Weekly Niue News http://www.niuenews.nu/ [2004-09-11: list updated for new site] _______________________________________________ > We have 9 guests online > Happy Holidays! > WELCOMING 2005 > Preparations are underway for tonights New Year celebrations > on Niue. Village churches have arranged midnight services and > revellers are expected to dance in 2005 at island clubs. > Traditionally many people will be travelling around the island > calling on friends and relatives. Next week the Alofi South > village plans to hold a marine awareness programme in > conjunction with its village showday on January 5 at > Halamahaga. Daily church services will be held during Prayer > Week with the theme "Unity, Peace and Solidarity." > Weather for tomorrow is expected to top 29C with a light > easterly breeze. > Skywards Glance May Catch Comet > The chairman of Tahitis astronomy club says the beginning of > January is the best time to view a Christmas comet thats > brightening up night skies in the Pacific. It will be visible > from Niue. > Jean-Paul Longchamp, says people see the comet between the > star constellations Orion and Pleiades. > He says what sets this comet apart, is not only its size but > also its bright colour. > There are many many comets you know, but this one is an > exception because it is rather illuminous. Usually we dont see > the comet because they are too dark," said Mr Longchamp. > [date.gif] Saturday, 01 January 2005 > Niue Weekly News > Niue Weekly News > NIUES BIG INVESTMENT TEST > Can locals lure European millions? > Budding Niue entrepreneurs have entered five proposals to a > tourism based Profit In The Pacific event being staged in > Nadi, Fiji, February 1-4. Tourism executives from around the > region hope to meet potential partners and investors from all > over the world and also discuss viable projects in their > respective countries. > > The Pacific Tourism Investment Conference is being organized > by the European Unions ProInvest Programme in collaboration > with the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat, the South Pacific > Tourism Organization, and the Pacific and Asian Travel > Association. > > Its understood local investment applicants will go to a Profit > in the Pacific conference in Nadi to discuss one- on- one > their proposal with potential investors. They join more than > 100 other applicants from around the Pacific seeking joint > ventures with investors. > > An independent Pacific tourism specialist told the Niue News > that investors will focus on innovative and original > propositions with detailed marketing and analysis plans. > Investors will also expect a commercial return on their > investment. She said a major issue confronting Niue > entrepreneurs will be secure land tenure, cyclone safety and > insurance and management skills. > > Niue News > this week reveals projects worth $3.2 m have been forwarded > for consideration. Two include new accommodation properties, > one is an extension to a politicians guesthouse and theres a > proposal to open a new village handicraft centre along with an > Alofi ice cream parlor / internet café. > > Kaimiti Bungalow Resort is seeking $2.5m to construct 20 > bungalows each with private bathrooms. It offers airport > transfers, reef walks, angling, fish feeding and traditional > canoe riding, dolphin/whale watching and snorkeling with > qualified personnel. > > Its proposal says a golf course and tennis courts are five > minutes away. The resort proposes separate swimming pools for > adults and children. > > It promises local seafood and produce and a once weekly Island > Night with cultural performances. The site is reported to be > located at a secure distance from the sea and in close > proximity to the vanilla and nonu farm. According to the > proposal "co-managing the project with the farms investors > could be considered." > > Turtle Lodge > seeks investors for its $180,000 six bedroom lodge proposal at > Makefu. It will consist of three separate units each > containing two bedrooms and a bathroom. The proposal says all > rooms will have an ocean view. The main marketing components > include diving, caving, reef walking, nature tours and > supervised bush-walking with expert instruction in wildlife > and local flora and fauna. In addition says the proposal, > there are natural swimming lagoons five minutes walk from the > lodge and a golf course close by. The owners state they will > manage the Lodge that will be built from local timber. > Renewable energy will be used for power supply and rainwater > will be harvested. Water and electricity are available on site > as backups. > > Owners of the old established Pelenis Guesthouse are among > those seeking investors. The operators say they plan to extend > the existing property to include six additional rooms, each > featuring an en-suite bathroom. The upgrade is estimated to > $230,000. All rooms have sea views and overlook coral reefs, > according to the proposal. Rental cars will be provided at a > discount rate. > > Jennas Café and Rickolah Chalets > seeks $17,000 to upgrade the café and construct three > self-contained chalets. The proposal says Jennas Café is the > only eatery operating six days a week. Average table bookings > are close to 100%. Expansion is now necessary due to the > demand and according to the applicant the tourist > accommodation will be located close to Jenna's Café/Restaurant > and guets will enjoy the panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean. > The planned accommodation will all have private bathrooms. The > property is five minutes from the airport, commercial business > centre, wharf and shops. A local company will provide all > transfers. Associated activities include diving, reef walking, > snorkeling, nature