$6.9M assistance to Cook Islands

Taupo Times, Volume 20, Issue 5, 21 January 1971, Page 6

$6.9M assistance to Cook Islands

Financial assistance to the Cook Islands totalling $6,900,000 for the next three years was announced by the Minister of Island Affairs, Mr Maclntyre. Outright grants for administration expenses total $4,950,000, grants for specific capital projects $1,130,000, loans for specific projects $400,000, and a further $420,000 will be given as grants or loans for projects yet to be finally decided. The main Cook Islands hospital at Rarotonga, which was started three years ago, would receive $380,000 over the three years for continuing capital development, while the hospital at Aitutaki Island would receive $85,000, the minister said. The sum of $180,000 would be for a new Teachers' College at Rarotonga, $90,000 would be for -improving water supplies, $30,000 for upgrading roads, and $30,000 for general harbour work. Grants of $65,000 would also be used for store sheds and depots, of $30,000 for agricultural stock and plant, of $45,000 for medical and dental equipment and of $100,000 for public works vehicles and plant. Inter-

national telephone communications would be upgraded with a grant of $95,000. "The annual grant for administration expenses is $1,650,000 a year, and the above amounts are outright grants for specific purposes," said Mr Maclntyre. Special loans are also being made to help with development which must keep pace with the building of the Rarotonga Airport. These include a loan over three years of $225,000 for increasing and improving the international telegraph and telex service between Rarotonga and the rest of the world, and of $75,000 for a new electric power generator to meet the growing local and the international airport requirements and the demands of future hotel development. Included in the total financial aid being made available is a sum of $420,000 to be used either as grants or loans for specific projects yet to be put forward in detail by the Cook Islands Government. "This unspecified aid gives the Cook Islands Government some flexibility in determining its capital works programme over the next three years," said Mr Maclntyre.