Issue No.10 Volume II April 4th 2005

                                      

 

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

 

                                                                                                                                                         

                                                                                                                                                         

 

From the Premier’s Office

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I would like to thank all of you who made the General Elections last Saturday the success that it was. I hope that your choices of the Village and the Common Roll candidates are the ones that made it to the Niue Legislative Assembly. I am happy to announce that the members [75%] from the last three year’s Assembly were voted back in, and this tells me that you are satisfied with the performance of your representatives, a clear indication that we are going to maintain the stability in the government that we have all been enjoying.

 

I did have some anxious moments that you would have forgotten what we have achieved. The events of the last 15 months have not made it easy for any of us but I am reasonably happy with the way we have all helped to maintain our living communities and to keep them going despite the difficulties we went through. It was not easy to make decisions that kept everyone happy; there were issues that we found difficult to put into the perspective that would have satisfied everyone. But you have been patient and I have appreciated your understanding and I thank you for your continued support.

 

We will now look forward to continue with the work programme that we started – the hospital, the housing project, the Industrial park, and other important projects that will take us forward into the future. Niue is going to be the Jewel of the Pacific; rebuilt and maintained with the help of our Constitutional partner New Zealand and all our loyal donor associates. 

 

I have been meeting with your representatives and so far from them I have been pledged 100% support in the House to lead us into the next three years. You have my promise that you will not be disappointed. We will continue to have a stable government that is both transparent and accountable.

                                                                                              

But to achieve what we have planned we are going to need all the help, the patience and the understanding we can muster. Our support group has been discussing our strategies for our future but we will not be able to accomplish much without appealing to you to kaufalataha – to work together for the good of our country and of ourselves. Kaufakalataha is the vital key to development. I know that you know some will get more than others and that fact has not changed since our forefathers came into this island, we have all been there before yet they have not stopped us before and it certainly will not stop us now.

 

We all have a duty to protect our environment, our family lands for our future generations; we are going to live our lives forward like we have always done but we will look back and learn so that we know the right direction to go. We will take our Taoga with us and by working together, I am sure we will succeed.

 

The results of Niue’s General Elections.

 

The happiest vote takers last Saturda, Ligi Tamtoa and Rona Tiakia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Voting for this time around of the country’s general elections got off to a very slow start. There were reasons for this: one, the lack of sustained personal campaigning by candidates; two, the local voters normally spend Saturday mornings doing their chores before the Sabbath and three, there were no organised team effort like the days of the Niue People’s Party to stir the voters into a voting frenzy.

 

“This is Niue-style politics,” said a supporter, “nice and easy. This is a time when families and friends show solidarity through supporting their own candidate.” 

 

The results appear to confirm the sentiments of the above supporter. The provisional results showed two new village representatives [one confirmed] and in the Common Roll one new comer [not confirmed]. If there are no changes to the final results Niue for the first time in 30 years will have four women members in the Legislative Assembly.

 

The biggest shock was Toke Talagi’s relegation to 7^th place by the voters, but as already explained the Minister of Finance in the last Government is by no means out of the running yet. He gained enough votes in the recount to tie in 6^th place with Mrs Toe Hekau.

 

While the country waits in earnest for the Chief Judge’s decision to decide the fate of the two pairs of undecided members, there have been several frantic meetings to factionalise and unite support before the Legislative Assemble convenes to choose a Speaker and the Premier for the next three years.

 

There is much at stake, support is actively sought from elected members and wish lists of possible combinations of Cabinet Ministers [including the Premiership] have been discussed continuously since the voting closed. Meanwhile the nation waits…

 

Successful Candidates of Niue’s General Elections held on Saturday 30^th April 2005.

