INL May 1 2019 Digital Edition

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Issue 414 | MAY 1, 2019 | Free
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Civil War, Tsunami and now this
And that was the spirit of Kiwis
Michael Wood
Asoka Basnayake
Iwant to express my deep
sorrow and solidarity with
the Sri Lankan community
in New Zealand in the wake
of the horrific terrorist attacks
in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday.
The death toll which was
said to be over 350 people has
now been revised by the Sri
Lankan government to about
250. Several hundreds were
injured and these attacks have
not only taken a huge toll across
the different communities in Sri
Lanka.
Shock and Sorrow
From my recent meetings
and conversations with the Sri
Lankan community in Auckland
during the last few days, I know
how shocked and saddened you
are at the atrocities that were
deliberate attacks on innocent
people and children. Some of
you have lost loved ones and I
acknowledge that it must be a
very difficult time for many of
you.
As our Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern said, New Zealand feels
great empathy for Sri Lanka at
this time due to our own recent
experience of a terrorist attack
that took the lives of many
innocent people.
In both cases, a faith community
was targeted while they
were at prayer, in supposedly
Dead Bodies being carried away for identification in front of the St Anthony’s Church.
Photo: AFP Photo by Tharaka Basnayaka/NurPhoto. By Arrangement with www.rnz.co.nz
the safest of havens.
In Sri Lanka, the Catholic
community was targeted on
one of the holiest of days, a
day that is usually one of great
joy and hope in the Christian
community.
Decades of anguish
Sri Lanka has gone through
much anguish over recent
decades. 32 years of civil war
from which the country was
only just emerging; a tsunami
that took away many lives and
now these atrocious attacks
conducted by those who wish to
re-create division.
Sri Lankans, irrespective of
faith or creed need to be very
strong and work with each
other, supporting each other in
these times.
I have seen many of my Sri
Lankan brothers and sisters at
various vigils and services over
the last week and have been
heartened by the way in which
Sinhalese and Tamil, Buddhist,
Christian, an Muslim Lankans
have all been coming together to
support one another and affirm
their commitment to peace.
Prayer this weekend
I want to offer my sincere
condolences to anyone who has
lost loved ones in these horrific
attacks. My thoughts and
prayers are with each member
of the New Zealand Sri Lankan
community and if you need to
discuss, please get in touch with
my offices.
We have organised an event
that include multi-religious
prayers for the victims of the
attacks to be held on Saturday
May 4, 2019 and I invite the Sri
Lankan community to attend. It
will be held at the Bhartiya Mandir
Community Hall, 252-254
Balmoral Road, Mt Albert at 4
pm. It will be attended by senior
Parliamentarians and it would
be great if you can let all your
Sri Lankan friends know of it.
Michael Wood is an elected
MP from Mount Roskill and
Parliament Undersecretary
to the Ethnic Communities
Minister.
On the pious Easter Sunday, I
heard about a bomb blast in a
luxury hotel in Sri Lanka and
quickly found out about the
atrocious massacres that had unfolded in
the country of my birth. The nightmare
continued for the next few days.
I want to dwell on how my fellow Sri
Lankans in New Zealand dealt with the
aftermath of the bomb attacks. The first
event, organised by Jason Bandara, a
young musician and a friend in Aotea
Square in Auckland was very moving. I
watched how grief-stricken Sri Lankans
mingled with fellow New Zealanders in
pouring rain, waving their Lion flags at
the Kia Kaha. Despite the short notice,
several hundreds of people attended.
Hope for the morrow
Tears welled in my eyes as Don Dilantha,
another young musician, picked up a
guitar and broke into an impromptu song
which had a very appropriate message
for all of us.
St Theresa’s Catholic Church in Mount
Roskill witnessed a very well-attended
Mass in memory of the victims (mostly
Catholic), who were targeted while they
were at prayer on the holiest day of the
Catholic calendar.
Interfaith meetings
A Buddhist Priest led a large gathering
of Buddhists, many Muslims in their
traditional hats and hijabs, a large
number of Hindu and other Christian
faiths sang hymns and lit candles and it
was heart-warming to see the love that
flowed.
Ethnic Community Jenny Salesa keeping avigil in
Auckland on Sunday, April 28, 201
The Tamil Community held a vigil at Aotea
Square on Friday which was attended
by many despites of being a weeknight.
The Buddhist Temple Sri Lankaramaya
in Otahuhu held a prayer session attended
by a full congregation including Social Development
Minister Carmel Sepuloni and
Ethnic Communities Minister Jenny Salesa
who lit floating candles before prayers.
On the same night, the New Zealand Sri
Lanka Foundation held a multifaith vigil
at Saint Pauls Church in Remuera, which
included Catholic, Methodist, Buddhist,
Islamic and Hindu prayers in a packed
hall.
It was humbling to see the love and
compassion that flowed from ahorrific
event and I want to acknowledge all the
Sri Lankan organisations in Auckland and
the public who have rallied round our
community.
Asoka Basnayake represents the Sri
Lankan community in the multicultural
sector of New Zealand in various governance
roles and in other capacities.
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02
MAY 1, 2019
Homelink
Unified global action imperative to combat terrorist attacks
Priyanca Radhakrishnan
On Easter Sunday (April
21, 2019), in a series of
coordinated bomb blasts
in Churches and luxury
Hotels across Sri Lanka, lives of
about 250 people were taken and
many hundred more were injured.
It was yet another targeted, violent
attack on people who were on
holiday and at places of Worship on
what was arguably the Holiest Day
for Christians.
Our Prime Minister, Jacinda
Ardern, issued a statement that
condemned the violence and reiterated
New Zealand’s strengthened
resolve to reject terrorism after the
attacks in Christchurch. She also
emphasised the need for the global
community to collectively find
the will and answers to end such
violence.
Reflecting on changes
As I attended vigils organised by
members of Auckland’s Sri Lankan
communities and heard them discuss
what victims and their families
would need in the coming weeks
and months, Ialso reflected on the
changes made in New Zealand over
the last month.
Our government has moved
swiftly in the wake of the
Christchurch attacks.
Soon after the attacks, the PM
announced that there would be a
Royal Commission of Inquiry into
the attacks – this level of formal
inquiry is usually reserved for
the most serious matters of public
importance.
The Royal Commission will
inquire into what relevant state
sector agencies knew about the terrorist’s
activities before the attack;
what, if anything, they did with
that information; what measures
agencies could have taken to prevent
this attack and what measures
agencies should take to prevent
such attacks in the future.
Gun Laws reformed
Less than a month after the deadliest
shootings in New Zealand’s
modern history, Parliament voted
almost unanimously to reform our
gun laws.
The Arms (Prohibited Firearms,
Magazines and parts) Amendment
Bill (the Bill) that was passed on
April 10, 2019, resulted in a ban
on all semi-automatic and military-style
weapons. All weapons
used in the Christchurch terrorist
attacks were banned.
I was in the Debating Chamber as
the Bill was read for the third and
final time and was passed almost
unanimously. I felt proud to be
supporting a government that acted
swiftly and with compassion.
I felt sad that it took a massacre
of this scale to prompt gun law
reform when there have been so
many failed attempts to do just that
in recent years.
I also felt hope because when
both sides of the House work
together towards a common good
Officials inspect the damaged St Sebastian’s Church in Negombo, north of Colombo, which
was another of the Churches attacked in the bombings on Easter Sunday. Photo: AFP/Chamila
Karunarathne/Anadolu Agency
we can achieve so much for the
people who elected us.
There is so much more that can
be achieved with collective global
action.
Social Media Responsibility
In her statement in Parliament,
just days after the Christchurch
attacks Ms Ardern pledged to look
at the role social media played
and the steps that New Zealand
could take, including on the global
stage, to ensure that social media
platforms took some responsibility
in the fight against terrorism.
She said, “We cannot simply
sit back and accept that these
platforms just exist and that what
is said on them is not the responsibility
of the place where they are
published. They are the publisher.
Not just the postman.”
The Christchurch Call
Last week, she announced that
New Zealand would work with
France to bring together world
leaders and tech companies
to agree to a pledge called the
‘Christchurch Call’ to eliminate
terrorist and violent extremist
content online.
She acknowledged the benefits
of social media platforms in
connecting people and emphasised
that those aspects should continue.
However, it is possible to also use
those platforms to incite violence
and to distribute images of that
violence, as was the case during the
Christchurch attacks.
While other countries like
Australia, Germany and the United
Kingdom have already begun to
take action locally against social
media platforms that distribute
harmful content, an issue of this
scale requires collective global
action.
An inclusive society
We also need to take collective
action to build a more inclusive
society here in Aotearoa so that the
hate and ‘othering’ that underpins
extremist violence and terrorism
are stamped out.
During the recent Easter
weekend, I attended a community
gathering organised by the Somali
Education and Development Trust
that was aimed at starting a conversation
on some practical steps we
could take to build a more peaceful,
inclusive society.
There were many good speeches
and suggestions, including a short
but powerful one by Chinwe
Akomah, President of the African
Communities Forum who said that
we should all make a conscious
effort to step out of our comfort
zones and speak to people who are
different from us. They may belong
to a different ethnic or religious
community; they may come from
a different walk of life or have different
perspectives. Let’s all make it
a point to seek them out and learn
more about them.
That is one simple, tangible step
that we can all take in an attempt to
make our society a more inclusive
one that celebrates and learns from
our diversity.
Priyanca Radhakrishnan is a
Member of Parliament on Labour
List representing Maungakiekie,
Auckland.
Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi
National List MPbasedd in
Manukau East
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MAY 1, 2019
Questions rise as blasts rip the heart of Sri Lanka
Venkat Raman
Even as the Island
Nation mourns the
death of more than
250 people following
bomb blasts that turned
Easter Sunday bloody, claims
that warnings and signals
received ahead of the tragedy
were ignored are beginning to
shake the very establishment
in Sri Lanka.
Suggestions have been
made over the past ten days
that terrorist activities have
been ‘active’ for sometime and
that the intelligent apparatus
failed in its job.
Prime Minister in the dark
Prime Minister Ranil
Wickremesinghe told the
BBC during an interview on
Sunday (April 28) that he was
out of the loop, meaning that
he was not informed of any
warnings that the State-run
Intelligence Services many
have received.
He said that crucial information
about any potential
danger in the country was
not passed to him; the blasts
exposed a massive intelligence
failure by Sri Lanka.
Soon after he spoke, Sri
Lankan Police said that bodies
of 15 people including six
children were found after
an explosion at a suspected
Islamist militant hideout in
East Sri Lanka. Among them
were three women, believed
to be family members of the
suspected militants.
According to one source,
an explosion followed by
Sri Lankan Prime Minister
Ranil Wickremesinghe (PMO Picture)
gunfire over several hours
and that clashes took place
in Sainthamaruthu, not far
from the home town of the
suspected ringleader of the
Easter Sunday suicide attacks.
Top officials resign
Inspector General of
Police Pujith Jayasundara, Sri
Lanka’s top police official and
bureaucrat Hemasiri Fernando,
Secretary to the Ministry of
Defence resigned, apparently
accepting responsibility for
security lapses.
But Mr Wickremesinghe
argued that he was unaware
of the warnings meant he did
not need to step down from
his position.
“If we had any inkling, and
we had not taken action, I
would have handed in my
resignation immediately. But
what do you do when you are
out of the loop?”
Jihadists hideout
President Maithripala
Sirisena said that Sri Lankan
intelligence services believed
that about 130 suspects linked
to the Islamic State (IS) group
were in the country and that
Coffins being lowered in Colombo (AP Picture through www.rnz.co.nz
Police were hunting 70 who
were still at large.
Police later discovered
what they believed was the
attackers’ safe house in the
Eastern City of Sammanthurai.
An IS banner and IS
uniform similar to the video
that was released by alleged
suicide bombers were found
inside the building, a Police
Spokesperson told BBC.
About 150 sticks of dynamite
and 100,000 ball bearings
were also found during the
raid.
Sri Lankan authorities
have blamed a local Islamist
extremist group, ‘National
Thowheed Jamath’ for the
attacks, although IS has also
said it was behind them.
Attack ‘Leader’ dies
Mr Sirisena also confirmed
that the attackers’ alleged
ringleader, Zahran Hashim, a
radical preacher, died at the
Shangri-La Hotel in Colombo.
He said that Hashim led the
attack on the popular tourist
hotel, accompanied by a
second bomber identified
as ‘Ilham.’ It was one of
six Hotels and Churches
targeted by the group.
The Economist said that
the Police unfortunately
were not as resolute before
the attacks.
“For several years,
mainstream Muslims have
raised the alarm about the
spread of extremist views
and jihadist cells. Mr Zahran
and his hate-filled group in
particular were believed to
be in contact with the few
dozen Sri Lankan Muslims
known to have joined Islamic
State. In December last
year, the arrest of suspected
Islamist radicals led police
to a coconut plantation
where a large cache of
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03
detonators and explosives
was found.”
This lead was apparently
not pursued, and some of
the suspects were released.
In early April Indian intelligence
agents passed on
urgent information gleaned
from a Tamil-speaking
is prisoner. This detailed
‘on a platter’ the names
of suspects, their leader’s
location and possible modes
of attack, including suicide
or truck-bombs.
The note even named the
targets as “some important
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04
MAY 1, 2019
Homelink
Jallianwala Bagh massacre centenary marked in Wellington
Venkat Raman
Across-section of the
Wellington community
gathered at St Peter’s
Church on Willis Street on
Friday, April 12, 2019 to pay homage
to the victims and their families
of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre
that was executed in Amritsar City
Punjab on April 13, 1919.
