29 Jul 2002

Niue Opposition MP against plan for religious compound

3:32 pm on 29 July 2002

A Niue Opposition MP is warning that a proposed mulit million dollar investment in the country is too dangerous.

The Cabinet is shortly to consider an offer from a Korean religious sect that could lead to the construction of an enclosed community on the island.

The 100 million US dollar project would see the Koreans buying the government's two hotels, re-establishing a medical school, and setting up an international jet airlink.

In return the sect wants 150 hectares of land for a holy city.

Opposition MP O'Love Jacobsen says there is a mixed reaction to the proposal, but she for one is opposed, and will formally call on Cabinet this week to dismiss it.

"there are too many strings to it and it's not as straight forward as what people would like to see, well I can't see that it's straight forward and it doesn't take a genius to tell you that okay we'll get the planes but then gosh there's something else that they want and you don't get a plane for nothing"