Niue Premier Calls Expats To Return Home

Niue Premier Calls Expats To Return Home

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The Premier of Niue has invited all Niueans living in Auckland, Wellington and Sydney to consider returning home. He encouraged them to do so, before family land they abandoned over the past 30 years is lost to them.

Niue Premier Young Vivian calls for ex-pat Niueans to come home. He also said Niue intends to host the 2008 Pacific Islands Forum.

The call came during an official welcome to the Governor-General of New Zealand and Niue, Anand Satyanand, who is currently visiting Niue.

Today, Niue's premier, Young Vivian said, while there are only 1600 people living in Niue, there are in total over 20,000 Niueans living in the greater Pacific region. He invited them to reconnect with their island, to embrace the place they can call home, before their heritage is taken away from them.

"My government wants to give resident Niueans the best possible incentives to stay here and also to give temporary absent or expatriate Niueans the incentives to come home.

"My government with do what it can to promote population stability and growth while acknowledging that out peoples' right to New Zealand citizenship is a powerful incentive for them to leave and stay away…"

"I hope that this week, and the programme of activities put together for you, will raise your consciousness positively about what Niue might offer other than pecuniary ones or the attractions that you may see in the city lights of Auckland, Wellington or Sydney.

Today, much of Niue is deserted.

Homes abandoned by Niueans seeking the bright lights of New Zealand are all too common along Niue's roads.

Derelict homes line the roadside surrounding Niue's main town of Alofi. It's a lingering reminder of the exodus where many thousands abandoned island life for the bright city lights of Auckland, Wellington, and Sydney.

That exodus left Niue, the island, with less than 10% of its original population.

Young Vivian said: "Think about the safe living environment and the pristine beauty of Niue's natural environment. Remember that is your families own land here, there is a risk that if you ignore it for too long you could also lose some hereditary rights to it.

"I say to you, step back and consider with objectivity the many reasons to come home," Young Vivian said.

However, those who have been away for 20 years or more run the risk of losing their land on Niue.

Young Vivian said his government has sealed off recourse to Niue's land claim court. In short, Niueans who have been away for more than 20 years - and who have not reclaimed their houses and land left derelict in Niue - risk losing there heritage land.

Young Vivian told journalists: "They will lose land by default. If they have gone away for 20 or 30 years, and they have not touched base with their relations, how are they to sort things out with their families."

"Some of them are losing their land now… You will have to come back and prove yourself, that you belong to this family, that you own this land, that you are part of it," Young Vivian said.

This visit to Niue is the first of three by the Governor General to what is termed the Realm of New Zealand. Those islands are: Niue, Tokelau and the Cook Islands.

On Niue, the Governor General, Anand Satyanand, has hit the ground running, visiting schools, a hospital, and vegetable and fish processing plants.

On Niue, Anand Satyanand stressed the importance of preserving the island's unique culture, heritage and the arts. And a dance performance by Niue High School showed culture is still alive and well on Niue today.

The governments of Niue and New Zealand want to help preserve the Niuean language, arts, heritage and culture.

But both the government of Niue and New Zealand want to ensure the island way, Niue's culture is preserved for future generations. Niue is determined not to be left behind as the 21st century unfurls before it. The Pacific as a region is confronting the impact of globalisation – here on Niue it is common for overseas investors to visit, peddling ideas that often verge on exploitation.

To prosper, Niue wants to encourage eco-tourism. Its coastline is unique among its Pacific cousins with coral reefs and subterranean pools. It is a diver's paradise. Inland, most of Niue remains untouched. It is lush, and green. And recent ventures here have discovered that Niue's soil is rich and fertile.

At an official Flag Raising Ceremony , Anand Satyanand indicated New Zealand wishes to reconnect those 20,000 Niueans (living or born in New Zealand) with their island heritage and the 1600 people who live on this tiny Pacific island.

In 2004, Niue was devastated by Cyclone Heta - and destruction is still in evidence today. There's much to be done here. The island lacks infrastructure and commerce. But there is progress.

The Governor General today visited a nonu farm – nonu is a vegetable similar in shape to a large yam. Juice is made from this fruit. – he also visited Niue Fish Processors factory.

New Zealand's official contingent included Niue descendants from the New Zealand Defence Forces, Police, master weavers, and experts of Te Reo Maori and the Niue language.

The Niuean language, they say, is a taonga, a treasure, and one that New Zealand is determined to help preserve.

Opportunity brings progress: Pacific views await ex-pat Niueans.

Niue is also determined to be a significant part of the wider Pacific region and its Premier, Young Vivian, announced its intent to host the 2008 Pacific Islands Forum here on the island. It is a bold move.

If Niue is to progress, it needs its people to help it reach its potential - irrespective of where they choose to live.

Scoop Audio: Scoop's Selwyn Manning reports from Niue – Premier Young Vivian calls all ex-pat Niueans home