indian weekender 24 july 2015

The Pulse of Kiwi-Indians Auckland Christchurch Wellington Hamilton Palmerston North Hastings Invercargill

24 July, 2015 | Vol. 7 Issue 18 | www.iwk.co.nz

New Zealands first Kiwi-Indian weekly newspaper

YOUR QUESTIONS , JESSICAS ANSWERS

24 July 2015 | www.iwk.co.nz

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2 CONTENTS

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3EXCLUSIVE

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Follow the story on Page 4

POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS CRIME SCENE P

OLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS

Mr Kumar, 57, stab

bed in the neck in front of his w

ife during what is believed

to have been an attempted ro

bbery of the Henderson dairy.

South Auckland liq

uor store owner Na

vtej Singh was lined

up by a gunman an

d shot in the

abdomen in a cold

and deliberate man

ner, a court heard

today. Mr Singh, 3

0, was working

in his liquor store, R

iverton Liquor, in M

anurewa when he wa

s gunned down dur

ing an

aggravated robbery

on June, 7, 2008.

In

October2009,

Srikanth Rayad

urgam,

23, an Aucklan

d University of T

echnology (AUT

)

student, left hi

s Mt Albert hom

e, Auckland, nev

er to be seen aga

in.

In Nove

mber 20

13, Taru

n Asthan

a, 25, w

as killed

outside

McDona

lds in d

owntow

n Auckla

nds Que

en St. H

e was

returnin

g from a

night o

f clubbin

g with fr

iends wh

en he wa

s punch

ed

and kno

cked to

the gro

und, ac

cording

to report

s.

Mr Dhaliwal, 22, died from multiple skull fractures and other head injuries while working at a Fulton Hogan construction depot in Henderson, almost two years ago.

HOW SAFE ARE YOU ?


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4 EXCLUSIVE

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So how safe do you feel? Swati Sharma

The idea of introducing the above headlines from recent times is not to sensationalise or scare anyone, but just to get everyone to think about their own safety. Although these facts paint a grim picture, in reality we all know that New Zealand is a fairly safe country. We can, however, make our lives even safer by being more aware

and better informed. The Indian Weekender is keen to bring this question of safety to all our readers; to hear from the community on what concerns them, and to share their experiences.

As a culture, our everyday safety is something that we do not think actively about. We carry on our everyday lives often missing the most important signs. It is important to realize

that the environment around us is changing and times now may not be as safe as they were a few years ago.

Often it can also be a matter of perceptions that leads us to be lax about our approach to our own safety. The top spot possibly goes to the perception that as compared to India or other Asian countries, New Zealand is far safer and it possibly is. But, does that really

mean that while here we lead our lives completely ignorant of how to keep ourselves safe? At the end of the day our safety lies in our own hands. It is by being vigilant and mindful at all times that we can avoid incidents that we might become victims of.

There are various aspects of safety and we are going to endeavor to visit as many as we can starting from personal safety,

to safety of property and what to do when you find yourself in different situations that could become harmful.

We start this discussion with speaking to Jessica Phuang, NZ Police Asian Liaison officer and QSM, on various aspects of safety, our perceptions, fears and some practical tips on what to do when you find yourself in the middle of a crisis.

IWK: We are aware that there is a big push to reduce crime. Tell us about some of the initiatives that the Police are running with the Asian/ Indian communities?

JP: There are so many initiatives actually. One of our more popular programmes is that we have a group of elders we call Community Safety Ambassadors.

This started with elders regularly coming up to me wanting to do something for the community. So even though the safety of our elders is our prime concern, the Police is always willing to work with the community. So there seemed to be an opportunity there.

Once a month this group will actually go out with Police officers. At the moment, we just have the Indian and the Chinese working together. So far we have these up and running in Onehunga and Epsom. And other

suburbs want to have it as well but I need to co-ordinate them properly. Otherwise, theres no point setting up something and it dies off. At the moment, these

places are working well.

On a typical day,

the community constable will inform the coordinator of the group, come to the assembly point and community constable will prepare a safety message. Say for

example that area has got a lot of theft ex cars, meaning people breaking into cars. So theyll prepare flyers, normally prepared by me, well print them up and on that day everyone would have beautiful reflective high-vis vests. Community constable would brief them-what is the message, how should you talk to the public,

how to prevent car theft. They are equipped with the knowledge; its training for them. Then we have 56 police officers walking with 4050 people on the streets. The shop owners really love it. Because you can imagine that although these are senior citizens, they are robust, they walk and they are so passionate and they talk to the public dont put your things in the car. I think this is fantastic. And coming from seniors, people actually give them a lot of respect.

What really touches my heart is, when they finish theyll hold my hand and say, Thank you, Jessica. We really enjoy this; we feel really valued. I think its great. Public are getting the message, they are feeling valued. At the same time, their families will know that they are working with the police and are proud of them. So its killing many birds with one stone. The police love them and they are like a treasure for us.

Personally when talking to the community, they want to know how to take responsibility to keep safe, which is fantastic. And thats why I see the opportunity of a great partnership- the Police and community working together

Jessica Phuang, QSM, Asian Liaison Officer NZ Police Photo by Kumar Suresh


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IWK: The number of break-ins and burglaries seems to be increasing. How is the police working to reduce the number of these incidents?

JP: Personally I believe that this is not just in the city district. Its across the board. Many departments are doing a lot of prevention work, apart from the normal operations that they do. So if you ask me how they are going to reduce, I believe everybody has a responsibility to ensure their safety as well, rather than just relying on the Police that the Police should do the job. Police will be doing everything we can for prevention. But I have been in this job for 12 years now. Personally when talking to the community, they want to know how to take responsibility to keep safe, which is fantastic. And thats why I see the opportunity of a great partnership- the Police and community working together. It is something that I always go back to the word, prevention, take responsibility.

IWK: What should one do if they find themselves in a dangerous situation? (for example robbery)

JP: Being an Asian myself, I understand that this is very specific to Asian communities. We may sometimes consider money more important than anything else. But when we are in New Zealand I always try and emphasise to Asian communities that life in more important. I think sometimes its not so much about the property, but more about morals. We want to punish the offender ourselves and take it in our hand. This is where the danger comes in. What I normally advice people is to look after your safety first because you never know what the offender could do next. Obviously you can act in self-defence but at the same time think about your own safety. Because if you have your life, you can still make a lot of money. So if a person is in danger, think

about how you can keep your life safe first rather than how can I protect my property. And this is always my message to people.

Also, there can be no straightforward answer to this because every incident is different, especially since your question is about robbery. If you can call 111 thats fantastic; if there is an opportunity to escape, its fantastic. Thats why safety in our mind must be the priority. I cant give you a straightforward answer how it should happen, but the message is clear-keep yourself safe.

IWK: You said keep yourself safe, then what about the offenders, what do we do to stop them? Theyll keep doing whatever they do. Howll they be punished for their offences?

JP: Thats up to the law. See, in your question itself, thats where our morals come in. And I can appreciate because I am Asian too. Morals are very important for me as well. But having worked with the police, I have seen many people getting hurt and injured. Sometimes we also forget to think about the family members that we have. So its not up to us to punish the offenders. Leave that to the professionals. Of course, in danger you need to defend yourself and we encourage people to do that. But culturally we are different. For example, someone enters our house, we would beat and tie up the burglar and then call the Police and Police would come and possibly say good job! But thats a cultural thing even though the law may not allow that. However in NZ, it is important to be cautious that you do not put yourself in danger, because its not up to us (people) to punish that offender. Let the professionals do that. Just remember to dial 111.

