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Pat pounds Aitutaki
Damage estimated at $10m
Airlines respond to cyclone crisis
$200,000 from NZ
88FM starts on Aitutaki
ON THE STREET
Hercules brings relief supplies
Restoring power and water not easy
$400,000 in PMG per diems unresolved
CI News responds
Church seeks compensation
Election on track
Man critical
Five MBA students win scholarships
Pat pounds Aitutaki
Thu
11 Feb
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An aerial shot of some of the damage caused on Aitutaki by tropical cyclone Pat.
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A deserted home reduced to rubble. PHOTO Mike Henry
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Houses were flattened and roofs uplifted as tropical cyclone Pat unleashed its fury on Aitutaki during the early hours of Wednesday morning.
According to businessman Mike Henry who reported via a patchy cellphone connection at 9am yesterday, the island experienced winds of up to 100 knots throughout the night.
Henry estimated that around 60 percent of homes in the Vaipae/Tautu area had sustained serious damage with around 10 homes completely flattened by the cyclone.
Around the Amuri area, Henry said that around 30 to 40 percent of homes had sustained damage.
“There’s extensive damage to homes on the island. Some have lost roofs and others have collapsed walls and about 10 homes have completed imploded,” said Henry.
“The SDA church in Vaipae has one wall that’s crumbled in.”
“Some tall trees still standing have been completely stripped of leaves.”
Henry said the buildings damaged ranged from those made of plywood as well as brick and limestone.
He said that the island lost power around 3am on Wednesday.
Henry also reported that the Aitutaki airport terminal had been completely ‘trashed’ with 60 percent of roof tiles missing and 80 percent of windows smashed.
“However the airstrip is completely clear of debris.”
Henry said that guests at his Amuri accommodation Tamanu Beach were enjoying breakfast at 9am yesterday after a rough night.
A number of large trees on the property had been felled but the bungalows were all still structurally sound.
Henry believes that it will take some weeks before the island returns to normal.
He said that what the island really needs is manpower and expertise to help restore services to the island including power.
He said that government really need to get behind Aitutaki and send over skilled people to help island get back on its feet.
When Cook Islands News spoke to Henry, he said that they were still experiencing 30 knot winds, and that residents were out in force helping those whose homes had been destroyed or lost their roofs.
Damage estimated at $10m
Fri
12 Feb
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A young boy rummages through the remains of a home in the village of Amuri in Aitutaki. The limestone home was destroyed by cyclone Pat which hit the island on Tuesday night causing widespread devastation. More photos inside.
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Red Cross officer Mata Hetland (left) talks to Reureu village resident Lina Monga who tells a harrowing story of how her household of eight managed to escape their home (at the back) before it was all but flattened by the cyclone that hit Aitutaki on Tuesday night.
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The people of Aitutaki are still coming to terms with the devastation caused by cyclone Pat which ripped through the island on Tuesday night.
Government officials including prime minister Jim Marurai and members of his cabinet were floored at the extent of the damage on the island when they visited on Thursday afternoon.
The initial estimate of damage to the island caused by the cyclone is over $10 million dollars.
During a briefing held at the Aitutaki Island Administration offices, Emergency Management director Charles Carlson admitted that, “this is bigger than we immediately thought”.
He said that emergency response crews were deployed across the island to conduct first response assessments.
“I’m desperate to get answers just like everyone else is,” said Carlson.
Around 15 Red Cross and health volunteers visited families through the ravaged villages to gauge the urgent needs of the people to make sure that people left without homes had places to stay and enough food and water.
The most urgent request by many people was to restore the power and water supply to homes.
Stores were almost giving away meat products which have defrosted over the past two days.
In some cases, 2kg bags of chops were being sold for $4, but with most homes also without power many couldn’t take advantage of the cheap products.Aitutaki member of parliament Junior Maoate has spent the past two days visiting homes to find out how people were coping.
During Thursday afternoon’s briefing Maoate pleaded to Marurai and minister for infrastructure and planning, William (Smiley) Heather, to urgently send skilled technicians to the island to help restore the islands power and water supplies.
“Bring the people from the power stations on Mauke, Atiu and Mitiaro to help restore our power,” said Maoate.
“We will accommodate them but we really need skilled technicians here to repair the power and from there we can mobilise everything.”
Cabinet minister Wilkie Rasmussen told Maoate and emergency personnel at the briefing that there was half a million dollars worth of supplies on Rarotonga ready to be shipped to Aitutaki to repair power poles.
Rasmussen said that it was indeed priority to restore the power to people’s homes and even more important to properly rebuild the island infrastructure.