The Centenary was observed
all over the world to remember
those killed at Jallianwala Bagh,
named after the Park where it
occurred and to ensure that those
who died did not die in vain. The
Remembrance was intended to
serve as a reminder of the moral
responsibility that everyone has in
keeping the world safe from such
atrocities occurring again and to
acknowledge that whilst we forgive,
we will not forget.
The massacre of March 15,
2019 in Christchurch in which 50
Muslims were killed serves as a
timely reminder of human capacity
to destroy as well as the capacity
of human race to forgive ‘those
trespass against us.’
Grant Robertson
Finance Minister Grant Robertson,
who spoke at the Wellington
gathering, said that remembering
the people who were shot dead
in Jallianwala Bagh is especially
important for us in New Zealand.
Sanjiv Kohli
India’s High Commissioner to
New Zealand Sanjiv Kohli said,
Former Governor General Sir Anand Satyanand
“Many people have died. The best
lesson that we can derive from the
massacre is that we stand united
against the forces that attempt to
divide us, forces of terror, forces of
extremism and racism. That is the
best tribute to we can pay to those
who laid down their lives.”
Sir Anand Satyanand
Former Governor General Air
Anand Satyanand spoke of three
markers that place the commemoration
in context.
The following is an extract from
his Speech.
The first was the end of World
War I in 1918 when soldiers and
other servicemen and women
returned to their countries to take
up civilian lives. This happened
in New Zealand and Australia, UK
and notably in India. And because
many people of Sikh background
had been soldiers, there were many
returned soldiers who had returned
to take up their lives in Amritsar at
the end of World War I hostilities.
India’s High Commissioner Sanjiv Kohli
Beginning of Nationalism
India at the time was a British
Colony and a mixture, at that time,
of states, princely kingdoms and
people of various backgrounds
and languages, all functioning as a
Colony.
The beginnings of nationalism
had been stirring and the colonial
powers had seen fit to pass astatute
called the Anarchical and Revolutionary
Crimes Act 1919 which went
through the Legislative Council in
Delhi on 10 March. This piece of
legislation, popularly known as the
‘Rowlatt Act’ or ‘Black Act,’ extended
emergency measures of arrests
without warrant incarceration
without trial, trials without juries
and preventive detention.
The next piece of the mosaic
is Baisakhi, traditionally been
observed on March 12 and so, in
Amritsar at the Jallianwala Bagh,
there gathered many hundreds
of people in order to celebrate
Baisakhi.
Finance Minister Grant Robertson
Pictures from Oceanic TV (Chinese)
The Massacre
The rest is, as they say, history
when troops under the command
and control of General Reginald
Dyer, an Indian born but British
officer of the Indian Army who
fired rifle shots on the unarmed
citizens. This has gone down in
Indian history as the Jallianwala
Bagh massacre. Hundreds of people
lost their lives and a number of
reactions were forthcoming with
Dyer being removed from duty
and being criticised for his actions.
Many people say that the episode
was a decisive step toward the end
of British rule in India. Certainly, in
the fullness of time, the country of
so many different kinds of governance
would become united as one
country with one constitution and
independence, notwithstanding
having a population with as many
as 16 languages and encompassing
two time zones.
The Christchurch shootings
There is, may I suggest, then
Memorial at Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar
a thread that reaches out over a
hundred years, and extends to
Christchurch in our own country,
where four weeks ago, on Friday,
March 15, 2019, by reason of the
actions of one person, 50 Muslim
worshippers at Mosques, in two
Christchurch locations lost their
lives under gunfire and almost as
many have suffered wounds and
injuries requiring attention.
Among those present at the event
were Wellington Mayor Justine
Lester, Mr Kohli, Pakistani and
Bangladeshi diplomats, Members
of Parliament, Kanwaljit Singh
Bakshi, Greg O’Connor, Priyanca
Radhakrishnan, and members of
the Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Muslim,
Jewish and other faith.
The above is a highly edited
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MAY 1, 2019
Thousands pay tribute on ANZAC Day
Venkat Raman
Thousands of New
Zealanders paid
tribute to the brave
soldiers who fought
and perished at Gallipoli
during the First World War.
New Zealanders
remember New Zealand and
Australian soldiers who have
sacrificed, sometimes with
their lives, in war and serves
as a reminder of the tragedy
of such conflict.
April 25, 2019, observed
as ‘Anzac Day,’ was the 104th
Anniversary of the Gallipoli
landings during the First
World War.
ANZAC 2018 marked a
number of battles on the
Western Front culminating
in the Armistice which was
signed in November 1918.
There were 30,000 New
Zealanders who died in both
world wars.
Subdued Ceremonies
ANZAC Services are another
victim of the terrorist
attack in Christchurch on
March 15, 2019.
Returned and Services
Association (RSA) had
announced that two-thirds
of Anzac Day services have
been canned and that there
would be only 26 services
across the region, down from
84 in 2018.
Decisions to cancel or consolidate
services had been
Anzac Service in Wellington on April 25, 2019 (RNZ Photo by Ana Tovey)
made following discussions
with the police and the RSA.
Day of Significance
Anzac Day is a national
day of remembrance in New
Zealand and Australia that
commemorates all Australians
and New Zealanders who
served and died in all wars,
conflicts, and peacekeeping
operations to protect us and
our country.
The word ‘Anzac’ is a
part of the culture of New
Zealanders and Australians.
When Britain declared war
on Germany on August 4,
1914, it was committing not
only its own men, but those
of its Empire.
The five ‘Dominions,’
namely, Australia, Canada,
Newfoundland (which joined
with Canada in 1949), New
Zealand and South Africa,
were self-governing but had
no power over foreign policy.
Most entered the war willingly,
proud to go to the aid of
the empire, often pictured as
a lion with its cubs.
But as the war dragged
on and their young men
died in droves, they pressed
for more say in its conduct
and, after it ended, more
control over their destinies.
The men who came home
often found that fighting for
Britain had, paradoxically,
made them feel more distant
from it. A century later, many
historians see the first world
war as the former dominions’
‘War of Independence.”
As former MP Peter Dunne
wrote, “In the wake of
another ANZAC Day and the
rekindling of national spirit it
always engenders, it is timely
to consider our current relationships
with those whom
we have joined historically
in the struggle for what we
now routinely describe as the
liberties and freedoms we
enjoy today.
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05

06
MAY 1, 2019
Educationlink
New Childcare Centre a masterpiece in West Auckland
‘Blooming Buds’ a tribute to early Croatian settlers in Waitakere
Venkat Raman
Anew Childcare Centre aiming
to make a difference in
Early Childhood Education
has just been opened in
West Auckland.
Located at 371-373 West Coast Road
in Glen Eden, ‘Blooming Buds’ is the
brainchild of Nomita and J P Singh,
who have developed the property as
‘A Castle with a Café’ to pay homage
to the memory of early Croatian
settlers in Waitakere.
According to available information,
European settlers began to arrive in
the region in the 1830s and the first
families from Dalmatia date back to
the early 1900s.
Growing ethnicity
‘Blooming Buds’ compliments the
growing ethnicity of the Glen Eden
and West Auckland region, while the
adjacent ‘Café Oro’ has a Mediterranean
theme.
Speaking at the official inaugural
of ‘Blooming Buds’ on Saturday, April
13, 2019, Mr Singh described it as a
‘dream project,’ with challenges and
anxieties.
“As well as incorporating a
Childcare Centre and Café, this
Croatian-themed Castle seeks to
immortalise the memories of early
settlers in the Waitakeres,” he said.
Mr Singh said that the new,
purpose-built facility will provide
An exterior view of the ‘Blooming Buds Castle’ (Picture Supplied)
Nomita (extreme left) and JPSingh with Smeet Girish and Croatian community members
(Picture Supplied
day-care services in a secure
environment with love and
understanding.
Raising tomorrow’s citizens
“This is a place where infants,
toddlers and pre-schoolers will
be nurtured to flourish and
grow towards becoming forward
thinking and educated citizens
of tomorrow. We place great
emphasis on encouraging children
in developing their social skills and
aptitudes, thus, helping them to
grow in confidence for the next big
step in their lives,” he said.
National MPs Kanwaljit Singh
Reetu and Manoj Kumar Passi (INL Picture)
Bakshi, Melissa Lee and Dr Parmjit
Parmar were among the more 150
guests, including parents, teachers
and businesspersons attended the
opening ceremony.
Pleasant environment
Reetu Passi, the Centre’s Director
and Manager, said that safety,
respect and progress are the hallmarks
of ‘Blooming Buds,’ designed
to enhance the learning experience
of children.
“Our teachers are friendly and
approachable and go out of their
way to maintain strong relationships
with the children, their families
and whānau. Every child at
our Centre will be an integral part
of our personalised and customised
care system and a well-knit, stable
and passionate team. All of us are
excited to be a part of the ‘Blooming
Buds’ family in our amazing castle!”
she said.
The Age Groups
Children at ‘Blooming Buds’ are
categorised into three age groups,
namely, ‘Under 2 years,’ ‘Toddlers’ (2
to 3 years) and ‘Pre-Schoolers’ (3 to
5 years).
“Preschool is an age where a
child progresses through their final
preparation before Primary School.
At this stage, we focus on providing
them with all the tools that they will
need to be confident and curious
learners and be ready to engage
with larger numbers of children in a
more formal setting,” Ms Passi said.
Manoj Kumar Passi and Smeet
Girish, who are also Directors of
the Centre, said that the objectives
of ‘Blooming Buds’ are to promote
the independence and active
participation of children, develop
their creativity, critical thinking and
problem-solving skills and facilitate
an easy and stress free transition to
school.
“We foster strong partnership
with families to create high quality
outcomes for our children and our
core values include honesty, integrity,
accountability and transparency,”
they said.
Three Indian students get visa reprieve
Supplied Content
Three Indian students
who were caught up in
immigration fraud and
subsequently faced deportation
have been granted a reprieve
on compassionate grounds by
the Government.
Associate Immigration Minister
Kris Faafoi has determined
the students can stay in New
Zealand with open work visas
for a year.
The three students had
engaged the services of an
education agent in India who
had, unbeknownst to them,
been falsifying supporting visa
documents.
In early 2017, these students
sought refuge in an Auckland
church, along with a number
of other students, but eventually
they had to leave New
Zealand when the National
Party Immigration Minister
at the time refused to reverse an Immigration
decision to cancel their visas or to overturn their
deportation notice.
Labour MPs’ gesture
Labour MPs Dr Deborah Russell and Priyanca
Radhakrishnan have been advocates for the
students and helped with the four cases where
the Ombudsman found there were processing
problems at Immigration New Zealand.
Both MPs are delighted by the outcome.
“It was a complicated case and on a strict
interpretation of immigration rules, it would not
be possible for the students to come back. But it’s
s p a c e
good to see that compassion
can prevail. I met them in
2017 and really felt for them,”
Ms Russell said.
Ms Radhakrishnan said,
“The process has taken a while
as we have had to wait for the
Ombudsman’s report on the
matter but I am pleased that
three students have the option
of returning to New Zealand,
should they wish to.”
She said that she will continue
to advocate for the rights
of international students and
support the Government
in its work to create fairer
immigration policies.
“Being involved with a case
like this shows how important
it is to get our policies right in
the first place,” Ms Radhakrishnan
said.
The fourth student was not
granted a work visa because
he has been able to travel
to another OECD country
for study since leaving New
Zealand.
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Free Workshop for students, jobseekers
Venkat Raman
International students and
those seeking employment
can expect to derive the
benefit of sound advise and
perhaps even practical support at
a free Workshop being organised
by the officials and members of
the Tamil Association of New
Zealand Inc (TANZI).
Sponsored by ICL Immigration
Services Limited and supported
by this newspaper, the Workshop
will be held at the ‘Senior Citizens
Room’ at Fickling Convention
Centre located at 546 Mount
Robert Road, Three Kings on
Saturday, May 11, 2019 from 930
pm to 330 pm.
Experienced Coach
TANZI President Sowndra
Rajan said that Adon Kumar, an
Auckland based Language Coach
and Lecturer will conduct the
Workshop.
“Mr Kumar is known for his
sound knowledge of the job
market in New Zealand and experience
in counselling the student
community. He has conducted
many such Workshops at which
he outlines how to seek jobs and
write CVs.
“He also gives examples of
migrant CVs where the language,
content, format and presentation
of one’s credentials did not meet
the employers’ requirements or
expectations. He demystifies the
assumption of many migrants
that qualifications alone will
secure a good job. He often says,
‘It is not what you have but what
you can actually do that makes an
employer want to hire you.’ The
purpose of a CV is not to get a job
but to convince the employer to
provide an opportunity to attend
a job interview,” he said.
Interactive Sessions
Mr Kumar also apprises
participants how a CV and Cover
Letter should be written to attract
employers New Zealand and how
get invited to a Job Interview.
The Workshop will comprise
practical and interactives
sessions, at which the attendees
will be asked to participate in
Mock Job Interviews so that they
can learn how to answer open
questions that Kiwi employers
normally ask. They will also
learn aspecific model that they
could use to confidently answer
situational, hypothetical and
behavioural questions.
“The Workshop will include
several topics of interest including
accommodation, insurance,
cultural and social practices in
New Zealand. Lunch will be
provided free for registered
participants,” he said.
For details, please contact
please call him on 021-1804908.
Email:
sowndar.mage@gmail.com

MAY 1, 2019
Educationlink
Mental Health helplines inundated after March 15 attacks
07
Mental health helplines
have been inundated
with calls from people
traumatised by media
coverage of the Christchurch terror
attacks.