Continued on Page 6


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IWK: I agree, but we have been in touch with a few people who say that they have been victims of thefts, but they havent really got any satisfactory response from the Police or are not sure what actions the Police is taking against the offenders. They say that the only response they get isare you insured, if yes, then claim the contents you lost and if not then they are just left to suffer the loss.

JP: You posed a very good question. Theres a little bit of misunderstanding there. I actually appreciate those individuals who spoke to you to actually give a call and I am happy to have a discussion with them too. Say, for example, a burglary is done, the offender has left and we dont know who

it was and victims call the police. So the crime scene attendant would attend and to establish the identity of the offenders, take

fingerprints or DNA.

But I realise what you are saying and I get this a lot too that the first thing the

Police ask is if they are insured. People tell me that they are not quite comfortable with that. I see what they mean, but I can explain why they ask that. It is because the offender

has left already. The Police will do their job but we are also concerned about how you, as a victim, are going to carry on with your life. So first of all we would like to know,

are you insured. If you are insured, then you need your life to get going while the investigation goes on. But, unfortunately, it sometimes doesnt sit right with everybody. Again, morally, we (people) want to know, what are you going to do to punish these people. Its fantastic. However, that part

will be dealt with. Trust that the Police every year have arrested several people (for burglaries). They will be brought before the court and its unto the Judges to decide, even the police cannot decide what happens to them. So I can only continue and repeat, I have repeated this for 12 years, to our

communities. The reason why the CSA ask about whether they are insured or not is, actually because they are concerned about the victims well-being and help them to carry on with their lives.

IWK: What if the victim is not insured? So are those people just left to suffer with the loss?

JP: Well, if they are not insured then unfortunately they miss out. I strongly recommend that every family, regardless of their race or ethnicity, should have some insurancefor their contents for their house. So its just like when you buy a house and get insured. If something happens, you know that you are covered. So the same thing with your contents.

Same for their cars too. And I find that a lot of Asian people dont buy insurance for their vehicles, thinking no accident will happen. I think its important to always keep yourself safe by having insurance because sometimes you may think you drive very carefully. But what is the meaning of accidentit means that it is unforeseen. There are a lot of expensive cars out there and if you hit somebody with an expensive car, you will have to pay a lot of money, and this often doesnt sit very well with us (people) as well.

IWK: We constantly hear that Police are understaffed? Is this correct and whats the reason for it?

JP: Quite the contrary actually. I dont think we are insufficient Police. But at the same time, the Police are constantly recruiting. Especially, I really appreciate our current Commissioner. The whole Police organisation is focussing at recruiting more in the five groups- the Maori, Pacific, Ethnic, Youth and Female, to represent the

demographics. So we welcome people to join. In fact, I am supporting the Auckland Safety Patrol Group, which was set up by me five years ago, to support ethnic people, especially Asians, to join the Police. And at the moment, I have already got 60, who are wearing the Blue uniform already. And about nine are about to go to college, hopefully by the end of this year. So it is a very successful group and if you know anyone who wishes to join the Police, ask them to contact me.

IWK: What would you say about rights given to Police officers who patrol around? Do you support inclusion of any such law that enables the police officers handle a situation of concern with more authority?

JP: I have been putting some thoughts into this myself. But I havent come to a conclusion. This is something I am still thinking about.

IWK: Many immigrants, who are on a student or work or any other temporary visa are afraid to report crimes because they might think that their visa will be on a stake if they get involved in police matters. What would you say about that?

JP: Yes. I have also noticed that among quite a few Indian international students, who have called me. When they are victims, they actually get so scared that they think it might cause a problem for their visas. And often I would tell them, no, a victim wont be penalised. Youll only be penalised or looked at if you are an offender. I really encourage international students to come forward if they are in trouble. They should know that the police service in New Zealand is free of charge. We will do everything we can to help them if there is a case.

Continued from Page 5

The whole Police organisation is focussing at recruiting more in the five groups- the Maori, Pacific, Ethnic, Youth and Female, to represent the demographics. So we welcome people to join. In fact, I am supporting the Auckland Safety Patrol Group, which was set up by me five years ago, to support ethnic people, especially Asians, to join the Police


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7EXCLUSIVE

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IWK: Also, there are people who are forced or threatened not to report a crime and want to solve the matter themselves internally. What would you suggest to them?

JP: I would just like to say, come forward, theres no need to be afraid. The worst police would say is that, I am sorry, we cannot investigate this case. It doesnt cost you any money. Police would always look at something. The last thing I want to happen to international students is that when they feel frightened and scared and they have nowhere turn to. And thats where I give out

my mobile number to people. I go to schools (for seminars), first thing I say, take out your mobile phones, save my number under Police Jessica. So if you have an issue, call me. But if you have an emergency, dont call me because I cant send out the police cars; thats when you call 111. But you have things to ask, call me. And I can give you advicewhat to do and where to go if its not a police matter. And if its a police matter, well do our best to investigate if there is sufficient evidence.

Also sometimes, people would think that Ill solve this problem myself this time and it will be fine. If it escalates, there is an optioncome to the Police, its free.

IWK: Its said that prevention is better than cure. What preventions would you suggest to our readers to be safe?

JP: To be safe in their homes, my strong advice to Indian people is, dont keep you jewellery and cash at home. Use the banks or vaults. I think there are some vault companies, where you can keep your valuables like jewellery, cash or even important documents.

Some offenders know that we Asians love to keep cash, love to keep jewellery. Thats why we can become that target. And unless we change our behaviour patterns, we will always become victims because we are seen as targets.

We will continue the second part of the story in our next issue, so do send us your concerns about safety and security at [email protected]

If you need any help, guidance or advice, contact Jessica Phuang at 021 192 0935 or mail at [email protected] safety videos at: goo.gl/z5QKwD and goo.gl/lz91S8

When they are victims, they actually get so scared that they think it might cause a problem for their visas. And often I would tell them, no, a victim wont be penalised. Youll only be penalised or looked at if you are an offender.


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8

Auckland celebrates Eid-ul-FitrEid-ul-fitr celebration at Trust Arena in Henderson

iwK Bureau

The Auckland Eid Day celebration at Trust Arena was a grand success as more than 12,000 people attended the event. FIANZ (The Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand) declared Eid-ul-Fitr to be celebrated on Saturday, July 17 after the moon was sighted on the western skies.

The Eid prayer at Trust Arena earlier scheduled for 9 am was pushed by half an hour, as rain and storm hit Auckland in the early hours of Saturday. The 30-minute delay gave a window to another 2,000 people who battled the weather and made their way to the indoor stadium.

The Taqbeer started at 8.15 am. The Eid prayer and the Qutbah were led by Imam Shaykh Mohammad Anwar Sahib who is also the Imam for Masjid Al Taqwa in Manukau. Post Qutbah, the crowd made their way towards food stalls that were set up at the brink of the stadium.

The food corner served cuisines from India, Egypt, Malaysia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and New Zealand. The scene inside the hall was no different; there were various stalls that sold ethnic women dresses, scarves, Hijab, food items, decoration stalls, henna, etc.

Bouncing castles, drawing tables, a face painting stall, and kids playing corners were set up for children. More than 1,000 goodie bags, sponsored by Lotus Supermarket on Stoddard Road, were distributed among the kids.

Auckland Eid Day started five years back and the organisers were overwhelmed

with the response this year. Although the complete event was organised indoors because of poor weather conditions, the footfall exceeded the organisers expectations. The event was a great success despite the weather conditions; I guess since Eid day fell on the weekend and the venue was West Auckland, the crowd turn up was more, said Javed Dadabhai, Operations Manager of Auckland Eid Day.

