Maori work scheme gets $6M this year

Press, 4 February 1987, Page 8

Maori work scheme gets $6M this year

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

in Wellington

More than $6 million has been spent so far this year on the Mana Maori enterprises scheme which is expected to provide employment for 344 fulltime and 416 part-time workers by the end of the financial year. This funding will continue untouched by the Government’s termination of its project works schemes. The Minister of Employment, Mr Burke, said that of the $13,125 million allocated for Mana in 1986-87, some $6,362 million had been spent by December 11, the last date that figures were available. He listed 82 projects for which grants had been made or approval given. Most of the money was supplied by the Labour

Department to the Board of Maori Affairs, held temporarily by the Maori .Trustee, and then paid to regional or tribal authorities on specific decisions by the board. So far, Mana had led to the creation of 332 fulltime and 234 part-time positions, Mr Burke said. Mana used to be known as the “Maori enterprise development scheme” but had been working under its new name since July last year. A similar scheme for Pacific Islanders had benefited more than 200 people from training and employment initiatives sponsored through the Pacific Island development scheme by the Pacific Island Employment Development Board. It was expected that more than 1000 Pacific Islanders would be as-

sisted during 1987-88, Mr Burke said. Individual projects under Mana included a seafood restaurant ($130,000), a crayfish pot manufacturer ($7000), a fish shop ($56,000),- a fencing contractor ($10,000), a souvenir manufacturer ($55,290), and a concrete contractor ($85,000). That was the range of projects approved by just one of the 22 regional and tribal authorities. The biggest single grant had been $480,000 to set up a sawmill. The Minister of Maori Affairs,. Mr Wetere, said that since the authorities were at different stages of readiness to manage Mana, the Maori Affairs Department district operations should work closely with them during 1987.