Weekly Niue News http://www.niuenews.nu/ [2004-09-11: list updated for new site] _______________________________________________ > We have 5 guests online > BE PREPARED - THE MOTTO BEING PROMOTED ON NIUE > Niue residents are being encouraged to prepare for another > cyclone this season. Village meetings to heighten awareness of > the need for preparations for another cyclone or major storm > have resulted in suggestions for improving emergency > communications and the need for improved early warning > systems. > > Community awareness has been increased in the wake of warnings > from the New Zealand National Climate Centre that tropical > cyclone activity in areas east of the Date Line will be higher > than normal for the November May season. > > "Countries with increased risk over this period are Niue Fiji, > Wallis and Futuna, and the southern Cook Islands, and possibly > Tuvalu, Tokelau, Samoa, Tonga, and the Austral Islands of > French Polynesia," said Dr Jim Salinger of the Climate Centre. > > "Islands west of the Date Line are still likely to experience > tropical cyclones, with a normal rate of occurrence expected." > > The Niue Government has appointed a national disaster > committee that is responsible for announcing alerts and > coordinating emergency services. > > There has been criticism of the alert orders issued before > Cyclone Heta hit the island causing extensive damage and > taking two lives. > > Niue is still recovering from Cyclone Heta. New housing > construction of 20 government owned and rent to buy homes is > most completed, but work on a new hospital and industrial park > is yet to commence. > [date.gif] Friday, 19 November 2004 > NIUES HOUSEKEEPING BUDGET REVEALED > $41 million guaranteed for 4 years > and heres how itll be distributed > Niues super aid package (expanded by the Memorandum of > Arrangement with New Zealand) is targeted at island education, > economic development initiatives and technical assistance > guaranteeing an annual $8.5m handout until 2009. > > This year budget support is $7.323m with an additional > $927,000 allocated to continuation of the current education > program improving standards at the early childhood centre, the > primary school and high school. Links between the Niue > department of education and New Zealand educational agencies > will be strengthened. > > Next years budget support drops to $6.664m with an additional > $1.586m set aside in broad terms for education, technical > assistance and economic initiatives. In 2006.07 $6.80 million > goes into the recurrent budget with an additional $1.45 m for > technical assistance and economic development especially in > the areas of tourism, fishing and agriculture. > > In the following two years $8.5m goes directly into the > recurrent budget with nothing tagged for special projects. > > New Zealand has offered "on line advisors, long and short term > advisory assignments, specialist advice and on going > counterpart linkages." It is now regarding Niue as an > economically challenged region of New Zealand. > > Reviewing progress on the expenditure of assistance will be > the responsibility of the Joint Consultative Group to be held > annually on Niue. The first review is scheduled for February > next year. > > Political commentators say the package of $8.5m annually will > give the island government some security when predicting its > future fiscal expenditure. The lack of any forward recurrent > budget guarantee has been a bone of contention between the two > countries for more than two decades. > > Because of this, many items of capital maintenance and > replacement have been neglected. Despite the injection of > funds from Wellington its likely reserves will be called upon > to support upgrades in power generation, telecommunications, > bulk fuel upgrading and road maintenance. > > Commentators say that based on previous island government > spending patterns New Zealand taxpayers will almost certainly > be called upon in the next four years to match repetitive > budget deficits and increased costs of living which are > inescapable in this tiny community of 1300 residents. > > GO FOR A PENALTY THATS FINE! > > By a Special Correspondent > > Niues introduced a new law that expresses fines in penalty > units. Its all to do with keeping the administration of the > legal system efficient and simple, according to the islands > Assembly Bills Committee, headed by Avatele MP Billy Talagi. > The changes were discussed during a law reform exercise > undertaken by New Zealand professor of law Anthony H. Angelo > that resulted in the passing of the Interpretation Act 2004 > and the Legislation (Correction of Errors and Minor > Amendments) Act 2004. > > Heres the full explanation of the Committee as presented to > the Legislative Assembly: > > "The purpose of the suggestion is to introduce a penalty units > system to Niue. This means that fines in relation to criminal > offences will be expressed in terms of penalty units rather > than a sum of month. > > "At the moment, in order to change the amount of fines for > offences it is necessary to catalogue each offence separately. > It is also very difficult over time to keep the penalties in > proper relationship to each other, and very difficult to > reflect the effect of inflation on fine. > > "The penalty system enables all monetary penalties within the > legal system in future to be changed by one simple legislative > action by the alteration of the definition of a penalty unit > in the Interpretation Act." > > Youll be happy to know that in todays economic climate on Niue > one penalty unit is $100.00.A .05 penalty unit is $50.00. > > Commissioners and the Chief Justice in the High Court are > unlikely to be fazed by the changes- but