Issue No

Issue No. 8 Volume II - April 18th 2005

Premier Vivian receives gift from Christina and Tony Fuemana

We have a very busy island at the moment with important visitors from Foreign Affairs and NZAID in Wellington, Mr Terry Baker whom most of you might remember when he was the New Zealand High Commissioner in Niue, and Mr Gordon Schroff. I understand that they have had productive consultations with our Ministers and senior public servants while they were here.

I thanked Hon Motufoou for his report on the arrival of the heavy machinery last week and for the successful removal of those rusty and unsightly vehicles from our island. Hon Motufoou had spent most of his off hours keeping an eye on the delivery and removal operations and has commended that all workers involved be appropriately compensated. Well done Minister. I join Hon Motufoou in thanking New Zealand for these generous gifts, and Reef Shipping for their contributions as well.

The removal of scrap metal is an Environment Development Project, planned and executed under the direction of Hon Minister Talagi and his staff. Minister Talagi thanks the New Zealand High Commissioner, Ernest Nemaia and the contractors in completing the implementation of this project. “To have achieved this in six days when it was planned for a six week period was an accomplishment that everyone should be proud of,” he said. Over 90% of the collected scrap metal was shipped in the departing MV Southern Tiare. Well done everyone!

Our visitors from the region who are here discussing measures to boost management procedures in coping with Extreme Weather events in the Pacific have made good progress in their deliberations. Hon Talagi and his staff from the Niue Met Office have done a wonderful job in keeping our visitors occupied and entertained.

Last night at Hakupu the visitors were well and duly fed, watered and thoroughly entertained by the community. Thank you very much Hakupu for your continued effort to entertain our visitors from overseas. Once again our reputation and our pride in this capacity remain popular.

I am happy to report that apart from myself, six others from the original Legislative Assembly team are returned to our Legislative Assembly without having to be contested at the polls. I thank you all in those village communities for your foresight and confidence in your representatives. I hope that the remainder of us will be returned as well but that is up to you to decide as your collective or individual wisdoms dictate.

I have no doubt that the coming fortnight will be full of discussions, debates, giving and sharing advise about the Elections. I am sure that God is his wisdom has already chosen, but our job is to be guided and to confirm His choices for the good of our nation.

Commissioning and Blessing the machines

“We are still in the building mode and we have a long way to go, but our new machines will last only as long as we look after them properly,” announced DAFF Minister and Minister in charge of the Recovery Task Force, Hon Motufoou, during the commissioning and the blessing of the Machines. “When they break down we are back to the picks and shovels, and we definitely don’t want to go there.”

The heavy machinery package, funded by the Government of New Zealand at almost $2 million, was shipped on the Niue Government chartered MV Southern Tiare, was landed safely without any major problems.

The special charter of MV Southern Tiare when it left last Saturday achieved two objectives: one, the delivery of the seven heavy machines that we need to accomplish the implementation of the projects that we have planned for, and two, to rid our island of unsightly rusting vehicles, broken down home appliances, vehicle batteries and roofing iron that threaten our environment, poison our soils and our precious water lens, discourage our tourists and pose serious health problems to our population.

The ceremony was attended by representatives from Reef Group, invited Government Department officials and the crew from the ship. “Treat these machines with care and with respect as if you own them,” added Acting Premier Hon Fisa Pihigia. “For what we have gained today I thank the New Zealand High Commissioner and her Government for their generosity in providing these machines to help us with our work.”

“This is the part of my job that I like the most,” answered HE Sandra Lee-Vercoe. “I get to be in the good parts without the hard work. My Government’s generosity is based on its understanding of your needs to get the required work done.”

Already the new Kato, with a 50 tonne capacity, is working and it is so much easier not having to worry whether the heavy containers are going to be lifted from the barges.

Another milestone has been reached in our economic development initiatives thanks to NIOFA Facilitator Kuso Pavihi, DAFF and the New Zealand High Commission. Last Friday at Makini Hall a group of about 50 participants attended a Workshop organized by DAFF and NIOFA which included a special ceremony to present Organic Certification to local farmers and organisations that have passed the stringent standards associated with Organically grown produce on Niue.

