Community Visioning delegation from Koutu Nui visit Mauke

A delegation from the Koutu Nui has just returned from a fact finding Community Visioning project aimed at asking the people of the outer islands for their input into the Kaveinga Nui 2010-2015. The initiative is funded by UNESCO and is designed to fill the gaps identified by the Koutu Nui in the consultation phase of the national sustainable development plan which is due to be revised in 2010 by the Office of the Prime Minister.
Topics for discussion were :Akateretere’anga (governance); Ora’anga iti tangata (social); tuanga taporoporo (environment), kimi puapinga (making a living), and Akonoanga Maori (culture).
The meeting attracted 30-40 people, some of whom have lived there all their lives, others who returned some years ago, and others that have recently returned after they realized they should never have left their island paradise in the first place. All were passionate about retaining their core values and their way of life in Mauke
Social and economic issues
How to retain their people is high on the agenda including providing a good education for their children, finding employment for the Mapu so they would stay there and hopefully start their own families.
It is about finding a sustainable means of generating an income for their families and finding jobs for the younger generation in order to make it viable and attractive for the Mapu to stay and start their own families to add to the population.
Income generating projects include the various market gardens that have sprung up over the past year with crops of pineapples, cabbages, kumara, dill, bok choy (pinapi), in fenced off areas to keep the wild pigs from getting into their gardens.
The grass is not necessarily greener on the other side what with land costs, rates and water costs to be paid for which made it more expensive that if they had lived on their own land in Mauke speaking from experience of living overseas for a number of years.
Cost of living and high transport costs
High transport costs in sea freight and cargo were making it difficult to live in the outer islands. A project aimed at trying to be more independent by having their own small boat to Mauke has run into red tape and delays. On enquiry to the Ministry of Transport, it turns out that the delay is to do with safety issues including having a qualified captain and for the owners to form a registered company and to formulate a business plan to ensure the viability of the project. Once those issues are ironed out, the project is likely to be approved but the Ministry has not heard back from the applicants for a couple of months.
Air fares are rather steep in relation to their low incomes especially those on pensions and there were calls for concession fares for the Aronga Pakari (perhaps by some sort of direct subsidy from the government).
Water and environment issues
The water project is finally up and running under the auspices of Manukau City Council. It began one month ago and has another five months to go. It has provided employment for a number of workers.
The project has benefits for the island but some fear that there will be a downside in the future because the water comes from underground reservoirs which without careful water conservation will eventually be exhausted. This could lead to contamination from saltwater intrusion in the water with one resident claiming the project managers have warned of this but the authorities are not taking the warnings seriously at this point in time. He said the water should be used for drinking water only (not for washing machines and the like).
There were calls for suppliers - whether in Rarotonga, New Zealand or wherever - to take their rubbish back – referring to the mounds of glass bottles, plastics and electronic waste on the island.
Some privately said they have found lots of plastic rubbish washed up on their shores which they suspect has been dumped by passing yachties and ships. Other concerns are what to do with septic waste and laying down special conditions/regulations for septic tanks for properties on the makatea to prevent contaminating cave water with septic leakage.
Governance issues
Recent calls by the Economic Development Taskforce for reducing the number of politicians had a mixed reaction. After all, Mauke already has only one MP in national politics and they are proud of the fact that he is the Speaker of the House. They also have an elected Mayor and Island Council (Konitara o te Enua Mauke) and most saw this as a very democratic policy to make decisions at a local level for the benefit of their Iti Tangata without undue influence from national politics.
One of the frustrations of the Konitara is that they may bid for a very modest budget of say $25,000 for the year to use on village projects but find their budget slashed without any real explanation. When turning to the Islands Secretary for assistance, the Konitara are told there is no budget for any such projects. This situation is not fair on the Konitara nor on the people of Mauke.
One Orometua said governments make grand promises at election time but when they get into power, they do not deliver on their promises. Whatever their situation, the people of Mauke are amongst the liveliest and most generous people one could ever hope to meet and are amongst the most patriotic about their island and deserve the best just as we do in Rarotonga.
This and many other issues will be raised in the Shadow Report being prepared by the Koutu Nui for presentation to the OPM in December 2009.
The delegation was led by project coordinator, Te Pa Mataiapo with the assistance of Iro Rangatira, Pera Kerekere Mataiapo and Itaata Rangatira at the meeting held on Monday 2 November at the Sunrise Hall in Ngatiarua.

Herald Issue 463 10 June
- World famous activist assisting residents
- Budget will decide if residents prosecute Government over landfill
- Forestry project sucking Mangaia dry
- Budget 2010 – fiasco or disaster?