People who saw the gunman’s
own video have been particularly
affected.
Mental Health Foundation Chief
Executive Shaun Robinson said
that some of the media coverage
was ghoulish and too detailed in
depicting the horror.
“Helplines and help services
were pretty inundated in that first
two weeks following the shooting
and there’s a big concern for
the several thousand Kiwis who
watched the online streaming of
the event so really experienced it
through media,” he said.
Developing Processes
Mr Robinson said they are
trying to develop processes on a
national basis to reach out to those
people including making available
helplines such as 1737.
It is likely that the country will be
dealing with the consequences of
the shooting for people’s well-being
and mental health for some years
to come, he said.
People should limit their exposure
to the media during horrific
events, Mr Robinson said.
He said immediately after the
shootings there was saturation
media coverage and the Mental
Health Foundation, in conjunction
Photo: 123RF
with Homecare Medical and the
Canterbury District Health Board,
asked the media to limit disturbing
coverage of the event.
“There’s no need to go into the
horrific detail when reporting on
something like this, it’s horrific
enough that it has happened, but
actual very graphic descriptions
of what happened, chasing down
people who were there, or first
responders or witnesses, that starts
to become quite ghoulish from
the perspective of how media are
treating a subject like this, and it
really doesn’t add anything to the
national response to this issue or to
the national recovery.”
Advice to Media
Mr Robinson said by and large
the media took heed of that advice
and acted quite responsibly.
He said there are ways to try and
ensure traumatic events such as
this do not have a major detrimental
impact on your mental health
including reaching out for help to
one another, talking about how
you feel and not focusing on the
event, but instead concentrating
on routine things in your life and
things that generally make you
happy.
“While some people will definitely
need some pretty intensive
support, you know many of us
will be able to work through these
events, and if we focus on building
our well-being then we’ll be able to
get through this.”
Mr Robinson said that although
not everybody is going to get post
traumatic stress syndrome after
viewing such disturbing footage,
just processing it emotionally and
psychologically can take some time
and be pretty upsetting to a lot of
people.
Where to get help:
Need to Talk? Most of the following
are round-the-clock services.
Free call or text 1737 any time to
speak to a trained counsellor, for
any reason.
Phone: 0800-543354 or text HELP
to 4357; Suicide Crisis Helpline:
0508-828865. This is a service for
people who may be thinking about
suicide, or those who are concerned
Calling for Entries and Nominations
To the Twelfth Annual Indian Newslink Indian Business Awards 2019
aiming excellence
CATEGORIES: (2 NEW CATEGORIES)
1. Business Excellence in Retail Trade
12. Business Excellence in International Trade with India
2. Business Excellence in Innovation
(this category is open to all businesses registered in
3. Business Excellence in Marketing
New Zealand doing business with India)
4. Business Excellence in Customer Service 13. Best Accountant of the Year
5. Best Employer of Choice
14. Best Young Entrepreneur of the Year
6. Business Excellence in Health & Safety
15. Best Businesswoman of the Year
7. Business Excellence in Ethics (New)
16. Best Financial Advisor (Mortgage) of the Year
8. Business Excellence with Social Responsibility (New) 17. Best Financial Advisor (Insurance) of the Year
9. Best Small Business
Supreme Business of the Year Award
10. Best Medium Sized Business
(All entries will be entered for this category)
11. Best Large Business
For more information on Awards, Terms and Conditions & Free Workshops, please visit www.inliba.com
Nomination Process: Direct by Entrants; Nominations for Individual Categories (13 to 17) by companies and individuals; Nominations by
commercial banks and chartered accountants for companies and individuals with information prescribed in the entry forms available on the
Awards website (www.inliba.com).
about family or friends; Depression
Helpline: 0800-111757 or text 4202;
Samaritans: 0800-726666; Youthline:
0800-376633 or free text 234 (8
am to 12 am; Email: talk@youthline.
co.nz; What’s Up: Online chat (3
pm to 10 pm) or 0800-9428787 (12
pm to 10 pm weekdays; 3 pm to 11
pm weekends); Kidsline (ages 5-18):
0800-543754; Rural Support Trust
Helpline: 0800-787254; Healthline:
0800-611116; Rainbow Youth: (09)
3764155.
If it is an emergency and you feel
like you or someone else is at risk,
call 111.
-Published under a Special Agreement
with www.rnz.co.nz
Supported by
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must now be
payday filing.
Need some help when you run your payroll?
Visit ird.govt.nz/paydayfiling
Our website has handy guides, checklists and links to webinars.

08
MAY 1, 2019
Fijilink
Memories of Girmityas continue as youngsters take charge
Thakur
Ranjit Singh
May 14 is asignificant
and historical day in the
Fijian calendar.
Apart from Sitiveni
Rabuka’s first coup, its foremost significance
was the arrival of the first
Girmit ship ‘Leonidas,’ with 479
Indian indentured immigrants, who
we call Girmityas. That significant
year was 140 years ago, in 1879.
This followed 82 other ships
that transported over 60,000
Girmityas to Fiji. About 35,000 of
these people decided to settle back
in Fiji, and their descendants now
make a distinct race of people with
their won culture, language and
achievements.
Ignorance of the Diaspora
While May 14, 2019 marks 140
years of the arrival of the first
group of Girmityas, many may not
be aware of its importance. I do not
blame them, as our school history
fails to recognise and acknowledge
this fact, which appears to have
been stolen from successive Fiji
Indian generations.
To fill this vacuum of Girmit history,
a group of Fiji Indians in Auckland
have taken steps to reconnect,
reclaim and restore Indo-Fijian
history. ‘Fiji Girmit Foundation New
Zealand’ was formed six years ago,
Population Graph (1881-2000)
(Pictures from Indian Newslink Achieves)
to commemorate Girmit regularly
and become an advocate representing
the interests of Fiji Indians in
New Zealand.
We have been regularly marking
May 14 as ‘Girmit Remembrance
Day’ and enhancing this knowledge
not only in New Zealand but also
among the Indian Diaspora in Fiji.
The Foundation is already gearing
to mark the 140th Anniversary
in Auckland on Friday, 10 May 2019.
Sir Anand Satyanand
Former Governor General Sir
Anand Satyanand will be our Chief
Guest.
A New Zealander Lawyer, District
Court Judge and Ombudsman,
he became our country’s 19th
Governor General for a five-year
term from August 23, 2006 to
August 31, 2011.
On both sides of his family, his
links are with Fiji and India and he
has continued to maintain them.
His maternal and paternal grandparents
came to Fiji from different
parts of India (Uttar Pradesh and
Andhra Pradesh) under the Girmit
System.
Early Girmityas bound for Fiji
Sir Anand has always been
proud to acknowledge this
background. He is an excellent
and eloquent speaker and we
are honoured to have a Girmitya
grandson as our Chief Guest.
The evening’s Programme will
have other speakers, and we will
remember sacrifices, progress
and the vision of our forebears
through oratory, poems, quiz, music
and achievements of Girmityas
and their organisations.
The growing generations
The Trustees of the Girmit
Foundation of New Zealand have
also ventured on a culture that is
now prevalent in New Zealand-the
new generation, or Millennials
(like Prime Minister Jacinda
Arden) who should be given
opportunities to lead.
In that spirit, the older Trustees
have passed on the baton to a
young executive team, led by its
youth Trustee Krish Naidu, as
President, assisted by Kirti Singh
An Immigration Form of an early settler
and Nikhil Kumar as Vice Presidents.
Ashfaaq Khan is the Chairperson,
with Anji Naidu as Marketing and
Communications Officer.
The youthful team has Krishneel
Prasad as Secretary with Radhika
Priya as Assistant Secretary and a
very able Executive Members and an
Organising Committee.
We are aware that there are at
least five other organisations in New
Zealand who will commemorate this
day. The Foundation is honoured
to bring this enlightenment to Fiji
Indians, and others as well.
We are what the Girmityas wanted
Women were also employed in plantations
us to be. In commemorating their
memories, let us keep the flame
of desire and gratitude burning
in our community, particularly
in our children. And that spark is
that they are able to consciously
and appreciatively inherit the
legacy of the Girmityas – a legacy of
struggle, endurance, resilience and
achievement.
Thakur Ranjit Singh is a
Journalist, a Blogger and a Media
Commentator. He is a Founding
Trustee of the Fiji Girmit Foundation
New Zealand. He runs his
blog site ‘Fiji Pundit,’ that can be
accessed at
www.fijipundit.blogspot.co.nz
Winner of the Indian Newslink
Community Award 2018
for Distinguished
Legal Services to communities
We take the stress out of the New Zealand
immigration and settlement process
Bringing NewZealand HeartSpecialists to Fiji
● Specialist Consultations ● Exercise Treadmill Test
● Echocardiography (Echo) ● Angiography
● Electrocardiogram (ECG) ● Angioplasty (Stenting)
● Acting on behalf of clients overseas and in New Zealand
● All types of New Zealand visa applications
● New Zealand Employers recruiting migrants
● Sorting visa problems (PPI letters and Visa Revocation)
● Declined visas, complaints and complex cases
● Section 61 requests for people unlawfully in New Zealand
● Deportation orders and Detention issues
● All types of Appeals (legally aided for some)
● Refugee/Asylum and Family reunification cases
● New Zealand Citizenship
● Sale, purchase and Property Refinancing Transactions
● Enduring Powers of Attorney and Wills
AUCKLAND OFFICE
Level 1, 207 Broadway, Newmarket 1023, Auckland
Phone: +64 9 283 0157 Fax: +64 4 461 6019
Email: auckland@idesilegal.co.nz
Website: www.immigrationlawyersauckland.co.nz
WELLINGTON OFFICE
Unit 4, 18 Moorefield Road, PO Box 13208, Johnsonville, Wellington 6037
Phone: +64 4 461 6018 Fax: +64 4 461 6019
Email: admin@idesilegal.co.nz
DUNEDIN OFFICE
Level 1, 252 Cumberland Street, Dunedin Central 9016, Dunedin,
Phone: +64 3 926 9755 Fax: +64 4 461 6019
Email: dunedin@idesilegal.co.nz
12 Commercial Street, Namaka, Nadi

MAY 1, 2019
Fiji Road Show opens windows of opportunity
Fijilink
09
Supplied Content
As Fiji enters its 10th
consecutive year of
economic growth,
its relationship with
New Zealand is at an all-time
high.
In 2018, the number of
Kiwi visitors to Fiji increased
7.7% to nearly 200,000,
Fijian exports to New Zealand
increased by about $6 million,
with two-way trade reaching
$670 million.
Pursuing common goals
The special connection was
acknowledged by Deputy
Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister Winston Peters who,
during his recent visit to Fiji,
assured that New Zealand
and Fiji’s relationship will
improve as the two countries
collaborate to pursue common
goals of prosperity and
sustainable development.
To spread awareness of the
abundant opportunities in Fiji,
the Fiji Trade Commission
to New Zealand and the New
Zealand-Fiji Business Council
are proud to announce that
they will be hosting the first
Fiji Trade and Investment
Roadshow from May 6 to May
8, 2019.
More than Holiday
destination
Manager of Fiji Trade
Commission to New Zealand
Fiji Trade Commission New Zealand Manager Peter James Rudd
(Picture Supplied
Peter Rudd said that while a
high percentage of business
in Fiji comes from New
Zealand, many business
leaders here are not aware of
what Fiji has to offer and only
see the country as a holiday
destination.
“This event will be a great
opportunity for New Zealand
businesses to learn more
about Fiji’s rapidly growing
economy and market. We
are eager to reach out to new
businesses and investors who
may not have considered
Fiji as a suitable destination
to do business before and
demonstrate just what Fiji is
now capable of achieving,”
he said.
Mr Rudd added, “As a Trade
Commission we can also
facilitate these investments
and business transactions
to ensure the process runs
smoothly.”
Doing Business in Fiji
Titled “Doing Business in Fiji”
the roadshow will feature
engaging presentations to
highlight and discuss market
potential in Fiji, with guest
speakers from Investment
Fiji, New Zealand Trade &
Enterprise, and the Fiji High
Commission.
For those looking to learn
from someone who’s been
there and done it, real-world
case studies from companies
active in Fiji will be sharing
their own experiences of doing
business in this dynamic
economy.
This event will be held in
Auckland, Wellington and
Christchurch, with opportunities
for new potential
business leaders across the
country to attend.
If you are interested or
know of anyone who would
be interested in attending,
please visit investinfiji.today/
event/doing-business-in-fiji
for more information
Maungakiekie Office
Level 1, Crighton House, 100 Neilson Street, Onehunga
(entrance from Galway Street)
Open weekdays 9am-5pm
(09) 622-2660
Priyanca@parliament.govt.nz
Please call to make an appointment before coming into the office
facebook.com/priyancanzlp
@priyancanzlp
@priyancanzlp
www.neighbourly.co.nz/business/priyanca-radhakrishnan-mp
Authorised by Priyanca Radhakrishnan, 100 Neilson Street, Onehunga

10
MAY 1, 2019
Businesslink
End of the Golden Weather could cloud world trade
But India has the opportunity to lead the way
Supplied Content
Year 2019 could see the end
of the ‘Golden Weather’ in
international trade affecting
the fortunes of countries
but India could be a major beneficiary
and emerge as the leader, a
top government official has said.
According to Vangelis Vitalis, Deputy
Secretary (Trade and Economic
Group) at the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs and Trade, New Zealand
has experienced ‘Golden Weather’
in global trade for 23 years (from
1995-2008).
