Weekly Niue News http://www.niuenews.nu/ _______________________________________________ > May 22, 2004 > Manager Appointed: The Niue Cyclone Recovery Plan manager > has been appointed by NZAid in conjunction with the Niue > Government. He is Mr Scott Elwarth of Auckland an engineer > with AC Consulting Group. Mr Elwarth worked on Niue nine > years ago during the $7 million airport extension project. > He is monitoring the recovery project for NZAid who has > contributed more than $5 million to the island. He will be > working closely with the Niue government during the next > six months. > > Renewed Effort: Niue is planning new moves entice > expatriate Niueans in New Zealand to return home.Its part > of a nation building Niue Foou or New Niue recovery plan > following the January hurricane force winds that devastated > part of the west coast of the exposed raised atoll. Premier > Young Vivian will host meetings in Wellington and Auckland > to reveal to his fellow countrymen the benefits of living > on the island. Previous similar meetings have lured only a > handful of Niueans living overseas back into the community > of 1300. About 10 visiting Niueans who are on the island > and considering moving home were told by Mr Vivian that New > Zealand national superannuation was now portable and could > be brought back to Niue. He also said that when the fish > factory opens in August and as a nonu plantation develops > there will be jobs available. However the Premier told TV > Niue News that those who expected major work on their > houses following Cyclone Heta will have to wait until work > is completed on the homes of permanent residents. A number > of Niueans living overseas have visited Niue in the past > five months to inspect damage to their homes and negotiate > repairs. > > Homes Allocation Response: The Premier of Niue, Young > Vivian and Cabinet Minister Fisa Pihigia have hit back at > allegations by an opposition MP that some people, whose > homes weren't damaged in Cyclone Heta, are on the list for > a new home.The French Polynesian government has allocated > 40 homes as part of rebuilding efforts after the cyclone > hit in January. > > But a politician, O'Love Jacobsen, says some people who > aren't living on the island, and others whose homes weren't > devastated and outside the danger zone, are among those to > get a new house. She intends to write to the president of > French Polynesia Gaston Flosse and advise him of the > anomalies in the housing allocations. > > Mr Vivian says so far 20 homes have been given out.And he > says he doesn't know what Mrs Jacobsen is talking about. > > And while he declined to say who are on the list to get a > new home, he said everybody in Niue knows who will get > homes donated by French Polynesia. Mr Pihigia said the > people renting government properties during the cyclone are > being offered new homes on a rent to buy basis. They did > not own homes and rented government properties. He said the > government is sympathetic to people like Mrs Jacobsen, who > had lost all their personal effects, by offering them > interest free loans and a year's grace before making > repayments on their mortgages.However some consider the > government should rent 20 NZ donated houses on the previous > arrangement to those who previously occupied state owned > properties. > > Makeshift Hospital: Additions to the Niue Youth Centre are > underway to try and relieve pressure on the facilities now > being used as the Niue Hospital.Sleeping quarters at the > camp are being refurbished to house x ray and pharmacy > departments. > > A new power transformer has been installed to cope with > medical equipment and an x ray machine. Limited facilities > have resulted in many patients being referred to Auckland > hospitals. > > Health officials say proposals for a new 12- bed cottage > style hospital are being discussed and funding has been > earmarked from the World Health Organisation and the > European Union. The design and build project will be > tendered out and the government hopes a start on the > facility will be made before the end of the year. > > New Transmitter: Radio Sunshine on Niue will soon receive a > clearer reception of the hourly Radio NZ International > News.The New Zealand Government is to provide $US1.5 > million for Radio New Zealand International to buy a new > digital short-wave transmitter.RNZI's current analogue > transmitter is nearing the end of its serviceable life and > last year the service was off the air for seven weeks in > September and October. > > The Broadcasting Minister, Steve Maharey, said the funding > reinforces the government's commitment to broadcast to the > Pacific region. He added that short wave broadcasting > remains the best possible way of reaching a large area with > a reliable signal at a low cost. "The new transmitter will > provide a vastly improved high quality signal to the 14 > Pacific radio stations that rebroadcast RNZI news and > programmes every day," said Mr Maharey. > > Meanwhile Niue TV is hampered by a damaged satellite dish. > Super 12 live rugby, TV One News the popular Shortland > Street soapie along with ABC programs from Australia have > been curtailed. Two new transmitting masts are to be > erected in the near future. > * An overseas trauma counselling team has been on Niue to > assist those still suffering from stress after January's > Cyclone Heta. The team also conducted workshops to train > locals as counsellors. > > * Large loads of perishable goods destined for Niue has > delayed the delivery of air mail letters and parcels. > Several major traders on Niue are now air freighting fruit > and vegetables to the island on the weekly Polynesian > flight out of Auckland. > > * The Niue legislative assembly rammed through legislation > in a one day sitting to provide for the formation of a > trust fund designed to provide on going income for the cash > strapped island. New Zealand and Australia have indicated > they will contribute to the fund and the Niue Government is > expected to make an annual contribution to the fund. Its > likely to be 10 years before any interest will contribute > to the recurrent budget. > > * The Alofi market has been re-roofed and growers are > selling on Fridays and Tuesdays. > > *A promotion urging growers to ban toxic chemcial spraying > is underway as part of an organic growers campaign. > > * Government properties are gradually being repaired after > the cyclone. The Customs shed at the wharf is the latest to > get a new roof. > > * New recruits to the public service were participants in > an induction workshop this week. The public service is the > largest employer on the island with 96% of the workforce in > government departments. > > * Niue hopes to have a national brass band in the near > future. Instruments have been donated to the Community > Affairs Department and there is a call out for those keen > to participate. In past years Hakupu village has had a > brass band which played at formal functions. > > Airline Bellyflops: Tonga's Ministry of Civil Aviation is > calling for parties interested in operating a domestic air > service to attend a Open Day next month in Nuku'Alofa. > > It follows the grounding of the domestic service of Royal > Tonga Airlines amid reports it is waiting on key parts for > which it has no funding. RTA was the former designated > carrier for Niue. > > In a statement the airline says it has been plunged into > debt by the collapse last month of the international > service. > > The airline says it needs a substantial capital injection. > > The government announced earlier this week that the > international service was now officially shut down and pro > democracy Akilisi Pohiva says the Finance Minister has said > the domestic service could go the same way without outside > investment. > > Tokelau OK: The leader of the Pacific territory of Tokelau > has questioned plans by the United Nations and New Zealand > for a vote on self-determination. > > The head of Tokelau, Patuki Isa'ako, says the push toward > self-determination is not being driven by Tokelauans. > > The tiny New Zealand territory, halfway between Hawaii and > New Zealand, has a population of 1,500 and a total area of > 17.5 square kilometres. > > The United Nations Special Committee on Decolonisation, > known as C-24, and Wellington has been pushing Tokelau to > hold a referendum on whether to remain part of New Zealand > or become self-governing or independent. > > Tokelauans have been reluctant to support any change in > status. > > Recently, after a hurricane devastated the tiny island > state of Niue which has about the same population as > Tokelau, the viability of such small nations was > questioned.
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