Teilweise neu: 2001-09-28 Contents of this issue:
1. Soy Warning 2. Deputy Resigns 3. Killer Jailed 4. Cooks Landing Soon 5. WEATHER WATCH ======================================================================== Old contents were: 1. Cooks Landing Soon 2. WEATHER WATCH September 28th, 2001 1. Soy Warning: Another five soy sauce products containing high levels of a potentially cancer-causing chemical have been discovered by the New Zealand Ministry of Health. Director General of Health Karen Poutasi is warning the public to avoid consuming Amoy Chili Soy Sauce, Silver Swan Soy Sauce, Ta Tung Soy Bean Sauce, Zu Miao Fo Shan Soy Superior Sauce and Lee Kum Kee Seasoning Soy Sauce for Seafood as they contain more than the accepted New Zealand level of chloropropanols. New Zealand health officials started sampling soy sauce products after the United Kingdom's Food Standards Agency surveys earlier this year found a quarter of samples of soy sauce products on sale there contained high levels chloropropanols, which may cause cancer.(NZPA). 2. Deputy Resigns: Tongan Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Minister Tevita Tupou resigned in the continuing controversy over the management of the kingdom's $US33 million offshore trust fund. His resignation had been accepted by Princess Regent Salote Pilolevu Tuita, the secretary to Cabinet, 'Eseta Fusitu'a, told a news conference. He also resigned as justice minister and attorney general. Police Minister Clive Edwards has been named as new deputy prime minister, Mrs Fusitu'a said. An MP filed a motion in the Legislative Assembly on Monday to impeach the minister over the management of the fund, of which the minister was a trustee. At least one other minister is also expected to face an impeachment motion, according to parliamentary sources. The fund was built up through the sale of Tongan passports, mostly to Chinese worried about their future ahead of the British colony's return to Chinese rule in 1997 (PINA Nius Online). 3. Killer Jailed: A 41 year-old Tongan married man with five children who was a Catholic Mission Sunday School teacher and Christian living instructor has been jailed on Niue for 11 years after fatally shooting his stepmother last Ocober. New Zealand Judge Heta Hingston told the High Court in Niue that Atelea Kosini Sakalia had committed the first killing on Niue since 1953 and it was was a serious offence which had upset the island. The Judge acknowledged Sakalia had pleaded guilty to manslaughter after a lack of forensic evidence had forced him to dismiss a charge of murder. "The heaviest sentence imposed on Niue during the past few years was one of 10 years for rape but taking the life of another is one of the most serious offence," said Judge Hingston who ordered the setence be reduced by 12 months for the amount of time spent by Sakalia on remand. And in a separate case a prison warder Joe McCoy pleaded not guilty to murder and six other charges relating to a fatal shooting at the Niue jail in August. He was denied bail by Judge Hingston and was remanded in custody until the next visit by a circuit Judge. 4. Cooks Landing Soon: Samoa and Cook Islands have signed an open-skies agreement similar to that signed between Samoa and Tonga but Polynesian Airlines is not rushing to start flights to the Cooks. Samoa's Prime Minister Sailele Malielegaoi and Cook Islands Prime Minister Terepai Maote signed the agreement during the Pacific Islands Forum Aviation Ministers meeting in Samoa's capital, Apia. Polynesian acting chief executive officer John Fitzgerald is quoted by the Samoa Observer newspaper as saying that the airline is looking at servicing the Cook Islands as a possible expansion "when conditions allow but at the moment everything is on hold". Cook Islands is currently serviced by Air New Zealand but the New Zealand-based carrier is facing a financial crisis as airlines around the world struggle. Polynesian is not without its problems either with a financial loss expected to be recorded later this year.( PINA Nius Online). 5. WEATHER WATCH THIS WEEK the computer weather forecast models were spot-on, bringing in Spring on a brief breath of tropical steam. A salutary bolt of lightning and clap of thunder signaled the arrival of a weak cold front on Monday and a return to fine, cool fresh trade winds. An inch of rain wetted the dust and restored the green to dormant vegetation. During the nights, occasional clouds, brief sprinkles and a light breeze kept minimum temperatures in the upper teens. Visiting tourists were out and about daily enjoying frequent sunny breaks in afternoon clouds. With lessening humidity during the week, highs in the mid to upper twenties generated many comfortable smiles. THE WEEKEND looks to be quite pleasant, as a large High (1030) drifts slowly east from Auckland along 35S. A dry SE flow should predominate from Samoa south ushered in on afternoon gusts to 25 knots. Mainly fine weather with scant precipitation expected. NEXT WEEK NOGAPS wind charts show consistent easterly trades, fresh in the afternoons with moderate to rough seas and swells near 3 meters over open ocean near Niue. The High to our south remains strong and slow-moving. Clouds and rain to the west of Fiji look to develop, then weaken in a very slow eastward drift. Mainly fine weather expected here with cool, breezy nights and plenty of full moon. Humidity should continue to lower, with pleasant afternoon high temperatures in the mid to upper 20's.(Thanks to Darrell Spatz private forecaster resident on Niue). __END__
