Weekly Niue News http://www.niuenews.nu/ [2004-09-11: list updated for new site] _______________________________________________ > We have 6 guests online > April 15 2005 - News From Niue-Fast, Accurate, First And Free! > Pre Election Special Here Are Those Standing For The Assembly > Seven of the 14 village constituency representatives in the > 20-seat Niue Legislative Assembly have been returned unopposed > after nominations closed for the 11^th general election to be > held April 30. Included among those is Premier Young Vivian of > Hakupu who has crossed the first hurdle to becoming re-elected > the island's leader for a second term. > > Elected unopposed to village seats - Liku Pokotoa Sipeli; > Hakupu Young Vivian; Tuapa Fisa Pihigia; Hikutavake Opili > Talafasi; Namukulu Jack Willie Lipitoa; Avatele Billy Graham > Talagi; Vaiea Talaitiama Talaiti. > > Other village candidates (* denotes sitting member) > > Lakepa John Tiakia (*); Kupa Magatogia. > > Alofi South Robert Rex jr (*); Organ Viliko; Tukaia Makamau > Hekau. > > Alofi North Vaiga Tukuitoga (*); Terry Chapman. > > Toi Dion Taufitu (*) Lilivika Muimatagi. > > Makefu Tofua Puletama (*); Vivaliatama Talagi. > > Mutalau - Bill Vakaafi Motufoou (*); Nuihepeni Togakilo. > > Tamakautoga Peter Funaki (*); Ricky Makani. > > Fourteen nominations have been received by the chief electoral > officer Togia Sioneholo for the six common roll seats. Many > are from people who have contested seats in past. > > They are Toke Talagi (*); Alan Tano Puleosi; OLove Jacobsen > (*); Michael Jackson (*); Krypton Okesene (*); Terry Coe (*); > Maihetoe Hekau; Taso Tukuniu; Hima Takelesi; Ahohiva Levi; > Stanley Tafatu; Dr Hare Paka; Herman Tagaloailuga and Henry > Eveni. > > The candidates can withdraw their nominations before noon > April 21. > > There's Only One Niue, And It's Not in Auckland Or > Wellington - Premier > > Tough talking this week to overseas resident Niueans. Premier > Young Vivian said if New Zealand residents want to vote in the > 11th general election on April 30 then they need to return > home permanently. > > He said there is no Niue in Auckland or Wellington > after rejecting a call by the 20,000 strong Niuean community > in New Zealand to be allowed to vote in the election at the > end of the month, according to reports from Radio New Zealand > International News. > > Tension between the New Zealand community and those on Niue > has increased as the islands population continues to decline > and talk of allowing Chinese and Indian immigrants into the > country increases. > > Mr Vivian said if people, especially the young, want a say > about how the island is run, then they need to move back and > make a real commitment to the country. > > The Premier is standing in his village constitutency of Hakupu > and is a front runner for the island's leadership for the next > three years. Since 2002 he has stabilised the government and > encouraged multi million dollar development in fishing, > agriculture and tourism. He has also encouraged the > development of information technology and the use of Internet > services. > > New Passport Renewal Laws In Force > > Niueans will from today have to renew their New Zealand > passports every five years. A new law passed by the New > Zealand Parliament halved the life of a New Zealand passport > to five years, though current passports can be used until they > expire. > It also requires travel document information be released for > the Advance Passenger Processing (APP) border security system > and allows passports to be refused or cancelled in cases where > New Zealand's security was threatened. The APP system helps > airlines identify people carrying unauthorised and stolen > documents. > Also passed were tightened criteria and vetting procedures for > citizenship. > Citizenship must now be registered at birth. This is intended > to limit the practice of women coming to New Zealand to give > birth so their children can later access education and other > benefits of citizenship. > The legislation also increases from three years to five years > the period of residence needed before citizenship can be > granted. > [date.gif] Friday, 15 April 2005 > Niue Investments Saga Continues > > High Court Dismisses Bid To Stop Debt Payment > Off-Shore Bank Account Allegations > The High Court of Niue has criticized Niue Investments a > company set up by Finance Minister Toke Talagi to lease the > government owned Niue Hotel- for failing to make any effort to > settle an $18,000 debt it owes Cullings Food Products. > > An application by Niue Investments for a stay of execution on > a writ of sale and possession ordered in favour of Cullings > Food Products was denied after Chief Justice Norman Smith told > the applicant that it was treating the earlier judgement " > with disdain." > > The Court stated that judgement had been entered in favour of > Cullings and the order had not been