tours, golf, whale watching, dolphin > watching and traditional local participation activities. > > A coffee bar and internet café earmarked for Alofi near the > Fale Fono wants backers for the $120,000 project called Time > Out Café. The proposal says planned café will consist of four > sections - food and snack-bar, coffee bar, ice cream parlour > and Internet café and is five minutes walk to the Commercial > Centre, where the islands main facilities are located. Motel > accommodation is also to be found close to the café and > additional accommodation is being planned in the area, > according to the proposal. > > The café is five minutes from the wharf allowing easy access > for yacht crews and is five minutes drive from the > international airport. > > The Hakupu Heritage Handicrafts seeks $200,000 to build a > modern store for displaying, storing and selling local > handicrafts. The proposal says the shop will be divided into > three areas the main shop space for sales, one room for > storing handicrafts made by members and one room for employee > facilities. Regular supplies of items will be received from > members on demand and displayed for sale in the main shop > room. > > The handicrafts will be made from raw materials, for example > carvings will be made from indigenous wood taken from selected > trees in the forest. The demand for material for handicrafts > will mean that trees felled during the January 2004 cyclone > will be put to good use. > > The centre proposes four additional activities - an > interpretation centre; a training course for guides and tour > operator staff; the organization of tours to historic sites > and arranging the sale of souvenirs. > > HELPING HAND FROM FORUM > > The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat has donated $80,000 for > tsunami relief to its Forum dialogue partners - India, > Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. > Forum Secretary General Greg Urwin, said while the amount was > not great, the Pacific Islands Forum wanted to do what it > could to support the governments of India, Indonesia, Malaysia > and Thailand in their relief efforts. > "While the Forum Island Countries will no doubt be launching > national relief campaigns, as a collective the Pacific Islands > Forum would like to extend a small helping hand to our Asian > partners. These neighbors and friends of the Pacific have > supported our countries in many ways, and over a long period," > said Mr Urwin. > > GOVT ACCUSED OF BUCKLING TO BIG FISHING INTERESTS > > A group of local fishermen have expressed concern that the > Niue government has not officially recognized the need for a > long-line fisheries management plan and claim too many > concessions are being granted to New Zealand registered boats > working for the Niue Fish Processors joint venture factory at > Alofi. > > "Government has caved in to demands from foreign fishing > interests and Niueans will pay the ultimate price after the > area has been worked over," said one fisherman today. > > Niue resident fishermen said zone restrictions for six > licences issued to New Zealand long-liners have not been > announced by the government but they said it is imperative for > future local development of the industry that foreign boats > work outside the 30 mile zone. > > Local fishermen consider they are entitled to know the > conditions of licences for foreign boats. > > Opposition MP Terry Coe, who is backing local fishermen in > their bid to get the government adopt a sustainable fisheries > management plan, told Niue News that licenced foreign vessels > regardless of length should be kept outside the 30 mile zone. > > "Inside the 30 mile zone should be reserved for local > fishermen using limited numbers of smaller craft [under 15 > metres] in that way resident stocks will not be devastated and > the money from catches remains on Niue," he said. > > Mr Coe also agreed with local fishermen that two sea mounts - > Endeavour and Lachlan - within 12 to 30 nautical miles east of > the island should be fished only by local boats. > > "Larger long-liners can put out 30 -50 miles of hooks right > across those mounts and will fish out resident stocks very > quickly," he said. > > Mr Coe added that if these areas are allowed to be fished by > foreign boats then the opportunity for the sustainability of > local development for long-line fishing will quickly become > un-viable." > > Niue fishermen point to Samoa as an example of over-fishing > close inshore which eventually deprived locals using twin > hulled Alias from making a living. They were forced to fish > further out and a large number of fishermen lost their lives. > Now most of the fish stocks in the area are worked-out, said a > local fisherman. > > Niues waters inside the 30 mile zone is about four per cent of > 377,00 square kilometres exclusive economic zone. > > Mr Coe said 96 per cent of the EEZ is a large enough area for > big long liners to operate. He said there are also other sea > mounts and trenches outside the 30 mile area that could be > worked in a managed way. There are also corridors into > international waters south of Niue. > > Mr Coe was concerned that the Minister of Fisheries Bill > Vakaafi Motufoou seemed to have shelved a local industry > report that outlines sustainability, management, safety and > local development put together by local key stakeholders in > the industry. He said it was a sure indication the Minister > had buckled to pressure from fishing companies. "That report > which was professionally prepared and contained an input from > all groups involved with fishing on Niue has never been > presented to Cabinet," said Mr Coe. > > At a recent meeting of the Tuna Commission the importance of > local input into development