Weekly Niue News http://www.niuenews.nu/ [2004-09-11: list updated for new site] _______________________________________________ > We have 7 guests online > Percy's Done His Dash... But There's Another One Brewing > > A tropical disturbance forming north of Manu'a Islands in > American Samoa is predicted to become a full blown cyclone > within the next 12 hours. The Fiji Met office said the > depression is located 335km south-east of Man'ua and 356 km > north-east of Niue. Winds in the area are reaching 55kmph. A > Blue Alert remains in force on Niue. > several flights in and out of Rarotonga but is sending a 747 > to the island today to clear the backlog of 300 passengers. > [date.gif] Saturday, 05 March 2005 > Niue Weekly News > Niue Weekly News > > Your Super Bumper Issue! > All Eyes On New Air Service As Reef Rolls Down the Runway > > Niueans are watching with interest as Reef Air plans to > take-off next month. > > Over the past decade a number of efforts to run air services > in and out of Niue have taken-off and nose dived. It wasnt > until New Zealand stepped-in and guaranteed seating on > Polynesian Airlines that a reliable, consistent service from > Auckland to the island was established. > > The latest Reef project using a leased Chathams Air Convair is > to fly whole fish caught off Niue for distribution to > international markets through Nadi, Fiji. The aircraft will be > configured to sit 35 passengers and carry seven tonnes of > freight. Flights out of Niue will be weekly for up to six > months and if the service proves successful the plane will be > chartered for another two years. An air services licence has > been approved for Reef by the Niue government. > > The Reef Group has also announced through its general manager > Kim Gordon that the private airline in Tonga, Ea Peauo Vavau > owned by Crown Prince Tupoutoa, will sub-lease the aircraft > and run it on the Nukualofa to Vavau route. Ms Gordon > interviewed on Radio New Zealand International News this week > could not say where the aircraft would be stationed. > > Last week Reef Group boss Phillip McNicholl told the Niue > government passengers would be carried on flights and Fiji > visitor packages were being arranged for Niue. Two Niuean > flight attendants have been selected and are undergoing > training in Nelson, New Zealand. > > Former Crown lawyer Peleni Talagi is now employed by Reef to > head their airline business. > > Ethics of Hosting Radio Show Questioned By Opposition MP > > Leading opposition member of parliament Terry Coe considers it > unfair giving potential political candidate Hima Takalesi a > Friday radio show so close to the election. > > He said although nominations for the April election have not > been opened Mr Takelesi has publicly announced hell be seeking > a seat in the Assembly and should not get involved in using > the radio show to promote his politics. > > Last week Mr Takelesi discussed the Don Hunn Whole of > Government draft review with two guests, former secretary to > government and former Public Service Commissioner Terry > Chapman with former Finance Minister Aokuso Pavihi. > > Mr Coe said he was concerned that the shows panel discussed a > draft report to the governments of New Zealand and Niue that > seemed to have been distributed among heads of departments but > had not been circulated to members of the Assembly. > > Mr Takelesi also commented on the performance of previous > Premier Sani Lakatani which Mr Coe objected to because the > former leader was not able to respond. > > Mr Takelesi is a former general manager of BCN and was a > member of the Assembly before resigning to take up the > position of Niues High Commissioner to New Zealand. > > This week his guest was Premier Young Vivian. > > Mr Coe today confirmed he had turned down an invitiation to > appear on Mr Takelesis latest show. > > Mr Takelesi denied on air he was politiking saying he had not > yet been nominated for the election. He said his show was to > inform people and hed received a lot of positive feedback. > > "If I am campaigning then Im campaigning for the goodwill of > the people on the island," he added. > > The general manager of BCN Patrick Lino told Niue News that Mr > Takelesi will have to step down from the show when he is > officially nominated as a candidate in the forthcoming > election. He added that all candidates in the election will be > given equal free media time so that campaigning is fair to > everyone. > > He is considering a total of half an hour for each candidate. > > Two Grants For Creative Niueans > > A grant of $30,000 to the Pasifika Festival 2005 will provide > fees to performers on three of the main stages. To be held at > Western Springs in Auckland on March 12, this is the largest > annual Pacific festival in the world showcasing the work of > community groups and artists across artforms and cultures to > an audience of more than 150,000. Miss South Pacific, Niues > Sina Hekau will attend the festival. > In its latest funding round, the Pacific Arts Committee > received 50 applications requesting close to $596,400. In the > end, it offered a total of $162,700 to 22 