challenged. It ordered > costs be paid to Cullings. > > Niue Investments, whose last chairman of the board of > directors was Speaker Atapana Siakimotu, owed Cullings Foods > for supplies provided to the business prior to Cyclone Heta > which demolished the 32-room hotel in January 2005. > > Its understood the company owes more than $80,000 in debts > including a Westpac Banking Corporation overdraft. The company > with 32 shareholders was struck off the New Zealand companies > registry in December 2004 for failing to provide statutory > financial reports. > > Long time residents Allan and Trudy Culling quit the island > earlier this week after selling their business and claiming > stress over the current dispute had be a major factor in > moving off island after 20 years residency. > > Meanwhile shareholders are still seeking answers to questions > over the striking-off of the company and allegations of an > offshore bank account. > > One shareholder told Niue News that no-one is willing to > discuss the current state of the business or give any > information about money alleged to have been held in an > account off island. > > Frustrated Investors Want Money... Not More Headaches > > The acting chairman of directors of the ailing Niue Investment > Company, Atapana Siakimotu, Speaker of the islands Legislative > Assembly is hoping the Niue government will agree to rebuild a > hotel on which the firm based its business. > > But several shareholders have told the Niue News that they > would prefer the government to contribute any money for > rebuilding to shareholders. > > " Some people seem to think they can trade their way out of > this huge problem. But the problem started with basic > mismanagement that existed long before the cyclone wrecked the > hotel," said one irate investor who complained several years > ago about the lack of financial reporting and mounting debts > relating to unauthorised food purchases and bar tabs. > > Niue Investment suffered a major blow when Cyclone Heta > destroyed Niue Hotel, which the firm leased from the > government, in January last year. > > Since then the firms faced court action and has been struck > off the Companies Register in New Zealand. > > The acting chairman of directors, the Niue Assembly Speaker > Atapana Sakiamotu, says records lost during Heta and an > inability to provide audited accounts were behind the > striking-off. > > He told Radio New Zealand International News he hopes the firm > can trade its way out of its difficulties, but this depends on > the building of a new hotel or guesthouse. > > Several business people on the island said they find it > difficult to understand how Niue Investments should get any > funding when damaged business properties repaired and up and > running again after the cyclone have not yet received any > money allocated by New Zealand for cyclone repairs. "I guess > they have a greater chance of getting funds because one of > shareholders is Minister of Finance plus associate Minister of > Tourism and the other is Speaker of the Legislative Assembly," > said one businessperson. > > Taro Prices Hit Rock Bottom > > Niue taro exporters are in for a shock. Fiji produce is > selling in Auckland for 50 cents a kilo. Its a price that > doesnt cover the cost of freight from Niue to the New Zealand > markets. The glut on the market is due to redundant sugar > canegrowers in Fiji reverting to cropping taro. > > The price war will have a dramatic affect on Niue taro > exports... although most of the produce is sent to private > buyers in Auckland and Niuean expatriate consumers dont seem > to mind paying for the popular pink taro. > > Taro from Niue is now coming back on line after many crops > were damaged by Cyclone Heta. > > Previous attempts to market Niue taro proved costly with the > government writing off hundreds of thousands of dollars in bad > debts created by mismanagement of marketing projects. > > However the production of nonu juice is continuing and getting > top price on the New Zealand market despite stiff competition > from Tahiti and the Cook Islands. > > Cyclones Go-Whales On Their Way > > The South Pacific cyclone season officially ends May 1. Niue > escaped any major damage from four big blows that smashed > their way across neighbouring Tokelau, Samoa, American Samoa > and the Cook Islands causing millions of dollars worth of > damage to buildings crops and infrastructure. > > New Zealands NIWA predicted intense cyclone activity in the > south-west Pacific as early as October 2004 and internet > services provided early warning systems giving residents time > to prepare for the often hurricane force winds. > > As the cyclone danger diminishes the humpback whales from > Antarctica are on their way to the South Pacific. Niue is > expecting good numbers of the huge mammals this season which > are predicted to appear around June and stay until late > October. > > Rubbish Disposal