23 Jan 2004

Niue government completes assessment of Cyclone Heta damage

4:45 pm on 23 January 2004

The Niue government has completed an assessment of the impact Cyclone Heta had on the island.

Niue's High Commissioner to New Zealand Hima Takalesi says the Government is hoping to release a preliminary report of their findings tomorrow.

He says it will contain details of the damage caused by Heta and estimates of the costs of reconstruction.

"Following the release of that report, the government is hoping to invite the donor countries and donor organisations to Niue, for a meeting where they work their way through on how best to utilise the resources that are being offered by the different donors."

Niue's Premier Young Vivian yesterday put the cost of reconstruction at nearly 70 million US dollars, but the High Commissioner says its thought the report will produce a signficantly lower figure.