projects. > > Among the Niueans who received financial support were: Zora > Feilo-Makapa of Grey Lynn, Auckland who was awarded $6000 > towards a photography exhibition and $7000 was allocated to > Esetela Viliamu of Manukau for recording traditional and > contemporary Nuie songs and chants. > > No Excuse For Not Paying TV Licence > > Householders with tv sets will now be expected to pay the > $65.00 quarterly licence fee, said Broadcasting Corporation of > Niue general manager Patrick Lino. Reception nationwide is now > better than its ever been thanks to an 80 metre transmitting > tower at Makefu built by contractors from the Peoples Republic > of China. TV has been transmitted 24 hours a day but this week > was off during the hours of 8am to 4.30 pm. > > Programmes from the ABC Asia Pacific satellite link have been > broadcast and Mr Lino said approaches were being made to the > BBC for some of their programmes. > > The government is considering the installation of decoders > which would allow the BCN to prevent licence fee defaulters > from viewing. "The tower was installed because we could not > get the decoders to work on the weak signals. > > "Now thats fixed it is up to the government to decide if it > wants to go ahead with the installation of equipment which has > been on the island for several years," said Mr Lino. > > [Viewers were able to watch the Red v Blues super 12 rugby > from Eden Park Auckland live last night - thanks to a deal > made with Fiji TV that now controls the broadcast of TVNZ > programmes in the Pacific.] > > First Steps On A Long Haul > > Dont expect any quick fix to Niues economy. Thats the word > from New Zealands shipping magnate and philanthropist Phillip > McNichol of Reef Shipping to the Niue Government. Hes pumped > big Kiwi dollars into little Niue but last week told Premier > Young Vivian that private business investments will probably > take up to 10 years to mature. Reef investments during the > past 18 months have been in the form of joint ventures with > government. > > Mr Vivian announced Cabinets backing for Reefs investments and > plans for future developments. He said there was economic > optimism on the island due to Reefs investments in a fish > factory, the 300 acre nonu farm and a processing plant and a > new venture - a cargo and passenger air service from Niue to > Tonga and Fiji due to commence in April. > > Sources have told Niue News Reef is also interested in > developing a lime orchard and building a hotel. Both proposals > have government backing. > > Reef officials said five foreign fishing vessels are lined up > to start supplying the Alofi fish processing factory and is > encouraging local fishermen to play a greater role in the > industry. There has been reported interest by Samoan fishermen > to move into Niue waters with their large Alia vessels. > > But local fishing interests want big long-liners to stay 30 > miles offshore although licences have been issued for them to > get as close as 12 miles. There have been claims that the > government is giving Reef too many concessions which it may > later regret. > > Niue has a shortage of labour in the private sector but the > island is hoping that expatriate Niueans will bring their > skills back home as local wages and living conditions improve. > > Anti-Corruption Rules Given The Thumbs-Up > > Theres been 100% backing by Niue News pollsters for the > government to introduce anti-corruption measures to prevent > conflict of interest among Cabinet Ministers. Global voters > favour the establishment of a Register of Ministers Interests > similar to that used in New Zealand. > > Several readers have expressed concern that some Cabinet > Ministers appear to be "closely involved" with Reef Group and > said the community is entitled to know what interests they > have in the projects which are being publicized as " joint > ventures." > > Some Niue readers, who did not want to be named, told Niue > News that all MPs on the island should declare their financial > interests in businesses. It has been alleged that several MPs > have government contracts to provide school bus services worth > thousands of dollars a year. One reader suggested the Premier > should name those in government who have government contracts > and directorships on overseas companies so "the air is > cleared" before the election. > > IN A NUTSHELL > > Figures: Official government figures indicate 2550 people > visited Niue in 2004. That was 5% down on the previous year. > Apparently 723 people visited Niue on holiday, 783 were on > business and 681 visited friends and relatives. A total of 363 > visited Niue for other reasons ( not listed). Following the > January cyclone in 2004 much of the visitor accommodation was > damaged and the 32-room Niue Hotel demolished. Most of the > accommodation was used by tradespersons involved in building > the fish processing factory and constructing new homes. Niue > has been invited to Noumea for an International Statistics > Institute satellite session March 31-April 2 on statistical > issues for small island countries. > > Donations:About $85,000 was raised during three hours last > weekend on Niue for the Ekalesia Niue multi-purpose millenium > complex. The multi-million dollar facility will include church > offices, and a conference centre and will be constructed on > the site of the church office block in Alofi demolished by > Cyclone Heta. > branches of the church and its organizations such as Boys > The Alofi congregation donated $21,000, Hakupu contributed > $18,000. Church officials said the total was well above their > expectations. A large number of withdawals at the Bank of > South Pacific on Friday had the manager worried that there > would be a shortage of cash. > > Clean-Up: New Zealand has promised to fund a Niue non-organic > rubbish disposal project likely to cost around $130,000.A ship > is due in April with a compacting unit on board to bale all > the inorganic rubbish piled on the Aliluki site south of > Alofi. Included in the pile are motor vehicles, trucks, > roofing iron, refrigerators and household white-ware. Sources > say an attempt to crush and bale the rubbish will be made > while the vessel is at Niue so it can be shipped directly back > to New Zealand for disposal. Government is reported to be > still discussing the method of disposing hundreds of tonnes of > roofing asbestos. > > Justice: The High Court of Niue with the acting Chief Justice > Hingston presiding will sit from May 30 June 3.The Judge will > hear criminal, civil and land matters and conduct inquests. > > Outbreaks: Neighbouring Tonga is experiencing a suspected > outbreak of dengue fever. Radio Tonga quotes a medical > officer, Doctor Ma'ake Tupou, as saying about 100 people in > the Ha'apai group are being treated with flu like symptoms.Dr > Tupou says most of the patients are suffering from fever, body > aches and in some cases bleeding noses.A two-month old baby is > the youngest patient. > > In the capital, Nuku'alofa, medical authorities say the Vaiola > hospital is treating an average of 15 patients a day. In Fiji > a recent rash of typhoid has put the Fiji public on alert. > Although no fatalities have been attributed to the fever, the > medical divisions are being put on guard as a disease control > measure. The public has been advised to consume clean water > and fresh food and exercise proper food handling procedures. > Twenty-three cases of typhoid fever have been detected in > Lami, Samabula, Rotuma, Levuka, Cakaudrove, Tailevu and > Naitasiri. Three recent cases in Samabula, two kilometers from > Suva, prompted the Suva City Council to institute a city > clean-up campaign. > > Leader: Oscar Temaru has been elected president of the French > Polynesian territory. Twenty nine members backed him while 26 > voted for rival candidate, Gaston Tong Sang. > > Temaru warned the assembly that the economic situation was not > in a good state and the territory should go to work. > > He also encouraged unity and said no new election should be > held for another four years. > > Economy: Reef Group, thats ever expanding its portfolio on > Niue, claims its nonu division has planted 30,000 plants and > aims to double that. It says it employs 54 people and pays > wages totaling $28,000 a week. The old Vaiea farm formerly the > international alpaca quarantine station is the main site for > its nonu orchard. For expansion its looking at land at Lakepa > and Mutalau formerly used as government cattle runs. > > Morgue: A reefer container has been set up as a morgue at the > temporary Niue Hospital following a sudden death of a foreign > male visitor recently. Previously a body was placed in a Niue > Fish Processing chiller which caused a controversy. The latest > death forced the Health Department to plug in a reefer at the > Niue Youth Centre site of the temporary hospital after Reef > refused to store the body. Some residents are concerned that > the government has appropriate storage facilities if there are > multiple deaths on the island. > > AusAid: Australia will provide nearly $100,000 to help Cook > Island victims of Cyclone Olaf. > > Australias parliamentary secretary for Foreign Affairs and > Trade, Bruce Billson, announced the grant will help restore > essential services for locals and clear widespread cyclone > debris and fund the transportation of much-needed fuel > supplies to the outer islands and assist with clean-up > operations. > > Holidays: The damage caused by the past three cyclones, and > Olaf in particular, put 5 percent of the Cooks accommodation > capacity out of commission, but tourism ceo Chris Wong says > that is relatively little.He says moves by the accommodation > and airline sectors in waiving cancellation fees and offering > flexibility in travel dates has been welcomed in the > marketplace. > > Tougher: An Australian opposition politician says he wants his > country to be more like New Zealand in putting pressure on > Tonga over democratic reform. Bob Sercombe is the Australian > Labor Party's spokesman on Pacific affairs. He has called on > Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer to get tough in > pressing for reform in the Pacific's only kingdom. Democracy > activists in the country have long been advocating an overhaul > of the country's