Among the visitors were members from Labour Party, with a stall at the event, and the New FIANZ President Hazem Arafeh. Also present was Phil Goff, who spoke before the stage show.

The event provided a platform and a great opportunity for small and medium Muslim businesses. .

Thank you for making our event a success once again, and we look forward to seeing you at Eid-Al-Adha, register your mobile by texting EID to 5775 to be informed once Eid is confirmed, said Mohammad Ali, member of Auckland Eid Day.

Fee for overseas citizenship of India revised

According to the latest news, the fee for OCI and OCI Miscellaneous services have been revised effective from 1 August 2015.As per recent instructions given by the Ministry, the table below shows the revised fees for various services:

Name of Service Revised Fee

OCI (Overseas Citizenship of India) NZ$ 405OCI Miscellaneous Services (Transfer of OCI) NZ$ 45Duplicate OCI in lieu of lost/damaged of OCI documents NZ$ 190

NEW ZEALAND


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9

226 SUPERIOR FREEHOLD STRATA TITLE RESIDENCES AND 9 BOUTIQUE RETAIL SHOPS

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Queens Square ready for public launch this weekendQueens Square- 32 apartments under contract prior to launch

Queens Square is superbly located on Queen Street, Aucklands premier shopping and entertainment precinct. Queens Square comprises 226 superior freehold strata title residences and 9 boutique retail shops, which wrap around a private landscaped urban sanctuary in the heart of Auckland City.

32 of the tastefully designed residences have already been snapped up prior to the public launch this weekend. A diverse range of buyers have admired the development due to its international location for city tenants interested in living close to work and for the owner occupiers ready to move back to the city where everything is so near and convenient.

Aaron Tunstall, General Manager Impressions Real Estate, Aucklands Leading Rental Manager said we are witnessing unprecedented amounts of demand for rental accommodation in the Auckland CBD, current vacancy levels are less than 2%, and rental growth is up nearly 10% in our popular buildings in 2015. Earlier this year we advertised a 2 bedroom apartment to rent on Queen Street, and had over 65 groups show up on the inspection day.

Queens Square enjoys convenience living, with everything you need just a few minutes away. Shopping, local bars, restaurants, minutes walk from the prestigious world renowned University of Auckland and Auckland University of Technology and Queens Square is Auckland Grammar zoned, meaning its located in

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NEW ZEALAND


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10 NEW ZEALAND

Aucklands Mayor wants action on fairer ratingMayor Len Brown says the Local Government Funding Review, released by Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), backs up his view that its time for government action to make the ratings system fairer.

I have been saying for some time that the current model is intrinsically unfair and we need to pursue more equitable options that better reflect the complex funding challenges councils are facing.

Aucklanders are feeling the burden of rates and I welcome this review to find more sustainable funding options for the future. This review is a very useful contribution to the much needed debate.

Len Brown says a government review panel in 2007 also stated that new sources of funding would be needed by 2017 but nothing happened.

Were almost at 2017 and so weve done enough talking, its

time for action. Len Brown says the present system is not good for anyone not good for councils, communities or central government. The review recommends alternative funding options for increasing community demands on services and infrastructure and incentives to drive economic growth including:

} road user charges, targeted levies and fuel taxes

} a plan to advance special zones for growth

} simplifying the rates rebate scheme

} charges and taxes on visitors } reconsidering limits on

community amenities funded through development contributions.Local Government New Zealand

will now work with the government, business and their communities to develop the ideas put forward in the hope they can be put into practice with appropriate speed and urgency.

Road safety measures confirmed

Local Government Minister Paula Bennett and Transport Minister Simon Bridges are clarifying the power that local councils and other road controlling authorities (RCAs) have to set speed limits through their bylaws.

The Land Transport (Speed Limits Validation and Other Matters) Bill will be introduced and passed through all stages this week, retrospectively confirming that local councils and RCAs, such as the NZ Transport Agency, have the legal power to set speed limits.

After it was brought to officials attention that some councils failed to renew their speed limit bylaws, the Government was made aware of a potential problem with some speed limits set from 2004 onwards, Mrs Bennett says.

The potential issue was initially raised by the Kapiti Coast District Council, which was concerned its speed limit bylaw may have expired and other councils may well have been in the same situation, but this is now resolved by the passing of this

Bill. She says confusion amongst some councils and other RCAs about the legislative framework arose after changes were made to local government legislation in July 2002 and June 2006, as well as transport legislation in April 2004.

For the avoidance of doubt, this retrospective legislation validates the speed limits set by councils and other RCAs since 2004, Mrs Bennett says. The Bill also confirms that all enforcement actions taken under those bylaws are valid.

While its not known exactly how many drivers or infringement notices may be affected, this is a moot point given that the notices which were issued in good faith for speeding offences at the time are

now confirmed as being valid, Mr Bridges says.

My priority is to ensure public safety through the maintenance and enforcement of speed limits. For that reason, the Government has moved swiftly to eliminate confusion, protect the public and fix the potential problem.

No matter what causes a crash, speed directly affects the force of impact and sometimes, whether there is an impact at all. In 2014, speeding was a contributing factor in 78 fatal crashes, 357 serious injury crashes and 995 minor injury crashes. These crashes resulted in 84 deaths, 455 serious injuries and 1,468 minor injuries, Mr Bridges says.


Red Black Orange

11NEW ZEALANDChildren in Auckland receiving their B4 School Checks

More children than ever before in Auckland are benefitting from free before school health checks.

The B4 School Checks help to give children the best start at school by identifying and addressing any potential health or developmental problems at an early stage, says National MP Dr Parmar.

Auckland District Health Board reached 96% per cent of eligible children through this programme, meaning more of our children are getting their hearing, eyesight, height, weight, and oral health assessments, as well as taking comprehensive health and development questionnaires, says Dr Parmar.

Nationwide 92 per cent of children received their checks in 2014/15, more than in 2013/14.

This figure was matched by those in high deprivation areas. Getting the check as close to four

years of age as possible ensures families are able to connect with any additional support services they might need before their child starts school. National is focused on giving our kids the best start to life through initiatives like this and free GP visits which were extended to all children under-13 on July 1, added Dr Parmar.

As at 1 July, 2015, a total of 97 per cent of the 1,012 general practices around the country who have opted in provide free GP visits for under-13s covering around 98 per cent of all under-13s.

Disconnect between rates and income must be fixedLocal Government New Zealands 10 Point Plan is a chance to stop the widening chasm between the rates some households are charged and their ability to pay, Labours Local Government spokesperson Sua William Sio says. There is a huge disconnect between rates based

on the value of peoples homes and their income, particularly in Auckland.

Reforming our rating system has to be a collaboration between LGNZ and central Government. The Government established this system and must be part of its reform if the negative perceptions

about the way local councils set rates are to be overcome.

Regulations passed by central Government which impact on local government always come with costs that are passed on to ratepayers.

It is also time to address another bugbear of ratepayers

which is the GST charged on rates effectively a tax on a tax. The Government needs to work more closely with councils to ensure local communities are prepared for the future challenges.

National has a record of riding roughshod over local democracy such as Environment Canterbury

and LGNZs report highlights the need for the Government to listen more to local communities.

The future funding of local government is an important debate to have and one Labour will engage constructively in, Sua William Sio says.

