Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

Niue wants NZ clearance to borrow for tourism development

Posted at 03:36 on 06 November, 2009 UTC

The Premier of Niue wants assistance from New Zealand to upgrade the island’s infrastructure to ensure tourism developments are not undermined.

Toke Talagi has been in New Zealand this week for talks with Foreign Affairs Minister, Murray McCully, over an report commissioned by New Zealand into the feasibility of tourism in Niue.

That report, which has been welcomed by both countries, recommends a significant expansion in accommodation facilities - something Mr McCully is willing to back.

But Mr Talagi says the island’s water, power and telecommunications services must also be brought up to an acceptable standard, something Niue cannot do without assistance.

He says the island wants Mr McCully to give it the green light to borrow money for this work.

“As I have said to him I am happy to borrow the money so we can do all of these infrastructural requirements, to ensure that when we build tourism or fisheries or anything else as an economic base for Niue, then the infrastructural requirements up at the airport, down at the port, with respect to electricity, water and telecommunications will be in place so that will not become an impediment, or those things will will not be impediments to our plans.”

Toke Talagi, the Premier of Niue