Weekly Niue News http://www.niuenews.nu/ [2004-09-11: list updated for new site] _______________________________________________ > We have 10 guests online > Read It First Here > Sevens Team Ready For Action! > Heres the Niue super sevens team competing in the IRB > tournament in Wellington February 4-5 confirmed by coach Ricky > Tagelagi and manager Norman Mitimiti. > New Zealand based: Vincent Pihigia, Ricki Helagi, Matt > Faleuka, James Asekona, Afa Laufoli, Robbie Kahui, Afele > Leona, Owen Jackson. > Niue based: Poi Okesene, Poitogia Kapaga, Saimone Tonga and > Mana Tikoipau. > The side plays in Pool A against England, Samoa and Canada. > Mr Tagelagi told Niue News the New Zealand based players have > been in a training camp for the past three days and will meet > up with the Niue players on Tuesday. He said many of the > players were in the inaugural Niue sevens that played in > Wellington. " The team is fit and were proud to be able to > front up to some of the best teams in the tournament," he > said. > Currently Niue has no points in the international tournament > that is headed by England, Fiji and New Zealand. > Niue will also field a team in the 17^th Samoa Marist Sevens > Tournament at Apia, February 25-26. > [date.gif] Friday, 28 January 2005 > Exclusive Series > GOV'T CHALLENGED TO FACE A PRIVATE SECTOR DRIVEN ECONOMY > The time is ripe for change, says Report > > This is first part of a series of three that looks at the > preliminary Whole Of Government Review by one of New Zealands > top state administrators, Don K. Hunn, a former member of the > State Services Commission and the Niue Public Service > Commission. > > The review of long term issues with emphasis on the public > sector was carried out following last years agreement between > New Zealand and Niue which aims to enlarge the countrys > economic base. The draft paper is now being considered by the > governments of Niue and New Zealand. > > To achieve the goal of "sovereignty with self sufficiency" in > a country where 98% of the workforce is paid by the state and > a population hovering around 1300, Don Hunn suggests there > must be a shift from an economy-driven public sector to one > centred on private sector and community activities. > > "In all my years of working in Niue I have not previously > detected a general acceptance of the need for change, such as > is evident now," said Mr Hunn. > > In public management terms Mr Hunn contends the key to > achieving self-sufficiency is to increase the tax base so as > to eliminate the New Zealand budgetary subsidy and suggests a > goal of reducing assistance by $2million over five years > leading to full self sufficiency by 2015. A target, he said, > would provide a measurable performance indicator. > > Mr Hunn pinpoints goals and timetables that already form part > of the Niue Integrated Strategic Plan 2003/2008 and urges the > Government to move rapidly to a decision making process which > is action orientated. > > To this end, Mr Hunn suggests a joint working party to assist > Ministers establish priorities and co-ordinating > communications. > > On the issue of governance and constitution, Mr Hunn discusses > shifting the balance from public to the private sector and the > effect this will have on governance systems. This along with > labour skill requirements will determine the new look Niue > public service. > > "Niue has a limited capacity to serve both sectors adequately > and it will be necessary to define the set of functions that > are best provided by government in a mixed economy and what in > future should be left to the private sector," he said. > > Mr Hunn noted that in the past there has been a reluctance to > let go certain governmental functions so a new mindset will be > needed. > > "At the same time it has to be recognized that previous > experiments to corpratize/pivatize have failed," he said. "I > do not know whether this was a matter of timing or something > more fundamental at to what will or will not, work in Niue." > > It was suggested to Mr Hunn during his research that the lack > of private sector experience means there are not enough > persons with the background to manage government corporations. > > Currently, he said there seems some uncertainty and > misunderstanding as to the roles and responsibilities of > Ministers, Heads of Departments and the Niue Public Service > Commission. > > "There is some dissatisfaction on the part of Assemblymen as > to the separation of powers and the predominance of the > Executive. > > "I detect similar dissatisfaction on the part of Village > Councils as to the role they should play in a Pacific island > democracy based on community values. > > A rift between the Cabinet, the Niue Public Service Commission > and the relationship between Ministers and the Heads of > Departments appears to be exposed when decision making > processes at top level were discussed. > > Mr Hunn said Ministers commented to him about "unhelpful > decisions" taken by the Commission, the governments employing > authority, and alleged it was setting itself apart. The > Ministers questioned the continuing relevance of the > Commission. > > He observed there seems to be less decision making and > communication and less active management