 

1. Alofi North       Va’ainga Tukuitonga
2. Makefu            Tofua Puletama
3. Tuapa               Fisa Pihigia
4. Namukulu         Jack Willie Lipitoa
5. Hikutavake       Opili Talafasi
6. Toi                   Vika Liumaihetau                       [to  be decided]
7. Mutalau            Bill Vakaafi
8. Lakepa             Kupa Magatogia
9. Liku                 Pokotoa Sipeli
10. Hakupu            Young Vivian
11. Vaiea               Talaititama Talaiti
12. Avatele Billy Talagi
13. Tamakautoga    Peter Funaki
14. Alofi South       Organ Viliko [new member]

 

Common Roll:

 

1.      Okesene, Krypton.  2.  Terry Coe   3.  Tauveve Jacobsen   4.   Hima Takelesi   5. Michael Jackson     6.  Maihetoe Hekau [to be decided]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Press Release from The Hague

 

Niue Party to the Chemical Weapons Convention.

 

Niue will become the 168^th nation, and the 15^th member of the Pacific Islands Forum, thirty days after depositing its instrument of accession to the Chemical Weapons Convention, on April 21 2005, with the Secretary General of the United Nations. Thirty days after the deposition [May 21 2005] Niue will officially join the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons [OPCW].

 

Niue now joins fellow Forum Countries: Australia, New Zealand, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Tonga, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Samoa, Cook Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, and Nauru.

 

Niue’s accession to the OPCW confirms the universal validity of multilateral instruments banning chemical weapons and providing enhanced security for all Member states, according to the Press Release from the Hague.

 

The Chemical Weapons Convention which entered into force on April 29^th 1997 aims, through its implementing agency, OPCW, to achieve four principle objectives: to eliminate the use of and prevent re-emergence of chemical weapons; to implement a credible non-proliferation regime; to provide international assistance and protection in the use of, or threat of use of chemical weapons, and to promote international co-operation in the peaceful uses of chemistry.

 

[Courtesy of the New Zealand High Commissioner]

 

Thomas Kauie has the last say… 

We should thank Thomas Kauie for the time that he had taken to point out a few truths about ourselves and about our cuzzie bros in New Zealand, not mind you that he was speaking on their behalf [he made this clear at the beginning of the talkback] but he did remind us how more fortunate we are than our relations in Auckland in more ways than one.

I didn’t think that Masi was serious when he said that “… we will come home if the Government help with airfares; a job with pay packets equal to those in NZ, [$15.00 an hour was the figure he mentioned, I think]; houses with all the indoor facilities like they have in New Zealand; assistance with freight costs to bring their belongings; a share of the annual recurrent budget grant from the New Zealand Government; rights to vote in our elections; their own Minister in our Cabinet  – you have heard them all before. Masi is too intelligent to believe that all those requests would be granted without any of us making a fuss. He was just testing the temperature zones of our patience, and found himself with more than he bargained for – Masi got abused, stabbed and mauled in the talkback ruck.

 

Masi was envious of the way we live – we always have food [more than we really can cope with while some families in NZ live in a constant state of poverty]; we live in our own homes on our own land [most more than 90% mortgage free]; we have more cars than we need [our bros in NZ are still running after buses after years of living in New Zealand]; we have more quality time with our families because we do not spend two or more hours a day getting to and from work; more Niueans get to visit and spend time in New Zealand than the other way around; we do not have gambling machines or a Casino to waste money on; we have TV, radios and stereos, gas and electric appliances, DVDs and video machines with enough shops to rent movies from; flush toilets and inside water; good schools and a University Centre for our children to get a decent education – these and more are our blessings and our fortunes to enjoy a lifestyle not easily available in most places in the world. And still our people continue to leave for New Zealand, most never to return.

 

The issue that is contentious is one that is dear to our hearts: Niue, our ancestral homeland. The problem lies simply in that non-resident Niueans felt acutely the probability of being disinherited from the security of having their roots questioned.

 

Niue will always belong to Niueans, regardless of where they live. No one, no government or organisation or group have the right to disinherit any descendant from his or her ancestral home. People cannot be separated from the land of their ancestors, particularly in our case where it is in the ownership of the land that each member of the family is tied to.

