Indian Newslink Digital Edition Sept 1, 2020

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10 SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 Fijilink Ratna Krishnan, an icon of Orewa passes on Dr Rajen Prasad Standfirst: We regret report the passing away of Ratna Krishnan, known to the Indian and other communities as a compassionate, endearing and helpful human being. She passed away in Orewa on Wednesday, August 19, 2020. She would have been 82 years old on September 8, 2020. She left behind her two daughters Naleen Mudaliar and Jaya Krishnan, daughter-in-law Teresa Krishnan, and six grandchildren. Ratna’s husband Purshottam Krishna passed away on October 3, 2019. The following is a tribute by former Member of Parliament (Labour) Dr Rajen Prasad who has known the family for several decades. Enduring image Our enduring image of Ratna Krishnan of Orewa will be her sense of giving to others. Both through her own vigilance and thoughtfulness as well as her reputation for “making things happen,” she was able to bring relief and joy to a long list of individuals and causes in New Zealand and Fiji, throughout her life. Ratna was born in Fiji about 82 years ago (on September 8, 1938) and was the eldest in a family of eight siblings. Growing up in Labasa was never easy but Ratna recalled her maternal grandfather Ratna with her husband Purshottam Krishnan in Rarotonga with affection, especially his personality as a giver, his kindness and generosity, his attitude to hard work and his love of teaching. Ratna must have internalised these characteristics because they were powerfully telegraphed in her contributions throughout her life. Passion for education As an Indian woman from Fiji, Ratna had many firsts in her life but education had always been a very significant part. She left Labasa aged 13 years for schooling at the Ram Krishna Mission and attended Vivekananda College before taking up teacher training at the Nasinu Teachers Training College. She taught at the Sangam Primary Ratna and Purshottam Krishnan soon after their marriage on 12.05.1962 School in Labasa and, in 1962, married Purshottam Krishnan and lived in an extended family household there before taking up a posting in Lautoka where their son Sri Rama Krishnan and daughter Jaya were born. Their eldest daughter Naleen was born in Labasa. Commonwealth Scholarship While teaching in Lautoka Ratna was offered a one-year Commonwealth Scholarship to study Home Economics in England which she took up with encouragement from Purshottam. Ratna recalled this as a wonderful time of her life despite missing the family in Fiji. At the end of her scholarship, Purshottam insisted that she travel to India, Hong Kong, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand on her way home. Such characteristics were typical of Purshottam’s relationship with Ratna and included his insistence that she learn to drive a car in order to avoid reliance on others for transport. Staunch Rotarians In 1975 the Krishnan family migrated to New Zealand and settled in Orewa. While the choice was determined by Purshottam’s work as an Environmental Health Officer for Rodney District, the family embraced the Orewa community, and they lived here all their lives. Ratna and Purshottam were Rotary “junkies” in a sense, an association that had started in Fiji many years ago. Their Rotary family was very important to them and it provided a key platform for Ratna to cement her most endearing characteristic for unconditional giving and for taking up causes of all kinds. Her impact as a Rotarian even extended to Vanuatu. Any acquaintance or friend of Ratna will vouch for her tirelessness when it came to take up causes. She was the “go-to” person to fund raise for a just cause whether it was to help a young person realise a dream or to celebrate the artistic skills of an individual she had met. The model her maternal grandfather has provided endured throughout her life and she perfected it considerably. As the eldest member of a large, extended family, she appreciated the responsibilities that came with this role and kept an eye on all their interests. She was successful in facilitating many of them in their migration to New Zealand and successful settlement. Ratna even had the foresight to purchase land and establish premises for businesses in Silverdale so that the family would have work. Mission and Vision Ratna was tireless in her mission and fearless in her resolve. Throughout her life, she was able to amalgamate her organising ability with her resourcefulness to bring relief and entertainment to many in her ethnic and local communities even at the expense of her own interests. She adored her six grandchildren and was looking forward to her first grandson’s wedding next year. When her son Sri had a fatal accident in Indonesia in 2012, Ratna was devastated. Even as she carried on with her focus on others the impact of her loss was immeasurable. With Purshottam she had moved to Evelyn Page Retirement Village in Orewa in 2017. Purshottam lost his battle barely 10 months ago. On leaving North Shore Hospital Ratna received nursing care at Evelyn Page and was regularly visited by her children, their families and friends although in the last Covid 19 months this was made more difficult. Rest in peace Ratna. You will be missed but you have left many memories and much for us to celebrate in your name. (Pictures from INL Library) Priyanca Radhakrishnan Labour List MP based in Maungakiekie Maungakiekie Office 09 622 2660 priyanca@parliament.govt.nz Level 1 Crighton House, 100 Neilson St, Onehunga (entrance via Galway St) | | priyancanzlp Design & Construction Our team can offer you: House design and land subdivision To build your dream house with an affordable price A Fixed price contract with no hidden cost Built on time, in months not years Reliable professional team and customer based service 10 Year Master Build warranty Authorised by Priyanca Radhakrishnan Labour List MP, 100 Neilson St, Onehunga