by heads of > departments. That gave the impression of "poor coordination, a > diminution of a team feeling." > > He urged Cabinet to encourage a review of its procedures and > the Cabinet Manual by an official of the New Zealand Cabinet > Secretariat. > > Mr Hunn tactfully suggested Cabinet could also do with a > makeover. > > In part two next week well reveal three options for a new look > Executive and the benefits of establishing a semi-independent > Niue Health Authority and a Niue Education Authority. Also: > Where is the Niue Public Service Commission heading and why > morale among government workers is so low. > > DRUG CLAIM MYSTERY - MINISTER > > Claims by Common Roll Assemblyman MP Terry Coe that illegal > drugs are being grown and distributed on Niue have been > refuted by the Minister of Police Fisa Pihigia. > > Mr Coe asked the Minister during this weeks sitting of the > Legislative Assembly if he was aware of drugs being present on > the island. The Minister said he was unaware of Mr Coes > allegations and suggested he report any information he had to > the police. > > Outside the Assembly Mr Coe said some persons had openly > admitted growing marijuana and others had told him they > suspected several young people were using methamphetamines. > > He plans to discuss the matter with police officers. > > Mr Coe, a former principal of Niue High School, said he would > support anti drug education courses at schools because he was > concerned at the impact their use would have on a tiny > community like Niue. > > Marijuana was in the spotlight on Niue several years ago when > it was imported by air parcels post from New Zealand. Police > raided the bar of the Niue Hotel and one person was fined. > > In a separate incident a schoolteacher visiting Niue was > arrested and fined for being in possession of marijuana. > > READY FOR FOREIGN 'CULTURE' > > The author of the Whole of Government Review, Don Hunn wants > to see police facilities improved. Contemplating a greater > influx of foreign agriculture, hospitality workers and > fishermen with the growth of private sector development, Mr > Hunn recommends "enhancing the status of the Police and > providing them with a stand-alone building and garage in a > prominent place in Alofi township." > > "At the same time it will be necessary to assess the adequacy > of the existing prison to cope with drunk and disorderly > fishermen," he added. > > COCONUT PETROL SUBSTITUTE > > Niue should investigate the use of coconut oil to fuel > vehicles on the island. The high rate of fuel - $NZ2 a litre > is predicted to soar in 2005 as oil prices rocket. There is no > shortage of coconuts and other islands have already > successfully experimented with the product. This would sit > comfortably with hopes of becoming a nation free of reliance > on fossil fuels and the installation of wind-powered > generators. > > Vanuatus environment department deputy director, Russell Nari, > is urging other Pacific Island nations should utilise coconut > oil as a cheaper source of fuel. > > About 100 buses and vehicles in Vanuatus capital, Port Vila, > are powered at least in part by coconut oil as are similar > vehicles in the Marshall Islands. > > Mr Nari said coconut oil can help Pacific nations reduce their > reliance on imported petrol. > > "Theres high dependency on imports on different things > including fuel. And therefore, the cost of fuel is quite high > in a lot of small island states given their isolation and > distance from where the fuel is coming from so were looking at > resources available within the island," he said this week. > > Russell Nari said coconut oil is also an environmentally > friendly product. > > But he said switching to coconut power would mean facing > pressure from big oil companies and making sure that there are > enough coconuts to meet consumer demand. > Ouch: Quote from Niues Minister of Finance Toke Talagi in an > Islands Business article this month: "We have been given more > aid so that we can become less dependent on aid." > > Assembly: A short, sharp Legislative Assembly meeting this > month lasting three hours. An attempt by Finance Minister Toke > Talagi to put urgency on passing a Bill that would make minor > changes to the Niue Amendment Act 1966 and the Land Court > Rules 1969 failed to get through its first reading. Members > disputed claims that urgency was required some said the Bill > had been around for 30 years and it could wait another month > for a reading. > > A motion by Terry Coe seeking restrictions on foreign fishing > vessels working inside a 30 mile limit was lost by 9 votes to > 6. The controversial issue is likely to be in the spotlight > for some time in the future as Niue gears up to provide > supplies for the yet unused $3m fish factory in Alofi. > > Funeral: The service for Mrs Lagitafuke Viliko, a tireless > worker for all groups in the Niuean community who died in > Auckland earlier this week, will be held at the Mormon Church, > Robertson Road, Mangere, at 11 am on Tuesday, February 1. > > Mrs Lagitafuke Viliko (83) died at the Hillcrest Private > Hospital in Mangere after a short illness. She suffered a > stroke shortly after Christmas. > > A former school teacher she was one of the first Niueans > awarded the OBE for services to the Niue community in the > 1970s. > > Mrs Viliko is survived by two sons and a daughter, many > grandchildren and great grandchildren. > > Poll: Morale in the Niue public service is rock bottom > according to last weeks poll which asked government employees > if they were happy in their jobs. 84.6% who responded said > they aimed to quit, 7.7% said theyll do the job with 7.7% > stating they were not really happy. Perhaps the salary and > allowance freeze with no sign of a meltdown is a major cause > for discontent. > > Restored: A year after Cyclone Heta new vegetation is covering > the island. The west coast was the most damaged with flora and > fauna badly affected by the waves and salt spray. Trees in the > forest are flowering and although there is no ban on shooting > pigeons (lupe) and flying fox (peka) hunters have been asked > to put down there guns and let the species re-populate. > > Retired: Niues director of health since 2000, Dr Hare Paka > (63) has retired. The acting director of health is the chief > dental officer Dr Asu Pulu who last week was congratulated on > his appointment by Premier Young Vivan. > > Blessed: The ground at Kaimiti where the new hospital will be > erected has been blessed in a special ceremony hosted by the > Minister of Health. Bulldozers cleared the land near the > Telecoms technical centre earlier this week. > > Education: NZAID and Niue spend $763,000 on its annual > scholarship program. According to government sources, students > who attend regional educational facilities show a higher > return rate to the island than those who go to New Zealand for > further study. About 80 persons attended a National Training > and Development Council meeting to gain official recognition > and acknowledgement their achievements. > > Safety: Samoan tourist operators are learning how to help > protect their guests and businesses from natural disasters, > thanks to Samoa Tourism Authority. > A workshop this week focused mainly on tsunamis, earthquakes > and tropical cyclones. > Officers of the Samoa Meteorology Division helped conduct an > awareness program > Operators of resorts, beach fales, restaurants and bars > attended. > > Weather: Wet and windy this week. Temperatures ranged from 25C > to 32C with the monthly rainfall totaling 128mm. Wind from the > northwest brought showers and passing thunderstorms. > > Internet: This years Pacific Island chapter of the Internet > Society ( PICISOC) is holding its annual conference at Tarawa, > Kiribati August 22-26. PICISOC is supported by the Internet > Users Society-Niue as part of its commitment to regional > Internet development. Venue for the conference is the Kiribati > Parliament Buildings. A wireless system will be installed in > the building for the meeting and sponsor Patara Communications > Fiji Ltd will donate the equipment to Kiribati making it the > first Parliament Building to use wireless throughout the > facility. > > Guest speaker will be Vint Cerf, chairman of ICANN and founder > of the Internet Society. He is also known as "the father of > the Internet." > > Fruity: Mangoes for breakfast, mangoes for lunch, and mangoes > for dinner; the fruit is dropping on the heads of residents on > the Tonga island of Tongatapu this month. > > And at three pa'anga ($NZ2.00 a basket, there are enough > mangoes for everyone, including the pigs. > > Tongans agree the 2005 mango season is the best since 1998. > > Savelio Finau of the Research and Extension Division of the > Ministry of Agriculture said that the bumper mango season in > Tongatapu is due to the warm weather. > > Whaling: Australia says it will attempt to enlist the support > of Kiribati, which has just joined the International Whaling > Commission, for a total ban on all forms of whaling. Last > year, shortly after joining the commission, Kiribati's Pacific > neighbor, Tuvalu, voted with the pro-whaling nations to lift > the ban on commercial whaling. Australia's Environment > Minister, Ian Campbell, says he will urge Kiribati to side > with Australia at June's meeting in Korea to ban scientific > whaling, as well as commercial whaling. "Most of the Pacific > nations are quite passionate about greenhouse gases and global > warming, conservation of organisms and marine mammals such as > turtles," Senator Campbell said. "We would hope they would > bring that same passion to the issue of whaling. The last > thing that any civilized person or civilized nation would want > is to see a species of whale wiped out and that's what really > is at risk." Niue is represented by New Zealand on the whaling > commission and supports a total ban on whaling. Niue has > registered its eez as a whale sanctuary. > > Impressive: The man who wrote the standard grammar of Bislama, > the national language of Vanuatu, has died. At the weekend, > Terry Cowley was found dead in his home in the New Zealand > city of Hamilton, where he was Professor of Linguistics at > Waikato University. According to his former colleagues, > Professor Crowley's work on indigenous languages in Vanuatu > will be of lasting significance for future generations. > > Contract: The University of Hawaii Pacific Business Center won > a contract from the government of American Samoa