Challenging > > One of Niue's big eyesores the pile of inorganic rubbish > stacked at Aliluki has disappeared. Local workers crushed, > cleaned and baled hundreds of tonnes of car bodies, corrugated > iron and scrap metal and loaded it into containers to be > shipped offshore. It was a tough job with equipment breakdowns > upsetting the work schedule. The MV Southern Tiare that > brought a new 50 tonne mobile Kato crane and heavy plant to > Niue waited around while the scrap metal was loaded. > > The government arranged collection of scrap metal from around > the island as concern mounted over toxic leakages into the > water lense. The clean-up project was funded by the New > Zealand government. > > Pump Causes Flight Delays > > Delays to schedule flights in and out of Niue last week were > caused by a technical fault in the Polynesian Airline's Boeing > 737-800 at Tonga. > According to a statement from the airline the aircraft > suffered "a hydraulic pump malfunction" during a scheduled > transit stop in Tonga. > "Unfortunately in Tonga we do not have the spares to cover > this unit and it has become necessary to source a replacement > unit from New Zealand and have it flown in," said Polynesian's > acting Chief executive Officer, John McNeely. > Passengers heading to Tonga from Faleolo were flown out on > board Polynesian's Dash 8 aircraft, McNeely said.With them > went additional engineering personnel to help fix the pump. > The Dash 8 was then scheduled to fly passengers stranded in > Tonga to Apia. > Fund: NZAid officials report that Niue's Trust Fund balance > stands at $9.8 million. Major contributors have been the New > Zealand and Australian governments. The Fund was set up in an > effort to make the island less dependent on foreign aid which > has been the life line to the island since attaining self > government in 1974. > > Derelict: Top of the list of criticisms by visitors against > Niue are the hundreds of derelict houses scattered around the > island. Government still struggles to resolve the problem of > demolishing the homes most of them built after the cyclones of > 1959 and 1960, many uninhabited since the day they were > constructed. Others are owned by Niueans who moved off island > but want to retain their buildings as proof of ownership of > the land they were built on. > > Poll: Seems like some want to replace the Niue hotel and > others don't. A split down the middle in last weeks poll. The > controversial hotel never made any money and was leased > several years ago to a goup of overseas investors who tried > unsuccessfully to set up a medical school.Its been estimated > it could cost around $6 million to rebuild a 32 room hotel > which would compete with the Matavai Resort. > > Paving: Hopes are high for the new government approving the > tarsealing of the final stretch of coastal road between Hakupu > and Liku. > > Tourism: Special package deals to Niue are now on sale in > Australia and New Zealand with deals comparable to > neighbouring Pacific destinations. Niue News sources state > there are no plans at this stage to increase Polynesian > Airlines flights to Niue. But travellers can expect to pay > more for their international airline tickets out of New > Zealand. The cost of a ticket could rise by $4.31 for aviation > security from October under a New Zealand Government plan. > Deputy Prime Minister Michael Cullen said that international > travellers would have to pay the charge to help meet the $105 > million spent each year on customs, biosecurity and flying > security. > > Immigrants: Indian and Chinese immigrants have been reported > to have shown interest in settling on Niue. This comes after > repeated attempts to get expatriate Niueans to return home. > Premier Young Vivian has publicly announced he only wants to > see New Zealanders settling on the sparsely populated island > that has resisted any form of immigration since it gained self > government in 1974. > > Hospital: Contractors have started construction work on the > new hospital at Kaimiti. Materials and equipment for the > $6million New Zealand funded job arrived by boat earlier this > month. The government has applied for an additional $500,000 > in funding from New Zealand after it was discovered additional > strengthening was required for the floor and foundations. > > Business: Cullings Foods has been purchased by long-time > residents Bill and Pauline Wisse of Kaimiti.Both have worked > for Cullings in their shop and at the abattoir. Cullings moved > to Niue 20 years ago after working in New Zealand and the > Solomon Islands. They brought the Bahai Faith to Niue. Allan > and Trudy Culling raised their three children on Niue and have > moved back to New Zealand. > > Obituary: Catherine Leomotu (60) who was head of Mossack > Fonsecas Panamanian financial services centre on Niue died in > New Zealand recently. She took an active role in the Niue > Chamber of Commerce and