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Minimum Wage Amendment Bill to protect contractorsA ll New Zealanders should be treated fairly at work. Currently, the law allows non-employment relationships to be used to get around the minimum wage. This is unfair, says Labour MP David Parker.

The Minimum Wage (Contractor Remuneration) Amendment Bill, a members bill in my name, protects New Zealanders who are paid less than the minimum wage on contract.

It adopts protections found overseas, where minimum remuneration applies to both employees and contractors.

All New Zealand workers deserve to be treated decently, and that includes minimum protections. Not enforcing the minimum wage undermines the good employers who do pay their workers properly.

If passed, the Bill will help people like contract cleaners who are currently falling through the cracks. Couriers, telemarketers and others who are contracted to do a large amount of work in limited time will also be protected.

Those currently at risk are not employees, are not in unions, and are often the least powerful in society.

Examples include a 60-year-old subcontractor who didnt have a written agreement. She was not paid properly for three months and had no rights as an employee because she was engaged as a contractor. Her only recourse was via the Disputes Tribunal.

This Bill does not fix the avoidance of holiday pay, or sick pay, or zero hour contracts, or unpaid long-term interns. But it will stop the minimum wage

being avoided through contractual devices, says David Parker.


Red Black Orange

12

Kanwaljit BakshiNational List MP

NEW ZEALAND

Labour policy puts residents ahead of foreign investors

Concerns in New Zealand about overseas investors pushing up the prices of residential dwellings are not unique to this country.

In major Chinese cities like Beijing and Shanghai, there are strict constraints on the purchase of apartments by people not resident in those cities. Likewise, in places like Singapore and Hong Kong, a 15 per cent stamp duty applies to foreign investors to discourage them from buying residential properties.

Across the Tasman in Australia, non-residents cant buy existing

homes. None of this is branded as racist.

Its simply common sense that when there is a shortage of homes and prices are skyrocketing, the last thing that locals need is further pressure on the market from overseas investors pushing prices still higher.

The price of an average home in Auckland soared by $116,000 in the year to June 2015 - a rise of over 25 per cent. Aucklanders wanting to buy a home of their own despaired.

Paying high rents, even with a two-income household few families can keep pace with the rising cost of buying a home.

As a result, home ownership in Auckland has fallen to the lowest level in 64 years.

The Kiwi dream of owning your own home has become unreachable for more and more

residents in this city. The best answer to this is to

build more houses and apartments so that supply of housing keeps pace with Aucklands growing population.

The Government needs to provide confidence in the building industry to ramp up construction and to work in partnership with it to lift building levels. Unfortunately, it hasnt done that. It has left it to the market and Aucklands housing shortage has got worse over the last five years.

It takes time for the supply of houses to catch up with demand. Thats why in the short term, we also need to look at demand factors to restrict price inflation. No one knows exactly what impact overseas investors are having on the market.

Despite being urged to do so, the Government until now has

refused to establish a register to determine the level and impact of foreign investment.

The Reserve Bank, however, estimates the figure at 10 per cent.

That level could rise much higher because of changing circumstances within China. Beijing-based financial advisor Rodney Jones points out financial assets in China exceed $60 trillion. As China opens up, more of this capital is free to flow abroad.

In the last year, net capital outflow from China reached $650 billion. As a stable market with high rates of return and the absence of a capital gains tax and stamp duty, New Zealand is obviously an attractive place for those looking for new investment opportunities. We want foreign investment where it works for our country as well as the investor but not in the residential and farm

property market where its impact is simply to push up prices.

Labours policy to restrict investment in these areas makes sense. Its not racist. All New Zealand residents, regardless of ethnicity, benefit from being able to buy their own home without facing rampant price inflation. Our Governments role is to promote the interests of New Zealand residents, not foreign property investors who dont intend to live here. Whats more, investors in China will be treated no differently from those in, for example, the US, the UK or South East Asia.

Instead of slandering Labours policy, National should do what the overwhelming majority of New Zealanders of all ethnicities want, which is to act to stop the surge in house price inflation and to keep the Kiwi dream of home ownership alive.

Getting behind live sports coverage on state TV

New Zealand First has called for a fair go for Kiwi sports fan, so they can watch their favourite sports events live on TV without paying a subscription.

The odd character has criticised our call.

Theres even a mean suggestion that Kiwis want everything free. This is not a sound argument.

Kiwis pay taxes, and their taxes pay for Television New Zealand, Maori TV and Radio

New Zealand.So, with sports events on state

TV the Kiwis paying taxes are not getting anything free.

Some critics say if state TV broadcasts special sports events live, Sky TV might lose money. They argue that sports teams will miss out on money coming in from broadcasting rights.

Lets look overseas. Both British and Australian governments have paved the way for sports fans to get live coverage of special events.

They recognise the fact that not everyone has the money to pay to subscribe for live sports broadcasts.

If its good enough for them

why are some people putting up road blocks in NZ? Its not our business to prop up private corporations. There have been

big changes in New Zealand, and one was by stealth.

It took away live sports coverage from our TV.

In its place we got a big corporation making us pay. That did not improve our quality of life. What a pity it is that so many Kiwis have to lock themselves away from phone calls, visitors and friends, so they can watch delayed coverage without knowing the result.

That should not have become a way of life.

We pay for TVNZ and Maori TV, lets get our moneys worth.

New Zealand First says, we should let sport rule on special occasions when Kiwi athletes and players are on the track, on the court, on the field, in the water and, often, winning. We want to see them live.

Winston PetersNZ First leader

Phil GoffLabour MP

Supporting Kiwi children to get the best start to life

Children are getting the best start to life under this National-led Government. We are supporting our kids before and right through school, ensuring they are healthy and well-fed, which is leading them to achieve strong academic results in their teens.

Latest figures show a record number of eligible four-year-olds are receiving a free B4 School Check, meaning most

children are getting their hearing, eyesight, height, weight, and oral health assessments, as well as comprehensive health and development checks.

These checks help to give children the best start at school by identifying and addressing any potential health or developmental problems at an early stage. This year, 92 per cent of four-year-olds received this free comprehensive health and development check.

Thats up from 91 per cent last year, and means over 58,600 children and their families have benefitted from this free service in the last year. The check helps families to connect with any additional support services they might need before their child

starts school.Ensuring children are healthy

and focused is important to help them achieve at school.

Thats why weve also invested $9.5 million in the KickStart Breakfast programme. This investment expanded the programme from two to five mornings per week and to include all primary and secondary schools that want or need it, regardless of decile.

KickStart has now served five million breakfasts across the country since the Government expanded the programme in 2013.

Schools say through KickStart they are seeing improvements in the health and wellbeing, concentration, and behaviour of

students. It is helping keep New Zealand children healthy and ready to learn.

This is translating into good outcomes in our classrooms. Public Achievement Information released for 2014 shows primary school achievement in writing and mathematics has increased in 15 of New Zealands 16 local body regions since 2011.

The proportion of 18-year-olds with NCEA Level 2 has also risen in every region. The breakdown shows that between 2011 and 2014 the percentage of 18-year-olds with NCEA Level 2 rose by between 3.8 per cent and 18.4 per cent on a regional basis.

This is setting our kids up to go on to achieve in tertiary education

and the workplace.National is committed to

supporting families through our public services, to ensure all young New Zealanders have the best opportunity for success in their lives.


Red Black Orange

13NEW ZEALAND

New revolutionary era for transport starts

E lectric trains have now been fully introduced into service every day of the week across the Auckland electrified rail network.

Started Monday 20 July, electric trains will operate as far as Swanson on the Western Line and as far as Papakura on the Southern Line.