“The ultimate objective of NIOFA,” explains Facilitator, Mr Kuso Pavihi, “is for Niue to become an Eco-Nation by 2010. But to achieve this we need to get rid of all our chemical based insecticides, herbicides, fungicides and chemically boosted fertilizers before we could even begin to think about Organic Certification. A good start has already begun with the late Mrs Rauru Vakaafi, and other people who will be honoured today with their Certification.”

The process of certification has been slow but great progress has been achieved, thanks to the combined efforts of New Zealand High Commission, DAFF, POPs, GEF [Global Environment Facility] and UNDP [United Nations Development Programme] “Organically grown produce is fast becoming a critical issue in a world that is changing incredibly,” said HE Sandra Lee-Vercoe. “You in Niue simply cannot afford to be left behind because there is a great demand at present for organically grown products, such as nonu juice and vanilla, in the global markets.”

On the island last week was BIO-GRO [NZ] consultant, Mr Jared White, here to conduct an audit check on the state of the farms to be certificated, with the results that six recipients were recommended to receive the required and much desired documentation. “What you have been doing is fantastic,” he told the workshop participants. “I am very happy with what you have tried to achieve here. Congratulations!”

But in saying that Mr White was not suggesting that our soils are ‘squeaky clean,’ or that anyone can get a certificate.

Acting Premier Hon Fisa Pihigia delivered a locally popular homily saying that, “you are the kelemutu [leveki fonua] of our country, for it will be you who will set the standards and the examples in keeping our land healthy and the soil sweet and arable.” Hon Pihigia was honoured with presenting the certificates to:

Each recipient also received a compost maker, sponsored by UNDP to mark the occasion of the first certificates presented in Niue.

The theme for this year’s Niue High School Track and Field Athletics, ‘Let’s Get Physical,’ is a general call for the students to regard their Physical education and Health programme in broader terms that it used to be. “Let’s Get Physical’ challenges you to adopt healthy lifestyles and health living,” announced Ms Birtha Lisimoni during the preliminary events last Friday. “You

are hereby challenged to balance your physical and your learning activities so that you can enjoy life to the max!”

The preliminary events were but an appetiser to the real competition that the students took part in yesterday and it is one of the most important in the school’s curricular activities.

The March Past event was a prime example of team spirit. “The uniforms are beautiful,” announced Rev Liuvaie who blessed the day. “And God is beautiful,” he complimented the assembled athletes. Surely such a recipe could only help to add flavour in an atmosphere that was already simmering and about to boil over when the competition got under way.

Principal Takili Talagi congratulated the students for their spirit in which they compete among themselves, and by working together, as they had done during the marching event, to achieve a common goal.

The Minister of Education, Hon Toke Talagi agreed with Principal’s remarks, adding that, “Sport is a lifetime commitment to developing healthy bodies and ultimately healthy citizens. The most important thing is not just to win but to try and enjoy yourselves in the spirit of competition.”

“The most important thing is not just to win but to try and enjoy yourselves in the spirit of competition,” he urged the students.

Guest speaker was Mr Terry Baker, a national sports icon when he served time as the New Zealand Representative during the early eighties, tried to inspire the students with his own performances, adding ‘that sport is good for your bodies and for your general health. Niue is a great place for sport.’

The premier event, the March Past, was won by Kieto House in a very slick performance in both marching, style, uniformity and their presentation was pure platinum. Congratulations Kieto – Taoga Niue lives!

The competition in both track and field events was fast and furious. Lagakali House emerged the overall winner, followed by Moea, Kieto and Pua. There were emerging stars in the Track and Field events in the Year 7 and 8 groups, with the Intermediate section being the most competitive. Emerging and promising sports stars will have an opportunity at the end of the year to prove their talents against other Pacific athletes in Melbourne, AUSTRALIA.

Congratulations to the students, teachers and parents for the work and effort that had gone into the annual school sports.

The departure of Alan and Trudy Cullings, of Cullings Food Products, from Niue after nearly twenty years is regrettable and their presence will be sorely missed.

Alan and Trudy Culling raised their family on Niue and must have enjoyed the lifestyle that the island has to offer [cyclones included, says son Bryce] so much that they stayed longer than they had originally intended.

It has been a great experience for our children,” Trudy confessed once, “but we have no long term plans to stay here forever and eventually we have to go back home sometime.” Their intention to leave at this time was ‘a bit premature’ made possible in haste by the problems they had with ‘a local company.’