 

But it is doubtful that anyone who claims ownership from a distance has any degree of understanding how difficult it is for families living in Niue to keep the properties clean and tidy and free of weeds and rodents. Or how unhealthy it is to live next to abandoned properties and not feel that one is living next to a graveyard, unless they are constantly clean ‘just because a family or absentee landowner lives in somewhere else on total ignorance of the physical and psychological hardships that the residents have to endure day after day, year in and year out. They should come back and tough it out for a year and feel what we feel, do what we do.

Thank you for pointing out in how fortunate we are Masi. It is also true that no immigrant, no matter in what country with the exception of the Jews, truly forgets where he comes from and not many found their way home again in significant numbers regardless of how poor or impoverished they are in their new homeland. 26 million Italians left Italy for the United States after the last war not many have ever returned either. Only first generation immigrants felt the need to retain the umbilical cords with their ancestral homes, the later generations are too busy trying to make best their opportunities where they were born. But thank you for pointing out the obvious and for the pains that you have had to endure while you fenced with our oversensitive and defensive locals.

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

April 30, 2005

 

Niue Government Welcomes Reef Air







 

 

 

 

 

 

The Government of Niue welcomes the addition of Reef Group’s latest venture, Reef Air, when it arrived on Thursday morning on its proving or test flight from Tonga. Deputy Premier Hon Toke Talagi was at Hanan International Airport to officiate the arrival and in the blessing of the flight.

 

“Congratulations to the Chief Executive Officer of Reef Group, Mr Wayne Harris-Daw, the crew of Reef Air, special guests on this flight and to our two air hostesses in achieving this auspicious milestone, I welcome you on behalf of the Government of Niue,” Hon Talagi told the invited guests. “We would like to make it clear that the Government of Niue, a partner in the Niue-Reef Group Joint Venture, is fully supportive of this new addition which will add significantly to the enhancement of our country’s economic development initiatives.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reef Air’s major objective is to transport chilled fish from Niue to Fiji to link up with international air carriers to markets in Asia, mainly Japan, and to the United States. “It makes economic sense to offer island hopping services to passengers that will contribute to Niue’s Tourism as well,” added CEO Harris-Daw. “Reef Air will operate in this capacity in a triangular route from Niue-Fiji-Tonga.”

 

 

Reef Group is a major investor in the small island state and despite the prospects that Niue could experience other massive cyclone destruction, Managing Director Phillip McNicholls stayed firm in his decision to develop Niue’s economy. The Group now operates a shipping service, supplies fuel, a joint partner in the nonu and fish processing plants and an air service that will freight fish via Fiji including a passenger service to ferry tourists.

 

Before the cyclone Reef Group has proved to be a generous benefactor, a major sponsor for the Niue Primary School’s “Duffy Books for the Home” Reading programme and provided awards and prizes for the two school’s Prize Giving ceremonies. Since the cyclone this benevolence had extended to include free and substantial freight concessions on Reef Shipping vessels for relief aid cargoes, and sponsorships in the Island’s Rugby and Niue Darts trips to Samoa. “We need to show our commitment to the overall economic and social development of Niue,” added CEO Harris-Daw.

 

The expected freight and air service operations began this week.

 

Niue Public Relations Office.           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Editorial

Tamakautoga gets special attention from Darren Tohovaka and Kyria Kulatea

 

Did we make the Right Decisions last Saturday?

 

Of the 20 members required in the Fono Ekepule [Legislative Assembly] 18 have been confirmed with two undecided votes to be resolved by drawing a name ‘out of the hat’ as required under the Constitution.

 

Congratulations to the returned and the new members of the Fono Ekepule. The few changes [75%] in the line up reflect the current acceptance of how the last government’s overall performance record. This augurs well for Niue’s political stability in the next three years.

 

I do have some reservations though about the way our Government is elected. The comments below are intended for thinking exercises only.