This was the final stage of the electric train roll out which started operating on the Onehunga Line in 2014. Mayor Len Brown hailed the roll out as the start of a revolutionary era for public transport.

Its time for Aucklanders to get on board and I know they will, he says.

So far, as electric trains have been introduced on parts of the network, there has been an average increase in patronage of 20 per cent to 30 per cent. I predict the Western lines will see an even bigger uptake.

Aucklands rail patronage has grown by 22% in the last financial year.

This week saw the new comfortable quieter and reliable trains operating for the first time at weekdays on the Western line.

This doubles train capacity on the line and means that the new Spanish-built electric trains are now operating all services from Papakura in the south to Swanson in

the west. The project was originally funded via a loan from Government, which is being repaid by Auckland Council and the New Zealand Transport Agency.

Auckland Council agrees $488,000 environmental grants programme

Auckland Councils Environment, Natural Heritage and Climate Change committee has agreed on

funding criteria for its new 2015/16 regional environmental grants scheme.

The Regional Environment and Natural Heritage Grants Programme has been established to support the protection, restoration and enhancement of Aucklands environment with a focus on our most significant natural heritage areas.

A total of $488,702 is available to support environmental projects in Auckland that meet eligibility criteria.

It follows the introduction of the

Auckland Council Community Grants Policy, establishing six new regional grant programmes to target key activity areas aligned with the Auckland Plan.

Councillor Wayne Walker, chair of the committee, says that the fund will prove beneficial for many projects and communities across the Auckland region.

The first funding round for the Regional Environment and Natural Heritage Grants Programme will open for applications in September 2015.

Interested applicants should visit the Auckland Council website for further information on fund criteria and information on how to apply.

Ratepayers encouraged to make the most of payment options

Aucklanders concerned about their rates bills are urged to make the most of the payment options available to them.

Options available are:

} Direct Debit } Rates Rebate } Rates Postponement

And assistance for the elderly in licence to occupy retirement villages and/or Papakinga housing.

Direct debit provides ratepayers with the option of making smaller payments over the year by weekly, fortnightly or monthly payments via direct debit.

The council has seen a 64 per cent increase in customers taking up this option compared with the same period last year.

Central government has a rates rebate available, up to $610, for those people whose rates are high in relation to their income. Council believes only a third of all eligible Aucklanders applied for this last year. The council offers a rates postponement scheme for residents who live in their own home. This enables all or a portion of rates to be deferred until the ratepayer no longer lives there.

To apply for this option, ratepayers will need to meet the following criteria:

} They are the current owner of the property and have owned the property for at least two years, and

} The property is used solely by the ratepayer as their place of residence, and

} Postponed rates do not exceed 80 per cent of the ratepayers equity in the property (equity is defined as the value of the property, less any mortgages. The 2014 capital value is usually used to determine the value of the property) and

} They have applied by completing the council postponement form. Ratepayers are advised to seek financial advice to see if postponement is right for them.


Red Black Orange

14 FIJI

News source: Fiji Sun

Follow Fiji to address Pacific problems: Reddy

Minister for Education Mahendra Reddy is urging Pacific island countries (PICS) to follow Fiji in addressing Pacific problems.

He is also calling on PICS to determine how they can raise income from the limited number of existing factors of production such as land, labour and natural resources. His remarks follow the launch of the two-day Regional Policymakers 2015 Pacific Update Conference at the University of the South Pacific.

Policymakers in the region should also be mindful of how strategies are implemented so as not to further widen the gap between urban and interior population thus creating impetus for urban drift, Mr Reddy said.

He said PICS must embrace globalisation and strengthen their ability to create opportunities from their smallness. To date, very little has been done as a Pacific bloc to address Pacific problems, he said.

Fiji has taken a lead role in this and I do hope member countries

understand the genuine desire of Fiji to raise the living standards of the bloc. Fiji will not waiver from its commitment towards this endeavour, Mr Reddy said.

He said the Pacific Update Conference had greatly assisted Fiji and other PICS to walk and work with the rest of the world.

This years conference theme is Pacific development in a changing global economy, and Dr Reddy said achieving economic growth with balanced development, was a challenge.

Fiji, Pacific-ACP stand in solidarity

F iji and Pacific ACP-member countries have reaffirmed their solidarity to continue the engagement in the comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement with the European Union.

This unanimous decision was made during the two-day meeting of Pacific ACP Trade and Fisheries Ministers, which ended yesterday at the Suvavou House in Suva.

Acting Prime Minister and Acting Minister for Industry, Trade and Tourism, Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, said members were now looking forward to negotiating at a political level.

Mr Sayed-Khaiyum was addressing Pacific ministers, Cabinet ministers, officials and the media. It also recognised that there were some outstanding issues that were prolonged for nearly more than 10 years, he said.

Weve been negotiating and many of them have been prolonged and we wish to put on the table, as far as the EU is concerned that we want to bring this issue ahead, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said.

And we have made a number of recommendations to our leaders. Our leaders are going to meet in September from the respective countries and a number of recommendations have been made to them in terms of the way forward. Overall in principle, the ministers reaffirmed their strong commitment and efforts to maintain very sound fisheries and management conservation of the fisheries resources.

And to combat Illegal and Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing that takes place.

While efforts are ongoing, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said it required co-operation between all the parties including the distant-water fishing nations.

PM heads China visitP rime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama met the Fijian community living in China on Tuesday night.

Fijian students, diplomats and workers living in China gathered to welcome the Prime Minister, who led a delegation for an official visit to hold talks with senior government officials and senior officials from Chinas private sector this week.

Mr Bainimarama also visited the Fijian Embassy in Beijing and was briefed by ambassador Ioane Naivalurua on the work carried out by the mission to enhance relations between Fiji and China, a Government statement said.

He also met more than 200 business officials, who have investment projects in Fiji, as well as potential investors, in order to highlight Fijis position as an investor-friendly country.

Mr Bainimarama spoke on the developments taking place in Fiji at the reception.

The successful conduct of our election last year has heralded in undoubtedly the most promising era in Fijian history.

For the first time, we are a genuine democracy with equality and opportunity for all, he was quoted in the statement as saying.

We all have the protection of a Constitution that has been lauded around the world, not only for civil and political rights protection, but the social and economic rights it gives us.

We are all Fijians for the first time and the central ethos of my Government is to deliver and to serve, Mr Bainimarama said.

More Fijians bound For indiaThe Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has allocated confirmed scholarships for 30 Fijians and five for Tuvalu islanders.

This was confirmed by the High Commission of Indias Indian Cultural Centre (ICC), Suva director, Kishan Lal Kanojia, to the Fiji Sun last week.

He said every year students were awarded scholarships and many Fijian students had benefitted from this ICCR scholarship.

Once a scholar completes his or her course, they return and seek jobs in the local market and thus, further, contribute towards the Fijian economy growth,

Mr Kanojia said. He said every graduate was an expert in his or her field of study.

Education in India is very competitive and those scholars who will be getting opportunities to study in India are requested to work hard and excel in their

studies. He said studying in India had its own perks.

Arrival and settling in stage may be nostalgic; however, the benefit scholars get in the long run is admirable, Mr Kanojia said.

Obstacles are there, but at the same time it is a way to a brighter future. To those scholars who are currently studying in India, Mr Kanojia advises them to work hard towards academic achievements.

You are the chosen ones who have been given these awards. It is your rightful duty to do justice to the scholarship.

Fijis High Commissioner to India, Yogesh Karan, said ICCR, through the government of

India, had been providing these scholarships for decades.

