N.Z. aid to Tuvalu increased

Press, 4 November 1978, Page 15

N.Z. aid to Tuvalu increased

Three countries in the western Pacific are achieving full independence during 197879. The Solomon Islands celebrated its independence in July, and the spotlight now turns on Tuvalu. Next year the Gilbert Islands, formerly grouped with Tuvalu as the Gilbert and Ellice Islands Colony, are due to become independent.

sew Zealand is stepping > its development assistice to Tuvalu this year, uvalu was formerly rouped with the Gilbert Hands in the Gilbert and llice Islands Colony. In 1976-77 New Zealand lunched a small bilateral ild programme there rhich is being extended his year in recognition of uvalu’s newly -independent status. For the 1978-79 finan:ial year there is an alloation of about '5250,000 or. development projects nder the bilateral and Paifle regional programmes. In addition. New Zeaand is sponsoring study >r training awards for ibout 10 young Tuvaluans, including six who are at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, and ’s contributing to regional programmes of interest to Tuvalu such as the South Pacific Commission’s comprehensive skipjack tuna survey. One of the most exciting development projects with which New Zealand is associated is the creation of a chain of Vocational Training Cen-

’res in all inhabited outer islands. The aim of the centres will be to provide education for primary-school leavers in community based vocations such as boatbuilding and gardening. The scheme will provide an alternative secondary education in Tuvalu, where there is one high school. It should also stem the drift of young people away from their home islands. The United Nations Development Programme undertook a feasibility study on the concept, and the Tuvaluans agreed to its implementation. New Zealand will be equipping the centres and providing an

expert to advise on organisation and teacher training. . lost of New Zealand’s assistance falls in the area of transport and cotnmun icatidns. The nine islands of the group have a spread of 600 kilometres, with the capital being 720 sea miles from Tarawa, the main town in the Gilberts from where Tuvalu used to be governed, and 600 sea - miles from Fiji, which provides the only regular air link through Air Pacific. The New Zealand projects in the transport sector include the clearance of reef passages for vessels trading within the group, the provision of an additional 60kva generator

at the Funafuti airport, upgrading of harbour na- 1 vigationaf aids at Funa- i futi, and assistance with ' the establishment of a sea- i plane service to outer is- i lands. A five-man team of 1 Army divers and explosives experts is at s present working on the < blasting of boa: channels : in the reefs of three outer 1 This year’s work is ex- 1 nected to be comn'eted b' | the end of October A similar reef-clearance programme is planner; nr three other islands next year. Funafuti’s power supply consists of three 60k va generators based at the meteorological station at ( the airport. A fourth generator will not. only assist , any airport development, but will extend town power supplies. A New Zealand-funded harbour survey this year recommended replacement of buoys and other navigational aids destroyed by Hurricane Bebe in 1972. The upgrading work will start this financial year.

New Zealand funded a feasibility study on the prospect of a seaplane service out of Funafuti British funds will provide a plane and New Zealand is planning to suppls navigational aids for the service In the communications sector. New Zealand has agreed to supply a small automatic exchange on Funafuti (population. 876). tor. New Zealand has tractor-trailer units for the with copra product .in, and there is continuing assistance with a rat eradication programme. Besides the health problems they present, rats damage the coconuts and hamper copra production. Tuvalu’s immediate future has been mapped out in a Development Plan prepared with U.N.D.P. and New Zealand assistance. A Now Z.aland consultant, Mr Colin Pratt, was engaged to prepare the plan, which covers the three sears to 1980, and 500 conies c: the nlan were printed in Wellinglon in time for the independence celebrations.