He also mentioned that a Hercules plane could arrive in the next few days with much needed technicians and supplies.
Deputy prime minister Robert Wigmore was concerned at the food stock on the island with most if not all food crops flattened by the cyclone.
He encouraged farmers at the briefing to start propagating vegetables today with assistance from the ministry of agriculture.
Meanwhile Charles Carlson and Red Cross officials was given firm pushing along by Sir Terepai Maoate telling them to work overnight on the cyclone damage report which is needed for donor nations before aid can begin to arrive in Aitutaki.
Julie Affleck of the New Zealand High Commission also saw first-hand the extensive damage on Aitutaki and said that New Zealand was at the ready with supplies including generators and clean up equipment at the request of the emergency response team.
Airlines respond to cyclone crisis
Sat
13 Feb
Air New Zealand and Air Rarotonga are offering special discount fares, effective today, for those willing to donate their time to the cyclone relief effort in Aitutaki.
For the next couple of weeks, Air New Zealand will be offering discount fares of $419 from Auckland to Aitutaki on the condition that those who purchase them intend to help repair the damage inflicted on the island by Cyclone Pat.
Air New Zealand manager David Bridges said that the fares will be un-advertised so as to deter people who are not committed to the relief cause from taking advantage of them.
He said that the airline is doing what it can to help Aitutaki, ferrying gear, cargo and tradesmen over from New Zealand. He added that over the next couple of weeks, fares will be reviewed and re-worked to accommodate the needs of relief workers.
Air Rarotonga is also discounting fares for those who want to help the Aitutaki cause. Managing director Ewan Smith said that Air Raro is offering a $99 one-way fare for the weekend, to be used by friends and relatives of those affected by Cyclone Pat.
Tourism chairman Tata Crocombe said that once Aitutaki pulls out of its emergency phase, hoteliers and airlines will consider working together to offer packages to tourists so as to “assist Aitutaki in getting back on its feet”.
$200,000 from NZ
Sat
13 Feb
New Zealand will make an initial contribution of $200,000 for relief and recovery efforts in the Cook Islands in the wake of cyclone Pat, foreign minister Murray McCully announced yesterday.
Cyclone Pat hit the southern Cook Islands on Thursday (NZT), causing widespread damage on the island of Aitutaki.
“Thankfully, there are no reported deaths or serious injuries in Aitutaki, although there has been widespread destruction, with early estimates suggesting that up to 90 percent of buildings have sustained damage," said McCully.
“Today’s funding is a first step, and the New Zealand government will continue to work with authorities in the Cook Islands to decide how we can best support ongoing recovery efforts on Aitutaki,” minister McCully said.
New Zealand’s support will be channelled through the Cook Islands Red Cross. - MFAT
88FM starts on Aitutaki
Sat
13 Feb
Nick Henry of 88FM helped to set up a temporary radio station on Aitutaki yesterday.
They have set up in the island’s hospital. The signal can be picked up clearly on 88FM in mainly the town area. Henry says it will help disseminate messages to the public. - MM
ON THE STREET
Sat
13 Feb
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May Arioka
No plans. Every day is Valentine’s Day for me.
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Piri Matapo
Take the missus to Rehab.
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Mama Jackson
I’ll have a feed.
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Purenga Tearea
I’ll give him a rose and I want a big kiss and a thank you.
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Margaret Simiona
I’m going to eat as much as I like, with my husband.
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Shane Kuru
Rest with my lady.
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George George
Celebrate with my brother because it’s his birthday.
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Ray Roumanu Spend time with my beautiful wife.
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What are your plans for Valentine’s Day?
Hercules brings relief supplies
Mon
15 Feb
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Aitutaki power supply workers get reinforcements today to help restore electricity.
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An air force Hercules will deliver emergency supplies and hope to Aitutaki today.
The plane was due to arrive in Rarotonga around midnight last night carrying supplies and 32 military personnel to help the island recover from cyclone damage.
Squadron Leader Kavae Tamariki, a Cook Islander, is with the relief mission as communications and media advisor.
He said yesterday the Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130 Hercules would be carrying tarpaulins, water containers, tents, chainsaw packs and other basic supplies.
He said the plane would do two or three flights to Aitutaki in order to transport Red Cross supplies and stores and equipment needed to restore electricity and water reticulation. Engineers will help to fix essential services in the disaster area, said Squadron Leader Tamariki.
Confirming arrangements for the mission, acting NZ High Commissioner Nicola Ngawati said yesterday that the New Zealand Government is committed to helping the people of Aitutaki recover from the damage caused by cyclone Pat.