It provided an opportunity to those who are underprivileged as well as to those who wanted to study in India, Mr Karan said.

I am pleased that the number of scholarships have been increased.

He said a countrys greatest asset were its people and the Fijian graduates from India were our future. Mr Karan said the Commission had very little problems when dealing with student issues.

The only few concerns that I have are when students fail subjects and have to repeat, Mr Karan said.

Rao plays to successOne of Fijis multi-talented musicians, Samresh Rao is set to return home to spread the essence of Indian classical music.

The 32-year-old of Samabula, Suva, graduated with Bachelor of Instrumental Music from Rabinadra Bharati University in Kolkata (formerly Calcutta), India, specialising in Indian classical music.

Mr Rao, a professional Fijian musician for the past 12 years, had always wanted to study classical music in India. His dream came true in 2012 when he was awarded a scholarship by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) under the Cultural Scheme.

Mr Rao, commonly known as Sam, has played in a number of bands in Fiji and while studying in India. In Fiji, he featured as a drummer and percussionist in Hindi bands such as Kohinoor Orchestra, Sangeet Sitare, Jhankaar and Hiz Masters Orchestra (the revival). He gained popularity as a drummer for the Bad Boyz Orchestra, which performed in public and private events throughout Fiji.

In India, he performed with bands such as Naad (Indian Rock), Still Alive, Rong Tuli (Bengali folk) Swar Dhara (vocal fusion) and the Rishop Band where he played the drums during the Bangla Music Festival.

He made 70 professional appearances playing in Kolkata, Delhi, Bangalore, Chandigar and Orissa. He did multiple recordings on percussion instruments for bands like Naad and Nemississ.

Being a graduate musician feels good, but what is more valuable is the experience I gained during my stay in India by being around so many talented and experienced classical musicians, Mr Rao said.

Since his debut as a professional musician, he started taking

advanced music lessons from his teacher (Guru) Viveka Nand.

I have been under the guidance of Mr Nand for more than a decade now and I still continue to learn the concepts of Indian tala system in tabla, dholak and other commercial percussion instruments that he plays, Mr Rao said.

Fiji-born singer Sumeet Tappoo, who is now a professional semi-classical and Bollywood artist, had also preferred Mr Rao to be his accompanist on many occasions.

The former director of Indian Cultural Centre and currently a Professor at the University of Calcutta in India, Kamal Mishra, said they were happy to see progress made by the Fijian students.

High Commission of Indias Indian Cultural Centre (ICC), Suva director, Kishan Lal Kanojia

Minister for Education Mahendra Reddy


Red Black Orange

15

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Record year for tourists to Fiji

More than 700,000 visitors are expected to have visited Fiji this year in what the Fiji Hotel and Tourism Association says will be another record year for the industry.

The associations president Dixon Seeto was speaking at the associations AGM last weekend.

He says the friendliness of Fijians is the key to the industrys success, and a reason why 20 per cent of visitors return to Fiji year after year.

Mr Seeto says Australia and New Zealand are likely to remain the mainstays of the industry but he says the upcoming expansion of Fiji Airways into Asia will broaden their reach.

We are now looking at developing the Asian market because that is where the economic growth is at the moment. And for instance China they have a huge outbound market. Already we have a sizeable Chinese market coming in via Hong Kong, hopefully if there is a direct service it would certainly develop that market in a big way.

Fiji, Bhutan strengthen ties

F iji and Bhutan further strengthened their bilateral relations as Fijis High Commissioner to India, Yogesh Karan, presented his credentials to the King of Bhutan, Jigme K. Namgyel Wangchuck.

The two countries formalised diplomatic relations on November 18, 2011. The ceremony for the presentation of credentials was conducted after a motorcade which led to the Tashichho Dzong (the royal palace), a massive 17th Century white-walled fortress that serves both as administrative headquarters and a monastic centre, in Thimpu, Bhutan.

The official ceremony was an elaborate one where the country displayed its very unique tradition, with colours and traditionally-attired Bhutanese ceremonial dancers and monks playing ceremonial instruments.

King Wangchuck, in accepting Mr Karan as Fijis Ambassador to Bhutan, said both countries could work together to further strengthen their diplomatic relations.

Bhutan has the distinction of being the worlds youngest democracy having held parliamentary elections in 2013 for the first time ever.

SPC staffs undergo training on domestic violenceI t is important for managers in work places to recognize the signs of domestic violence, says the Secretariat of the Pacific Community Adviser Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management Policy Cristina Casella.

Casella made the comment during a one-day workshop on Domestic Violence Awareness and Gender Relations facilitated by the Fiji Womens Crisis Centre.

The workshop was conducted

for more than 30 staff of the Geo-

science and Human Resource division, following the death of one of their workmates journalist Losana McGowan in April, allegedly

at the hands of her partner. Casella says all staff members at the division were affected by Losanas tragic death. She says every staff member recognised that certain issues relating to domestic violence need to be discussed.

The training helped the staffs develop a better understanding of domestic violence and issues relating to it as well as examine gender power relations, its link to domestic violence and develop skills for appropriate responses to domestic violence.

Fiji Auckland based Honorary Consul Harish Lodhia meets newly appointed Honorary Consul for Fiji for Mumbai, India Mr Shyam Gobindram Shroff.

PICTURE STORY

Editorial

Indian Weekender : Volume 7 Issue 18Publisher: Kiwi Media Group Limited Managing Editor: Giri Gupta | [email protected] Editor: Annu Sharma | [email protected] Chief Reporter: Swati Sharma | [email protected] Reporter: Rizwan Mohammad | [email protected]: Esha Chanda | [email protected]: Kumar Suresh Columnist: Paula Ray | [email protected] Technical Officer: Rohan Desouza | [email protected] Graphic & Layout Designer: Mahesh Kumar | [email protected] Designer: Yashmin Chand | [email protected] Accounts and Admin.: Farah Khan | [email protected] Sales and Marketing: 021 1507950 / 09-2137335 | [email protected]

Views expressed in the publication are not necessarily of the publisher and the publisher is not responsible for advertisers claims as appearing in the publication

Indian Weekender is published by Kiwi Media Group, 98 Great South Road, AucklandPrinted at Horton Media, Auckland

Copyright 2015. Kiwi Media Group. All Rights Reserved.

Zig Ziglar

Anything but funny

Thought of the week There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs

From the desk of the Managing Editor

From the Buddhist perspective, I told him, all of us have the capacity to make use of any circumstance, no matter how awful, to create value. This ability to change poison into medicine, as it is known in Nichiren Buddhism, makes plausible the transformation of even the most horrific tragedy into something that enables us to become happier. . . .

Believing in your ability to transform poison into medicine when you dont know how, and often wont except in retrospect, is difficult, I admit. But thats the confidence you have to find. Thats the confidence that represents your greatest defense against discouragement.

~ Alex Lickerman, MD from The Undefeated MindBuddhism also states that no one can escape obstacles, not even saints and sages.

So if one must expect obstacles then why must we start to buckle down when they finally present themselves?

I feel it is important that we are able to rationally look at whatever problem we are faced with, then step back and take another look at them (our obstacles), brace ourselves then take them head on. It is when we refuse to back down in the face of tribulations that we can find the strength to overcome whatever faces us.

There may also be times when no matter how hard we try and for however long, we never seem to be able to overcome a problem. The secret at such times also is to not give up. We should keep pushing ahead, even if just a little bit, till such time that we overcome whatever the obstacle was. They say lifes battles dont always go to the faster or the stronger person, they go to the person who thinks he can.