parliamentary system, which at the moment is > a combination of commoner and noble MPs, with a cabinet > appointed by the King. > > Munchies: Two new mulching machines are in action of the > island. They are being used to produce mulch for commercial > vanilla growers and were funded by NZAid and FAO. > > Experience: The Honiara-based Pacific Island Forum Fisheries > Agency's experience in assisting members to combat Illegal, > Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing in the western and > central Pacific region, are > to be highlighted at a Committee on Fisheries (COFI) organized > by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) > in Rome next week. Fisheries Ministers from around the world > will gather at this important even to face the challenge of > stopping fishing by unscrupulous fleets > plundering the oceans with no regard for the future. > > Died: Phil Fuemana (41), one of the pioneers of the New > Zealand hip-hop movement, died of a heart attack at his home > on early this week. About 400 people gathered at Te Tira Hou > Marae in Panmure for a mixed Pacific Island and Maori ceremony > to celebrate the life of the man who paved the way for today's > rash of hip-hop stars. > > China Hands Out Despite Transgression > > An embarrassing faux pas at a regional meeting when Niue > delegates supported a Taiwan initiative instead of backing the > Peoples Republic of China didnt prevent a $200,000 donation > from the PRG to the islands discretionary rebuilding fund. > > The donation was presented to Premier Young Vivian after the > official opening of the PRG financed 80 metre tv transmitting > tower at Makefu. The delegates error was earlier pointed out > to Mr Vivian by the PRG Wellington Embassys first secretary Li > Chenwen. > > "I was very angry when I heard what had happened and I want to > tell you Niue supports a one China policy Niue supports a one > China policy," said Mr Vivian after receiving the $200,000 > donation. > > Fish Shortage Could Close Fiji Factory > > First it was the American Samoa fish canneries closing because > of the lack of fish to process. Now some 700 workers at > Pacific Fishing Company could be jobless in the next three > weeks because of the lack of fish supplies. Company chairman > Dhansukh Lal Bhika said PAFCO was losing $38,000 (US$23,000) a > day as it now only operates three days a week instead of five. > He said global warming and other climatic changes in the South > Pacific had caused a shortage of fish, and the fish had > migrated south. "PAFCO's main supplier, FCF of Taiwan, the > suppliers of albacore, yellow fin and light meat fish are > facing great shortages in catching the fish," Bhika said. > > "This is not the first time this has happened, as we used to > have similar problems in the past." But this year, he said, > PAFCO may shut down for the next three to four weeks. "Similar > operations in American Samoa like Starkist and Chicken of the > Sea brands experienced the same problems and have been closed > for some time now. They have around 2,000 workers." > > Taro Mite For New Zealand > > The New Zealand Environmental Risk Management Authority > (Erma), a Government watchdog on new organisms, has applied to > itself for permission to import and release two taro mites. > Another government agency, the Agriculture and Forestry > Ministry, makes Pacific Island taro exporters including Niue - > fumigate their shipments for the same mites, scientifically > known as Rhizoglyphus minutus and Rhizoglyphus singularis. > Erma said in its latest newsletter The Bulletin that the > application was under consideration. > Although the tiny spider-like mites are less than 1mm long, > they are important in some countries as pests of food crops > and other economically important crops, such as flower bulbs. > Some of the tiny pale mites have been intercepted in many > shipments of taro imported to Auckland, and the taro has had > to be fumigated, which added cost and reduced the shelf life > of the taro, say exporters. > The Fiji-based Secretariat of the South Pacific Communities > paid F$45,000 ($37,760) to survey mites in Auckland and > examine the national reference collection of arthropods, > apparently in an effort to show the mites were already in New > Zealand and that fumigation was not necessary. > MAF also contributed funding to a study of the Rhizoglyphus > mites on both sides of the Tasman by Landcare Research > scientists. > More than 1840 Rhizoglyphus mite specimens of different stages > were examined, and species descriptions completed for > Australia, New Zealand and other countries in Oceania. > A total of 14,550 pieces of morphological data were collected > to formally describe 11 species, including R minutus (from > specimens recorded in Fiji, New Zealand, Niue, Samoa and > Tonga), and R singularis Manson (from specimens in Fiji, > India, Indonesia and Taiwan). > Rhizoglyphus minutus mites were detected in taro from Fiji and > also taro from Niue, Samoa and Tonga, but the species was not > found in field surveys of taro and other plants in Auckland. > Human rights Niues Contribution > Niues representative at