Neu: 2001-08-24 Contents of this issue: 1. New Jail? 2. David and Goliath 3. Thumbs Down 4. Agreement Concerns 5. Team Niue 6. Party Time 7. THE WEEKEND 8. NEXT WEEK ======================================================================== August 24th, 2001 1. New Jail? Niue will get a new maximum security prison to replace its unfenced version if Minister of Justice, Robert Matua Rex, has his way reports Pasifika Times correspondent John Andrews. In the wake of last week's murder in the jail grounds at Fonuakula, about 2km from Niue's capital Alofi, Mr Rex met top government officials this week to discuss prison and gun control options. "If I had my way, I would shift it to a more isolated place, one which is fixed with maximum security," Mr Rex told Pasifika Times. "I don't think any village would like it near their areas." He said one suggested site for a maximum security prison was on a farm in the Vaiea area of Niue. Noting there was a two-year period during which the present jail had no prisoners, he said a new institution would need no more than three cells to house inmates. Mr Rex has told John Bryan, New Zealand's high commissioner to Niue of his concerns and to see if New Zealand could assist the Niue Government. The minister met police chief, John Satini Tohovaka, secretary of justice, Togia Sioneholo, and legal advisers to discuss gun controls, alternative prison administration methods and funding issues. The meeting follows the pre-breakfast shotgun slaying of 41-year-old prison inmate Michael Pioiva in the prison grounds last week, the second gun-related homicide in 10 months on the normally tranquil island. Pioiva, who had served about three years of a nine-year prison term for sex and violence offences, was buried about nine hours after being shot dead. A prison warder, Joe McCoy, aged 57, has been charged with Pioiva's murder and remanded by Chief Justice Norman Smith in custody until September 24. Mr Rex said extra police had been assigned to help warders maintain a strict guard over McCoy. Niue's 1750 residents are believed to have more than 300 shotguns between them, with some families owning up to three weapons. Mr Rex said the issue of more strict gun controls was a difficult and political issue because feral pigs plundering food plantations caused problems. Niue has a two-month season during which residents can shoot pigeons and flying foxes [fruit bats]. One measure under consideration is amendment of the law to ensure guns are out of circulation for the rest of the year. In report in the New Zealand Herald this week, Niue Opposition figure and former cabinet minister, Veve Jacobsen, slammed the Niue Government and justice officials for what she regarded as the island country's weak system of justice. She claimed that a Tongan man charged with the murder of a woman relative last year was allowed to wander around the island planting watermelons and cabbages. Asking why the accused man was not behind bars, Mrs Jacobsen said: "If there are no bars, you put them in. It doesn't take a year to put bars and a toilet in [jail]. "One man [accused of murder] is wandering around outside and one is locked up. That's hypocrisy. It's a real farce. "In the interests of the population and tourists, they should be locked up. "A lot of people are leaving guns in their cars to shoot pigeons," she said. "There are too many guns and they [government] should be doing something about it." Mr Rex told Pasifika Times it was absolute nonsense to suggest the accused Tongan was wandering unescorted. He said: "We do not allow prisoners to wander around the island." He then said he had heard rumours of the prisoner tending watermelons but "no one has brought it to my attention." It was possible the inmate's warder escort had not been spotted. Prison inmates were locked up for 12 hours from 6pm each day and worked in the site's gardens. Of the latest homicide, Mr Rex said: "It has not done any good for the image of this country. We cannot control human tendencies for this type of thing." 2. David and Goliath: The rugby-mad population on Niue will have their eyes glued to the tv Friday (island time) as Jonah Lomu and Breyton Paulse run out on the field, the biggest and smallest individuals on the pitch. They will share a common goal: getting a lot more involved in the game than they have been in recent tests. Lomu's 118kg frame renders him the biggest attacking threat in world rugby, which makes it a mystery that he is so under-utilised by the All Blacks. Pint-sized Paulse has to be a lot more subtle with his 79kg, but can be an attacking menace for South Africa virtually on a par with the New Zealand giant. Both men could feature a lot more prominently in this weekend's Tri-Nations match - Lomu in establishing momentum for the Kiwis and Paulse in probing the New Zealand defence. "I'd love to get into the game a little more, though there are circumstances why you may not get the ball. Hopefully I'll see a lot more of it this weekend and cause a bit more havoc," Lomu said. 3. Thumbs Down: David Tua is on the ropes in New Zealand. He's been given the bum's rush by the Samoan community for flashing his buttocks. Tua showed up to the weigh-in before last Sunday's big heavyweight fight against Chris Byrd wearing only a lurex G-string and a