The Cullings plan to take a long break in New Zealand, travelling ‘up north’ for a few months and then perhaps the South Island, while they decide what to do from there.

Being a strong supporter and an avid reader of Niue Foou the Editor would like to thank them for their service while they were in Niue, and to wish them well in their new adventure.

Culling’s Food Products is now owned by Bill and Grace Wisse, trading under the name of ‘Double-M.’

The venue for this year’s meeting is Niue. “An appropriate location,” said SPREP’s Mr Andrea Volentras during the Opening ceremony at Matavai Resort, “considering the gravity of Cyclone Heta’s damage to the island state’s sea and land environments in January last year.”

The theme for the Regional Meteorological Services Director’s Meeting is, “To prepare Island Nations for extreme weather events in the Pacific” began with Reviewing conclusions and Recommendations from past meetings.

Hon Toke Talagi, Deputy Premier and Minister for Niue Meteorological Services, who officially declared the meeting open told participants of a traumatic experience in witnessing first hand the state of a devastated environment caused by a category 5 cyclone. “The extreme weather events, such as we experienced, impacted severely on our economy, infrastructures, living communities and our physical environment,” he said. “I thank Tasi [Director of the Niue Meteorological Services, Sionetasi Pulehetoa – who was elected chairperson for the next year] for insisting that Niue could still host this meeting.”

Hon Talagi also told participants of the recent cluster of cyclones, Olaf, Nancy, and others that devastated Samoa, Tokelaus, American Samoa and the Cook Islands. “That there were no serious damages are a testimony to the early warning systems and disaster management plans that the Region has in place which made a big difference,” he added.

The Meeting of Directors will help increase public awareness and the improvement of weather predictions was considered a high priority by the participants.

Tasi had prepared a full programme for the visitors with other activities such as dinner at Hakupu [held last night and was thoroughly enjoyed by the group] and the official opening of a RANET facility at Liku today.

The Meeting, which included high level participating members from the Pacific Region, will continue for a week. The sponsorship list is impressive and includes organisations such as SPREP, SOPAC, AusAID, NZAID, WMO [World Meteorological Organisation] NOAA [National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration] National Weathea Seavici and First Voice International and the host, the Government of Niue.

Christina and Tony Fuemana are currently on the island [“ours too,” said Tony] to touch base with the descendants of their ancestors, and the land that is also part of their heritage. They met the Premier and Members of the Cabinet to explain their mission, in an occasion that included a ceremony in which they presented a collection of their musical successes marketed under the Urban Pasifika label.

The presentation ceremony was tinged with sadness because the creator and the genius behind the Urban Pasifika label, Phil Fuemana, died earlier this year leaving his equally gifted and talented siblings to continue the work their brother had begun.

The musically talented Fuemana siblings are part Maori and part Niuean [from Mutalau.] but this week is apparently special – their brother, but especially in memory of their father by retracing his footsteps, imagining all the places that he had been in and trying to visualise his expectations in his early years of his childhood in Niue before he left for New Zealand.

But growing up in an Otara suburb was, according to sister Christina, was a lesson in abject poverty. “But we had to use our music to dream our way out of the poverty that we had found ourselves in.” Profound words from a maturing guru that wrings a past that most of us could relate to, but with OMC [Otara Millionaires Club] and ‘How Bizarre’ with Pauly Fuemana [another brother] they have indeed achieved within their lifetime fame and popularity while most us are still grappling with our own dreams.

“But Niue is an amazing place,” Christine said [ours too! Quipped Tony] “We absolutely love it! Lucky we found Mutalau first, and not Matavai.”

Tony and Christina spoke at length about their brother, Phil Fuemana, who died earlier this year of a heart attack. Christened ‘the Father of Brown Music’ by the New Zealand music and media fraternities, the musician and music producer was the founder of Urban Pasifika Records, responsible for launching the careers of many local hip hop, soul and reggae. OMC, which he launched with brother Pauly, went world-wide, for example, with How Bizarre.

Phil became the first independent Pacific New Zealand record label owner and producer, and was the driving force behind the Proud album compilation and the national tour in 1994. The album featured several Otara artists including OMC and Sisters Underground.