a regional workshop on National Human > Rights Mechanisms in Nadi Fiji, facilitated a working group > discussion on human rights promotion issues. > > Ms Sina Hekau of the islands Crown Law Office and recently > crowned Miss South Pacific has been praised by the workshop > leaders for completing the Niue survey in good time for > inclusion in the report back and her comments. > A quote from Ms Hekau in the report was used in an opening > presentation on the Status of Human Rights in the Pacific by > Niuean Isabel Calvert, political issues advisor to the Forum > Secretariat. > > Ms Hekau wrote: "It is not just a matter of talking about > human rights issues but to practice those ideas in real life." > > After the workshop Ms Calvert told Niue News that this simple > comment is a lesson everyone. > > " The human rights debate is not just about treaties and > international commitments, although meeting these commitments > is essential if small countries are to be taken seriously in > the international arena. But more importantly than this, the > human rights debate is about improving the quality of life for > our people and remembering to respect all people's rights in > our every day lives." > Representatives from Pacific Islands Forum Member countries > Australia, Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, > Kiribati, New Zealand, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Solomon > Islands, Tonga, > Tuvalu and Vanuatu attended the workshop. Representatives from > United Nations Development Program, UN Educational, Scientific > and Cultural Organization, UNIFEM, UNICEF and the Office of > the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights also attended the > workshop, along with representatives of regional NGOs working > in the field of human rights. > Over two days the workshop discussed the present status, > realities and emerging issues of human rights protection, > promotion and monitoring in the Pacific. > > Participants examined national surveys; Constitutional rights > and Pacific legal systems; international institutions and > mechanisms, how they operate and how they can support national > efforts; and national human rights mechanisms - their roles, > functions and strengths. The workshop also noted the outcomes > of the Pacific Human Rights Consultation between civil society > organizations, national human rights institutions and > governments, > held in Suva in June 2004. > The workshop also identified a range of challenges facing > Forum island countries in the promotion, protection and > monitoring of human rights. These included limited "ownership" > and awareness of human rights within both governments and > communities, due in part to a lack of understanding of the > relevance of human rights including economic, social and > cultural rights, to the daily lives of the peoples of the > region. > > Also included were multiple priorities of government competing > for scarce resources, including economic and social > development and environmental concerns, exacerbated by > frequent changes in governments. > > A lack of economic, technical, institutional and human > resources and capacity to pursue human rights at the national > level; obstacles presented by the region's isolation, and the > difficulty of governments in accessing international > assistance; the variety of models of good governance and the > machinery of government in Pacific nations. A lack of quality > information on the benefits of becoming a Party to > international human rights conventions; the heavy treaty-based > reporting obligations on governments; and the need to > reconcile human rights with traditional and customary rights > were also listed. > The participants recognized the benefits of utilizing > alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, including through > national human rights institutions, to resolve human rights > issues in the most effective, efficient, and equitable means > possible, in addition to utilizing the institutions of the > law. They also recognized that the primary responsibility for > promoting, protecting and monitoring human rights at the > national level lies with national governments > Keep In Touch > > Be the first to know about whats happening on Niue click onto > the Niue News site and youll get instant updates. Tell your > friends. > > A record number of readers are now checking out our news, > brought to you by independent commentators and contributing > Pacific editors. You wont get regular Niue news anywhere else > thats not politically influenced. > > Thanks to those contributors and large number of supporters > who have contacted Niue News recently. Well continue our > policy of promoting free speech, transparency and > accountability in the worlds smallest state. With cyclones > still forming in the region well bring you the latest tracking > predictions from the best sources available. And with the > general election on the horizon well tell you whos doing what. > All this and its free! > Last Updated ( Friday, 04 March 2005 ) > (_) To Housing Development > 32337 Visitors
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