Contributing factors
“The establishment of the World
Trade Organisation (WTO), the legal
enforceability of trade disciplines
from 1995, and a reduction of global
protectionism over this period, have
facilitated in part by a burgeoning
network of Free Trade Agreements
(FTAs), delivering a significant
benefits for our economy,” he said.
Mr Vitalis was speaking at a Seminar
organised by the New Zealand
India Trade Alliance (NZITA) in
Auckland on April 4, 2019.
Stating that the ‘salubrious trade
climate’ would cease to exist, he
cited two reasons of this eventualitythe
rise of global protectionism,
with the last two years seeing
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
has been named among
a list of 50 of the world’s
greatest leaders by Fortune
Magazine.
The list ranks leaders who “are
transforming the world and inspiring
others to do the same.”
It acknowledged the Prime Minister
for her efforts in navigating
through New Zealand’s worst terror
attack in history, in which 50 people
were killed.
“Rallying people behind the
theme ‘We are one,’ she channelled
the country’s-and Muslim community’s-grief
as she opened speeches
with Arabic greetings and quietly
wore a head scarf.
The magazine also recognised
how Ms Ardern refused to speak
the accused’s name and was swift
in making moves for a ban on
semiautomatic weapons of the kind
used in the attack.
“Future leaders can look to
Ardern for a master class in how to
guide a country through a crisis,” it
said.
Bill and Melinda top
The Prime Minister was beaten to
Vangelis Vitalis (From Twitter
the sharpest increase in trade
restrictive measures since the
establishment of the WTO and the
assumption that enforceable WTO
rules would widen and deepen is
also in trouble.
Significance of WTO
“Enforceability hinges on a
functioning WTO Appellate Body
(AB). Assuming that the US does
not change its position (to block the
appointment of new AB members)
by mid-December, this body will
no longer have a quorum, thereby
threatening the viability of the
wider system,” Mr Vitalis said.
He said this functioning
international rules-based system,
currently administered through
the WTO, is important to New
Zealand.
the top spot by Microsoft co-founder
Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda
Gates, who, the magazine said, have,
through their years of philanthropy
work, alongside their Bill and Melinda
Gates Foundation, managed
to fund $US 45.5 billion towards
treating illnesses around the globe.
“That funding has launched,
and then continually supported,
what global health experts widely
acknowledge to be some of the
most successful international,
private-public partnerships ever
formed: GAVI, which has helped
developing countries immunize 700
million children against preventable
diseases. The second is The Global
Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis
and Malaria.”
Ardern’s follower
Ms Ardern was followed by
Robert Mueller on the list - who
overnight released a 448-page report
that disclosed the findings of a
22-month investigation into Russian
election interference in the US.
The reported detailed how US
President Donald Trump tried to
impede the probe, raising questions
of whether he committed the crime
“This body houses the world’s
only legally enforceable set of
rules that bind all of the world’s
economies large and small. and
remains our first best option for
international trade rules, providing
a set of mechanisms, particularly its
dispute settlement function through
which major economic powers
like the EU, China, the US, India,
Indonesia and others, can be held to
account,” he said.
Erosion of rules
The risk, according to Mr Vitalis,
is “WTO members will (again) fail to
agree a reform pathway this year,
leading to the gradual erosion of
existing rules and the WTO itself.
That will signal the beginning of the
end of the current world trading
order – with the foundation blocks
for a new one only coming into
view more slowly.”
According to him, one of the more
likely results of this path would
be a return to a Hobbesian ‘might
makes right’ world order (already
the revealed preference of several
major players).
“This is a world dominated by
large countries dictating trade
terms to smaller players. It is not
the ideal situation for New Zealand,
with our obvious disadvantage in
international trade, a consequence
of our (small economic) scale and
Fortune names Jacinda Ardern Second Greatest Leader
of obstruction of justice.
Fortune said that while few may
have been satisfied on either side
of the political divide after the
report’s release, it was an example
of how the former FBI director was
able to lead an “arduous, sensitive
investigation.”
About Robert Mueller
“He and his team didn’t uncover
the smoking guns that President
Trump’s critics craved, nor did they
grant the President the exoneration
he demanded. Instead, sticking to
the evidence and tuning out the
hype, they exposed serious wrongdoing
and shed light on systemic
flaws that the nation is now more
likely to address.”
The magazine said Mr Mueller
took on the role and was willing “to
sacrifice his own reputation for a
cause.”
“He proved that the country’s
institutions still work, even in the
face of unprecedented political
turmoil. That’s unquestionably good
for the country, whatever the next
act of the drama may be.”-Published
under a Special Agreement with
www.rnz.co.nz
distance from markets, both of
which are compounded by our continued,
albeit diversifying, reliance
on agricultural exports,” he said.
Complacency no good
Mr Vitalis said that New Zealand
cannot be complacent but must
align itself to help create and
sustain regional structures and
instruments as a way of maximising
our influence, and defending its
interests:
“APEC, the CPTPP, and indeed
RCEP can be seen in this light, as
one of the ways in which New Zealand
is investing in such processes
as a way of protecting itself from
suffering collateral damage in
turbulent and changing times. Our
priorities need to be numerous and
across a range of fronts. Effectively
implementing CPTPP is key to
ensure the maximum benefit to our
exporters and through them as a
feedback loop into the New Zealand
economy. We also need to work to
conclude the Pacific Alliance negotiations;
push for the conclusion of or
at least a significant breakthrough
in the mega-plurilateral Regional
Comprehensive Economic Partnership
(RCEP - which crucially
includes India). Alongside this we
need to continue and intensify our
negotiations with the European
Union and be prepared to take
Pharmacy
Group fined for
underpaying
trainees
APharmacy Group
in Auckland has
been fined $92,500
after 12 training
Pharmacy technicians were
paid less than the minimum
wage.
Tamaki Health, previously
known as Nirvana Health
Group, operates seven
pharmacies which were
penalised.
An investigation by the
Ministry of Business, Innovation
and Employment (MBIE)
found it wasn’t paying some
staff members for periods
allocated to study, despite the
technicians often working
instead.
The staff were studying
through the Open Polytechnic,
and were required to
work at least 20 hours a
week, on top of other study.
Often study would be
completed at the Pharmacy,
but some technicians would
then have to work at the
same time.
Improper records
MBIE National Labour
Inspectorate Manager Stu
Lumsden said that the case
raises questions about the
funding and quality management
of the Pharmacy
sector.
“The Authority determined
against seven pharmacies.
The determination resulted
in penalties of nearly
full advantage of emerging
opportunities such as with the UK
and Mercosur, as well as through
non-traditional trade policy forums
like the Commonwealth – a new
and important focus for our work,”
he said.
India’s barriers to trade
Mr Vitalis said that despite its
growing economic clout (and sheer
scale at 1.3 billion people), and
its increasingly outward-looking
foreign policy, there are few indications
that India intends to open its
borders to trade.
“An export-led growth model is
not currently favoured by India.
More broadly, India’s approach
to WTO negotiations has been
challenging depending on the
issues under discussion and it
has been rather more defensive
than one might expect of such a
global player, including across both
our bilateral negotiations – now
nearly a decade old – and those well
underway in RCEP,” he said.
Mr Vitalis said that New Zealand
should welcome India playing a
greater role in the region, as one
of the re-emerging major players
in international trade and indeed
in the global order itself. He said
Prime Minister Modi’s stated
preference for a rules-based order;
“is both welcome and significant.”
$92,500 between them for
underpaying employees over
$107,000. The pharmacies
also paid employees a
further $147,600 in arrears,”
he said.
This highlights a hole in
the auditing processes in the
health sector when it comes
to safeguarding the labour
standards of employees.
Questions raised
“It is disappointing to see
pharmacies who are funded
through Pharmac, District
Health Boards, the Ministry
of Health, and ACC failing
to meet basic labour rights
in such a serious way. This
raises questions about the
funding, quality management,
and risk management
systems in the sector,” Mr
Lumsden said.
He said that all large
businesses should take a
closer look at their quality
management and risk
management processes to
make sure labour rights are
being covered.
“Minimum employment
standards are a legal
requirement. Auditing for
this compliance is in the
best interests of a business’s
overall sustainability and
everyone involved in it.”
Source: Ministry of
Business, Immigration and
Employment

MAY 1, 2019
Employment Law breaches trouble franchisees
Khushbu Sundarji
One of the obligations
of a franchisee is
to obey all laws,
including the Employment
Law, ensuring that all
employees are paid the correct
salary or wage and that no
employee is to be paid less than
the hourly rate stipulated in the
Minimum Wage Act 1983.
The last 12 months have
seen continued focus on the
enforcement of Employment
Law by an active Labour
Inspectorate. A few recent
cases are discussed below.
Domino’s Franchisees
Two Domino’s franchisees in
Auckland failed to provide their
employees with the correct
Employment Agreement and
to keep correct wage, time
holiday and leave records. The
two franchisee companies were
fined more than $32,000. In
addition, Director Xi Chen paid
his staff more than $54,000
in arrears as calculated by
Domino’s, which consequently
removed the franchisee from
the business and the underpayments
rectified.
BP Franchisees
Pegasus Energy, which
operated as a BP station in
Hastings, was ordered to pay
over $132,000 in arrears to exstaff
and $120,000 in penalties.
Its employees were not paid
minimum wage or holiday pay
by the sole director, Jag Rawat.
The employees were also made
to live in accommodation
provided by the employer, pay
excessive amounts in rent and
continuously receive threats
from Mr Rawat that he would
cancel their visas.
Mr Rawat had previously
pleaded guilty in the Napier
District Court to eight charges
of falsifying immigration
documents and misleading
Immigration New Zealand.
BP advised that it took the
investigation seriously and
had removed the company as
a dealer.
Pizza Hutt Franchisees
A former Pizza Hut
franchisee was ordered to
pay $150,000 in reparation to
former employees and was
also convicted under the Immigration
Act of 25 charges of
exploiting 12 Indian nationals
who held work and student
visas.
Davinder Singh underpaid
employees on student visas
who worked more than 20
hours a week but were only
paid for 20 hours a week. He
also underpaid employees
on work visas who regularly
worked 45-60 hours a week, but
were only paid for 40 hours a
week.
In addition, Mr Singh
breached the Holidays Act
and Minimum Wage Act as
he forced employees to work
seven days without sick leave,
holiday pay overtime or days in
lieu for public holidays worked.
Another employee living at Mr
Singh’s home was forced to
cook and clean, while another
employee was owed almost
$65,000 in outstanding pay.
MBIE Investigation
Restaurant Brands, (the master
franchisor for Pizza Hut)
said three franchised stores left
the network after it was made
aware that they were being
investigated by the Ministry
of Business, Innovation and
Employment (MBIE). However
it said that it works with MBE
to ensure that its franchisees
are compliant with Labour and
Immigration Laws and that it
has a zero tolerance approach
to any franchisees that are
not compliant. It regularly
audits franchisees to ensure
compliance.
The cases discussed above
show a focus by both the
franchisor and Labour Inspectorate
to ensure compliance by
franchisees of all employment
laws.
Khushbu Sundarji is an
Associate at Stewart Germann
Law Office. Phone (09)
3089925; Email: khushbu@
germann.co.nz, or visit the
website www.germann.co.nz
Businesslink
11
OPENINGWA
JUNE 2019*
FOOD OUTLETS
ANTED
This award-winning development is looking for food outlets to open
in Sugartree Lane, a convenient pedestrian lane linking Union and
Nelson Streets in Auckland’s central city.
Surrounded by outdoor garden areas with courtyard or city views,
Sugartree Lane has a range of spaces to perfectly fit the size of your
restaurant or takeaway business.
By the end of 2019 over 10,000 people will live or work close to
Sugartree Lane so come in and discuss the possibilities your new food
business today.
DON’T MISS OUT, CONTACT US TODAY TO VIEW.
Julie Warbrick
022 639 3028 | julie@sugartree.co.nz
SUGARTREELANE.CO.NZ
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12
MAY 1, 2019
The English Fortnightly (Since November 1999)
ISSUE 414 | MAY1, 2019
Viewlink
Lanka blasts push the
world to a precipice
The bombing of Churches and
Hotels in Sri Lanka on Easter
Sunday in which more
than 250 people have died is one
of the bloodiest in human history.
The dastardly act goes against the
very principle of Easter Sunday,
an occasion on which Christians
pray their Lord, who suffered so
that humanity can be safer and
happier.
A week later, Churches across
Sri Lanka suspended Sunday mass
as security concerns remained
high along with social tension.
Islamist groups claim
The country has been on high
alert, with nearly 10,000 soldiers
deployed across the Island to
carry out searches and hunt down
members of two local Islamist
groups believed to have carried
out the attack.
Authorities have detained over
100 people since the bombings in
three churches and four hotels,
most of which were in the capital
Colombo.
The Archbishop of Colombo,
Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith held
a solemn special mass from a
Church adjacent to his house that
was broadcast live across local
television and radio.
“We cannot kill someone in the
name of God. It is a great tragedy,”
he said in his Sermon, attended
by President Maithripala Sirisena,
Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe
and former President
Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Imported animus
As the Economist said, the perpetrators
were jihadists from the
Tamil-speaking Muslim minority
that accounts for about 10% of
Sri Lanka’s 23 million people.
Tamil Muslims have no history of
animosity with the even smaller
Christian minority.
“Instead, the animus seems
to have been imported: on April
23, 2019, Islamic State claimed
to have instigated the atrocities,
apparently in conjunction with a
local extremist group. That would
make them the deadliest incident
of international terrorism since
the attacks on America on
September 11, 2001. They are also
by far the bloodiest event to shake
Sri Lanka since the end of a long
civil war ten years ago.”