Baby Don’t Go, by Dina was recently produced by Phil and he was heavily involved in the Gifted and Maori project, due to be released at the end of this month. “He was an amazing person, our brother,” said Christina.

“Soul on the Rock” is the latest and perhaps the most ambitious project to date considering the scope of what it will hope to achieve. “We are going to use music as a kind of a cultural bridge building exercise for our Niuean people in New Zealand to be more aware of Niue as home,” explained Tony. “We will be launching this next year in Wellington and we will be inviting very important artists [musicians, actors and other entertainers] to the event. Soul on the Rock will focus primarily on promoting Niue.” Well done Tony and Christina, Niue Foou and the Government of Niue will be right behind you!

Christina and Tony visited and spoke to senior students about their mission objectives and offered valuable insights to help students become aware of the expanding opportunities out there within the music and arts fraternity.

“Money from music is fickle and playing rugby for a job is dangerous,” counselled Tony. “The only surety in life is to develop and nurture your talents, work hard at it and to be on the look out for opportunities that come your way. But you need to start here at school.” Sound advise Tony, thanks.

Just in case you missed out in receiving or reading this notice, here it is again:

“A reminder that no doubt you are all aware of the forthcoming General Elections.

Employees who have lodged or are intending to lodge applications for candidature for the forthcoming General Elections must notify your Head of Department in the first instance and you must take leave forthwith. No employees whom are declared candidates shall continue to work or be at their workplace or permitted to carry out any of their official duties after nomination day.

All leave shall continue up until the day after polling day unless the employee withdraws his/her candidature, or, the Head of Department is satisfied that the polling results of the particular constituency are being finalised before clear cut results are declared.

All leave shall be treated as annual leave, TOIL, and otherwise leave without pay.”

In other words, you cannot work, or be at your work place or perform your normal duties once your name is accepted and confirmed that you are a candidate in the General Elections. You will be officially on leave [use annual leave, TOIL or leave without pay, but let your HOD know first] until the results of the Elections are finalised. Ed

· For Patricia Kulatea to attend an ‘Enabling Electronic Exchanges of Lost and Stolen Travel Documents Information Workshop in Bangkok from 20-22 April. Fully funded by the Government of Thailand.

· A large group to travel to Tonga for a Sub Regional Workshop for Polynesia Integrating MDGS, CEDAW and CRC into National Development Plans, from April 18-22.

Minister Motufoou’s litany of praises for the ship, wharf and scrap metal workers was heard by Cabinet Ministers during their weekly meeting on Tuesday.

He thanked New Zealand for the delivery of the heavy machinery and Reef Shipping for their contributions that are going to make a big difference to our building programme, and the removal of rusty metals from our environment.

“The MV Southern Tiare left Niue on Saturday night on schedule, loaded to the gunnels with scrap metal containers and a fork hoist that needs fixing, a grader for parts and the boom end for the new Kato which we cannot use. But it is our workers that I was impressed with – they worked hard and diligently, the long hours through the dark and through the downpours in order to meet the scheduled departure of the ship. The working conditions were very dangerous and I feel justified in recommending that they be suitably rewarded.”

The Chief Electoral Officer, Togia Sioneholo, has advised of a provisional list of candidates who will be contesting the General Elections at the end of the month. The list will remain provisional until next Thursday to allow for withdrawal of candidates if required, or have second thoughts about his/her chances.

The Chief Electoral Officer Togia Sioneholo has declared Pokotoa SIPELI [Liku], Mititaiagimene Young VIVIAN [Hakupu] Fisa PIHIGIA [Tuapa], Opili TALAFASI [Hikutavake] Jack Willie LIPITOA [Namukulu] Billy TALAGI [Avatele] and Talaititama TALAITI [Vaiea] duly elected. [Section 41 of the Niue Assembly Ordinance 1966]

Toke TALAGI, Alan Tano PULEOTI, O’love Tauveve 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.

Is there a connection between pigs wandering around the villages and the abundance of pawpaws at the moment?

Or is it just a co-incidence. Our end of the village in Hakupu has been bothered by a group of piglets doing their own ‘march past’ ceremonies as they trooped into our cook houses and rooting around the vanilla patches around the back. They were seen doing the same across the village green a few days ago. And the pawpaws, they are ripening by the dozens but you better be quick because the rodents like them too!