 

• We have far too many Ekepule for the number of people living on Niue. We would be better off amalgamating smaller villages into the larger ones, or else divide Niue into, say nine constituencies. Nine is a number that would be cheaper to manage in salaries, reduce the likelihood of hung decisions, teach the members to be more democratic and to have more responsibilities; bigger voting units will be good training for shared responsibilities as well as contributing to kaufakalataha.
•  The out of a hat decision. Niue is a small country and can easily re-vote if we have a hung decision as there are less than 1000 eligible voters, unlike New Zealand with nearly two million. A person could invest hundreds of dollars on Niue running a campaign, not to mention the expected victory party afterwards, only to find that a decision will be depended on a name being drawn out of a hat. Not very democratic is it, at least it does not feel democratic and leaves one who loses as if he/she has been cheated. If we wanted to save money then the decent thing is to do is put everyone’s names into the hat, at least the decision would have been consistent with the recommended ‘out of the hat’ decision.
• Our people on medical referral and on study courses should be given the opportunity to vote. A centre should be set up in New Zealand and if they want to they can make their own way there if they want to take part. We after all count them as residents when we have a Census. The Constitution unfortunately is very clear on this point, that anyone who is not on the island on the voting day will not be eligible to vote.
• What do you think?

 

Millennium Development Pacific Youth Goals Summit

 

A first ever Millennium Development Pacific Youth Summit is being held in Samoa from May 9-12. Niue Youth Council is sending a team to participate in the Summit where, with other Pacific Youth groups,

 

• They will discuss and address the key challenges and issues facing the youth in the Region,
• And work out the strategies in how they are going to achieve these objectives.
• Strengthening regional networks in the Pacific among the youth to encourage working together for common goals.

 

The initiative is linked to the greater Forum Pacific Plan and the Youth Summit is expected to contribute a statement on he Draft Pacific Plan.

 

Niue’s Delegation will include Sinahemana Hekau [Government Representative], herself an active member of Leveiatana Youth group, Falepoe Misileki [Niue Young Farmer of the year- Business Sector] Stephanie Peaufa [USP student – Civil Society] and Ms Roberta Tuhaka Sionesini [Facilitator] a UNDP focal point for Niue Youth.

 

“Miss South Pacific, Sinahemana Hekau, will feature prominently during the Summit,” aid Miss Tuhaka. “Her status will be used to promote and enhance the cause of our Youth in the Region. The exposure will be good for Niue too with the presence of media organisations that will be there to cover this very important event.”

 

Cabinet Meeting notes:

 

Endorsed or Approved:

 

• The establishment of a Creche [Day Care for young children while mothers work] is approved in principle.
• Approval granted to purchase two computers for the Premier’s Department’s Policy NZAID Co-ordinator and the Economic Advisor.
• Computer equipment and a laser printer for the In-Country Training Division Office.
•  The appointment of John Tiakia to join Mrs Malua Jackson and Rev Vilitama as Commissioners of the Niue Public Service Commission. This is a three year appointment.

 

Travelling on Government Business:

 

• Stanley Kalauni [Trade and Investment Officer] and Pokau Sionetama [Revenue Manager] o attend the “Fisheries Subsidies Workshop, and Regional Workshop for Customs Officials, on PICTA Rules of Origin… in Fiji 4-6 May.
•  Sergeant Robert Murray Togiamana is to attend the Preparation for the 12^th Pacific Regional Disaster Management Meeting in Suva from 4-5 May.
• Roberta Sionesini, Stephanie Peaufa, Falepoe Misileki and Sinahemana Hekau will b attending the Pacific MDG Youth Summit from 9-12 May. Fully funded by UNDP, UNESCO, UNICEF, Ministry of Women Community and Social Development.
• Miss Daphne Pihigia and Miss Nicola Funaki to attend The Japanese Friendship Youth Programme for the 21^st Century in Japan from May 26^th – June 17^th. Fully funded by JICA.
• Mrs Sifakalipa Pulehetoa [member of Liku Village Council] to attend the Disaster Exercise Management Training Course to be held in Nadi, May 9-12. Fully funded by SOPAC and the Asia Foundation /US Office of the Disaster Assistance.
• Miss Toepenina Hekau [Assistant Crown Counsel] to undertake the Securities Studies Executive   Course in Honolulu, from 31^st May-!8^th August.