for those being fined > a penalty unit which sounds a lot less than in dollar terms it > may come as an additional unpleasant surprise when the reality > strikes home. > > FUEL STORAGE AREA TALKS UNDERWAY > > Discussions over payment for the government use of private > land in Amanau for re-siting the bulk fuel farm are > continuing. It is delaying the removal of fuel tanks from the > Niue Power Corporation power station at Tuila which was > declared to be a hazardous site following pressure from MPs > concerned at the dangers of a fuel site near the high school > and close to the power generating plant. > > Meanwhile fuel brought into the island on the cargo vessel MV > Southern Express is being stored in tanktainers. > > The government is not prepared to repair the damaged bulk fuel > tanks at Sir Roberts wharf because the area is classified as a > danger zone following Cyclone Heta in January this year. > > SUPPORT FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CLEAN-UP PHASE > > New Zealand has agreed to fund an asbestos removal program to > the tune of $168,000. The fund will pay for storing the > asbestos roofing and stacking it on pallets for safe disposal. > Many of the asbestos corrugated sheeting came from roofs > damaged during Cyclone Heta. But prior to that disaster New > Zealand had expressed concern at the amount of asbestos on the > island and offered to pay for its removal. > > Under the new Memorandum of Arrangement the inorganic scrap > metal stockpile at Aliluki will be compressed and shipped > offshore. The Niue government has also undertaken to consider > and develop a plan to upgrade, remove or demolish abandoned > houses that have often been labeled an eyesore. Despite > attempts to get owners, many of them absent from Niue, to > grant permission to demolish the old unused buildings, the > task has proved a difficult one. Under Niue health regulations > demolition of homes creating a health hazard can only be > authorised by a Court order. > > Feral pigs which have been responsible for uprooting many taro > plantations are to be the subject of a study funded by New > Zealand. Subject to the report, addition further assistance > may be granted to eradicate the pigs. A previous scheme set up > to catch the pigs by trapping them had good results but many > farmers consider the quickest way to eradicate them would be > to employ pig hunters with dogs from New Zealand. About 60 > growers have rallied to try and get feral pigs controlled. > > Said Acting Director of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries > Brendon Pasisi: "We have pigs that escape from pens and are > reproducing in increased numbers and causing immense damage to > cultivated food plantations. Governments concern is that if we > push for the farming of vanilla and nonu we cannot allow this > problem to continue." Some growers want the government to > provide material to allow for the construction of more secure > pens. > > CABINET MOVES TO QUIT INTERNET FIASCO > > Following a barrage of criticism at the amount of money being > spent on the drawn out Commission of Inquiry into e-mail and > internet services the Niue Cabinet has directed that > preparations been made for closure of the Commission. > > Thats an indicator that the second sitting of the Commission > in Wellington December 6 will be the final hearing. Government > has already committed several thousand dollars to get its > witnesses to Wellington and additional costs for the final > hearing are estimated to be as high as $50,000. > > It has been revealed that the Government and the Internet > Users Society have spent a total of $300,000 on the commission > which was instigated by former Premier Sani Lakatani and > backed by the Minister of Telecommunications Toke Talagi. > > Cabinet recently stated the Inquiry has " taken up too much > time and energy that could be put into more productive > resources." > > The Internet Users Society- Niue (IUS-N) the delegated manager > of the country code top level domain .NU is continuing its > development of a modern WiFi system throughout Niue. > > Last week former Minister of Telecommunications and Opposition > MP Terry Coe called for the telecommunications portfolio to be > removed from the current Minister Toke Talagi who is denying > government departments from using the service which is provide > free and fully maintained by IUS-N. Mr Talagi considers the > Wifi is illegal but the matter has never been tested in Court. > > IUS-N has provided free internet connectivity for all > residents on Niue since it was delegated the country code. > Despite offers to assist with the development of IT in the > fields of education and health the government has rejected > offers of assistance. > > The New Zealand government under its aid grants will not > provide funding for the Commission. > > An IUS-N spokesperson said the money spent on the Commission > could have provided computers and the maintenance of them for > the primary and high school or paid for fibre optic cable > which would allow superior telecommunications badly needed on > the island. The Commission has no authority to change the > IUS-N delegated authority. > Health: New Zealand will fund a qualified doctor and health > management support when the new hospital is opened next year. > The contract for the $6m building has been let to an Auckland > construction firm who is likely to start foundation work next > month. > > Tax: Good news for New Zealand temporary workers on Niue. They > can now pay New Zealand Inland Revenue taxes while on Niue. > The New Zealand rates are a lot less than the high Niue wage > and salary taxes. > > Diabetes: Celebrating World Diabetes Day Friday those on Niue > with the life style disease plan to get together for a > walkathon, blood pressure readings and sugar level testing. A > healthy morning tea will also be provided. Theme of this years > World Day is Prevent Diabetes and Beat Obesity. > > Oops: Vandals have ripped up symbolic trees planted at the > Niue High School by New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark to > mark her Taoga Motu weekend tour. > > Poll: Think there are too many people employed in the public > service? 