in long-line fishing to maximize > economic benefits to the host country was emphasized. > > Early in December Kim Gordon, the general manager of Reef > Group, which has established a fish processing plant on the > island, said four licences had been issued to New Zealand > boats and six more boats from New Zealand are also applying > for licenses to fish in Niue waters. > > She said the license spells out how close to the shore boats > can fish, and that a Niuean must be trained as part of the > crew. > > Ms Gordon said if all ten licenses are approved, it will > inject millions of dollars into the Niue economy. "Im very > excited." Ms Gordon said. "The people who are coming on board > are very committed to the long term future of Niue as well, > and for them, theyre committed to making this a sustainable > fishery." > > The Niue fish processing factory has remained closed since its > official opening in October 2004 due to procedures for the > issuing of licences and the cyclone season. > > HEALTH LINK SECURED WITH MANUKAU > > Niue hopes to have its new Kaimiti hospital up and running by > the end of 2005 with specialist staffing from New Zealand. > Premier Young Vivian said he has been in Wellington discussing > the facility with Ministry of Health officials, World Health > Organization representatives and the Counties-Manukau District > Health Board. > > The District Health Board will be Niues link with services for > patient referrals including the availability of special > welfare benefits. Both parties are expected to sign a > memorandum of understanding early next year. It will give the > district health board input into Niues health services. > > The close ties are part of the Memorandum of Arrangement with > New Zealand which opens the doors of New Zealand agencies to > provide direct practical assistance to the island. > > The EU and WHO will provide training and equipment for the new > hospital. > > Meantime, Radio 531 PI in Auckland has donated $49,000 with a > stipulation that the funds be used for medical equipment for > the hospital. > > DONT EXPECT ANY ELECTION FIREWORKS > > The lead up to the 2005 general election on Niue is unlikely > to spark any hot debate on the hustings. Main interest will > centre on the appointment of a Premier. > > Political commentators are at this early stage predicting the > result is a foregone conclusion. The only addition to the 20 > member Assembly will be Hima Takelesi the current High > Commissioner in Wellington. Hes ready to return to the island > to contest a seat in the election scheduled to be held between > March and May. Takelesi a former general manager of the > Broadcasting Corporation and former common roll MP will > probably fill the seat left vacant by former Premier Sani > Lakatani who was ousted for non-attendance in the Assembly. > Lakatani has stated he will not be returning to Niue to > contest the election. > > Sitting village constituency MPs seem safe and lack of > interest in the nations politics will see most of them > unopposed. New Zealand in 2004 provided the tiny island > community with financial security and political commentators > have reported Wellington is well in control of guiding Niue > through its economic and social limbo. > PRE SCHOOL WORKER HONOURED > Niuean Hanakalala Ahotaha was one of five Pacific Islanders > resident in New Zealand to receive a New Years honour for > recognition of her work in the community. Ms Ahotaha was > awarded a Queen Service Medal for her contributions to Niuean > pre-schools in South Auckland and womens health. > Update: Preparatory groundwork on the industrial park at > Fonuakula is underway. Water pipes and power have been > installed in trenches. The steel portal building with concrete > floor will provide 24 units for small businesses destroyed in > the 2004 cyclone and originally housed at Amanu public works > depot. > > Costing $416,000, the building will be managed by the Niue > Chamber of Commerce and a government committee. The project is > funded by New Zealand aid. > > Granted: Niue has been granted environmental and climate > change UN funding totaling $US405,000 for the second stage of > environmental and climate change projects. > > Poll: Niue News readers agreed in this weeks poll that > stevedores should unload cargo boats at Niue on Sundays - > 93.3% were in favour, 6.7% disagreed. In recent discussions > over Sunday work raised by the Reef shipping Company - the > mainstream Ekalesia Church said the government should consult > with it first and let church officials make the final decision > based on merit. > > Money: Niues new Bank South Pacific has facilities and send > and receive money transfers through its Western Union branch. > The service is expected to speed up transfer of cash from New > Zealand to Niue. > > Obituary: A Niuean dubbed as the Godfather of Niue Sports was > buried in Auckland this week. Tasman Tubuai Utatao (58) of > Mutalau village died December 21 in Auckland after a long > illness. He was a respected administrator and organizer of > sports events for Niueans in Auckland and encouraged players > in codes ranging from netball, touch, athletics, kilikiki, > golf, lawn bowls and darts. Mr Utatao played an important role > in the Niue Sports Federation and the Niue Sports Council. > Tributes were made to his work by sports colleagues in Niue, > Australia, Hawaii and New Zealand. > > Security: Passengers travelling in and out of Niue will now > have their baggage screened by a new x-ray machine. It's all > part of a regional security program and is now a mandatory > facility at all international airports around the Pacific. > > Work: New Zealands sturdy economic situation has created jobs > galore .and major employers are chasing Pacific Islanders