That conflict, which pitted
Tamil-speaking Hindu separatists
against the government, which is
dominated by Sinhala-speaking
Buddhists, left perhaps 70,000
dead.
No one expects the bombings
to reignite such strife, though
fears of revenge attacks against
Muslims have prompted heavy
security deployments, curfews
and the declaration of a state of
emergency.
Lest we forget: 140 years after Girmit
In two weeks from now, the
world will quietly add yet
another year to the Girmit
Period that rocked the lives
of more than 60,000 men and
women from India for 40 years,
immersing them into a subjugated
state of slavery and deception.
We have been carrying articles
on the subject for 20 years, as our
tributes to those great men and
women who endured brutality
for the sake of their ensuing
generations.
The story of the Indo-Fijians as
indentured labourers is one of betrayal,
torture, sacrifice and death.
Successive generations have heard
how their ancestors suffered the
brutality of their colonial masters,
whipped like animals and were
pushed towards suicide- many
of them ended their lives either
hanging at home or falling into the
nearby river; many others simply
perished as a natural outcome of
physical and mental abuse.
The world has scoffed at slavery
and those who drove them but
has seldom cared for the victims,
unless the latter fought for their
rights in strange lands and asserted
themselves politically, socially and
culturally, winning a rightful place
in the society.
Slavery scoffed
Africans in Europe, the US and
Canada are prime examples of
such self-determination but in
the case of Fiji, people of Indian
origin remained marginalised
and relegated to secondary
positions.
There are undoubtedly a
number of success stories of
people who have established
their presence commercially
and lifted Fiji’s economy in later
years, especially after the country
gained independence in 1971.
But they did not achieve success
overnight; they too struggled,
alongside their compatriots,
risked their fortunes and promoted
businesses. It is said that
without Indo-Fijian enterprise,
the country’s economy would
be far more impoverished and
regressive than it is today.
Indo-Fijians are among
the most hardworking and
enterprising people in the world.
With diffidence, devotion and
dedication as their attributes,
they are never known to moan
and groan about not being able to
obtain employment. Their spirit
of adventure encourages them to
seek gainful employment and if
that fails, be self-employed.
Indian Newslink is published by Indian Newslink Limited from its offices located at Level
1, Number 166, Harris Road, East Tamaki, Auckland 2013 and printed at Horton Media
Limited, Auckland. All material appearing here and on our web editions are the copyright
of Indian Newslink and reproduction in full or part in any medium is prohibited. Indian
Newslink and its management and staff do not accept any responsibility for the claims
made in advertisements.
Managing Director & Publisher: Jacob Mannothra
Editor & General Manager: Venkat Raman; Production Manager: Mahes Perera;
Financial Controller: Uma Venkatram CA;
Phone: (09) 5336377 Email: info@indiannewslink.co.nz
Websites: www.indiannewslink.co.nz; www.inliba.com; www.inlisa.com
How India descended to Third World Poverty
From Riches to Rags under four centuries of British domination
Veera Ramayah
It is Year 1600 and India is
dressed in the colours of the
Mughal Empire.
One of the world’s richest
countries, it has 23% share of the
world economy.
India opens her arms to the East
India Company and for more than
200 years, Royal colours of Maroon
and Gold are forcibly replaced by
White, Blue and Red.
By the time the Company leaves
in 1947, India has been turned into a
poster child for third world poverty.
The Jallianwala Bagh massacre
It is Year 1919 and Sikhs in the city
of Amritsar celebrate Vaisakhi at
Jallianwala Bagh, a walled garden.
Without so much as a single warning
shot, Colonel Reginald Dyer orders
troops to open fire on a crowd of
innocent, unarmed Indians. He later
boasts that not one piece of their
1600 rounds of ammunition was
“wasted.”
Rudyard Kipling calls Dyer “the
man who saved India.” 1200 people
die in the April Sun.
It is year 1943 and India is
starving.
Sir Winston Churchill deliberately
redirects grain needed in the midst
of a famine for the reserves of troops
on the frontlines in World War II.
Churchill’s hatred for Indians
During a Cabinet meeting he
tells Secretary of State for India
Leo Amery, “I hate Indians. They
are a beastly people with a beastly
religion. The famine is their own
fault for breeding like rabbits.”
Churchill is confronted by his own
men stationed in India, with concern
over the rising death tolls. He writes
in the margin of the Memorandum,
“If famine is such an issue, then, why
hasn’t Gandhi died yet?”
Ten million die because of famine.
It is now Year 1947. On August
11, cries of “Pakistan Zindabad”
are carried on clouds of green
and white. On August 15, shouts
of “Jai Hind” are carried on clouds
of green, white and orange. In the
months that follow, trains of Hindus,
Muslims and Sikhs are carried on
tracks marred with green, white,
orange and deep scarlet.
Two million people will perish.
Comfort of Complacency
If reading the above unsettled
The New Zealand Government
proposes to change
its building laws, stated
to be the biggest since the
enactment of the Buildings Act in
2004.
Building and Construction
Minister Jenny Salesa said that
the new Statute aims to address
long-standing challenges in the
building sector, and that public
submissions are welcome.
“These proposed reforms will
deliver safer and more durable
buildings, a high performing building
sector, and better efficiency in
our regulatory system. This also
delivers on the Government’s commitments
under the Construction
Sector Accord, announced on April
14, to improve building regulatory
systems,” she said.
Ms Salesa said that the government
is consulting on proposals to:
improve the regulation of building
products and modern methods of
you slightly, its just mere proof of
the existence; and comfort of complacency.
Reading the narratives of
indigenous peoples from all around
the world is nothing short of an
eye-opener, but affects all the senses,
leaving a bitter taste.
It is funny that what happens
when you remove the thick layer of
sugar that coats our histories.
In this age, everything seems to
be under scrutiny — the media,
authenticity and verification of
reporting — it seems puzzling that
there are still some of us who ignore
the fact that our history is one-sided.
Our textbooks reduce what is
a sphere of vast knowledge and
experiences to a rudimentary circle,
drawn with as much care as the
Radcliffe line.
Historical amnesia is a serious
issue and is one that tends to
be overlooked in the pursuit of
comfort. We have been operating in
a colander; one that allows authentic
experiences and indigenous history
to fall through the sieve, yet places
a clear emphasis on the ability to
preserve, revere and martyrise
apologists, romanticists and leaders
on the definitive wrong side of
history.
A huge issue exists in the reality
that so many People of other Colours
(PoC) learn the authentic history of
our countries of origin through an
isolating and uncomfortable journey
into revisionist history.
It is a journey on which we often
embark on our own, in contradiction
to academic narratives we have
been presented for most of our lives.
To have consumed material that
has glamourised and presented a
false view of our history for so long,
and then to suddenly unlearn so
much of what we professed to know
about our histories is a big mouthful
to swallow, and one that does not go
down smoothly.
Corrective narratives
It often puts us in the awkward
position of having to correct
mainstream historical narratives
in a classroom situation, leaving an
invisible label of an ‘angry brown
person’ floating above our heads.
Historical amnesia places us in
direct opposition with almost the
entire faculty of History, especially
as it currently stands.
The current social climate seems
to project the ideas of “PC Culture”
having infiltrated too many facets of
society and that it is a scourge that
needs to be limited.
This has resulted in the “burden of
proof” to fall solely on the shoulders
of PoC, to argue for and make a case
for reading against the grain.
While I am not here (unfortunately)
to convince you of the horrors of
the Empire, I do believe that all of us
should have the ability to decide for
ourselves what side of history with
which we should align ourselves.
Making a choice without having
all the information available is not
only impossible, but forces a generation
of ‘independent’ young adults
to be shepherded into a particular
narrative.
I’m not sure about you, but being
a sheep isn’t something I want
added to my resume.
Veera Ramayah is a student at
the University of Melbourne.
She grew up in New Zealand and
writes about her experiences as
a student of History and Politics,
and unlearning much of what
she knew about her country of
origin. Veera writes on various
topics, including her experiences
as an immigrant in her column in
‘Farrago,’ a magazine, a University
Student Publication. The above
article has been reproduced here
with cosmetic changes with the
permission
Major changes to building laws proposed
Supplied Content
Jenny Salesa (INL Picture)
construction including (a) offsite
manufacturing (b) strengthening
occupational regulation (c) (c) (c) (c)
(c) (c) look at how risk and liability
are managed; possibly reduce the
building levy; and strengthen penalties
for those who don’t comply
with the law.
Improving quality, skills
“I expect this reform to create
a building sector where people
understand their responsibilities
and increase the number of skilled
workers; where better quality
means building it right first time
and people are better protected if
that doesn’t happen; and where
people are accountable when things
go wrong.
“A thriving, productive and
sustainable building sector is vitally
important for New Zealand’s economic
and social success. A healthy
building sector will increase the
wellbeing of all New Zealanders,
and deliver on the Government’s
plan to ensure everyone has a
warm, dry home.
“Clear and robust building laws
are critical to enabling the building
sector to reach its full potential.
“We need input and feedback
from the public as well as people
across the building and construction
sector to help make sure the
law works effectively for everyone.
I encourage everyone to have their
say,” Ms Salesa said.
You can find more information
on the proposals and how to make a
submission here
The Consultation will close on 16
June 2019.

MAY 1, 2019
New Zealand sponsors global meet on Social Media
Supplied Content
Businesslink
13
New Zealand and France have
announced that they will
bring together countries and
tech companies in an attempt to
bring to an end the ability to use Social
Media to organise and promote
terrorism and violent extremism, in
the wake of the March 15 terrorist
attacks in Christchurch.
The meeting will take place
in Paris on May 15, and will
be co-chaired by New Zealand
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern
and French President Emmanuel
Macron.
‘Christchurch Call’
The meeting aims to see world
leaders and CEOs of tech companies
agree to a pledge called the
‘Christchurch Call’ to eliminate
terrorist and violent extremist
content online.
The meeting will be held
alongside the “Tech for Humanity”
Meeting of G7 Digital Ministers,
of which France is the Chair, and
France’s separate “Tech for Good”
Summit, both on May 15, 2019. Ms
Ardern will also meet with civil
society leaders on May 14, 2019 to
discuss the content of the Call.
“The March 15 terrorist attacks
saw Social Media used in an
unprecedented way as a tool to
promote an act of terrorism and
hate. We are asking for a show of
leadership to ensure Social Media
cannot be used again the way it was
in the March 15 terrorist attack. We
are calling on the leaders of tech
OPENING
JUNE 2019*
New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on
April 16, 2018 (RNZ Picture by Craig McCulloch)
companies to join with us
and help achieve our goal of
eliminating violent extremism
online at the Christchurch
Summit in Paris,” Ms Ardern
said.
Social Media Responsibility
Ms Ardern said that there
was a need to act, and that
includes Social Media providers
taking more responsibility
for the content that is on their
platforms, and taking action
so that violent extremist
content cannot be published
and shared.
“It is critical that technology
platforms like Facebook are
not perverted as a tool for
terrorism, and instead become
part of a global solution
to countering extremism.
This meeting presents an
opportunity for an act of unity
between governments and the
tech companies.
“In the wake of the March
15 attacks New Zealanders
united in common purpose
to ensure such attacks never
occur again. If we want to
prevent violent extremist
content online we need to
take a global approach that
involves other governments,
tech companies and civil
society leaders,” she said.
Positive Connections
Ms Ardern said that Social
Media platforms can connect
people in many very positive
ways, and “we all want this to
continue.”
“But for too long, it has also
been possible to use these
platforms to incite extremist
violence, and even to distribute
images of that violence,
as happened in Christchurch.
This is what needs to change,”
she said.
India’s High Commissioner Sanjiv Kohli receiving amemento from the New Zealand India Trade Alliance from
(left) Treasurer Pawan Arora, Secretary General Sunil Kaushal and Chairman Giri Gupta (Picture Supplied)
Envoy recalls ‘Happy Days’ here
Venkat Raman
Outgoing India’s
High Commissioner
Sanjiv
Kohli recalled
his pleasant days in New
Zealand, saying that ‘there
were challenges to be
faced and decisions to
be taken but it has been
a good tenure in New
Zealand.’
Speaking at a dinner
organised in his honour
by the Auckland-based
New Zealand India
Trade Alliance (NZITA) at
India Gate Restaurant on
Sunday, April 20, 2019),
he said that transfers and
change of scenes come in
the wake of diplomacy.
Closer interaction
“When we are posted to
a country, we get to know
the host government,
officials, communities,
businesses and people.
And there always comes
a time when we have to
move to another country,
which we may not have
even visited before. I
must say that my wife
and I enjoyed our stay in
New Zealand. I have had
opportunities to interact
closely with businesses
and our community. I will
carry with me pleasant
memories,” he said.
Mr Kohli has been
posted as India’s High
Commissioner to the United
Republic of Tanzania
based in its Capital Dar es
Salaam. He said that he
would leave New Zealand
by the end of May and
proceed on leave before
takingupthenexttourofduty.
Supporting NZITA
Earlier, Giri Gupta and
Sunil Kaushal, respectively
NZITA President and
Secretary General spoke of
the diplomatic excellence
of Mr Kohli and his
support to the activities
of their Association and
its efforts to promote
business and trade ties
between New Zealand
and India. They said that
NZITA organises regular
meetings on topics of relevance
and importance to
the business community
with qualified speakers.
Later, they presented a
memento to Mr Kohli.
About 30 people representing
various sections of
the communities attended
the event.