In this issue, we wish to open a discussion on Safety in the community and how safe do our readers feel. We have received many questions and queries on the subject of safety, so we thought that the best thing to do was, a joint approach with the Police. This issue is an attempt to get a few initial responses from the Police to our readers. In the subsequent issues, we will bring you answers to some other burning questions that you might have. So if there is anything that concerns you about your safety and you need some answers make sure you write to us.

Also, I urge our readers to visit our website www.iwk.co.nz and check out the safety videos that we regularly post there that can be a wonderful resource for some great pointers towards keeping yourself and your loved ones safe.

Talking of loved ones, there have been wonderful reports of great Eid celebrations happening all around Auckland. We hope that our readers have enjoyed our Eid special issue. We bring you the report on how Eid was celebrated.

Like always we have a plethora of various other stories and columns we put together for our readers. We hope you enjoy reading them as much as we enjoy putting them together.

Until next time

Giri Gupta

Pick of the week

5 PLACES TO TAKE REAL COLLEGE COURSES FOR FREE

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Tip from the trenches

Studying for an important test ?Google site:edu [subject] exam. You will get a bunch of different college exams with similar problems to what may be on your test.

Harshaali Malhotra who played Munni in Salman Khans blockbuster Bajarangi Bhaijaan has been making waves for the effortless portrayal and innocense which endeared her to every cinegoer


Red Black Orange

17OPINION / EDITORIAL

Indian soldiers in the Great War: the new consciousness

In my earlier column I discussed the hardship and pain and the constant spectre of death that Indian soldiers endured while fighting in the European and Middle Eastern theatres in the First World War. But the question is, despite all that, and separated from their motherland by thousands of miles, what motivated them to fight?

It is possible to conclude from some of their letters that being true soldiers they were fighting for the King-Emperor, as loyalty was a part of their military work ethic. But we should also remember that these soldiers knew very well that the British military censors were reading their letters, and often they wrote what their employers wanted to see.

It is also possible, as some of their letters certainly indicate that true to their warrior tradition they were fighting for honour and glory of their family and clan, and finally of their country. Consider, for example, the following quotes:

1. My friend, tell everyone at

the Depot that this is the time to show ones loyalty to the Sirkar, to earn a name for oneself. To die in the battlefield is glory. For a thousand years ones name will be remembered.

(Muhammad Ali Bey to Lance

Dafadar Ranjit Singh) 2. I am very happy here, and

am doing my masters work continually with heart and soul just as my ancestors have always done. Besides, it is the special duty of a Kshatriya to give his life

for his King on the battlefield, just as his forefathers did. [Balwant Singh to Doti Singh]

3. let them show the whole world how brave the people of India can be. The final prayer of this humble one before God Almighty is this that God may make bright the heroes of Hindustan in the eyes of the world [Unknown Sikh soldier from France]

But they also had several concerns, such as the Khilafat and Ghadr issues. When the Ottoman Emperor joined the German side, many Muslim soldiers in the British Indian Army found it difficult to reconcile themselves to the idea of fighting a Muslim power, particularly as the Ottoman Emperor was regarded as the Khalifa or the head of the Islamic world.

On the other hand, in 1914 the expatriate Sikhs in Canada had started the nationalist Ghadr movement against the British Empire, and almost one-third of the Indian soldiers were Sikhs.

There was a mutiny in Singapore in January 1915 on the Khilafat and Ghadr issues. But this was the only case of open disaffection, which was quickly put down. Yet, at a general level a growing critical consciousness was also visible among these soldiers. As they saw Europe, and particularly witnessed the conditions in England (as the wounded soldiers were treated in hospitals in Brighton), there was a growing awareness of the disparity between the mother country and the colony, as the letter below clearly indicates.

When one considers this country (England) and these people in comparison with our own country and our own people one cannot but be distressed. Our country is very poor and feeble and its lot is very depressed. (A Sub-Assistant Surgeon to a friend)

This exposure to the inequalities of colonial connection was the beginning of a new consciousness which eventually blossomed into a robust nationalist movement in India in the post-war era.

Savour the flavour of each culture Paula ray

In this concluding section of Ethnicities At the Crossroads of Culture, let us take a look at the last census report that was released in 2013, to reflect on the ethnic diversity that has been recorded in New Zealand in the recent past.

The number of ethnicities that reside in New Zealand, says the census report from 2013, are more than the number of countries in the world. The survey identified 213 ethnic groups across the length of the country, when there are only 196 countries recognised in the world.

Isnt it amazing to live among so many cultures? The diversity is perhaps most prominent when you walk around city centre, especially when it is multicultural like Auckland. If you happen to be working in Auckland Central and finish work around early evening, the assortment of races that greet you in and around Queen Street boggles your mind.

Regular commuters would invariably tell you about how non-diverse the population was even five years ago. It is only in recent times that the variety of races and their numbers have soared. The 2013 census report states that the top five ethnic groups are New Zealand European, Mori, Chinese, Samoan, and Indian. On the other end of the spectrum, the smallest ethnic groups include Greenlander, Sardinian, and Latin American Creole. The diversity is further represented in the unique minority groups who have arrived from Orkney Island (6), Shetland Island (24), Corsica (3), Falkland

Island (30), Chamorro (12) and Inuit (36).

Since 2006, three ethnic communities have multiplied by leaps and bounds. The Chinese community has increased by 16 per cent to 171,000, the Indian community has gone up by 48 per cent to 155,000 and the Filipino community has more than doubled to 40,000.

Interestingly, all of the a b o v e m e n t i o n e d ethnicities come from Asian

countries. They are much higher than the Pacific ethnic groups. The Samoans have grown by 10 per cent to 144,000; Cook Island Maori have gone up by 7 per cent to 62,000; and the Tongans have increased by almost 20 per cent to 60,000.

The increase in number of the Asian communities is directly reciprocal to the skill sets they have brought to the nations workforce,

which has had a direct impact on the economic development of the land in recent times.

The pooling in of talent is helping the country develop economically, as well as socio-politically. New Zealanders now have a wider representation from across the world and their awareness is also much higher

than ever before. NZs inclusion in G20 earlier this year, as a G21 nation, reflects this progress.

The NZ currency has also grown stronger in the recent past. The inclusion of the diverse skill sets from various ethnic communities is helping in the rebuilding of

the nation, especially in

earthquakeaffected Christchurch.

At a social event, I was fortunate enough to voice the dilemma over multiculturalism to Ethnic Communities Minister Sam Lotu-iiga. I had asked if multiculturalism, in New Zealand, highlights our differences or brings us together. He had replied: New Zealand government

believes in celebrating every ethnicity through the respective communitys festivities. This is because, we want all the communities to feel at home and welcomed on this land. It does not highlight their differences, but gives us an opportunity to understand their culture and learn from them.

You couldnt have said it better, Mr Lotu-iiga. New Zealanders are definitely proud to have you as their ethnic communities representative. Only through a leader like you can we retain the individuality of each community even as we unite in our diversity.

Since 2006, three ethnic communities have multiplied by leaps and bounds. The Chinese community has increased by 16 per cent to 171,000, the Indian community has gone up by 48 per cent to 155,000 and the Filipino community has more than doubled to 40,000.


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Why NaMo must bite the bullet on madrasa reforms

m. rajaque rahman

The Maharashtra governments decision to tag students of traditional madrasas as out-of-school has put madrasa reforms back on the national discourse. The issue is important not just for the Muslim community but for the nation. Someone must push it through in national interest.