to > fill positions in the countrys jails and driving buses. > > Seventy-two Samoans have been hired as prison officers and the > Wellington based bus company Stagecoach has 24 job offers on > the table after a recruitment tram has been in Samoa looking > for drivers. The lucrative job market is also attracting young > Niueans to Auckland they have free entry to New Zealand and do > not require work visas. > > Internet: A second cybercafe has opened in Alofi. Accommodated > in Makini Hall its run by the Niue Computer Society. Officers > elected: president- Frank Sioneholo; vice president - Sonya > Talagi; secretary/treasurer -Ina Vakaafi; committee Malua > Jackson, Sina Hekau, Roberta Sionesini. > > Announcement: The naming of the islands new High Commissioner > to Wellington is imminent. Tipped for the appointment is the > highest ranking public servant the secretary to government. > The first high commissioner Hima Takelesi returns to Niue in > the next few weeks to campaign for a seat in the Legislative > Assembly. > > Advisor: A new business advisor has been appointed. He is Ben > Tanaki of Hakupu Atua a former director of the USP Centre on > Niue and private sector management specialist. His position is > funded by New Zealand aid and Mr Tanaki will be attached to > the Chamber of Commerce. The previous advisor left the island > to reside in Auckland earlier this year. > > Sevens: Niue is preparing for the IRB sevens international > round in Wellington February 4 and 5. The island state is in > Pool A with England, Samoa and Canada.The tournament is > already booked out by sevens followers. > > Elected: The Internet Users Society of Niue has welcomed the > election of InternetNZs immediate past-president, Peter > Dengate-Thrush, to the board of the Internet Corporation for > Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). > > Dengate-Thrush, a Wellington based barrister, was president of > InternetNZ from 1999 to 2001, and chairs its international > affairs committee. He is also the president of the > Asia-Pacific Top Level Domain Association. .NU has a board > member on the APTLD and promotes the development of internet > services throughout Asia the Pacific Islands. > > ICANN was created in 1998 to co-ordinate policy relating to > domain names and IP addresses. InternetNZ, the .nz country > code manager, is a member of ICANN's country code supporting > organization which elected Dengate-Thrush in a ballot open to > all country code managers who have joined the supporting > organization. IUS-N the.nu the country code manager is also a > member of the country code support organisation. IUS-N is an > associate member of Internet NZ. > > TALKING POINT > > Time To Take Heed? > > The devastation caused by the tsunami in south-east Asia > should come as a warning for Tonga, Samoa and Niue. > > Niue is vunerable to tsunami because it is 150 miles east of > the 30,000 feet deep Tonga Trench. > > Geophysical studies carried out by the University of Texas > over the years indicate Niue is moving about 10 cm a year > eastwards as tectonic plates grind over eachother. Niue has > experienced a number of earthquakes deep in the Tonga Trench > but tsunami (peau afi) which have failed to cause any damage > were generated by mega quakes off the east coast of Peru. > Measuring earthquakes on Niue takes place on Japanese > installed equipment at the Met Office in Fonuakula. A tsunami > warning sensor is located at Sir Roberts wharf and is part of > the Pacific tsunami warning centre based in Hawaii. > > Samoa is being made aware of the dangers of tsunami as Samoa > Meteorologist Shaun Williams said this week: "There is a great > risk of Samoa being affected by similar tsunami given our > proximity to the Tongan Trench," he said. "The impact of > similar sized waves would be devastating, given that 60 to 70 > percent of our population live along the coastal areas." > > Samoa would also be directly affected by tsunami originating > from the Peru-Chile Trench in South America. > > Meteorology Division assistant chief executive Austelia > Titimaea says that his office is building up its tsunami > warning capacity. > > "At the moment, we are receiving regular bulletins from > Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Hawaii," he said. > > The Samoa National Disaster Committee, acting upon advice from > the Centrer will then issue tsunami warnings, said Mr > Titimaea. > > Shaun Williams said that people should always anticipate a > tsunami whenever there are violent earthquakes. > > "Don't wait for the official warning," he said. "If you notice > a drop in sea level, then that is always evident of an > incoming tsunami." > > The last tsunami to hit Samoa was in 1981. > > According to Mr Titimaea it caused damage on Manono Island and > Taga village on the east coast of Savai'i. It originated from > an earthquake in Chile. > > Mr Titimaea said that other districts and villages were saved > because it had protective reefs. > > Reefs, he said, acts as a breakwater for tsunamis and tidal > waves. > > The largest tsunami though that hit Samoa was on 23 May, 1960. > > Though there were no recorded casualties, 4.9 metre waves > created extensive damage at Fagaloa Bay, Aleipata and on > Tutuila's north coast. > > The tsunami was triggered by an earthquake centered in the > Chile-Peru Trench. Measured at 9.6 on the Richter Scale it > remains the largest in recorded history. > > Given that these last two major tsunamis occurred 21 years > apart, the next one could happen soon, advises the Meteorology > Office. > Last Updated ( Friday, 31 December 2004 ) > Has the South-eastAsia tsunami made you review your own > preparations for a natural disaster? > 20054 Visitors
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