In this issue
New generator arrives : From
Falefono – Cabinet Meeting etc :
Capacity Building Workshop : Niue Tourism continues
Consultations : Group with a Mission :
WHO Press release about indoor pollution :
Re-Orienting returned citizens :
Uluvehi Marine Day
From
the Premier’s Office
Premier Vivian arrives back in Niue
Premier Vivian Returns from Okinawa
I was a bit shell-shocked when I got off the plane last Friday but I have been kept abreast of the developments and where we were with the power failure here by the Acting Premier.
I thank the Acting Premier Hon Fisa Pihigia and the Niue Disaster Management Council for all their work throughout this week. In particular, I thank Mr Speedo Hetutu, his staff and all the extra helpers that he had managed to gather around him to help get us back on track.
My people too are to be congratulated for the way they have rallied behind the Government and have kept their communities stable. It is truly amazing that disasters have a way of bonding our citizens into a big team and working together when it matters the most. I am truly impressed by your spirit of kaufakalataha and I thank you all for the way you have worked as a team.
I thank the Prime Minister of New Zealand and the NZ Minister for Foreign Affairs for the way they mobilized their resources in order to get us the equipment required to get the powerhouse back on track. It was a beautiful sight watching the RNZAF Hercules touch down last Friday and knowing that they were delivering the valuable cargo of a generator and the team of electrical engineers who came to install the machine. I thank the Air Force staff for making this trip to Niue promptly, knowing that they have to make a special trip here soon after returning from East Timor.
I am sure you will agree with me that we have been fortunate to not have had any other complications while we were without power. You must have prayed hard to keep yourselves and your families safe in what were literally our ‘darkest hours’ for our lives to return to normal.
Thank you Acting Premier Fisa and your Council; thank you Prime Minister Clark and Hon Winston Peters for your swift actions and your understanding; thank you everyone who have been working hard to put our power back together.
Hercules delivers power generator for Niue
Niue
Hanan International Airport was the busiest spot on the island last Friday. Air
New Zealand had to reschedule its inbound normal flight because Niue could not
guarantee that its emergency power generators would work properly. “Rather than
risking the generator playing up just as the plane arrived we asked Air New
Zealand to reschedule for a daylight landing,” said a spokesperson from Falefono.
“I would like to thank Air New Zealand for being so accommodating.”
The arrival of the Royal NZ Air Force Hercules to bring a generator for Niue’s power station was greeted with much excitement by the spectators who flocked to the airport and waited patiently for most of the afternoon until the huge machine was deposited safely on the transporter to be taken to Tuila. “We just want to make sure that it has arrived and that it was delivered safely,” said one of the spectators. “That way we can look forward to getting back to normal as soon as we can.”
The Air Force Hercules which had just returned from its duties in East Timor immediately loaded on its precious cargo [precious to us in Niue of course] and duly arrived in Niue on Friday afternoon. Prime Minister Helen Clark has been assuring Niueans abroad, who have been concerned about their relatives and friends living here, that the Government of New Zealand is doing its best to restore power on the island.
‘Sun and Fun’ at Uluvehi Marine Day
Thank
goodness for the Uluvehi Marine Day! We all needed some light relief after a
week of trauma when our power station at Tuila took an enforced break through a
fire that began in the switchboard. Small wonder that people, on arrival at the
venue, looked a bit wan and pale after a week in front of umu and cooking
fires, but after a few minutes among the living, the sun, sea spray and the wind
on their faces; all was fun, food, fish and yet more fish.
For
this year’s Uluvehi Marine Day the village community of Mutalau invited the
nation to share in celebrating its newly repaired sea track that was destroyed
by Cyclone Heta in 2004. “Thank you for inviting us to share in your
celebration,” announced guest speaker and Associate Minister Organ Viliko. “It
is always worthwhile celebrating an opening of a project that benefits not only
the village of Mutalau-Ululauta, but the whole island as well as the visitors
from overseas who regard Uluvehi as a preferred tourist site.”
Unlike other village communities that impose fishing competitions to members only, everyone who enjoys fishing, from the reef or from canoes, or just gleaning for shellfish amongst the rocks’ was invited to take part. The prizes offered helped to motivate both the experienced and the novice fisherpersons, but as the tide receded lower below the reef line there seemed to be more participants just foraging and fishing off the reef than there were fish to be caught.