New Zealand has made an initial contribution of $200,000
for relief and recovery efforts in the Cook Islands in the wake of the cyclone.
Ngawati said this $200,000 is a first step and the New Zealand Government will continue to work with authorities in the Cook Islands to decide how they can best support ongoing recovery efforts on Aitutaki.
Finance minister Wilkie Rasmussen has been appointed to coordinate the cyclone recovery effort from Rarotonga.
He said yesterday the Hercules was expected to make a couple of circular flights around Aitutaki before landing today, as a way of helping build morale and lift the spirits of the people. This had been requested by island leaders.
Restoring power and water not easy
Mon
15 Feb
Restoring power to homes in cyclone-ravaged Aitutaki is still a difficult challenge and the priority for officials.
Aitutaki mayor Tai Herman reported yesterday afternoon that only a few homes on the island had electricity.
He said homes still with power were those least affected by the storm or were already supplied power via underground cables.
“These homes now have multiple freezers hooked up to help those families that are still without power,” said Herman.
He said that with just six Aitutaki Power Supply staff and four linesmen on loan from Te Aponga Uira, progress on restoring supply was slow.
About six more linesmen from Mauke, Mitiaro and Mangaia are expected to arrive on the island today to help with repairing the power lines, along with an unknown number of qualified technicians aboard the Hercules from New Zealand.
But Herman said that the problem wasn’t repairing sub stations and power lines.
“The problem is the wiring inside the homes.What we really need are electricians to go through the homes to check the wirings. It can be a very dangerous process so we don’t want to switch the power on just like that.”
Herman praises Air Rarotonga for their efforts in flying equipment to the island, Red Cross for surveying the living conditions of people, Ata Herman and William Heather Jnr from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Planning for the manpower and the government for visiting and seeing first-hand the damage and devastation on the island in order to assist with finances.
“My biggest fear, though, is band aid jobs,” said Herman.
“Yes Red Cross is doing their very best with supplying tarpaulins and these are much needed band aid measures.”
“But if homes don’t get rebuilt soon, I fear that people will just pick up one-way tickets to New Zealand.
“We can fix everything. We can fix the power, water and homes but the people we are concerned for are those with big bank loans and home loans.
“It’s very sad to see these people who haven’t really enjoyed their home for long, now suffering and we really need the government to help these people.
In terms of clean up – Herman says that each village has been asked to pull together and clean up their areas.
“Places like Amuri and Ureia are doing really well in the cleanup process.”
“But there is so much roofing iron around and we’ve decided to pile this up in one area instead of burying it. We need to compress this iron and so we are asking for a compressing machine from New Zealand.”
In regards to water supply, Herman said that water reticulation was improving on the island however the water pressure is very low as they believe water is leaking out of broken pipes in some of the damaged homes.
He added that once water pumps are running and power supplies to them returned, water flow to homes will improve.
“Those families with water tanks still intact have been allowing other people from the village to use it as well.”
He said people were still dealing with the shock of the devastation left by the cyclone but returning to church on Sunday brought back some sense of normality to people.
$400,000 in PMG per diems unresolved
Mon
15 Feb
Money paid in by overseas athletes attending last year’s Pacific Mini Games is the subject of ongoing discussions between the organising committee and Cook Islands Sports & National Olympic Committee.
Pacific Mini Games chief executive Mac Mokoroa did confirm that there was an issue over the payment of the per diems which is charged to all athletes attending the games.
The per diem, which goes towards accommodation, meals and transport, is around $70 daily. It is estimated that up to $400,000 in per diems could have been paid to CISNOC. However it is understood that some countries had not paid their per diems in full.
When asked, Mokoroa said around $100,000 had been handed over to PMG.
He did not want to comment further on this matter.
When contacted by email, CISNOC president Sir Geoffrey Henry said that information would be forthcoming once full settlement has been reached between the Pacific Games Council, CISNOC and PMG Ltd.
PMG has basically been responsible for handling purchases and making payments for the games which were held in September and October last year.
Mokoroa said that the accounts for the games should be completed by the end of this month in readiness for a Pacific Games Council executive meeting in March.
He said that the games had an operations budget of around
$9 million, which has been funded in part by a $4.5 million appropriation, $1.8 million in sponsorship and $1.2 million in equipment sales.
Mokoroa added there were still some outstanding bills to be paid but he is confident that these would be cleared within the next month.
A final clearance sale of equipment from the games will go on sale at Te Atukura, beginning on Monday, February 15.
CI News responds
Wed
17 Feb
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A Hercules airlifts heavy machinery.
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Cook Islands News is donating a portion of its earnings and space on its website to the Aitutaki cause.