    

Some Political Terms Explained

 

Democracy: “Government of the people, for the people by the people.” These immortal words are an over-simplification of the wider meaning and context of the word ‘democracy,’ that when applied to us in the general elections last Saturday it means very little in practical terms. The French said the same thing but in a different way: Equality, Fraternity and Liberty [freedom]. Interpreted in the way the we understand it, the equality of any of us whether we are men or women, rich or poor, to become a candidate in the elections, the fraternity [brotherhood or Kaufakalataha] in building our nation together and the freedom to choose who we want to be the leaders of our living communities. Democracy therefore is the right of a person, man or woman, to be treated equally, without censorship [no one can tell us what to think or do,] as human beings.

Caucus: Is a select group of like minded politicians who advise, consult and decide with its Cabinet Ministers the policies of Government. They are in effect the supporters of the government of the day and as such can acquire immense benefits to the constituents in which they represent. This means that if your representative is not a Caucus member in your community you are likely to miss out on the benefits of the decisions that are or have been made. It is therefore your responsibility to make sure that your MP [Member of Parliament] is not in dereliction of his/her duty if you are missing out in the process of governance.

 

Out of the Hat: According to the Constitution if the voting numbers are the same [hung decision or undecided vote] for two or more candidates then their names will be pulled out of a hat to decide the winning entry or candidate. There are no other options available, according to the Constitution.

 

Governance: The process of consulting or looking after people. It is said that good governance is about transparency and accountability – that is the government of the day will share information with the public [transparency] and that it be responsible accountable] to the people for the things that it does. Shared responsibility is the ideal because when it involves the people then everyone can accept some of the blame if things go wrong, or the tribulations when they go right. Our government in the last three years was probably the most transparent of any previous governments because of the information it allowed to be shared as they become available.

 

The Plane, the Plane! [Tattoo, in Fantasy Island.]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reef Air looks good on our tarmac 

Much is known of the present flight schedule by Reef Air Charter plane to freight fresh fish from Niue to Fiji, and the prices cheap enough to entice locals or casual tourists to fly to Nadi for a few days of shopping in Lautoka.

 

You might have to wait a bit longer while the Reef Air has to sort out its air license with Fiji. ThTe Premier has already paved the way with the Fiji government with an Air Services Agreement last month but there are other issues that Reef Air and its Tonga partner have to solve before passenger flights are approved. Freighting fish is not a problem.

 

This afternoon [04/05/05] Reef Air returned to Niue to pick up the first consignment of fish for freighting to Fiji.

 

For Eddie Watts, Reef Manager of the Niue Fish Processing Plant is rapt. “This being the first ever shipment of fish from Niue, the quality of the product is excellent. We have two boxed chilled fresh fish, a marlin and a broadbill, both in high demand in the States, and in the other box we have two 50kgs of yellow-fin tuna. The total for this freight is 200kgs.”

 

The fish have to be in the Los Angeles market by tomorrow morning as the price decreases the longer the fish stays in transit. Mr Watts is certain that Niue’s fish will be in big demand once we have regular supply coming in from the boats and air freighted to the transit point in Nadi for the international link flights into the United States.

 

Congratulations, Mr Watts!    

 

Niue Foou: Mission Accomplished

 

Niue Foou, as planned, is to terminate its publication after the General elections. It has fulfilled its quest which was originally to keep our nation informed of the Governments recovery projects, as well to stay in touch with our living communities, after the devastation caused by Cyclone Heta. By rights it should have been terminated on the 5^th of January, which was also planned, but popular demand has necessitated its continuation until now.

 

The function of the Government’s Public Relations Office will now revert to what it should be doing normally – writing Press Releases and promoting Government activities through other media mediums, such as circulars, notices from time to time, and to be made available only to Government Departments.

 

The Editor and Publisher of Niue Foou would like to thank its readers and supporters for your compliments and encouragements during the past year.