Weekly Niue News http://www.niuenews.nu/ [2004-09-11: list updated for new site] _______________________________________________ > We have 2 guests online > September 10, 2004 > PM CLARK INVITED TO NIUE'S 30th ANNIVERSARY > Niue officials have confirmed that New Zealand's Prime > Minister Helen Clark has been invited to the island's 30th > Constitution celebrations. The festivities will be held from > October 16 -19. Acceptance of the invitation has yet to be > acknowledged from Wellington but it is known Ms Clark is keen > to show support for the tiny island's rebuilding efforts after > Cyclone Heta. The government is also keen for the Prime > Minister to take part in a national fono which would include a > contingent of Niuean leaders resident in New Zealand. > > The group is expected to visit during Constitution Week which > will incorporate the official opening of the $3million joint > venture fish factory and a nonu processing plant. Political > commentators say it is evident New Zealand is now being called > upon to help bolster the morale of the tiny nation which has > suffered extreme stress since January's devastating Cyclone > Heta.It is not only aid the country needs but a show of > support for Niue's efforts to maintain a living viable > community threatened by the dwindling population and economic > insecurity. Niue is self governing in free association with > New Zealand and this year will receive $8 million in > assistance for its recurrent budget. > > But visitors planning to attend the Constitution celebrations > will be lucky to get last minute accommodation bookings.Local > tourist properties are reported to be fully booked - many of > the motels and guesthouses are already accommodating workers > involved with restoration projects. > > KEEPING YOUR OPTIONS OPEN > > Serious questions are being asked about the future of Niue > reports a Radio Australia news program hosted by Eleanor > Hall.She said this week that Niue is struggling to rebuild > nearly eight months after it was hit by a fierce cyclone." > Work on a new hospital hasn't started and dozens of families > have now left Niue for good, to start a new life in New > Zealand." The ABC's New Zealand correspondent Gillian Bradford > followed up a three part series aired on TV One News last week > and interviewed Niue's High Commissioner to New Zealand Hima > Takelesi. Though international aid has been generous, it's > still been difficult for people to piece their lives back > together, said Ms Bradford. "Some families haven't been able > to rebuild their houses and the stress of the cyclone has > taken its toll, particularly on the elderly."Without a > hospital in Niue, more than 80 people have had to be airlifted > to Auckland for treatment, and according to Niue's High > Commissioner to New Zealand, Hima Takelesi, there's concern > some of them will decide it's too hard to return home." > > Mr Takelesi agreed that's the fear. "The fear is that when you > have a people who have been traumatised to some extent by the > cyclone, if they have to be medically evacuated from the > island, and if you've got a couple of the family accompanying > them, it is possible that as a result they may not wish to > return."Next month the country celebrates 30 years of > self-government, but with a declining population, some > question if it can justify having its own 20-member parliament > and public service, and should instead consider re-integrating > with New Zealand." Considering future options is essential > said Mr Takelesi. " Well we have to consider all the options. > A plan b if you like, if plan a which is self government > doesn't work out, if we start talking about it at this time, > and to put a plan b into place, then at least when the time > comes, we've got something in place. > > "If we don't talk about it, and then we wake up one morning to > find hello, we don't have enough people on the island to keep > things ticking over, to maintain the current infrastructure, > then I think we've got a problem. > > Mr Takelesi said all options have been on the table > previously, such as full independence, integration, partial > integration, whatever, borough council of New Zealand, > whatever. Shall we open the country up to other settlers who > might like to come and give it a go?" > > IMPORTANT HEAD COUNT > > Niue's population figures have always been a bone of > contention on Niue. The number of residents can have a drastic > affect on assistance grants from regional and international > bodies.Present population guesses have ranged from 1200 to > 2200.A government official said it was important to maintain > accurate population counts for planning education, health, > economic and social policies. Last week the Niue statisitics > department carried out a village head count.Residents and > visitors were asked to fill out a form on the evening of > September 7 giving their names, ethnicity, and residential > status.Those residents