And nobody seems more primed for the role than Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It suits him as well. He can simultaneously play to the nationalist gallery and also do something significant to alter the lot of the Muslim community. A well-meaning madrasa reform agenda could be the best advertisement for Sab ka Sath, Sab ka Vikas.

Reliance on madrasa education is often blamed for the backwardness of the community. But the truth is that many Muslim children go to madrasas out of compulsion. If it were not for these madrasas run by religious charities, these children would

never get any education. From that perspective, the argument that madrasas shield Muslim children from formal education is also seriously flawed.

The Sachar Committee Report indicated a desire within the community to shift to modern education. But lack of accessibility and financial problems come in the way. Hence, the most effective start in madrasa reforms would be to create opportunities for every Muslim child to join the formal and mainstream education by setting up quality and affordable schools in places where madrasas draw poor children in large numbers.

This means that this crucial reform can begin without ruffling any feather. This, however, shouldnt dilute the urgent need of overhauling the madrasa system of education. It has failed to equip students either with skills to take advantage of opportunities available in the modern world or spiritual training powerful enough to trigger inner transformation.

In short, madrasas churn out misfits. My heart bleeds when I see alumni of madrasas, including those of prestigious Deoband and Nadwa, working as rickshaw pullers or labourers despite seven to eight years of theological education. This also explains why only four percent of Muslim children attend madrasas as parents of 96 percent know it can do nothing to ensure the future of their children.

The need of the hour is quality formal and vocational education with a fair dose of religious and moral syllabus. But most Madarsas deliver just the reverse.

Apart from being out of sync with the demands of the modern world, madrasas have a more serious faultline. Their style tends to keep the students insulated from the mainstream. Places of learning are the only place where one mingles and grows with people from other communities.

But in a madrasa environment, Muslim children will never get a chance to get integrated with the rest of society. When they live in

isolation, they will be moulded in one particular mindset and there will be no open mindedness to appreciate the countrys diversity.

With the hardline Tablighi (Wahhabi) ideology dominating the madrasa scene in India, the issue is more critical than just teaching Muslim children science and mathematics. Following an orthodox form of Islam that insists on a literal interpretation of the Quran, this school of thought believes that all those who dont subscribe to their brand of Islam are to be hated, persecuted, even executed. The phenomena like IS are an offshoot of this orthodoxy.

We cannot turn a blind eye to this rigid ideology taking roots in India. I was shocked when I recently visited the campus of a popular madrasa in Bangalore. It had nothing Indian about it and looked more like a mini Saudi Arabia. Thats why madrasa reform should be an urgent national priority.

However, that doesnt mean that we should convert all madrasas into mainstream

schools. Religious seminaries are meant to impart in-depth religious and spiritual knowledge and as such have a definite and vital role in society. A community without spiritual and religious leadership will reel in chaos and turn fanatical. Islam today badly needs Ulemas who have the spiritual depth and are educated. Inevitably, this rare tribe has to come from Islamic seminaries. So the challenge is to reform madrasas into centres of theological excellence.

The madrasas themselves must look to professionalize religious education by designing contemporary courses and setting a minimum formal education as eligibility for such studies. Like not everybody can take admission in MBBS or BE, religious education must also be restricted to those who are capable and have an aptitude for it. This will only add dignity to the profession of serving God. Secular institutions of reputes can be encouraged to start such courses for studies in different religions.


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19INDIAINDIAINDIA

Government sets up council for export promotion

In view of continuous decline in exports over a half-year period, the Indian government has set up a promotion council to be chaired by the union commerce minister and comprising state trade and commerce ministers and other official as members.

The Council for Trade Development and Promotion was notified by the ministry earlier this month.

It has been decided to constitute the Council for Trade Development and Promotion in order to ensure a continuous dialogue with state governments and UTs on measures for providing an international trade enabling environment in the states and to create a framework for making the states active partners in boosting Indias exports, the notification said.

Besides, 14 union secretaries including those of commerce, revenue, shipping, civil aviation, agriculture, food processing and

economic affairs will also be members of the council that also aim at achieving the $900 billion exports target by 2019-20.

The council will provide states a platform to express their perspective on trade policy to help them develop and pursue export strategies in line with the national policy and also help the states to be apprised about international developments affecting Indias trade potential and opportunities and prepare them to deal with the situation.

The central and state governments would also

deliberate in the council on the relevant infrastructure to promote trade and identify impediments and infrastructure gaps adversely affecting exports.

The chairman of the Railway Board, Niti Aayog secretary and CEO, the director generals of Foreign Trade and the Federation of Indian Export Organisations, representatives of industry chambers CII and FICCI and the joint secretary, commerce will also be members.

The council will be recommendatory in nature and will meet at least once every year.

Delhi Police forms SIT to probe serial rapists crimesDelhi Police has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe an alleged serial rapist who confessed to sexually assaulting and killing at least 30 children.

The SIT will track similar cases in neighbouring Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

After his shocking revelations, we have formed an SIT to probe the case further, Deputy Commissioner of Police Vikramjit Singh said.

The team along with local police will also investigate cases in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, he said.

Ravinder Kumar, an alleged serial rapist, has confessed to sexually assaulting and killing at least 30 children in the past.

Kumar, a native of Badaun in Uttar Pradesh, told investigators he targeted young girls in Delhi, the National Capital Region and

Uttar Pradesh.He was arrested in connection

with the rape and murder of a six-year-old girl in outer Delhis Begumpur area. The girl was reportedly missing from July 14 morning and an FIR was subsequently registered at Begumpur police station.


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BSNL to hive off tower business into new subsidiary: BSNL Director

aParajita GuPta

S tate-run telecom service provider Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) is all set to hive off its towers business into a separate subsidiary, the valuation of which could be in the region of Rs.20,000 crore ($3 billion), chairman-cum-managing director Anupam Shrivastava has said.

We already share our towers with private players. We are looking at a subsidiary company within the company. We want more focus on tower sharing. The business is small now -- just Rs.200 crore. But the potential is Rs.2,000-2,500 crore annually, Shrivastava said in an interview.

BSNL will hold majority stake in the new company. A cabinet note has already been moved.

According to a Deloitte India report, India currently has around 400,000 telecom towers and the growth is expected at around three percent annually over the next four-five years to take the numbers to 511,000 by 2020. Indus Towers is the market leader with 31 percent share, followed by BSNL with 18.1 percent.

The state-run enterprise

currently has 75,000 towers out of which it intends to shift some 65,000 to the new entity. It is the only company with towers in all the difficult and strategic areas like in the northeast, Jammu and Kashmir and the so-called Naxal belt.

It is important to grab the opportunities in sales and marketing as and when they arise. It will equally change the mindset. People think sharing towers will cut into your business. This is not true. Once we have a subsidiary, that focus will automatically come, he said.

The private operator will anyway come close to your business. Its better to leverage your strengths.

Resignations first, discussions later, Congress tells government

The Congress has demanded the resignations of union minister Sushma Swaraj and BJP chief ministers Vaundhara Raje and Shivraj Singh Chouhan before discussions on any other issue with the NDA government could start.

Discussions with the government will proceed only after the resignation of the three leaders - Sushma Swaraj, Raje and Chouhan. This agenda was set up by the previous government which was in power for 10 years. Whenever the opposition demanded resignations during our time, the resignations were sought (from the ministers concerned), Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad said.

Sushma Swaraj and Raje are under attack in connection with the controversy surrounding former Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi, who is facing Enforcement Directorate probe. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan is facing political heat over the Vyapam scam.

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