PM engages NGOs in new partnership
Prime Minister Jim Marurai has signaled the beginning of a special Partnership Programme with CIANGO, to give renewed meaning to Government’s relations with civil society.
The Prime Minister conveyed the initiative to CIANGO President Vereara Maeva-Taripo this week, during a round of preliminary discussions between his office and the Association. In a key move to build the Partnership, Marurai has sought the input of Minister Ngamau Munokoa, who will be joining the Prime Minister in talks with CIANGO, on Monday.
Munokoa is the Minister responsible for NGOs and Marurai is keen for the pair to explore ways to keep Government and CIANGO engaged by way of fresh efforts at partnership-building.
Maeva-Taripo has expressed a willingness to establish a dialogue under strengthened ties and has already indicated a number of key factors to put forward for discussion under the auspices of a special Partnership Programme.
These issues include CIANGO’s triennial Forum, which attracts a large number of participants from around the country, and the funding arrangements that the NGOs enjoy under sponsorship from the EU, and other donors.
In terms of its major sponsor, CIANGO is facing a critical time thanks to word that the EU is pulling the plug on its assistance to the national body. Maeva-Taripo has concerns over the apparent priority shift by the EU and the linkages with the Prime Minister have encouraged her to explore aid issues.
The EU presently backs CIANGO to the tune of around $150,000, which supports a three-person secretariat plus nationwide project development. Turning the tap off this source of support will have a major impact on CIANGO, which has seen diminished levels of funding from the central government budget over recent years.
In future developments, the national NGO body is close to signing off on a leased property from Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC). This section in Pokoinu will be the location of a new CIANGO headquarters, which Maeva-Taripo hopes will cater for the organisation’s growth and functions in future years. In fact, the President is hopeful that CIANGO can reach its development target by the time the next Forum rolls around in August 2007.

Headlines : Times 176
- It’s our Krystina
- Market project still alive
- The Privatisation Debate
- How BBC sees us: Leaving Captain Cook’s ‘paradise’
- Check your bag weight, Air New Zealand is calculating the cost
- Dubai dancers showcase here
- Clash at the Chamber
- PM engages NGOs in new partnership

Headlines : Times 175
- WHAT A MESS
- Surprise resort baby born at Rarotongan
- Carlson makes quick Emergency start
- Apia, here comes Our Beautiful Pacific
- Pacific Blue gets new plane options for here
- New dates for hotel opening
- Why Chief Justice dismissed petition
- Ring the bell, lots of boxing planned
- A boring day off for Maara Vaiimene?
- Cath Kara call in
- Wilkie tells of his Fiji mission
- Ruling on gifts opens up a new era
- Metua Rakei learns to live