to produce an > eco-tourism plan for the territory. > > The aim is to promote village-based tourist destinations, > promote tourist sites, bed and breakfast type operations, and > other small-scale visitor businesses. The Pacific Business > Center recently won national recognition in the United States > for a development plan prepared for Rongelap Atoll in the > Marshall Islands that involved a high-degree of community > participation in the design. > > NEW SPIN ON VISITOR INDUSTRY > > Cook Islands is proposing a new tourism master plan that > proposes changing the direction of the countrys number one > industry. > > The plan calls for a shift from the mass market selling of sun > and sand to an emphasis on "boutique" locations, featuring > local people and historic places, or what is known as > "geo-tourism." > > Thius stems from worries that planned hotel projects would add > to growing environmental problems from more than 80,000 > tourists a year. > > Dr Peter Phillips - a New Zealand consultant - says the Cook > Islands could become the second island in the world to adopt > tourism concepts being promoted by the National Geographic > society. > > Geo-tourism in the Cooks would see emphasis placed on local > people and historic places rather than trying to compete in > mass market tourism with other much bigger destinations > Gentle Lift-off A Distinct Possibility > > By A Contributing Editor > Niues economy, annually sucked down by negative growth, could > this year begin a gentle upward trend for the first time ever. > Apart from a treasure chest of overseas budgetary aid and > rebuilding assistance the agriculture and fishing initiatives > of the government and Reef Group are expected to make a > positive contribution in 2005. The full effects of the $5m > private investments will, its predicted, dig in around 2012. > > Already nonu juice is being poured onto the export market and > the partners are already looking at expansion by planting on > land at the old Mutalau cattle farm. The fish processing plant > still stands idle apparently waiting for foreign long-liners > to move in when the cyclone dangers pass. > > Taro that was mashed by the 2004 cyclone has been revived and > will also be a welcomed addition to locally earned revenue. > Planters plan to make private exports to New Zealand next week > The familiar sight of the Alofi wharf facility used as a > packing shed on boat day will be welcomed by farmers. Vanilla > is a long-term project its outcome is yet to be determined. > > Tourism is likely to struggle for several years as > accommodation properties are still being planned to replace > the gap left by the devastation of the 32 room privately > leased Hotel Niue. Scenic tracks and visitor-based services > are preparing for the new May-October season which could get a > boost from low cost Polynesian Blue services out of Auckland > if the joint venture deal eventuates. Regional conferences and > workshops will be an additional fillip to the industry as will > be the accommodation demands by workers on the new $6m > hospital at Kaimiti which is predicted to take a year to > build. > > Accommodation properties benefited last year from the > construction of the fish processing factory and the builders > and tradesfolk who erected 20 kitset homes. > > Despite the lack of human resources, which is likely to be > accentuated this year, wage growth for most workers remains > weak. The New Zealand government is aware of this and is keen > to see a parity with New Zealand pay. Its something the > private sector will resist. > > A final report on the Whole of Government Review former State > Services head Don Hunn is under discussion now and touches on > that matter along with essential government reforms to > redirect emphasis on a private sector for economic > development.Sharing the spoils of guaranteed overseas > assistance is now a tradition and the Niue government is well > experienced at the balancing act. The legislators have been > generous with welfare schemes. Residents over the age of 55 > now receive fortnightly pay-outs whether they are in > employment or not and the child allowance has just been > increased to $85 a quarter. Its the best deal in the Pacific. > Assistance with rebuilding and replacing tools and equipment > lost in the cyclone continues with new phases of task force > schemes under consideration by the New Zealand government. > > Island private sector profitability will be under pressure > this year as New Zealands inflation rate rises and governments > annual budget reveals a slide in revenue from most sources > including personal and company taxes. Groceries and frozen > food are expensive and if fuel rises freight costs are likely > to take a hike. > > As economic ventures expand productivity will become an issue > in a tight labour market. But overseas investors are sure to > take immediate action to resolve those issues and preserve > their capital input warning they will bring in labour from New > Zealand or other islands if and when the need arises. > Last Updated ( Friday, 28 January 2005 ) > Do you consider climate change predictions are accurate? > (_) Yes > (_) No > (_) Not Sure > 25131 Visitors
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