GYM
OPERATORS
WANTED
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Julie Warbrick
022 639 3028 | julie@sugartree.co.nz
SUGARTREELANE.CO.NZ
*
PROJECTED COMPLETION DATE

14
MAY 1, 2019
Ramada Special
Pragmatic religion preaches good human values
Hajji Abdullah Drury
Ramadan is a time of joy and
piety for Muslims across the
globe.
The daily fasting would
begin and many of us would spend
much time reading and reciting the
Holy Quran.
Life commitment
Islam might be defined as acommitment
to live both the physical
and the spiritual life.
Muslims are supposed to engage
in aparticularly specific set of ritual
practices on a steady basis. It is
because of this orientation towards
the practical side of religion and
faith that Islam is known as a
religion practicing ‘Orthopraxy’
rather than ‘Orthodoxy.’
In other words, there is a greater
emphasis on conformity to ritual
practice than adherence to a uniform
set of theological beliefs.
Whilst affirming the dignity of
man in general terms, Islam is very
pragmatic – one might almost write
‘antiheroic’ – when discussing man
as an individual unit.
It requires him to take responsibility
for his own actions and does
not impose ideals of unnecessary
asceticism or poverty.
The conundrums we are
elucidating are the issue of man’s
harmony with both himself and the
society – his personal ideals and his
natural desires (social, intellectual
and so on).
We note during our intense read-
Muslims breaking fast at Iftar at Majid Al Mustafa in South Auckland
ing of the Holy Quran throughout
Ramadan that individuals are
seldom addressed directly. The
appeal is more often to mankind
(‘Ya Ayyuha Allatheena Amaano’).
Man is a member of society.
“Oh you who believe! Fasting is
enjoined upon you as it was upon
those before you, that you may
become pious, God-fearing” (Surah
al-Baqarah 2:183).
Mandatory practice
Historically, fasting during
Ramadan, the ninth month on
the Islamic calendar was made
obligatory in the second year after
the Hijrah from Mecca to Medina.
The abstinence was undertaken
solely to serve Allah.
Islam tries to reinforce our
fundamental humanity; it never
strives to turn us into angels or to
nurse properties not rooted in our
very human nature.
Mankind is ever good or bad, but
seldom entirely innocent.
It is a faith that encompasses
an entire system of wholesome
principles for the organisation of
all branches of life, for all times and
places, ideally. Is it not the most
definite and brilliant proof that true
personal freedom and happiness
lie in liberating ourselves from
the dominant sway of our lower
physical impulses by fasting during
Ramadan?
There is no Original Sin in Islam,
nor should Muslims or other pious
folk be absorbed into the current
Consumer culture and celebrity
Fetishism (idolatry?) dominating
Western societies presently like the
Black Plague.
Complex synthesis
Not that Muslims should
repudiate Western civilisation in its
entirety.
Modern culture is the product
of a complex synthesis of a
continuous intellectual endeavour
by generations and generations of
folk, that lived on the shores of the
Mediterranean Sea.
Muslim share in this alleged
Western culture is essential, considerable
and deeply rooted.
It is widely acknowledged that
the European Renaissance and
Humanism were the direct result of
Europe’s interaction with the Muslim
world and Islamic philosophies.
One only needs to look at the
contribution of Ibn Sina (Avicenna,
980-1037) or the inclusion of
Muḥammad bin ḥAḥmad bin Rushd
(Averroes, 1126-1198) in the painting
‘The School of Athens’ by the
Italian artist Raphael to grasp how
central this point is (albeit ignored
in the current era).
As the Muslim author Alijah
Izetbegovic wrote many years
ago, “Civilisation educates; culture
enlightens. One needs learning, the
other meditation.” (Islam between
East and West).
Preceding order
According to the Noble Quran,
before the creation of mankind,
there already existed the physical
world governed by an immaculate
order and total harmony.
The basic concept that man was
created from the elements of the
earth is repeated in several places
in the scriptures.
The question arises, naturally, as
to what qualities enable mankind
to be Gods exulted deputy on this
earth? It would be certainly neither
physical strength and size nor
intelligence if human politics are
any measurement of such things.
The answer of course is the Will
of Allah. God wills it and it has to
be.
Gentle reminders
Ramadan reminds us that our
task is only to worship Him to the
best of our ability.
We can agree that the past few
weeks have been an excellent
opportunity to sharpen our
personal spiritual focus. Ideally, we
should live by these pious virtues
throughout the year and try to be
worthy of being called Muslims.
The Holy Quran is our guide in
this hectic world and Islam provides
us hope for a better future.
Hajji Abdullah Drury lives in
Hamilton and writes on a variety
of issues. He is a moderate thinker
and writer. His book, ‘Islam
in New Zealand.’ The above
article, which appeared in Indian
Newslink, July 15, 2014, has been
slightly modified.
Ramadan
Mubarak
to all our Muslim Friends
With warm greetings and best wishes for the Holy Month of
Ramadan from All of the Labour Ethnic Communities Team
Michael Wood MP for Mt Roskill and Parliamentary Under-Secretary
to the Minister for Ethnic Communities
NZ Parliament office Out of Parliament Office, Auckland
04 817 8755 09 624 2278
14:14, Bowen House, WELLINGTON
or FREEPOST Private Bag 18-888, Wellington 6160
michael.wood@parliament.govt.nz
Authorised by Michael Wood MP, Parliament Buildings, Wellington

MAY 1, 2019
Ramadan Special
15
Ramadan Mubarak
Wishing youand your
family ablessed Ramadan.
Westpacare proudtohelp NewZealand’s Muslim
communities, customers and people grow.
WestpacNew Zealand Limited.

16
MAY 1, 2019
Ramadan Special
Two Centuries on, Muslims foster their fraternal bond
Hajji Abdullah Drury
The first Muslims to visit New
Zealand were Lascars, Asian
Sailors, who worked on
board European vessels.
Recent research by Dr Todd
Nachowitz has revealed that two
Indian Muslim sailors toured the
Northland Coast in December 1769
on a French ship named the Saint
Jean-Baptiste.
The Crew Muster Roll included
‘Mamouth Cassem’ (presumably
Mahmud Qasim) and a 16-year-old
Bengali named ‘Nasrin.’ Following,
many British East India Company
ships with Lascar crews and even a
few sepoys (Indian soldiers) visited
New Zealand.
The first Muslims
The first Muslim family to reside
permanently arrived in April 1854,
when Wuzerah and his family entered
Lyttelton in 1854 and settled
in Cashmere, in the Canterbury
Province, to work for Sir John
Cracroft Wilson (1808-1881).
Wuzerah was also involved in
transporting stone from the Port
Hills to the Christchurch Cathedral
when it was constructed. He died in
1902 and was buried in Sydenham,
Christchurch.
From the 1890s, men from the
Punjab and Gujarat regions of India
Sydenham, Christchurch; Gravestone for
Wuzerah, died 1902
‘Ice Cream Charlie’, Press, January 28, 1939
(Page 19)-Sali Mahomet from Turkmenistan,
Christchurch ice cream vendor, died 1943.
started arriving and after the
1930s, some of these men or their
sons began to bring wives and
children.
Growth of Associations
The first Islamic organisation in
this country was created in 1950
when the “New Zealand Muslim
Association” (NZMA) was formed
in Auckland.
At the time, there were about
200 Muslims in the entire country.
In 1951, ‘MS Goya’ brought
Death Certificate of Ahad Baksh Malik, Hawker and Shopkeeper of Arrowtown, Otago, 1890-1918
dozens of Muslim refugees from
Eastern Europe to Wellington. In
1959, NZMA acquired a property for
use as an Islamic Centre in Central
Auckland and the following year,
Maulana Ahmed Said Musa Patel
(1937-2009) arrived from Gujarat
to serve NZMA as the first official
Mullah.
The Association erected the first
purpose-built mosque in New Zealand
over 1979-1980, in Ponsonby,
Central Auckland.
Over the 1960s and 1970s, there
was an influx of East European,
Asian and Fiji Indian migrants,
refugees and students who made
various contributions to the different
Muslim communities across the
country.
Over 1962-1964, the Wellington-based
‘International Muslim
Association of New Zealand’ was
formed and in 1977 the ‘Muslim
Association of Canterbury.’
In 1979, there were about 2000
Muslims in New Zealand and
agents of the various Muslim
Associations convened to construct
a nation-wide Muslim organisation
to coordinate communal affairs at
a national level, particularly with
regard to Halal.
FIANZ established
In April 1979, the Federation
of Islamic Associations of New
Zealand (FIANZ) was created and in
1984 the Federation secured its first
annual Halal meat contract with
the New Zealand Meat Producers
Board.
In 1982, Sheikh Khalid Kamal
Abdul Hafiz (1938-1999) from
India arrived to serve as Imam in
Wellington. From the 1980s, there
has been a steady growth in the
number of Muslim immigrants,
refugees and students.
The first purpose-built Mosque in
the South Island was constructed in
1984-85 by the Muslim Association
of Canterbury.
In 2004, they hosted the National
Islamic Converts Conference.
The Otago Muslim Association
was formally registered in July
1995 and the Southland Muslim
Association in April 2008.
Rising Population
According to the 2013 census
there are presently 47,799 Muslims
in New Zealand: around 21% were
born in the Pacific Islands, 25%
in New Zealand, 23% in Africa
and the Middle East and 26% in
Asia. These statistics revealed
that more than 32,000 Muslims
live in Auckland and that 20,000
Muslims in New Zealand identified
themselves as Asian.
The integration of Muslims in
New Zealand Society has developed
over 150 years of peaceful
coexistence.
Hajji Abdullah Drury is the author
of ‘Islam in New Zealand.’
He lives in Hamilton.
References:
Drury, Abdullah. Islam in New
Zealand: The First Mosque
(Christchurch, 2006). ‘Mostly
Harmless’, Waikato Islamic
Studies Review, Volume 1, Number
1, March 2015, pp.29-49.
Once Were Mahometans: Muslims
in the South Island of New
Zealand, mid-19th to late 20th
century, with special reference
to Canterbury (Thesis, Master of
Philosophy (MPhil)), University
of Waikato, Hamilton (2016).
‘Mahometans on the Edge of
Colonial Empire: Antipodean
Experiences’, Islam and Christian-Muslim
Relations, Volume
29, 2018, Issue 1, Pages 71-87.
Quality advice is
assured through
Wishing you a shower of
Blessings
during the Holy Month of Ramadan
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MAY 1, 2019
Ramadan Special
17
Venkat Raman
Ramadan (or ‘Ramzan’) the
Holiest Month in the Islamic
Calendar will begin on or
around May 5 this year,
requiring Muslims to abstain from
eating, drinking and smoking from
dawn to dusk.
They will also be required to pray
at specified hours and break their
fast with a special prayer after sunset.
Piety, sacrifice and giving alms
to the poor and needy are among
the sacred duties of every Muslim
during the Holy Month.
Means of Salvation
According to the Muslim faith,
it was during Ramadan, the ninth
month of the Muslim calendar that
the Holy Quran, the sacred book,
“was sent down from heaven,
guidance unto men, a declaration of
direction and a means of Salvation.”
This is also the time of the year
when Muslims concentrate more on
their faith and spend less time on
the concerns of their everyday lives.
In the Arab world, where this
writer lived and worked for more
than two decades, governments,
philanthropists, welfare organisations
and community groups offer
alms.
The Red Crescent Society (The
International Red Cross is so called
in these areas) offers rice, wheat,
vegetables and fruits and other
essentials to the needy.
“Fasting is one way of realising
the true state of hunger and
the Holy Month is devoted to
understanding the sufferings
of some sections of the society.
Abstinence from pleasures of life
(all entertainment and night club
activities are suspended during the
Month, even after dusk) including
sex with spouses helps Muslims
to concentrate on the teachings of
Islam,” a religious leader said.
At the end of the day, the fast is
broken with prayer and a meal
called the Iftar.
In the evening following the Iftar,
it is customary for Muslims to go
out visiting family and friends. The
fast is resumed the next morning.
It is also customary for commercial
and industrial undertakings in the
Arab world to host special dinners
after Iftar for staff and clients, at
least once during the Holy Month.
Pregnant women, children, those
A Holy Month for abstinence and sacrifice
in poor health and suffering from
certain types of ailments including
diabetes are exempt from fasting,
in addition to Muslims travelling
overseas. But many travellers do
observe the fasting hours, irrespective
of their schedules.
According to the Holy Quran:
“One may eat and drink at any
time during the night ‘until you can
plainly distinguish a white thread
from a black thread by the daylight:
then keep the fast until night"
The Muslim Faith also states that
the good accruing from fasting can
be nullified by the following: telling
a lie, slander, denouncing someone
in his or her absence, a false oath
and greed or covetousness. While
these are considered offensive at all
times, the offense is believed to be
multifold during Ramadan.
Significant dates
Muslims also spend several hours
praying and studying the Holy
Quran. Many Mosques conduct
special classes for both Muslims
and non-Muslims keen on learning
the teachings of the Holy Book. In
addition to the five daily prayers,
a special prayer is recited during
Ramadan. Called, ‘Taraweeh,’ this
night prayer is usually longer.
Steadfast Muslims spend the entire
night in prayer in Mosques.
Laylat Al Qadr or the Night of
Power is observed on the evening
of the 27th day of Ramadan. Muslims
believe that it was on this night
that Prophet Mohammed (Peace Be
Upon Him) received the revelation
of the Holy Quran. According to
the Holy Book, this is also the time
when God determines the course of
the world for the following year.
