Negativity concerns Manuela

Bruce Manuela, a Director of Northern Cook Islands Fishing Company Ltd, told the Times on Friday morning he is concerned at the negativity directed at the company following the tabling of the Audit Report during the last session of parliament.
The Audit report reviewed the Agreement for the Issuance of 16 Foreign Fishing Licenses to his company.
Manuela said the company had been set up in 2008 with his friend Stevenson Safotu as co-director with the aim of establishing a fish processing plant in Penrhyn. The plant and other initiatives would provide employment for locals and process Albacore before shipment to the canneries in Pago. The by-catch and other high value reef fish like Parrot fish would also be processed. The processing plant would also be available to local fishermen to process their catch. Manuela, who is from Manihiki and a long time fisherman, said Penrhyn was chosen because it had a deep water harbour and an airport.
He said the plan met with negative comment from the outset.
The company formed a joint fishing venture with Yuh Yow Fisheries, a Taiwanese fishing company.
The construction of the processing plant was to be funded by way of the rebate available on fishing licenses. He said the Minister had agreed for them to pay $5,000 for the licenses but on condition that if the processing plant was not set up in 6 months they would have to pay the full license fee of $40,000.
Manuela said the time frame was too tight. It proved impossible to complete such an undertaking given the constraints of shipping and ordering materials and equipment.
In the end they duly paid the extra to make up the full fee of $40,000. In 2010 they were granted 10 licenses.
Manuela said the partnership with the Taiwanese went sour because they have no licenses to share.
He believes government should look at establishing a processing plant in Penrhyn using some of the fees from the exploratory licenses.
Manuela said at present his company is playing a waiting game. He said the dream he had of creating a viable industry in the northern group has been killed off by the Ministry of Marine.
The company also had plans to establish Game Fishing in the north and as mentioned earlier, processing high value reef fish for export and also bottom sea fish.
Manuela said he is concerned for the people of the north. He said when the company was set up there were over 200 people living on Penrhyn. Now there’s less than 100. He is dismayed that there’s too much talking and playing politics. He was angered at what he read in the Audit Report. It portrayed the company in a negative way.
Referring to Navy Epati, Manuela said he was a “Good mate.” He had asked Epati for advice due to his background knowledge. Epati provided good advice at the time said Manuela.
Referring to the news on CITV of an investigation into Epati, Manuela said Epati’s association with the company was purely as an adviser. He said the advice provided was free.
Manuela indicated he would like to make a further comment at a later date.

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