“The key to a successful day is to have fun,” explained Mutalau’s Village Council Chairperson, Sifaole Ioane. “That there was plenty of seafood caught or collected during the day was a bonus. Thank you for taking part in our Marine Day celebrations.”
Although Uluvehi is a popular tourist attraction for present day visitors, the members of the community of Mutalau are proud to remind everyone that the landing site has a long history that predates Captain Cook’s visit to Niue in 1774, and the most well known being the landing place of Peniamina in 1846, who brought the Word of God to Niue.
NKM
unfortunately was not around when the happy fisherpersons brought their catches
to be weighed and judged at the end of the competition. Stories of the ‘one that
got away’ abound when fisherpersons get together to re-enact their reef and sea
drama may be all too familiar but the spirit of adventure, companionship and
having lots of fun at Uluvehi will live on and was certainly better than the
week that we have all had without lights after the sun had gone down
Endorsed or approved:
· Cabinet has endorsed a Project proposal for NZAid funding to set up a Laundry Service within the hospital grounds/buildings. Contractors will be required to launder all hospital linen and other necessities where proper disposal of laundry wastes are contained.
· Approval is granted for Capacity Building Workshop to be held in Niue for the benefit of Management and Corporate Services staff. Two training facilitators have been seconded from Fiji to conduct this workshop in Niue.
· Cabinet has approved the appointment of Wilson Whare Isaac as a judge of the Niue High Court.
· A request for the purchase of 8 computers and three printers for Niue High School is approved.
· A request from the Civil Construction Division for a utility vehicle and a tractor is conditionally approved, especially for the utility vehicle.
· The Niue Young Farmers need protection and safety gear and have offered to pay for half the cost of the boots.
· A similar request for protection and safety gear from the Vanilla Project is deferred until the Minister concerned returns from overseas.
· Cabinet has endorsed the following Strategy and Project Proposals for funding under the People’s Republic of China Grant-in-Aid NZ$600,000.
· Mrs Vilisi Nosa has been appointed to teach English at Niue High School until the end of the year. Mrs Nosa replaces Ms Brenda Meyer who resigned at the end of last term.
· NPSC is to receive an ex-police vehicle for their use provided they pay the costs of repairs for it.
Other Issues:
A
workshop on a national level for the Niue Workforce will be held at the
Millennium Hall this week. The overall aim of the Workshop is to: ‘develop
and build an organisational learning environment that will contribute to
Capacity Building, Management and Corporate
Services of the Niue Workforce.’ The In-Country
Training Project is funded by NZAid and includes two training facilitators from
the Fiji Public Service Commission Training Centre.
The workshop was to have lasted a week but the power failure almost caused a complete stop to the training due to the water shortage. Public Servants were given the opportunity to take leave if they wished, however many decided to stay and complete the training.
Niue Tourism has been busy consulting village communities of the 21 bed facilities proposed to built using a $2 million package destined to develop village economies. These facilities are to built over a period of two years, or preferably earlier if Niue is to take advantage of competitive air fares that Air New Zealand is offering to boost our tourist numbers.
“So far we have had good support from the village communities,” said Niue Tourism Board Chairperson, Taumafai Fuhiniu. “The concept appears to be easily understood and people are enthusiastic and eager to know when the project is going to start. The meetings have been held in the villages during the evenings and attended by Mrs Ida Hekesi and her staff, Dylan Viviani, Meshu Inia and Mrs Tanya Tagelagi.
External PRESS RELEASES
‘The problem of indoor air pollution has been around since the Stone Age,’ according to the Press Release from WHO and cooking with solid fuels [biomass] such as wood, coal, dung and other solid fuels have lead to high levels of indoor air pollution, ‘a major risk factor for pneumonia [in children [responsible for two million deaths a year] and chronic respiratory disease among adults.’
A new report from the World Health Organisation, Fuel for life: Household Energy and Health demonstrates that ‘investing in cleaner household fuels can yield a seven-fold economic benefit in health and productivity gains.’