Muslims in New Zealand
The Muslim community in New
Zealand, comprising citizens,
migrants and visitors will also
observe Ramadan as its members
congregate in Mosques for daily
prayers and take up social work
after dusk.
Ramadan this year will remind
us of the death of fifty innocent
men, women and children in
Christchurch Mosques on Friday,
March 15, 2019 and the fifty other
people injured in a mindless
massacre.
We are a caring nation, and there
is no evidence of any root of terrorism
amongst us. We are a tolerant
society, home to more than 200
ethnicities speaking 160 languages
and there has never been any sign
of intended harm; we may have
occasionally felt a tinge of racism
here and there, but never to a scale
that would lead to massacre.
We live in a corner of the world,
untouched by terrorists. But
hatred, terrorism and a penchant
for mass murder apparently exists
elsewhere.
Indian Newslink greets its
Muslim readers, advertisers and
well-wishers on the occasion of
the Holy Month of Ramadan and
wishes them success in all their
pursuits.

18
MAY 1, 2019
Classifiedlink/Entertainmentlink
Malaysian troupe for Tamil New Year celebrations
In Auckland on May 4 and Wellington on May 11, 2019
Venkat Raman
Tamil and Tamil culture
enthusiasts can expect an
evening of spectacular and
multi-talented performances by
a famous group from Malaysia at
Tamil New Year Celebrations to be
held in Auckland and Wellington
over the next two weekends.
Local singers and dancers will
also perform at the two events.
Auckland Event
Kuala Lumpur based ‘Vehaara
Arts’ will present a series of items
including modern and classical
dances at ‘Tamil Puththaandu
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PH: 09 6222 350,
employment@perrysberrys.co.nz
Vizha 2019’ organised by the
Auckland Tamil Association on
Saturday, May 4, 2019 from 6 pm
at Freemans Bay Community Hall,
52 Hepburn Street, Auckland City.
Tickets for the event, priced at
$20 per adult (plus booking fee of
$1.27) and $10 (plus booking fee
of $1.27) for each child between
five and twelve years of age can
be purchased at www.eventbrite.
co.nz
For further details, please
contact Association President Vai
Ravindran on 027-2758266 or Secretary
Murali Kumar 021-685804.
Wellington Event
The Troupe will also perform at
Beauty Therapists –Threaders; East
Day Spa Auckland, SkyCity Grand
Hotel; Spring, Auckland Ponsonby
and St Heliers; Spring, Wellington.
Threading + waxing skills essential;
Manicure, Pedicure skills preferred;
Further training and development
available for the right candidate.
Email CV to careers@eastdayspa.com
the ‘Chithirai Vizha 2019’ celebrations
of the Wellington Muthamil
Sangam at 530 pm at Memorial
Theatre located in the Kelburn
Campus of Victoria University on
Saturday, May 11, 2019.
Tickets, priced at $65 per family
(plus booking fee of $5.13), $25
(plus booking fee of $2.32 per
person ) per adult and $15 (plus
booking fee of $1.63) per child
can be purchased at www.
eventbrite.co.nz.
For further details, please
contact Dr Siva Kumar on 021-
1733044, Muthu Annamalai on
027-7037163) or Prema Karuna on
021-2879992. Email: wmsangam@
gmail.com
About Vehaara Arts
Established in 2010, Vehaara
Arts is driven by its core principles
of setting a world standard
in performing arts and inspiring
people to dance.
The Dance Institute conducts
classes in Indian Classical,
Modern and Folk dances and
encourages them to perform at
competitions, festival and other
functions.
“We focus on instilling love and
respect for dance, discipline and
creativity, while building self-confidence,”
their website says.
A Collage of Performers (Picture Supplied
Musicians get together to recreate R D Burman melodies
Venkat Raman
Hundreds of hours of selection
of songs, musicians
including vocalists and
instrumentalists, stage
settings, lights and sound have
been invested to produce one of the
finest tributes to Rahul Dev Burman
(R D Burman) in Auckland later this
month.
Again, the best attribute of
‘Suneheri Yaadein Pancham Magic’
coming under the banner of Swar
Sadhana Academy of Indian Music
and Ravi Shetty Concepts would
be its exclusive team of local talent
that can parallel, if given the appropriate
opportunity, with those who
claim to be the best in the Hindi
film industry in India.
More than 50 people including
artistes and stage crew are putting
together what promises to be ‘The
Show of the Year,’ from 630 pm on
Saturday, May 25, 2019 at Dorothy
Winstone Centre, Auckland Girls
Grammar School, located at Howe
Street.
Tickets, priced at $20 are now on
sale.
Sandya Badakere and Ravi Shetty
are the two principals driving
the event, inspired by scores of
others who are giving their time,
energy and competence to create
a cultural and musical spectacle
that will bring joy and pride to R D
Burman fans and of course to the
sponsors of the event and families
of performers.
The Pancham Magic
Mr Shetty said that instruments
played a major role in the compositions
of R D Burman and hence it
was a challenge to put together an
orchestra that included most, if not
all, that were a part of the ‘Pancham
Magic.’
“We have formed a Band which
has different sections. Much work
has gone into the production already
and we continue to rehearse
and fine tune our performance so
that the audience can enjoy the
evening,” he said.
He said that ‘Suneheri Yaadein
2019’ will have a Rhythm Range
comprising Kristifer Kumar (Percussions),
Navneel Prasad (Tabla),
Nigal Kishore (Electric Drums,
Congo, Bongo and Percussions), Ron
Kishore (Octapad and Percussions)
and Vivek Anturkar (Tabla); a
Keyboard Segment with Cloyd
D’Mello and Hemant Thaker; a
Brass Section featuring Amity and
Greg Rogan on Saxophone, Clarinet
and Flute; a Strings Segment with
Darshan Lange (Rhythm Guitar),
Ravi Shah (Lead Guitar) and Vishnu
Sreekumar (Bass Guitar).
Supporting SPCA
Ms Badakere said that a part of
the proceeds of the Programme
will be donated to the Society for
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(SPCA).
SPCA believes that engaging, educating
and building relationships
with our communities is key to
improving animal welfare in New
Zealand, she said.
“SPCA is keen that all of should
know how to look after their
animals and give them the love and
respect they deserve. Donations
help the Organisation to rescue,
rehabilitate and re-home thousands
of animals in need every year. As
well as a one-off donation, regular
donations and leaving a gift in your
will, there are many other ways
you can support New Zealand’s
animals,” Ms Badakere said.
About R D Burman
The great maestro (June 27,
1939 - January 4, 1994) R D Burman
was a seminal music director of the
Indian film industry. Also known
as ‘Pancham’ he was the only son
of the noted composer Sachin Dev
Burman.
From the 1960s to the 1990s,
RD Burman composed songs for
331 movies. He was active as a
composer and as a vocalist for a
few compositions. His major work
partners were Asha Bhosle (his
wife) and Kishore Kumar.
He served as an influence to the
next generation of Indian music
directors, and his songs continue to
be popular in India even after his
death.
He popularised many actors,
among the most famous of who was
Rajesh Khanna, who passed away
in Mumbai on July 18, 2012.
Emotions are thoughts that define the human persona
Sadhguru, Isha Foundation
Are emotions a hindrance on
the spiritual path?
If there is no emotion at
all in a human being, you
cannot call him human.
A human being has emotion. If
someone tells you that emotion is a
hindrance, the next thing they will
tell you is that your mind is also a
hindrance. Then they will tell you your
body is also a hindrance.
Yes, it is true if you look at it one
way.
Your physicality, your mind, your
emotion, your energy, all these things
can either be in your life as a hurdle
that you cannot cross, or they can
become stepping stones in your life.
It depends how you use them.
So the question is, are you making
the body, mind and emotion into a
burden and barrier in your life or are
you making them stepping stones to
climb to higher possibilities?
Thoughts no different
Your emotions are not different
from your thoughts.
The way you think is the way
you feel. Thought is dry, emotion is
juicy, so emotion is just the juicier
part of the thought. You cannot
emote in a way in which you
cannot think.
Can you think someone is a
horrible person and try to have
beautiful emotions towards that
person? It does not work like that.
The way you think is the way you
emote.
So, if you think emotions are a
barrier, you must remove your
thought also.
It took millions of years of
evolution to bring the human
mind to this level of capability and
now you think your mind is the
problem.
The real problem
No, mind is not the problem.
You do not know how to use it,
that is the problem.
If you don’t know how to drive
and we gave you a really fast car,
this is a problem.
Both your life and everybody
else’s life will be in danger because
you did not learn how to drive, not
because the machine is a problem.
Similarly, the mind is not a
problem. It’s a wonderful instrument.
It’s a true miracle.
But now that miracle has
become a problem because you
made no effort to understand and
learn how to handle it.
All those fools who do not know
how to handle their mind think
the mind is a problem. Their
mindset is definitely a problem for
everybody but that does not mean
mind is a problem.
Beautiful aspect
Mind and emotion are not a
problem. Emotion is a beautiful
aspect of human life.
Otherwise a human being
will become ugly. It is just that if
anything becomes unbridled and
uncontrolled, it becomes madness.
If your thought becomes uncontrolled
it will become madness.
If your emotion becomes
uncontrolled that also becomes
insanity.
If your emotions are the way
you want them to be, how would
you keep your emotions – sweet
or ugly? If your emotions were
happening the way you want, you
would definitely your emotions in
the sweetest possible way.
Would that be a barrier or hindrance
to your spiritual growth?
Of course not.
Spirituality and Devotion
Almost 90% of the people on the spiritual
path have always been taught only devotion.
Devotion is just a way of sweetening your
emotion, to make your emotion as sweet
as possible. That is not a hindrance. If your
personal preference is for negative emotions, it
is definitely a hindrance.
I don’t even want to categorise something as
negative and positive.
I look at life as what works and what doesn’t
work.
Within your family or in your career or even
within yourself, would it work for you if you
were constantly angry, frustrated, depressed
and hateful? No. If you make your emotions
joyful, loving, compassionate, would it work
for you?
That’s all there is to it.
The question is, does something work or
not. What is the point in doing something that
doesn’t work? Every creature on this planet
does only what works. What is the problem
with human beings?
Isha Foundation New Zealand conducts
Isha Inner Engineering and Hatha yoga
Programmes. It also offers free Isha Kriya
and Isha Upa yoga practices for the General
public regularly. For more information Pls
contact: 0224637811 or Visit: www.ishayoga.
nz
Ranked amongst the fifty most influential
people in India, Sadhguru is a Yogi, Mystic,
Visionary and Bestselling Author. The Indian
Government conferred on him, ‘Padma
Vibhushan’ the second highest Civilian
Award for exceptional and distinguished
service.

MAY 1, 2019
Entertainmentlink
Meera
Model of the Fortnight
gets more intense crossing the Tasman
“If you risk nothing,
then you risk
everything.” Geena
Davis.
After almost 15
years of research on Meera’s life,
my biggest risks and challenge in
making ‘Meera,’ the production
was to bring a story of ancient 16th
Century India, to now.
A story from East to West: To
make sense of this intense love
story between a mortal and an
immortal beyond logic and rational
Amalgamation of Dances
terfront Theatre, Epicer Restaurant,
among the millennials. To take
The amalgamation of different TAPAC (The Auckland Performing
all the religious component out of
dance genres like Indian Classical, Arts Centre), The Dance studio, Red
the story of ‘Meera’ and bring her
Contemporary, Jazz, Ballet, Body Bull, Teddy Lane, Colour Junkie,
passionate Love for Krishna as the
Percussion, Belly Dancing, Aerial Phoenix Belly Dance and Navrasa
main source of her strength and
Dancing, Pole Dancing and
Dance Academy, to name a few.
existence. To show ‘Meera,’ a Royal
even Haka Dance have been an With so many hearts and souls
woman from the ancient India as a
extensive creative affair which involved in a production, it is
strong feminist, with ideologies that
has be consumed by many hours natural to feel the magic and I
were before her time.
grew bolder and bigger. We took of exhausting rehearsals. But the am positive that the thousands of
And the biggest challenge was
a step to go international and we teams glowing faces have kept us New Zealanders will be at the ASB
to create a story that was globally
plunged into it straight away. motivated throughout.
Waterfront Theatre from May 31
palatable and resonated with the
Raising the level of excellence None of the above would be to June 2, 2019 to feel the Magic of
wider audience.
This Australian production in its possible without a rock-solid Love.
New Genre, confluence
very second run is coming to New administration and marketing
Aarti Bajaj is the Chief Executive
To bring all the above to life, I
Zealand, starting the tour from team. The administration team
had to come up with a completely
Auckland.
behind Wild Dreamer Productions
new genre. Something that was
We aim to create ‘Meera’ even is a powerhouse filled with a
more than theatrical or Musical.
more intense, her love story more “Never give-up’ attitude. The team’s
We came up with a production
tangible; and we want to take the unison approach, infectious zeal
that is a confluence between a
entire production to yet another and focussed vision to achieve the
theatrical, musical and narration
level of excellence. All of this has best with integrity and harmony is
which incorporates intense drama,
been possible with undeterred speaking volumes, loud and clear
more than eight different dance
dedication, determination, efforts from everyone involved with this
genres, melodiously created music,
and love of the entire cast and crew production in Auckland.
elaborate costumes, state-of-art
of local artistes for ‘Team Meera’ in Generous Sponsors and
technology using stage projections
Auckland and Australia.
Supporters
and mapping.
