Weekly Niue News http://www.niuenews.nu/ _______________________________________________ > May 8th, 2004 > Secure Future: Niue's bid to raise $37.7 million - if it is > successful - will end up in a trust fund with the interest > contributing to the tiny nation's budget. Niue is pinning > its hopes for a secure independent financial future on the > trust fund with contributions from the United Nations, the > European Union and New Zealand. > > A meeting in Wellington of agencies helping Niue was told > last week the Niue Trust Fund aimed to raise $37.7 million > to restore the country after Cyclone Heta in January. > > Premier Young Vivian, who was at the meeting, said there > had been a "very good reaction" from donor agencies and > countries. Some donors have expressed interest in > contributing to the repair of major infrastructure > facilities. > > Although details were yet to be settled, Mr Vivian said > dialogue between his country, the eight donor agencies > including the United Nations Development Programme, (UNDP), > the EU and NZAID was progressing well. > > Mr Vivian said Niue would expect donors to make their > commitment to the trust fund by the end of this year. > > Meanwhile, Niue was gaining confidence and the work being > done in Wellington this week would "give my people the > confidence that they will have a future", he said. > > Joyce Yu, the UNDP representative for Samoa, the Cook > Islands, Niue and Tokelau, said she was "thrilled" with the > outcome of the meeting. > > The agency could not over-emphasise its importance in > charting a new path for aid co-ordination and management > after the disaster. > > "The impact of Cyclone Heta is well documented but the road > to recovery has just begun," she said. > > Mr Vivian said Niue was at a crossroads in its journey to > greater self reliance, indicating that the island was > moving towards independence rather than re-integration with > New Zealand. Heta had made the journey more difficult but > Niueans knew that, helped by "external partners" Niue would > be rebuilt. > > The Wellington meeting was the first time Niue reported to > the international community on its use of disaster funds > and to indicate the needs for the second phase of recovery. > It was convened by the UNDP and the governments of Niue and > New Zealand. > > No timelines had been set for the trust fund yet, Mr Vivian > said. "Other countries have confirmed they will help but we > haven't got to the detail yet." Niue in the past has > discussed a Trust Fund modelled on the type used > successfully by Tuvalu. > > Stocks Replenished: Urgently needed fuel and food supplies > for Niue were unloaded from the Reef Shipping Company > vessel Southern Express this week. The stevedores were > given permission to work on Sunday to get fuel from the > ship. Officials said the power generating plant had several > days diesel in reserve thanks to the French Polynesia > Disaster Relief Group who donated 15 drums of diesel and > savings of 4.5% by the public after a plea from the Niue > Power Corporation to save power. Building supplies, timber > and roofing are in demand and containers of private > donations for families are still arriving on the island. > > Stocks of LPG and some food lines had run out. Traders are > air freighting fresh vegetables and fruit to Niue on the > weekly Polynesian Airlines flight from Auckland. The > availability of fuel is unlikely to be improved until the > government bulk fuel tanks at the Alofi wharf are repaired. > > Taro Scarce: The long term damage to crops caused by > Cyclone Heta is now being felt in Niue and Samoa. No taro > from Niue is being exported and the island has limited taro > for sale at the local weekly market. It is likely to take > another 12 months before taro plantations have been fully > restored. In Samoa the quality and quantity of taro being > sold at the Fugalei market in Apia continued to decline in > March, the Central Bank of Samoa said in its monthly > survey. > > It said this is because the reduced volume of the better > quality taro is all being exported to American Samoa, where > prices are higher. > > Its survey showed the price of taro rose 36 percent above > the price of potatoes last month, whereas it was 32 percent > lower prior to Cyclone Heta in January. > > The taro price was now almost double the price of rice > whereas it was 12 percent lower before the cyclone. > > Moving Ahead: Work continues on the $NZ1.5 million Niue > Fish Factory a joint venture with the government of Niue > and Reef Shipping. The factory along with a manager's house > is expected to be completed by August. Meanwhile in another > separate project the former alpaca quarantine farm at Vaiea > is being converted to a nonu plantation. The lease on the > farm was relinquished by an Australian firm and work has > commenced on upgrading facilities.The Niue Government has > encouraged overseas investment to boost its stagnant > economy. Logging trees felled in the cyclone is also > receiving priority and keeping the local sawmill busy > providing timber for the construction and repair of homes > on the island. > > ShowDays Commence: The villagers of Makefu, hit hard by > Cyclone Heta, have rallied to stage the island's first > showday for 2004. Food stalls handicrafts and games > featured on the village green. This year the organising > committee held a story writing competition and a poster > competition.A large crowd attended. Makefu lost its church > and four homes when hurricane force winds struck the west > coast in January. > > Help Continues: Five months after Cyclone Heta struck Niue > food parcels are still being distributed to families. The > latest gift was from Bishop Dr Soane Lilo Foliaki, Catholic > Bishop of Tonga and Niue. The food parcels packed in > Auckland by Wheelers grocery merchants were organised > through Caritas Oceania the regional arm of the Catholic > Church's relief, development and social services > organisation. Meanwhile people who have received new homes > from the French Polynesian disaster task force are waiting > to move in. Many homes are still waiting for connection to > power and water lines. > > Danger Zones: Regional disaster assessment teams have > visited the island to record damage caused to the > environment and land. They have also assisted the Niue > Government to identify areas hardest hit by the sea and > hurricane force winds. The government intends to target > danger zones, especially on the west coast clifftops where > future building will be restricted.Those properties in the > zones which were destroyed are being re-located further > inland and some buildings partially damaged are still under > repair.Three specialists from the Manukau City Council in > South Auckand are on the island assisting government with > redevelopment plans.
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