, was becoming > increasingly global and perpetrators were seeking > opportunities further afield. Australia and New Zealand are > working alongside the Pacific region to tighten security > and border control systems, Mr Goff said. New Zealand is > organizing a counter-terrorism seminar for Pacific Island > officials next month, focusing on tough new requirements > for passenger travel and trade instigated by the United > States. Last year's budget allocated $2 million for a new > Pacific security fund to boost aviation security, customs, > immigration and forensic equipment to identify fraudulent > travel documents and visas. New Zealand was also working > with Pacific police forces to help them combat drug > trafficking and people smuggling. > > Cooks Get Games: Niue athletes will participate in the 2009 > South Pacific Mini Games in Rarotonga, Cook Islands. The > Cook Islands won the bid to host the 2009 mini games after > a vote at the South Pacific Council meeting in Palau. > "We're all excited and very happy," said Cook Islands > Sports & National Olympic Committee manager Robert Graham. > The delegation to Palau was led by CISNOC president Tiki > Matapo. The Cooks won the vote 28-15 over Wallis & Futuna > which was also bidding for the games. The go-ahead to host > the games makes up for the disappointment in 2000 when > council members voted for Palau to hold the 2005 Mini Games > over the Cook Islands. The Cook Islands hosted the Mini > South Pacific Games in 1985, which led to the establishment > of the National Stadium at Tereora. > > Neighborly Competition: The Niue agents for the government > International Companies Registry, Mossack Fonseca of Panama > has announced it has opened a business in Samoa. The > independent state joins Niue, the Bahamas, the British > Virgin Islands, Panama and Seychelles offering tax free > haven international business company registrations. Mossack > Fonseca said the advantages of registering a business in > Samoa include full exemption from taxation on any business > activity or transaction conducted outside the country, > speedy incorporation, simple administration, no requirement > to file annual returns or financial statements; no > requirement to hold annual general meetings of shareholders > or directors. Mossack Fonseca said the annual licence fee > for companies redomiciliated is only US$100.00 for any > capital. The Samoa IC law dates back to 1987 and it has > experienced a steady and healthy growth. > > Relief Fund Shared: The Governments of the Federated States > of Micronesia and Fiji will each receive FJ$20,000 this > week from the Regional Natural Disaster Relief Fund, to > assist with relief efforts following recent damage from > Typhoon Sudel and the flash floods in Fiji. The Fund is > administered by the Suva-based Pacific Islands Forum > Secretariat. On behalf of the Pacific Islands Forum, > Secretary General Greg Urwin expressed deep concern for > those suffering as a result of the cyclone and the floods. > "Our thoughts are very much with those who have been the > victims of these disasters, and especially those who have > lost loved ones," Mr Urwin said. Mr Urwin also offered to > provide technical assistance from the Secretariat. Similar > relief assistance was extended in January to Niue and Samoa > following Cyclone Heta, and to Vanuatu in February > following Cyclone Ivy. The Regional Natural Disaster Relief > Fund was established in 1975 by Forum Island Countries. > These are the Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, > Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, > Republic of the Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, > Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. > > Pre School Projects Safe: Auckland resident Niuean leaders > in education say their pre-school projects operating in > West and South Auckland have not been involved in a > controversial fees claim for non-existent children. Early > education is language nests for Niuean children with > emphasis on island culture. They are heavily funded by the > New Zealand government. Last week the Government rejected > calls to scrap a Maori and Pacific pre-school enrolment > scheme and claims to have shut loopholes through which it > paid bounties of up to $2275 a child. It also promised not > to give new contracts to organizations which brought the > scheme into disrepute. Education Ministry files have > disclosed audits found irregular fee claims and among those > investigated were three inter-linked Manurewa organizations > which milked more than $1.5 million of the scheme's > national outlay of $7 million. The government said > contractors worked diligently to enrol 5280 Maori and > Pacific Island youngsters who would otherwise not have > received early education. The ministry was unable to tell > how many youngsters stayed at pre-schools, or for how long, > but said it had tightened a prototype contract to require > minimum attendance of three months. > > Niue Pictures after Cyclone Heta > > [bewsline.gif] > > [EMBED] > [EMBED] > > [EMBED] > > [bewsline.gif] > > Send mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with questions or comments about > this web site. > Copyright © 2002 Company Administrative Services
_______________________________________________ weekly-niue-news mailing list http://greta.electric.gen.nz/mailman/listinfo/weekly-niue-news Powered by BAF Technologies Ltd (http://www.bafonline.net.nz/) Read the Weekly Niue News online at http://www.niuenews.nu/
