News Briefs

Minister calls on public to conserve water
Infrastructure and Planning Minister, Hon Teariki Heather has gone public in his request to the public to do their best to conserve water. All water intakes are low and with no rainfall forecast, the situation is becoming a concern.
Minister Heather also urges the public not to burn their rubbish during this period or at least not if they are not there to supervise the fire, warning that if the fires were to spread, there are likely to be insufficient water supplies to control the fire.
His request has been aired on television and on radio talkback on Friday morning in a bid to make the public aware of the need to use water wisely in their homes and businesses.

Leaders unanimously accept Cook Islands offer to host 2012 Pacific Islands Forum
Leaders at the Pacific Islands Forum have unanimously welcomed the offer by the Government of the Cook Islands to host the 2012 Forum on dates yet to be determined.
The announcement was made by New Zealand Prime Minister Hon John Key following the retreat for Prime Ministers held today on Waiheke Island.
“I am honoured that the Forum Leaders have accepted our offer and it is one we regard as a fantastic opportunity to promote the Cook Islands.”
“We look forward to welcoming Leaders to our country next year and intend to work closely with the Forum Secretariat to take on the role of host,” he said.
As current hosts New Zealand will continue to chair the Forum until the 2012 event.
Leaders commended the outgoing Chair Hon Meltek Sato Kilman Livtuvanu, Prime Minister of Vanuatu and the Government of Vanuatu for their leadership of the Forum over the past year.
In line with rules established by Leaders in 2002, Leaders unanimously agreed to reappoint Tuiloma Neroni Slade as Secretary General of the Forum Secretariat for a second term of three years.

Manihiki sailors fulfill earlier promise
In 2004 the Herald featured stories and photos of the highly promising and talented sailors from Manihiki under the guidance of Ronald Powell. Three of the young sailors featured Helema Williams, Junior Charlie and Taua Elisa went on to win medals at the 2011 South Pacific Games in Noumea. Our congratulations to them. Below are photos from 2004.

SIS Leaders refocus on issues

A meeting of the Leaders of the Small Island States (SIS), held on the Tuesday morning during the 2011 Pacific Forum Leaders conference (7-8 September) in Auckland, revisited key priority areas.
“During the fifteenth forum Leaders meeting back in 1984 the Leaders identified that the SIS countries should be given special attention due to their special development challenges and constraints.
The Leaders then approved the establishment of a SIC { Smaller Island Countries) Committee which consists of Cook Islands, Fiji, New Zealand, Niue, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Western Samoa with Australia participating as an observer.” said Su’a Kevin Thomsen, the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Director of Strategic Partnership and Coordination Program.
This group distinguished the States as individual countries that are, especially small in terms of physical geographical size, economically and in population. They also sorted the countries by their lack of resources, extreme isolation and social and economic vulnerability.
The key priorities areas that were identified in addressing the long term challenges of SIS are not new but have been refocused and reenergize upon. SIS issues that were discussed in the 2011 SIS Leaders Meeting were;
• Climate Change -sustainable financing options.
• Strengthening of developing coordination
• Education and health
• Transportation in sub-regional shipping and airline
• Trade agreements and labour mobility in the context of regional economic integration and
• Energy, with respect to renewable energy and bulk fuel procurement.
There were also other regional issues that demanded deliberation in combination with the regional priorities recognized by Forum Leaders under the Pacific Plan last year for the next three year period. These included gender issues and inclusivity of people with disabilities. -Tiare Ponini