The actors have gone through This journey has brought us in
When a production has so many
extensive studying of their characters,
character-building exercises, some extremely generous and help-
contact and collaboration with
moving parts, it comes with a lot
of human input. Untiring efforts,
wearing their characters physically ful supporters and sponsors from
persistence and endurance become
through intense makeup looks the wider Auckland community. On
the major element of the creation.
and heavy elaborate costumes. behalf of ‘Team Meera’ and Wild
That was what went in making of
Memorising lengthy scripts,
Dreamer Productions, I thank all
‘Meera’ in Gold Coast. A huge cast
understanding the story and script of them for their immense trust in
and crew of 300 were involved, day
at the deeper level, team building us. They have also showered on us
in and day out to bring this dream
activities. All of this and much their grace and love.
to reality.
more has be executed by the entire Among them are Indian
When the dream came to reality,
cast with big smiling faces and Newslink, AUT University, Radio
its aspirations and intentions only
passionate hearts.
Tarana, Servilles Academy, ASB Wa-
A New Star on the galaxy of icons in West Auckland
‘Café Oro’ has the Mediterranean ambience and more
Venkat Raman
“Joy knows no bounds when Krishna is around; Life is meaningless without him.” Local talent abounds Meera in New Zealand (Pictures Supplied)
19
and Artistic Director of Wild
Dreamer Productions. She is the
Producer, Director and Choreographer
of ‘Meera,’ a touching
tale of Romance with exquisite
settings and effects. Email: admin@
wilddreamerproductions.com;
Website www.wilddreamerproductions.com;
https://wilddreamerproductions.com/;
Facebook: Meera The Production;
Instagram: @meeratheproducion;
YouTube: Subscribe Meera The
Production
It is less than month since the
precincts of ‘Café Oro’ opened
at 371 West Coast Road in Glen
Eden (West Auckland) but it has
already become the place of choice
for working men and women,
businesspersons, elders and a host
of others in the area.
“It is my kind of place,” they say,
as Rachna Vijan, who, with her
team of chefs and serving staff, are
in the process of creating new dishes
to add to their delectable array of
vegetarian and other varieties that
have tickled the palate of people.
Elevated Entity
Elevated above the street level,
‘Café Oro,’ stays at a higher plane
in the company of an eighty-year
old Rimo Tree and a well-appointed
interior that at once epitomises
simplicity and grandeur. It is not
difficult to discern that the sixty-seater
Café is fructification of the
dream and aspiration of Rachna,
with the support of her husband
Prashant Vijan, a Bayleys executive
who facilitates sale and purchase of
businesses.
‘Oro,’ which means ‘Gold’ in
Spanish and Italian languages,
appealed to Rachna as her favourite
colour, Yellow, which symbolises
freshness, happiness, positivity,
clarity, energy, optimism, loyalty
and joy- everything in fact that she
shares with her husband, their staff
Rachna Vijan: ‘Café Oro’ is the dawn of a
new era
and customers.
Gleaming Sunrise
“Oro also appeals to me as
Sunrise, which represents the dawn
of a new era; a fresh chapter in
life, career and relationship. ‘Café
Oro’ has the potential to become
the rendezvous for many happy
occasions, from breakfast to dinner,
for meetings and parties,” she said.
While the Café functions from 8
am (shortly to be advanced to 7 am)
to 3 pm all days of the week, there
are plans to remain open for dinner.
Rachna said that she is also
considering outdoor catering, while
Takeaway service is already available
at the Café.
“Except bread, everything is made
here at ‘Café Oro,’ including Sauces
prepared from fresh ingredients.
With six full-time and three parttime
staff, we are busy every day.
Good food and conversation- everything under the (Rimu) tree
Our Menu, representing the cuisine
of various countries, has been
designed to cater to varied tastes.
We have created a fusion of sorts
and still in the process of creation,”
Rachna said.
Versatile Menu
From All Day Breakfast (just for
example, ‘Acai Berry Bowl’ for Vegetarians
and ‘Workman’s Breakfast’
(which includes Scrambled Eggs and
Bacon) and ‘Lunch All Day’ (‘Lamb
Kofta,’ ‘Free Range Paprika Chicken’
and ‘Vege Burger’) to a range of
Sides and Organic Coffee (served
in varied formats as ‘Espresso,’
‘Piccolo,’ ‘Turmeric Latte’ and
‘Caramel,’ ‘Hazelnut,’ ‘Coffee Shot’),
there is a blend of Mediterranean
and European cuisine with a touch
of Indian flavour.
There is then a Special Menu for
Children, with the right choice of
Eden now has another name: ‘Café Oro’ at 371, West Coast Road,
West Auckland
food and fruits to cater to the tender
stomachs and Organic Drinks and
Dairy-free Smoothies for those well
past that age.
Rachna is proud of the already
established reputation for unpretentious
food and great service. As
they mentioned, ‘Happy food feeds
the soul.’
Strategic Partnership
“Oro is all about quality, integrity
and good-old personalised and
friendly service. We partner with
suppliers who share our vision to
do our best in supporting and promoting
a sustainable environment
and supporting the local community.
Kokako Coffee and Karma Cola are
some of our suppliers who help
us serve organic and sustainable
beverages,” Rachna said.
She augments her professional
success with a unique blend of
passion, foresight, caution, planning,
control and accountability.
A postgraduate (Master’s
degree) in Computer Sciences from
Jodhpur National University, Rachna
acquired substantial experience in
her chosen field working for the
Local Government and commercial
undertakings.
National Party Deputy Leader
Paula Bennett, who formally
inaugurated ‘Café Oro’ on April 1,
2019, said that Small and Medium
Businesses are the backbone of the
New Zealand economy.
“Hard working people like Rachna
create job opportunities thereby
creating wealth. I am sure that ‘Café
Oro’ will be a successful venture and
cater to an increasing number of
customers,” she said.
(All Pictures Supplied)

20
MAY 1, 2019
Sportstlink
Fear of injuries mount as Rugby
World Cup gets closer
Sourced Content
It is the time of year when
international coaches start to
sweat on any injuries that could
involve longer recovery times
and Springbok Coach Rassie Erasmus
has been finding that recently.
With the Rugby World Cup
countdown heading towards 100
days out, New Zealand have already
suffered the loss of livewire utility
back Damian McKenzie.
But at last weekend, Erasmus saw
South Africa’s player of the year last
year flanker Pieter-Steph du Toit
leave the field with ashoulder injury
in the Stormers’ 24-23 win over the
Bulls at Newlands.
Pressure on Players
It was not immediately clear how
bad the injury was but it highlighted
the concerns for coaches as the
Investec Super Rugby season builds
towards its most crucial stage with
the competitiveness increasing and
putting more pressure on players.
Another injury in the same game
was suffered by Bulls centre Jesse
Kriel, also a Springbok certainty, who
left the field with alower leg injury.
Adding to the concerns was
the inability of Lions Captain and
No 8 Warren Whiteley to take
the field against the Crusaders in
Christchurch.
A player who has been bedevilled
by injuries in recent seasons, the
knee injury that kept him from the
Crusaders game was a new injury
and again its severity has not been
disclosed.
While the Springboks have adequate
back-up at No 8 with Duane
Vermeulen on hand, Whiteley’s
Damian McKenzie
leadership is regarded as essential
for their side.
Concerns in Australia
Similar concerns have been seen
in Australia where Brumbies loose
forward David Pocock has been able
to play only 138 minutes of Super
Rugby this year.
He returned home early from the
Brumbies tour of South Africa and
Argentina as a precaution and it was
anticipated he would be available
for this weekend’s home game with
the Blues.
Having suffered with a lingering
neck injury during the latter stages
of 2018, he had concussion issues
earlier this year and has been
troubled by a calf injury.
Japan launches Matsuri Project
On the subject of the World Cup,
the Japan Rugby Football Union and
Japan Rugby 2019 have launched
the Rugby Matsuri Project 2019,
a new programme which will see
Rugby themed events taking place
across Japan to celebrate the Game’s
biggest year.
The Rugby Matsuri Project 2019
provides local governments, the
Rugby community and the wider
Japan community with the opportunity
to take part in the celebration
of Rugby in 2019 and create a true
Matsuri or festival feel across the
country.
Applications are open via the
official website at www.rugbymatsuriproject2019.com
Rugby World Cup ‘Festival of
Rugby 2015’ was a success story for
the Host Nation, uniting host cities
and further afield in acelebration
of Rugby and friendship with events
ranging from rugby festivals to
rugby-themed ‘bake-offs’ concerts
and community events.
Rugby 2019 Logo
Logo Source: RWC 2019 Website
Approved events will receive the
original logo/event mark which will
certify the event as an official Rugby
Matsuri Project 2019 event. The
logo comprises a cherry blossom,
which is symbolic of Japan, and
a Rugby ball in the centre. It was
also created to look like a ‘mon’ or
a Japanese emblem/crest to make
it both eye-catching but also to add
a more Japanese element to it. The
subtleness of the design will appeal
to all.
Massey student wins
Olympic Design Contest
Supplied Content
Massey University
student Zakea Page
has won the International
Olympic
Committee’s Medal Design
Competition for the Winter Youth
Olympic Games, Lausanne 2020.
His design, ‘Beauty in Diversity,’
was chosen from more than
300 entries from 60 countries
by a panel of judges comprising
young change-makers, young
reporters, IOC Member Danka
Bartekova, Lausanne 2020
President Virginie Faivre and
ERACOM (Lausanne Art School)
Dean Viviane Morey.
Twenty-year old Zakea said
that his design was named after
a quote from Poet Maya Angelou,
‘In diversity there is beauty.’
“This is fitting because the
Youth Olympic Games are not
only a celebration of human excellence,
but also of culture and
humanity. The spiral represents
a culture of respect, friendship
and excellence as young athletes
gather at the Youth Olympic
Games to celebrate their success,”
he said.
Zakea is in his second year
pursuing Creative Media Production
degree at Massey’s College of
Creative Arts in Wellington.
A Prolific Artist
A prolific artist, he flew to Los
Angeles last year to take part
in the Performing Arts World
Zakea Page (Image Courtesy: Massey News)
The Winning Design (Image from Olympic Committee
Website
Championships and won three
silver medals with his unique
art-form, which blends sports and
painting.
“I am thrilled that my design was
selected. Sport and design are my
two passions and I am currently
working on combining the two as
part of my degree at Massey. My
dream is to perform do live art
paintings at the Olympic Games
Opening Ceremony,” Zakea said.
As the winner of the design, he
will be invited to attend the Youth
Olympic Games in Lausanne,
Switzerland in 2020, including the
Opening Ceremony, and witness
athletes being awarded medals
featuring his design.
In addition, he will receive his
own set of medals and a Samsung
Tablet.
Presents
SPORTS
COMMUNITY
ARTS & CULTURE
Calling Sportspersons, Community Workers and
Organisations, Volunteers, Architects, Artists, Designers,
Photographers, Choreographers, Dancers, Singers,
Musicians, Teachers, Organisers and others connected
to enter the Awards or be nominated.
Last Date: Saturday, June 1, 2019 (6 pm)
Forms can be downloaded from www.inlisa.com or
www.inlscaca.com. Please completed forms
by email only to inlscaca@peaceconsulting.co.nz
Entries and Nominations now open
105 Awards to be won in 50 Categories
Awards Night on
Monday, June 24, 2019
at Newmarket Room, Ellerslie Events Centre
80 Ascot Avenue, Remuera, Auckland
Sports Categories:
1. Best Senior Division Cricket Player
2. Best Under 19 Cricket Player
3. Best Over 19 Soccer Player
4. Best Under 19 Soccer Player
5. Best Rugby Union Player
6. Best Rugby League Player
7. Best Netball Player
8. Best Hockey Player
9. Best Over 19 Player Other Sports
10. Best Under 19 Player Other Sports
11. Best Sportsman and Best Sportswoman of the Year
(Winners of individual categories will be automatically entered)
Elite Awards: For men and women of the community
who have excelled in sports during their life and career.
Community Awards Categories:
1. Individual
2. Registered Association
3. Registered Charitable Organisation
4. Registered Places of Worship
5. Registered Society
6. Religious Services Individuals
7. Religious Services Organisations
8. Social Worker
9. Volunteer
10. Any others acceptable to the Judges
Supported by:
New Zealand Telugu Association;
Telangana Association of New Zealand
Art Awards Categories:
1. Advertising Agency
2. Architect
3. Architectural Designer
4. Cartoonist
5. Copywriter
6. Graphic Artist/Designer
7. Painter
8. Photographer
9. Writer
11. Chef and other Creative People
(Acceptable to the Judges)
Supported by:
Muthamil Sangam New Zealand
Culture Awards Categories
1 Choreographer
2 Conductor of Musical Orchestra & Dances
3 Dancer (Indian Classical and Modern)
4 Director of Cultural Programmes
5 Musician (Vocalist & Instrumentalist)
6 Organiser of Cultural Programme
7 Producers of Cultural Programmes
8 Singer (Classical, Film, Folk and others)
9. Teacher (Classical, Film, Folk and
Instruments
10. Others Not listed
(Acceptable to the Judges)
Supported by:
Kannada Koota, Auckland; Auckland Malayali Samajam
Supported by:
New Zealand Indian Central Association (NZICA)
For Conditions of Entry, Rules and Regulations and other information, please visit our website: www.inlisa.com
or contact Editor, Indian Newslink: Phones: (09) 5336377; 021-836528; Email: venkat@indiannewslink.co.nz
Conditions of Entry: Entries must be in prescribed form sent only by email. Those sent by post, fax, courier and other means will not be accepted. The decision of the judges will be final and no correspondence will be entertained in this connection.
Supported by