was a former chair of the Internet > Users Society Advisory Council. Mrs Leomotu shared her officie > management skills and conducted several workshops for public > servants. She is survived by her husband Alec, son James and > daughter Tanya, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild. > > Netsafe: A New Zealand specialist in cybersafety education > Claire Balfour is visiting Niue May 27/30. She will be > conducting a workshop on Internet safety and is being > sponsored by the Internet Users Society-Niue. Teachers, the > police and parents of children with pcs will be invited to the > workshop. > > Ms Balfour is the education officer with the New Zealand > Internet Safety Group that has gained an international > reputation for cybersafety education. IUS-N has sponsored a > similar workshop in Vanuatu. > > Reconstruction: The rebuilding of homes on the northern Cook > Islands islands of Pukapuka and Nassau is to begin early next > week, six weeks after cyclone Percy struck. > > The chief disaster management officer, Metuatini Tangaroa, > says a boat is to leave Rarotonga this week, loaded with > building materials and tradespeople, and should arrive on > Pukapuka four days later. > > He says supplies of water and food are continuing to be sent > to the islands but the focus is now turning to getting houses > rebuilt. > > Resigning: Tuvalu Member of Parliament Sio Patiale, who is > battling ill health, says he'll resign so the Prime Minister > can call a by-election for his seat of Nanumea. Patiale has > been in Auckland, New Zealand, for almost a year, where he's > receiving dialysis treatment three times a week while he waits > for a kidney transplant. He says it is only fair to his > constituents that he resign, and he'd prefer to look after his > health than concern himself with politics. Patiale holds the > balance of power for the government in the 15-member > Parliament, which cannot convene without his presence. Since > he's been in New Zealand, the Tuvalu Parliament has only met > once to pass the budget session. [ABC] > Increasing Problem Of Deaths During Birth > > Figures revealed in Apia this week show the number of women > who die giving birth is increasing in Samoa, according to an > article in the Samoa Observer newspaper. > Two died from 4,229 pregnant women who gave birth between > 2003-2004. Out of babies born, 39 died in this period. > Six out of 10,000 pregnant women died giving birth in 2000. In > 2002, three mothers died giving birth, while 8 out of 1,000 > babies died. > At the commemoration ceremony for World Health Day at the > Nurses Hall, World Health Organisation (WHO) Representative > Dr. Giovanni Deodato said there were many contributing > factors, including: > * Lack of drugs, > * Lack of proper trained human resources > * And diseases like anaemia, parasitic infections, diabetes, > hypertension, malnutrition and obesity are just a few > examples of a long list of issues that should be addressed > interfering with proper care and a good pregnancy outcome. > > He said many countries have very poor attendance to antenatal > clinic and number of deliveries in health facilities, where > complications can be dealt with. > Inappropriate obstetric practices also contribute to a poor > outcome of the pregnancy, he said. > He pointed out that infections might be transmitted from one > patient to another, unless strict hygienic procedures are > observed. He said simple and inexpensive practices, during > immediate post-partum period, would be beneficial to both the > mother and her baby. > These includes: > * Using clean instruments to cut the cord > + Immediate breastfeeding > + Skin to skin contacts > + Administration of colostrums on demand and many > others. > > But despite the figures, women in Samoa are fortunate compared > to other countries around the world. Dr Deodata said local > women all have access to health services with all emergency > interventions, including blood transfusion and caesarean > section. > However, he said there was still room for improvement. > These include exerting all possible efforts in creating > favourable environments for mothers to perform their functions > in the best possible way. > For instance, they should be educated and motivated by health > professionals, by family members and by the media, he said. > He also pointed out the promotion of mothers and baby-friendly > hospitals might increase the access to health services and > lead to better outcome of pregnancy. > "The deep involvement of both parents in the reproductive > process, with their informed decisions on responsible > parenthood, are the basic elements that would lead to "Make > every mother and child count," he said.[From the Samoa > Observer Newspaper] > > Last Updated ( Friday, 15 April 2005 ) > Are you satisfied with a once a week air service to and from > Niue? > 40468 Visitors
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