77.8% say yes, 22.2% say no. Results from last weeks > Niue News poll. > > Hustings: Elections are coming up and politicians are starting > to warm to the March occasion. Theres one vacancy on the > common roll left by former controversial Premier Sani Lakatani > who now resides in Auckland. Expected to land that one is Hima > Takelesi Niues high commissioner in Wellington who is ready to > swap seats with a senior public servant who takes over the job > early in the New Year. Takelesi is a former MP and will line > up with Toke Talagi, OLove Jacobsen, Terry Coe, Krypton > Okesene, Michael Jackson. Assembly persons holding village > seats are unlikely to change. Expect MPs to vote back Young > Vivian as Premier for a second term. > > Progress : The tall Chinese-funded tv transmitting tower at > Makefu growing. The massive concrete base spanning 15 metres > square will provide a sound footing for the 70 m free standing > tower. > > TV coverage for the island will be improved 100%. > > And other buildings nearing completion include 10 government > residences constructed by Woodmart and 10 rent- to- buy homes > erected by the Auckland kit-set company Cedar Homes. > > People: With the resignation of Ernest Nemaia as director of > Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries the acting director is > Brendon Pasisi. His job as principal fisheries officer is now > being advertised. > > Thanks: Schools in Auckland have donated money to Niue High > School as a contribution to rebuilding after Cyclone Heta. > Kelston GirlsHigh School in West Auckland has sent $500. The > Manurewa Intermediate School donated $920.00 The Tama Fuata > Niue Group contributed a set of design technology equipment. > > Medical: Taking a break in Rarotonga to attend the the 12^th > South Pacific Nurses Forum are Niues prinipal Nurse Keti > Fereti accompanied by staff nurses Loisi Nichols and Lovely > Puletama. > > TRAVELLERS FACE NEW BIO SECURITY RULES AT NIUE > > Niues quarantine officials are tightening up bio-security > measures. In-coming passengers to Niue are being warned that > prohibited goods now include animal skin and rawhide, cut > flowers including leis, eggs, egg products and egg trays, > fresh fruit and vegetables, honey, live animals, live plants > and root crops, meat and meat products except canned meat, > milk and milk products, presticides, seeds ( including nuts > and popping corn), soil and tissue cultures. > > The chief quarantine officer Colin Etuata in a press release > said all goods listed will be seized and confiscated unless an > import permit has been obtained before the goods arrive in > Niue. > > Items normally permitted entry will be subject to inspection > and clearance on arrival. These include wooden items, > handicrafts, straw packing, sports equipment and gardening or > camping equipment. > > Mr Etuata is asking travellers to comply with the rules and > asks for honesty and co-operation to keep the country free of > pests and disease. > > FRENCH FREEBIES SNAPPED UP BY GOVERNMENT > > Leaving Niue hasnt been easy for the French Polynesia disaster > rapid response team seconded to the island to assist with > cleaning up after Cyclone Heta . They also constructed 20 new > houses for those left homeless when mountainous seas wrecked > havoc along the islands western coastline. > > When the team was recalled to Tahiti last week, team members > wanted to donate excess goodies to many of the residents they > became friendly with during their 10 month-long stay. But the > distribution of tinned food and building materials caused some > consternation in government circles resulting in the secretary > to government issuing a statement declaring all materials left > behind by the French Polynesian team at their Alofi village > green base were property of the government. The materials > include sacks of aggregate, drums of fuel, timber and roofing > iron. > > MEDIA WATCHDOG ROLE IMPORTANT FOR COMMUNITIES > > Forum Secretary General, Greg Urwin, says the media is > essential to the promotion of greater accountability and > better governance in the region. > His comments come after the region's two main media > organisations - the > Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) and the Pacific > Islands Broadcasting > Association (PIBA) - officially merged in a brief ceremony at > the > Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat. > "An important role for the media is to shine a light on the > proper use, or > otherwise, of public funds and public assets. However, in > holding our > leaders and citizens to higher standards, the media need to > also encourage > higher standards not just in the media, but in other sectors > of our > communities. > "A unified PINA is an excellent example of regional > cooperation and the > pooling of resources. It will strengthen the efforts by the > Pacific Islands > media to provide a greater service to the public in our > communities. > Mr Urwin said that Forum Leaders this year called for the > development of a > Pacific Plan, to create stronger and deeper links between > Forum members, and > to identify where members could gain most from the pooling of > resources of > governance. > "The work on the Pacific Plan includes wide consultation with > civil