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New Zealand PM says no extra funding for Niue |
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11:17, June 04, 2008 |
New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark said on Wednesday that the government will not allocate any more funds to Niue for the disposal of sheets of asbestos roofing, Radio New Zealand reported.
Most of the houses on the South Pacific tiny island nation were re-built with asbestos after cyclones in 1959 and 1960.
However, the government of Niue is now looking for help to dispose of sheets of asbestos roofing.
Much of the roofing was damaged during Cyclone Heta four years ago, leaving the population vulnerable to inhaling the fibers - which can cause lung cancer.
New Zealand provides around a third of Niue's current budget of16 million U.S. dollars and a further 2.3 million dollars for special projects.
Clark said New Zealand expects the Niue government to prioritize the issue within the allocation it gets from New Zealand. She added that it is a substantial allocation for what is now a very small population.
Source:Xinhua
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