Indoor air pollution also disproportionately affects women and children, the report further said that in 2002 cooking with solid fuels was responsible for 800 000 deaths among children and 500 000 deaths among women. So what is the solution?
Dr Lee Jong-wook WHO Director General suggests that, “making cleaner fuels and improved stoves available to millions of poor people in developing countries will reduce child mortality and improve women’s health and household energy programmes can help lift families out of poverty and accelerate development progress.
Niueans are still dependent on biomass fuel to cook their food, not only because umu [traditional earth ovens] cooked food taste better, the family saves on electricity and LPG costs and most outer villages do not have three phase power to operate electric ovens. Fortunately access to modern cooking facilities has reduced the need to rely wholly on biomass fuels and may free women and children from early deaths associated with indoor air pollution.
Adults, and smokers in general, who continue to smoke confined inspaces at home or at the workplace put passive non-smokers at risk and one wonders how many sufferers of the above said diseases have died from exposure to this source of indoor air pollution. Although Government has been supportive of measures to stop smokers from smoking in confined public spaces, there is still no legislation in place to make the activity an offence.
Community
A group of eight people from New Zealand arrived on Niue last week as invited guests of Pastor Joe Singh of the Christian Outreach Centre at Paliati.
The group has visited most places of interest on the island and are planning to do more activities before they return to New Zealand.
What do they notice about Niue? That the villages are ‘sad looking’ because they appear to be abandoned by their owners. “One of the things that we will tell our communities in Auckland is that Niueans living in New Zealand should come home and do something to help.”
“But we like what we see so far. Niue is a clean place and the weather is so beautiful and warm.”
Four of the group visited Falefono during their stay and were given a guided tour of the building especially the Debating Chambers. Not many people have the opportunity to visit their Government premises and this is one of the tour group’s highlights of their visit to Niue.
Re-orienting
our returned citizens
Mr Ioapo Mohetuki adjusts to life in Niue
Last issue Niue Ki Mua wrote about our tupuna, some of whom who live abroad were brought back home by their families, others who stayed here were looked after by the village communities while others came and stayed to look after theirs in their own homes because that is where they want to be.
This week Niue Ki Mua profiles a couple who have chosen to stay, which is difficult enough without the high wages that they were used to, so that they could look after their ailing and fragile parent/tupuna properly. Not many have chosen this option for obvious reasons but in order to supplement the meagre benefit they received [gratefully, I might add] from the government they have resorted to working the land and all that it has to offer.
Mr Ioapo Mohetuki [whose own parents died in New Zealand sometime ago] came to support his wife to help look after her 80 year infirmed father. He has hunted uga in the bush, fished in the sea and today [at last, he says] has managed to have a palao [cleared plantation] to plant talo and other crops that we in Niue depend on to keep the family fed.
“I intend to have three more of these plantations so that I can plant enough to feed us,” he explained to NKM. “If all goes well we will not be going back to New Zealand. I just love it here, and wondered why we didn’t do this before now. Mind you we have not found it easy but I am not going to wait for the government to give me a job or a hand out to keep me in the manner that I had been used to.”
Premier Vivian is impressed with the pair, their dedication to their aging parent and their promised commitment to remain. “Thank you for coming back and for bringing back our tupuna. I wish that I had the same courage to bring back my own father when he was alive so that he could enjoy his last days at home,” he said. “I hope that the Government of Niue will be able to help you out more in the days ahead.”
Indeed the family home is unfortunately a two bedroom 1960’s hurricane issue and the couple will need to renovate and enlarge if a loan can be arranged.
Mr and Mrs Mohetuki are an example to our people that it is possible to return home to Niue as they have done. Rather than having a mindset of dependency, for example, wanting the Government to give them a job and pay for their home renovations, this couple has the self determination to do the best they can for their father and themselves in this land.
Publisher: Public Relations Office
Editors: Ms Josie Tamate
Ms Talava Turner-Tuhipa
Falefono
Alofi NIUE
May Week 4, 2006
New generator arrives : From Falefono – Cabinet Meeting etc : Capacity Building Workshop : Niue Tourism continues Consultations : Group with a Mission : WHO Press release about indoor pollution : Re-Orienting returned citizens : Uluvehi Marine Day