Transcript
EMANI LUI: They will just cut off three quarters of our users, which is basically three quarters of the whole island. There will only be three sites available to some of the users but the rest of them will all go offline.
DON WISEMAN: The government had tried to shut you down nearly a year ago and then there was an outcry and negotiations, and they were to go on for a month and that was extended to another month and it was left open indefinitely, so what's brought it to this point?
EL: There really hasn't been any resolution to that fiasco that happened last year. So basically they still don't see our services as of value because we can't operate on the same space. There are two providers with limited users, economically it can't happen so one has to go or both will be reduced to the bare minimum, I guess. And our services are the cheaper of the two.
DW: The Niue government has made no secret of the fact that they don't want a rival for their publically-owned internet provider and they've been trying to get rid of you for a fair while, haven't they?
EL: Yes.
DW: But no one on the island connected with the government seems to tell us precisely what's going on. I've spoken with the acting premiere and he didn't know what the story was at all, he referred me to the chief secretary, the chief secretary says they're acting on a decision made by cabinet, Niue telecom - they can't comment either and you guys are also left in the dark as well, because you haven't been formally advised have you?
EL: No, we haven't been formally advised so basically its' still left over from last year, there has been no resolution. But in one of those meetings I was told that government has to do legislation, I had to apply for a licence operator as an isp but I won't be granted a licence to operate on Niue.
DW: you have been told that you'd need a licence, but even if you applied you wouldn't get it?
EL: That's correct
DW: So we know that people on Niue rely on their internet access, as you say three quarters of the people use your system. So what do they say? How are they reacting?
EL: They're all up in arms. As you know there are general elections for the government on May 6 this year. So basically they're calling out on social media especially voicing their disappointment and calling for changes in government - new people inside. So it's really ridiculous that they're doing these types of things eight weeks out from general elections. It's just crazy. You know no one would dream up such a thing to do right now.