grin. Once the new, slimmer version of Tua had been weighed in, he turned to show the world his bare buttocks. But the glam look has come back to bite him on the bottom. Samoan boxing icon and former Commonwealth welterweight champion Ali Afakas says he can't turn the other cheek on the subject. "It's not the Samoan way to do that. I hope his parents put him straight. "First he does that, then he loses the fight. He's in danger of losing his support back home. I hope he gets a proper haircut as well." Afakasi says he suspects Tua's behaviour is the result of PR-influenced thinking on the part of personal manager Kevin Barry and the America Presents management team. Meanwhile, Auckland's Pacific Island radio station 531PI's Samoan programme has been flooded with calls complaining about the Tua moon. Samoan Foreign Affairs secretary Mose Sua told Truth from Apia locals were disgusted by Tua's outfit. "We're extremely proud of him, don't get me wrong. But when he does that, it is an embarrassment to our culture," Sua says. New Zealand-trained Samoan journalist Chris Peteru reckons Samoans now feel betrayed by the man they called their "favourite son." "He's worn a lavalava into the ring. Now he turns around and does something totally against our culture and Christian values." Auckland Samoan community leader Pa'u Tafa Mulitalo says it's going to take something really special from Tua for the upset Samoans to forgive him. 4. Agreement Concerns: The Suva-based Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat has acknowledged concerns by the Pacific Network on Globalisation (PANG) over the recent signing by Forum Leaders in Nauru of the Pacific Island Countries Trade Agreement (PICTA). "The PANG raised concerns that the process leading to the PICTA free trade agreement for the 14 Forum Island Countries was conducted in a non-transparent manner, away from public debate," said the Secretary General of the Forum Secretariat, Noel Levi. "The Secretariat emphasises that under international law, any Agreement such as this holds no obligations on a country until it has been ratified by that country - signature alone is not binding. "In most countries, in order to be ratified, the trade agreement must go through Parliament or its equivalent, and will therefore be subject to the normal constitutional process of public debate, and discussion. "This is of course right and proper, and is in line with the eight principles of accountability endorsed by Forum Leaders in Kiribati last year. This process will take place over the coming year," Mr Levi said. 5. Team Niue: Niue will field a team of 45 athletes in the South Pacific Mini-Games at Norfolk Island. Half the team will consist of New Zealand based Niueans who will also form part of a contingent of 11 participating in the Commonweath Games in Manchester, England. Its the first time Niue has been invited to participate in the Commonwealth Games.It is the smallest nation in the world. In the mini-games, Niue will compete in clay shooting, netball, golf, body building and athletics.At the Commonwealth Games the team will be entered in clay shooting, table tennis, weightlifting, athletics and boxing. A Niue sports official said prior to the Commonwealth Games a baton which is being taken around all countries in the Commonwealth will be flown to Niue. 6. Party Time: An Air New Zealand B737 will make a direct Auckland-Niue flight October 14 returning a week later under charter to Royal Tongan Airlines. The flight will bring Niueans resident in NZ home to celebrate 100 years of the island's association with New Zealand. The Niue Government has budgeted for a $100,000 week long party. Special guest will be NZ and Niue's Governor General Dame Sylvia Cartwright who will arrive on an airforce jet and stay two days to participate in the celebrations. A special flight from Rarotonga will bring neighbouring Cook Island dignitaries to the festival. Meanwhile discussions are still underway to arrange a weekly designated direct flight from Auckland to Niue return in a bid to keep the island's ailing tourist industry alive. <strong>WEATHER WATCH THIS WEEK </strong>the island's weather resettled into mid-winter tranquility.Yachts once again rode into port on fresh SE trades as a new cold, dry Sydney surge of High pressure built in from the SW. Mid-day sun and pre-dawn chill kept a wide range on the daily max-min temperatures in the low humidity. By Friday the aroma of burning leaves could be detected in a pleasant bike ride through the villages, although lawns had regreened after an about inch of rain from the previous week. 7. THE WEEKEND appears to be a sleepy one with cool mornings, partly cloudy skies, moderate SE trades and low humidity. The High (1019) to the south of Niue drifts slowly E along 25S. By late Sunday a weak cold front should approach from the west bringing a chance of brief showers. 8. NEXT WEEK may be another picture-perfect experience with plenty of brilliant blue sky, crisp sunrises and bright sun. Computer models indicate nothing in the weather window until about Friday when clouds start to spread over the island from the west ahead of a developing trough SW of Fiji. Low teens and upper 20's forecast on the thermometer.(Thanks to Darrell Spatz private forecaster resident on Niue). __END__