PINA Media Workshop a great experience
On Sunday the 4th, I attended a PINA PIFS Media Workshop held at the University of Otago
in the heart of Auckland city with a group of other Pacific Reporters.
When the group was settled in the room we were asked to introduce ourselves. Sitting across the room from the rest of the reporters with my room mate Delloy Bagu who is a PNG TV presenter, I felt a bit self-conscious as everyone in the room were accomplished writers and very accomplished reporters, but with the help of Pita Ligaiula who is a PINA Journalist and is in charge of taking care of the Pacific Journalists and my new roommate I was able to settle down and focus.
We had four speakers that day speaking to us on what would be discussed in the Pacific Leaders Forum among our Prime Minister and other Pacific Leaders.
My favourite topic was based on issues in SIS which is short for Smaller Island States as it was focused on the Smaller Islands in the Pacific such has the Cook Islands.
The issues we focused on were Climate Change, Women’s rights in Parliament, Rights of the Disabled, locals immigrating out of the country to search for higher paying jobs and many more. The group of Pacific Reporters was given a question and answer moment after each speaker had finished presenting the topics that they specify in, which was a big help to all of us as we were given a bigger background on the topics that will be discussed in the Pacific Leaders Forum. I focused mostly on answering questions that involved woman’s rights in Parliament and issues on Problematic Youths and Climate Change.
On Monday the 5th we arrived back at the Otago University on Queen Street to attend the last day of the workshop. Sadly our first speaker of the day Michael Jones was not able to make it therefore our time for the workshop had moved to an earlier finish, but by then we had all been acquainted with each other and I was having a lovely time. The day’s topics we focused on were very interesting as I got to learn more on the RSE project that New Zealand has that allows New Zealand Employers to bring in Pacific Islanders from all over the Pacific for employment in the fruit picking industries.
By the end of the day I was sad to see the workshop end and everyone go their own way to report on their country’s delegates, but I am sure we all had a great time and made great friends along the way.
Thank You PINA for the great experience you have given me as a first timer to a Media Workshop.-Tiare Ponini

Te Putokotoko
Uianga? Eaa taku ka rave, kia rauka iaku te ora mutukore? Ko te ui’anga teia a te Eunuka kia Philipa. Kua tuatua atura a Philipa nako atura ki te Eunuka. Kua tuatua maira I te tuatua no Iesu te tuatua tei tata’ia ra, e akakite atu ra I te tuatua no Iesu Kia’ia. E te a’aere atura raua na te arata’a, tae atu ra raua ki te tai vai kua tuatua maira te eunuka, I na e vai teia, eaa au nei, e kore ei e bapetizoia? Kua karanga atura a Philipa, kua akarongo koe ma to ngakau katoa, e tika ia. Kua tuatua maira aia na ko maira. Kua akarongo au e ko Iesu Mesia ko te Tamaiti na te atua ia. Kua akaue atu ra aia ki taua kariota ra kia noo e kua eke atu ra raua ki raro I te vai. Ko Philipa e te eunuka katoa ra, e bapetizo atu ra ai’ai. (Angaanga 8:35-38) Ko te Ekalesia ko te kopapa ia o te Mesia. (Kolosa 1:24) I teia ra, e maata te au tangata, te tuatua nei ratou e ko te Ekalesia e pupu tangata meitaki ratou mei roto mai I te au akono’anga pure.
I te akamata’anga o te Ekalesia matamua kare e au akono’anga pure mei teia e tuatua’ia nei. Ko te au Keresitiano o tei reira tuatua, kua akaue’ia ratou kia noo ki raro ake I te tai e te apii’anga okotai. (1 Korinetia 1:10-13)
Ko te Ekalesia kua akatango’ia tuke tuke ratou. (Akara Roma 16:16) E aroa oki kotou tetai ki tetai ma te ongi tapu ra. Te aroa atu nei te au Ekalesia a te Mesia kia kotou. Ki te Ekaleisia a te Atua I Korinetia (1 Korinetia1. 1-2, 2 Korinetia 1.1)
Ki te au Ekalesia o Kalatia (Kalatia 1:2)
E papa ma, e mama ma, e tama ma e Ine ma; kua ariki ake koe ia Iesu Mesia ei atu ei akaora noou? Kua aere ainei koe na roto it te bapetizo taruku? Auraka e akara ki toou orometua e taau akono’anga pure kare e ora mutu kore I roto I te reira mari ua kia tatara ara tatou, ma te pati I te Tamaiti a te Atua kia tomo mai ki roto I to tatou ora’anga. Akara ki te eunuka, kare aia I pati I te tika a te orometua me kare ra ki tona nga metua, kua rave aia I tei tau i te apii’anga a te Buka Tapu.E maata te au orometua I te bapetizo taruku.
Teia te pati’anga; aera mai kia Iesu I teia ra kia ora toou vaerua. Teia ta te Aposetolo Ioane I tata; (1 Ioane 5: 11-12). Teia oki taua tuatua ra, kua orongo mai ta Atua I te ora mutukore no tatou e tei tana Tamaiti oki taua ora nei. Tei ia’ia ta tamaiti ra tei ia’ia katoa taua ora nei E kare ia’ia te Tamaiti a te Atua kare katoa ia’ia taua ora ra. E anau akaou. Amene!
Kia Orana e Kia manuia.

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