society > groups, and I look forward to seeing PINA contribute to this > discussion in > the near future," Mr Urwin said. > In 2003, the Forum Economic Ministers, in a Joint Statement > "noted that good > governance would only develop if public officials faced > incentives or > sanctions that encourage them to perform well." It was also > necessary, the > Ministers said, "for the public to demand good governance, > which required > wider understanding of the responsibilities of public office > and the role of > an active, investigative media." > In June this year, the FEMM "agreed that a closer partnership > must be built > with Pacific communities and their institutions to promote > governance and > accountability. This included the role of a strong and > responsible media; an > independent judiciary and well-resourced independent > monitoring agencies." > > TALKING POINT > > This week Niue News publishes an article from Small Islands > Voice. It was written by Dawn Tuiloma-Palesoo of Fiji. > > "Recently we listened to a prominent Indian Professor who > candidly told us that, in > India there are three main crops, namely 'rice, grain and > disaster relief'. In > a country prone to all kinds of natural disasters, is it no > wonder they rely > heavily on outside assistance. > "Unfortunately this is the case for most developing countries, > including small > islands. When a disaster strikes, many communities in our > island countries > tend to sit back and wait for handouts. This may sound harsh, > but it is > becoming a reality. However, the mentality we islanders have > adopted is not > entirely of our own doing. Through international aid, we have > developed the > expectation that we are not alone and assistance will arrive > from all corners > of the world, I suppose this is what is meant by > 'globalization'. While > intentions are good, is it really producing 'good'? > "Let us look at the social and cultural costs, which in my > opinion, are of more > value. > "I said before that islanders have adopted a 'hand-out > mentality', with the > emphasis on 'adopted' mainly because we were not always this > way. If we were > to examine how our ancestors dealt with disasters we would be > surprised at how > resilient they really were. I suppose a key factor in their > success, was the > fact that in their days, there was little or no assistance of > any kind, so in > the end, they really only had themselves to rely on. So, how > can we go back? > The answer is we cannot, but there are lessons we can learn or > rather re-learn > in order to better cope with the devastation of disasters > today. > "One of the ingredients that made our forefathers more > resilient to disasters > was the fact that they were prepared. If you look at > traditional houses in > Pacific islands today, which by the way are almost > non-existent in many > communities, you will notice that they were built with local > materials and in > some instances were specifically built so as not to withstand > disasters. Why? > > "The answer is so that the houses could easily be rebuilt > after the disaster. > Also, still with housing, in some communities, the poles of > traditional houses > were collapsed before a cyclone, and reinstalled after the > cyclone. In regards > to food, in some cultures, when planting food crops, there was > always a patch > reserved for emergencies. Also we still hear the words > 'hurricane food' which > are foods cooked and prepared in a certain way which makes > them last longer. > These foods were to sustain a family or community after a > disaster. Is this > still being practiced? There are many, many examples of how > our ancestors > prepared themselves for cyclones/hurricanes, floods and other > natural > disasters, but each culture knows its own traditional methods > best. > "In essence, there needs to be a general revival of these > traditional > practices. But is this enough? I would say no, we need to go > further and > change our mentalities. We need to be able to determine for > ourselves our own > methods for dealing with disasters and what is best for our > own communities. > "On the other hand, we cannot close the door on what the > 'outside' has to > offer. There are always new methods and tools available to us. > It is up to > those 'outside' to ensure that the tools provided to countries > are both > relevant and useable. Too often we see new equipment, tools > and methodologies > donated to islands and literally left to gather dust. Why? > Because we do not > have the capacity to use and maintain them. > "But more importantly, let us go back to what the social and > cultural costs > are? The answer simply is us. Every time we allow outside > influences to > determine how we live, we begin to lose a little of who we > are. This to many, > may sound like regretful talk, but think about it, how much of > our societies > have changed already, and why? I am sure you can figure that > out yourselves. > "So what is it to be? Rice, grain or disaster relief? The > choice and its > consequences are entirely yours. > > NIUES BEST READ AND ITS ALL YOURS FREE > > Niue News > on-line is the islands only independent news outlet. Our > correspondents and editors have no political affiliations and > are not employed in any government departments. Niue News > supports good governance, transparency and accountability. We > bring you news as it happens with credible backgrounders and > comments. All this and more for free. No adverts just news in > a straightforward and relaxing easy- to- read presentation. > Last Updated ( Thursday, 18 November 2004 ) > Do you think foreign aid has become so essential its now a > Taoga Niue? > 12473 Visitors
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