News in Brief

Annual reports by Ministries to Parliament lacking
Certain Ministries are required by law to submit (through the Minister)an annual report to parliament.
Some Ministries are failing to submit annual reports for tabling in parliament following the end of the financial year. It has been an ongoing concern and this government has an opportunity to tackle the matter.
Certain Ministries such as Police, Justice, Agriculture and a few others do make the effort to ensure that following year’s end, their Minister can table an annual report to the House.
However, due to pressure on the Audit Office, the financial reports on expenditure contained in these annual reports is in many cases, unaudited. This raises questions such as, should such reports be permitted to be tabled and are unaudited reports unlawful?
Another question is, if a Ministry fails to submit an annual report to parliament as required by law, can that Ministry be held in contempt of parliament?
Failure to submit a report means parliament’s own watch dog, the Public Expenditures Committee, is unable to perform its important functions. The Times understands the Public Expenditures Committee has only met once.
Further the general public cannot form a judgment on performance of the Ministry to plan especially in the expenditure area.
HOMs are required to submit reports to the Public Service Commissioner but that is in relation to their performance against contract. The public do not get to see these reports and neither does parliament.
The importance of reporting to parliament is so members can report back on Ministry performance to their constituents especially members of the opposition.
It also ensures transparency and accountability.
This issue also raises questions regarding the capacity of the Audit Office to audit Ministry accounts before they are tabled in the House. Perhaps outside help needs to be contracted in to assist.
This issue was raised with the PM during his media briefing on Tuesday and it was noted.

DPM attending meeting in Korea
Deputy Prime Minister Tom Marsters will soon be departing for Korea to attend the Foreign Trade Ministers meeting to be held on 31 May. News of his attendance at the meeting came not via a media release from his office but from a newspaper in Korea!
The DPM is one of many Pacific Island nations attending the meeting which will focus on development cooperation, environmental protection and climate change. Given the size of many of the pacific islands and a low altitude it’s understood that countries such as us are on the verge of extinction amid rising sea levels due to global warming. While there, the DPM will be meeting with Korea’s foreign Minister where he’ll sign a memorandum of understanding on an exchange of tax information.
The DPM has been on a number of trips overseas but has not held any media conferences prior to leaving or on his return and has only appeared on CITV News once since the election. This is hardly a good example of transparency or “open government.”

$2.2 million northern project to start
The Northern Water Project which involves the islands of Pukapuka, Nassau, Penrhyn, Manihiki and Rakahanga with a budget of $2.2 million, is about to get under way. The Contractor is RVK, Keta Williams.
Some 300 homes and 1,300 people are expected to benefit from improved catchment systems, (water tanks, guttering, and first flush) with some improved roofing. Water security will also be fostered by supporting awareness programmes in conservation and hygiene. In addition, water monitoring improvements are expected to assist local government build knowledge and understanding for water resources.
The combination of these activities is expected to mitigate risks related to droughts and assist local government better manage water systems in future.
Major renovations to roofs will be considered on a case by case basis and require endorsement of the Island Council& Project Management Committee.
This project is one component of the Cyclone Recover and Reconstruction Plan which was agreed after the five tropical cyclones in 2005.
Funding for future maintenance and repairs has yet to be agreed. An agreement between the community and government will be needed. This may involve user pays and take the form of an annual charge or rate or community fund.
The contract allows for variations up to $500 per house to be agreed on site to address unforeseen issues.
Most homes are expected to get a 6,000 litre water tank.

Esther Honey census to start soon
Esther Honey has lots of empty cages!!!! This is great news after having over 45 kittens just before Christmas. Now there are just ten kittens needing homes and a few adult cats. There are no puppies playing on the Clinic’s lawn either. Acting Clinic Director Michelle told the Times on Thursday this could be due to the Clinic’s de-sexing programme working. The clinic ran the programme last year after which a census was undertaken on dogs living on Rarotonga. It was found that 70% of dogs involved in the census had been de-sexed. This is the sort of numbers we like to have in order to control the dog population explains Michelle. The Clinic is in the process of starting another census for 2011. There is only one cat and one dog at the clinic that are suffering from fish poisoning. The Clinic’s hospital is empty, compared to a couple of weeks ago when it was full. Animals are still arriving regularly from traffic accidents, and of late, goats are being targeted by roaming dogs. One goat had just come out of surgery having had its leg amputated from a suspected dog attack. If you would like to provide a home for one of these homeless animals, please contact the clinic on Ph: 22336

Red Cross in Training
Cook Islands Red Cross is having a Training Work Shop from 30th June – 3rd July in Matavera. The workshop is for Volunteers and Staff, (including people from five different outer islands), the Ministry of Health, Emergency Management Cook Islands and Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning. Jane, who is working with the Red Cross, said the purpose of the workshop is to increase the knowledge and skills of water treatment, hygiene and sanitation in an emergency and is leading on from the Red Cross response to Cyclone Pat in Aitutaki. Topics include Water Treatment and assessing needs after an emergency. Staff and Volunteers will take part in a series of mock and practical exercises. Jane said there is a need to increase capacity after learning from Cyclone Pat and to do more training to be better prepared. There needs to be a group of people in trained teams, who can respond to these emergencies she said.

Keeping our Market clean
“Do the people on this island care about the environment?”-Elma McBirney
This is the question posed by Punanga Nui Market Manager Elma McBirney who is sick and tired of the public dumping their rubbish at the Market. It’s an ongoing nuisance that some members of the public are throwing their rubbish into the bushes, leaving it on the tables they use after eating, or throwing their unsorted rubbish in the nearest bin. There are metal baskets provided which are clearly marked with the words Plastic, Aluminium, Glass or Recycling on them says Elma. When the Public misuse the bins, it is then that Elma and her team have to sort the rubbish and put it into the correct bins. “We shouldn’t have to do this,” she explains. Elma’s main focus is having the Market spick and span and rubbish free. She and her team start at 7am until 4pm, working hard to keep the Market looking kept and tidy. It infuriates her that she should have to clean up after the public. People are even cheeky enough to leave their bagged beer bottles down at the market after their parties she says. “The attitude of the people seems to be that that’s what I get paid to do, so why should they bother,”says a very tired and stressed out Elma. Her message is clear - GET RID OF YOUR OWN RUBBISH!

Headlines : Times 290 02 March 2009
- Lucky $1,000 winner
- Century old palm trees and the French connection
- Koutu Nui takes part in Raui meeting in Moorea
- WOM Award Dinner for Ake Hosea-Winterflood
- Island of Atiu to host Koutu Nui AGM in June 2009