Transcript
TAPI TAIO: For me the amount of cargo, the business for the cargo is not that much because there are many people around here, in the northern group. And we can look at Penrhyn. It's only 100 people, not even $500 for a freight of cargo to take to these islands is nearly about 800 miles to go, and another 800 to return. And it wouldn't be enough. So when I looked at it they will need to have to give subsidies for these ships to be able to go and take these cargoes around these islands, to be viable in the business
DON WISEMAN: It is my understanding that the government has a budget allocation already set, of half a million dollars, and that is to subsidise isn't it, but they haven't got into the subsidising yet.
TT: They have had this budget in there for the last two years - we never have received any of this money.
DW: As you say it is a marginal business even at the moment, do you need subsidies?
TT: Oh yes. Right now one of the islands, Penrhyn, as I said, when we started there was close to 700 -800 people on this island 20 years ago but now it is around 100 and our ship's returning, arriving tomorrow morning. We are bringing in 21 of these people and I believe there is another 15 -16 to come on our second ship coming back, so actually about 35 - there could be about 85 people left on this island and level with Palmerston Island, which has 70. So the population numbers are going down very fast and I don't know how they are going to survive. And for us, we have little ships, that's the reason why we bring these small ships - doesn't take too much fuel and it's cheaper to operate for these long distances.
DW: The government of course has got significant plans in place to try and build up business opportunities in the outer islands so the populations could well grow again.
TT: Well we heard this promise in the last ten years. I mean it's the same government that's been going on and on and on, and it's up to the people to make the decision over there, and if there is nothing coming them, it's just all promises or just unloading Chinese machinery over there and rotting it on the island, I don't think there is anything that is happening.
DW: Now you had this very nice, big ship, the Moana Nui, which ran aground up north, on Nassau, and it's still on the reef now but you hope to get it off.
TT: Yeah it is still on the reef, we are just hoping for some insurance prices to come in from different groups around the Pacific that want to go and pull it off. But then we have on the insurance [for] pulling the boat off, then repairing and returning it back to us. So there is a price for that and the value and if the value exceeds all that then it is not going to be possible and that will be remaining on the island and we could be chopping it up. We are hoping we are not going through that, we are hoping something positive will be able to go through in the next few days.
DW: You have had the insurance assessors up there, so they are still to make a decision of whether it is worth it to pull it off?
TT: Yes we have a few prices in and are just waiting for some more prices from people who wanted to have a go at it, so we waiting for them to bring their price in and we will have a look at it with the insurance company before we have a meeting and see where do we go.
DW: Now you have been quoted in the local media saying that the reason the Moana Nui ran aground was because of all the debris from fishing boats in the water.
TT: Of course, of course, we have been in this game for 22 years and the government has just signed up 40 licences up there and that is the area where they are fishing, around Puka Puka and Nassau, that's where all the fish are. And there is lots and lots of these debris - ropes and FADs floating around, and some were around the island, and this is what has actually happened and tangled on our propeller and the captain lost control of the ship. It was beyond his control and it drifted out to the reef. The reason for that is the government has built a small - they didn't build the lighters over there, it's actually dinky, aluminium boats, five metres, five point four - and that's supposed to carry the cargo, which means if the sea is rough the ship will have to take the risk to move in closer to the island otherwise those boats will sink trying to reach the big boats.