“We’re going to dedicate 50 cents per copy of the newspapers sold for one week – that’s six editions – as the company contribution to a particular cause of need that we haven’t yet decided on,” managing editor John Woods said yesterday.
CI News sells around 2200 copies per day and Woods estimates that the donation will be close to $4000.
“We’ll apply our donation to a good community cause other than private or individual needs,” he said.
CI News is also in the process of creating a page on its website dedicated to cyclone reports, official government statements, daily coverage and fundraising information.
The website will highlight the Aitutaki Cyclone Appeal bank account number and will direct viewers to contact the operations office at the Aitutaki hostel in Avarua.
All new fundraising activities and proujects will be profiled on the website.
Committee secretary Florence Syme-Buchanan said that the Aitutaki community is “very grateful to CI News”.
New appeal body to coordinate fundraising, page 8.
Church seeks compensation
Wed
17 Feb
Court claim over sports arena site in Te Puka
The land where the Telecom Sports Arena stands is the subject of a compensation claim in the courts.
The Te Puka land was taken by a warrant dated August 4, 2008, and the Cook Islands Christian Church which owns the land asked the government to pay compensation, following a valuation report furnished by the CICC.
The matter was first heard in the High Court in October last year and an order was made for the applicant, Cook Islands Investment Corporation (CIIC), on behalf of government, to
file a valuation report by January 31.
CIIC was unable to obtain a valuation and filed for a further adjournment, which has been opposed by the CICC.
In submissions filed by the CIIC late last month, it said that “it became apparent that cabinet may not have been properly advised or fully informed of the options available to it prior to the land being taken by warrant”.
“Nor was it properly advised of the consequences of the same including the statutory obligation to pay compensation.
“As a result no appropriation was provided for or allowed to engage a valuer and or to pay compensation.”
CIIC said in its submissions that finance minister Wilkie Rasmussen has indicated that “he is not in favour of taking the land by warrant and has indicated that he wishes to seek legal clarification and advice before proceeding any further with the compensation claim”.
“Counsel respectfully submits that if possible it is probably more desirable not to acquire the land compulsorily by taking the same by warrant.”
CIIC said that even the budget policy committee had expressed concerns about the level of compensation that government may be ordered to pay and has sought direction from the financial secretary as to whether the government is “even in a position to pay compensation and consequently the desirability of taking the land by warrant”.
CIIC has asked the court that the valuation date be extended to April 23, to enable the minister of finance an opportunity to review the matter.
Election on track
Wed
17 Feb
Preparations for this year’s general elections are on track, says justice secretary Mark Short.
Short says a submission has been prepared for cabinet and it is expected that the budget asked for will be around $200,000, which was similar to what was appropriated for the 2006 elections.
However, Short says what he would like to see put in place before the elections is a general awareness or advocacy campaign aimed at enrolling all eligible voters especially those who are turning 18, and those who will vote for the first time.
Pamphlets on voting were put out by the electoral office before the last elections.
Another matter, Short says, that may need sorting out is the required mark that needs to be put on a voting paper by voters.
Currently a cross is required to be placed inside a box beside the candidate’s name and Short says this may need to be clarified as he understands that many voters put a tick instead.
Taggy Tangimetua, who has managed electoral matters at the last election as the deputy chief electoral officer, says preparations are ongoing.
The electoral roll was updated last year and Tangimetua says it is due to be updated again next month.
The rolls will then be distributed throughout the shops and other locations which are convenient for the public.
Man critical
Wed
17 Feb
A 34-year-old Takuvaine man was transported to New Zealand after sustaining serious injuries in a motor vehicle accident in the early hours of last Friday morning.
The man was drunk and driving on the wrong side of a roundabout when he lost control of his motorbike.
He suffered from a fractured skull and police reports indicate that he is “stable but not responding”.
Five MBA students win scholarships
Wed
17 Feb
Five MBA students have had a windfall.
Diane Puna, Nga Puna, Anne Herman, Alex Henry and Ngatuaine Maui have received Commonwealth Fund for Technical Cooperation (CFTC) awards, as part of the Professional Development Programme for the Pacific 2010.
The awards, which are merit-based, were issued by the Commonwealth Secretariat and will help recipients to pay tuition and textbook fees.
The recipients are all students in the final year of a two-year Master’s of Business Administration programme at USP.
According to a media release issued by the Ministry of Foreigh Affairs, the five award recipients and the Cook Islands government are “grateful to the Commonwealth Secretariat in providing awards to assist not only the Cook Islands with the development of the nation’s human resources capacity but also Cook Islanders in their pursuit of higher education.”
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