Team on fact finding visit to NZ

Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Teariki Heather has been in New Zealand this past week visiting smaller cities and towns to see how they tackle and deal with critical infrastructural issues.
Accompanying the Minister on this fact finding trip were Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning (MOIP)CEO Otheniel Tangianau, Tai Nooapii Sanitation Manager MOIP, John Baxter Mayor of Aitutaki and Aitutaki Councilor Bobby Bishop for Environment Service.
The Minister spoke with the Times on Thursday afternoon (Cook Islands time) from Wairoa in NZ. He said the fact finding trip had gone well.
The team had visited Wairoa, Napier, Gisborne, Opotiki, Rotorua (Thursday NZ time). In visits to these centres, the team met and had discussions with the Mayors and Councilors and had seen their operations in the area of waste management, recycling and sewerage treatment. They had also looked at the solutions applied for these areas. The Minister said the experience and knowledge gained had been an eye opener.
While team members would be heading home, Heather is staying on as he will be visiting Auckland Super City Mayor Len Brown next Tuesday.

By Charles Pitt

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