Blessing of the site for the government’s new recycling facility at Hikufenoga, Tamakautoga.

The blessing of the site where the government’s new Resource, Recycling Facility at Hikufenoga, Tamakautoga was held on Thursday last week.

In an all-women-in-leadership affair, the official blessing was conducted by Reverend Diamond Mautofiga Tauevihi of the Ekalesia Niue, before handing over to the speeches by the Australian high commissioner H.E Susan Allen and the minister of Environment Hon. Mona Ainuu. The day’s programme was organised by Niue’s waste management project manager Mrs Angela Tuhipa.

Premier Tagelagi and Ministers Tatui and Tongatule, Assemblyman from Tamakautoga Ricky Muiaki Makani, the contractor from Mautama constructions and Shop Exports, and the property owners who live near or around the area joined government officials from the Environment department and the Project management coordination unit (PMCU) for the event.

The government of Australia is the largest donor contributing over $4 million dollars to the national waste management projects particularly this recycling facility.

Australian high commissioner Susan Allen in her statement on the day said that she knows how much the people of Niue care very much about the status of their environment.

“The people of Niue care very very deeply for your natural environment, for the sea and its land, and that your livelihoods are inextricably linked to the health of the environment.”

Over the last several years, Niue has made a series of sensible and strategic around infrastructure development and infrastructure investment about how to protect this precious environment while balancing the need for economic development”.

Minister of Natural Resources Hon. Mona Ainuu spoke on behalf of the government thanking the Australian government for financing Niue’s very first waste management facility.

“Today marks a historical development for the government of Niue and that is this is the first waste facility on the island and is a welcomed development for all of us on the island”

“As you all know there has been a delay since the initial agreement due to many factors but more so the pandemic that has affected many of our developmental aspirations”.

Minister Ainuu said that as minister of environment she is calling on nationwide support for a cleaner and healthier Niue.

“I wish to ask all villages, households, government departments, businesses and NGOs to work together for a cleaner and healthier Niue”.

The project manager Angela Tuhipa told BCN news that the project had initially started in 2018 and is expected to be completed in 2022.

As is customary when blessing the grounds for a news construction young coconuts were planted by the dignitaries around the site to mark the occasion.

The new resource and recycling facility at Hikufenoga is expected to be completed and opened next year.