temporarily off island were also > included in the count. > > Results have yet to be colated. About 50 persons on island at > present are employed on construction of new homes, the fish > processing factory and the nonu orchard. Recent media reports > have speculated that the island's population has been > declining since Cyclone Heta but government's stance has been > that there has been no change in the resident numbers. > > IN A NUTSHELL > > Cool: Jackets and jerseys were a common sight around Niue this > week. During September 8/9 the temperature dropped from 25.1C > to 18.8C during the early morning. > > Oops: Divers have recovered packages of corrugated iron > dropped overboard during the unloading of the MV Southern > Express at Alofi Bay. The importer is selling the salty > roofing iron cheap and its being snapped up by homeowners > repairing properties after Cyclone Heta. > > Welcome: About 20 yachts have been moored in Alofi Bay this > week. Following a slow start to the maritime visitors season > it appears many sailors are curious to see the island after > the big blow in January. Yachties help the local economy by > purchasing fresh fruit and vegetables, beer and using local > laundry facilities. > > Nonu: Its the current flavour of the month. About 9000 kg is > reported to have been sold to Niu Grow International that is > processing the medicinal fruit and marketing it overseas. > Those collecting the wild fruit are getting paid NZ50 cents a > kilo. > > Employees: Out of a population of 1300 432 people on Niue work > for the government. Permanent employees number 273, locals on > contract work 72; expatriates on contracts 5; temporary > workers 17; trainees 20; those paid by external funding 15; > undergoing in- service training 9; and legislative members 21. > And for the record it costs $7.5 m in salary and wages to keep > the bureaucracy ticking over. > > Judge: Chief Justice Norman Smith plans to visit Niue at the > end of October. He'll deliberate on Land Court appeals, civil > and criminal matters. > > Obituary: Makefu village elder Uluvili Tohovaka was buried at > Namoi at the weekend. He died in Auckland after a long > illness.Mr Tohovaka was a former teacher at Matalave School > and was for many years Legislative Assemblyman for Makefu. He > was as stalwart in the Ekalesia Niue church. One of his son's > John Satini Tohovaka was a former chief of police on Niue. > > WHERE THE MONEY GOES > > Hard on the heels of last year's $NZD1.65 million deficit > announcement, the Niue Legislative Assembly passed its > 2004/2005 budget totalling $24.3 million... a record for the > world's smallest state.The fiscal year deficit is projected to > be $ 341,000. Opposition MP's criticised the budget and the > Minister of Finance's presentation saying it lacked any > allocation of funds for captial improvements or maintenance. > Plant and machinery replacement and the upkeep of the island > roads were of paramount concern. New Zealand has lifted its > previous ceiling on aid from $3.75m to $6.75m for recurrent > spending and in the wake of Cyclone Heta has allocated $5.7 > for special funding projects. Topping the list for expenditure > is the Premier's Department $2.3m; community affairs $1.7 m; > education $1.5m; Health $1.3m; Public Works $924,000; > Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries $559,000 and > Administration 857,000. It costs $333,000 to run the Police; > $475,000 for Justice; $523,000 for Treasury and the Met > Service $98,000. Money earners for the government include > revenue from income tax $$1.67 m; import duty > $968,000;Telecoms $1.1 m; fishing rights $255,880; bulk fuel > $255,532; Government Bond Store $148,423. > > Niue has one of the best social welfare schemes in the > Pacific. It pays out $810,000 annually for aged (over 60's) > and invalid benefits and $140,000 for child support. It also > provides $12,000 to 14 village MP's to spend on projects in > conjunction with village councils.The government allocates > $100,000 for health department patient referrals to New > Zealand and $116,000 for free dental care.Niue residents have > water supplied to their homes free of charge and pay no land > rates. > > AU REVOIR AND MERCI ! > > A French Polynesian disaster rapid response team is pulling > out of Niue. The highly skilled group moved onto the island > weeks after Cyclone Heta with heavy plant and equipment and > cleared Alofi South of the mountain of debris left by > hurricane force winds and gigantic seas. The construction team > also erected 20 new houses for those left homeless. But only > four of the houses are occupied due to problems with power and > water connections. The group heads back to Tahiti. Equipment > will soon be loaded on board the vessel Tahiti Nui for the > voyage home. The team was accommodated at the Alofi Tokelau > hall. > Last Updated ( Saturday, 11 September 2004 ) > 286 Visitors
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