SEPTEMBER 1, 2020 Ten steps help small businesses to face current challenges Saurav Wadhwa Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdowns at various levels have affected the global economy and New Zealand is not immune to the adverse effects of the pandemic. The measures announced by the government have had some softening impact, but small business owners are among the worst hit and will continue to face tough challenges for a length of time. The following ten steps should help them to revisit their financial position. Wage Subsidy: Round Two of Wage Subsidy is available until September 1, 2020. If you meet the criteria and have not already applied, then, please do so. Round Three of Wage Subsidy (called Resurgence Wage Subsidy) is for two weeks of payment and is open till September 3, 2020. The criteria are similar to the previous one, the main being a drop in revenue. A revenue drop of at least 40% because of Covid-19 for a 14-day period between August 12 and September 10, 2020, compared to a similar period in 2019. The scheme of Wage Subsidy is being administered by Work and Income Department. Small Business Cash Flow Loan Scheme: If you meet the criteria for Wage Subsidy, you are also eligible to apply for the small business loan. This loan is provided by the Inland Revenue Department (IRD). Application are open till 31.12.2020. The maximum amount loaned is $10,000 plus $1800 per full-time-equivalent employee. The annual interest rate will be 3% beginning from the date of the loan provided. Interest will not be charged if the loan is fully paid back within one year. Estimate Provisional Tax- Tax year 2020 might have been a good year for you. It also means that your provisional tax due on 28.08.2020 (first installment) will be 5% up on 2020 tax. Review your numbers and estimate Provisional Tax for 2021 to ensure that you are not burdened by unnecessary tax bills. For example, in 2020, your taxable income was $200,000 on which, $56,000 (28%) was paid as Income Tax. However, the last five months of results show that you have experienced a drop in revenue. Thus, it should coincide with the Income Tax for 2021. Perhaps you need to estimate the tax bill 2021 to be 40% below in 2020 to $33,600. It means that your P1 payment due on 28.08.2020 will be $11,200 as opposed to $19,600. Contingency Cash Reserve: You should ensure that you have minimum of three months of Cash Reserve. In order to build your Contingency Fund, look at all your business and personal expenses for Restaurant Association President Hagen Hopkins with Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi outside Parliament on August 25, 2020 (Picture by Hagen Hopkins) Restauranteurs want ‘Eat Out Help Out Scheme’ here Sourced Content The Restaurant Association wants the country to adopt a scheme similar to the UK, which would see the government subsidise meals at eateries. The Association has delivered a 4000 signature petition to Parliament on August 25, 2020, for MPs to consider adopting the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme being practiced in the United Kingdom. Under the Scheme, the government foots half of the bill for a meal eaten at a cafe, restaurant or pub from Monday to Wednesday until the end of August, with a limit of £10 or NZ$ 20. Wider benefits Restaurant Association President Mike Egan said that the Scheme has wider benefits than just the hospitality sector. “If we are buying food for our customers, then we are buying off farmers and producers, then we are paying our wages and our laundry bills, so the money goes a long way, whereas if they just gave us a grant we would probably just pay our rent just to get through,” he said. He said that the Wage Subsidy was not providing enough support. “The wage subsidy is fantastic, but it is all the rest of the costs we have to work out to get through this period,” Mr Egan said. Restaurant Association CEO Marisa Bidois said that to date, there has been no targeted support for the industry through the pandemic, despite being one of the worst affected. “Our Dine out to Help out initiative will put much needed cash back into the pockets of hospitality businesses that are really struggling whilst also helping Kiwis to get a freshly prepared meal at a discounted price,” she said. Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Kris Faafoi and National’s Economic Development Spokesperson Todd McClay received the Petition in Wellington, with a contactless lunch delivery of curry and rice. Heavy price Mr McClay said that New Zealand’s hospitality sector was paying a heavy price for the government’s “bungling of the border.” “Today’s petition is a plea for help from a sector on its knees. Hospitality, tourism and travel agents have been hit the hardest by the government’s border failure and they need more targeted assistance from the government to save businesses, jobs and livelihoods,” he said. Mr Faafoi said that the initiative was an interesting idea, but the government was not making a commitment to adopt it, as it was more focused on the wage subsidy. “That is not to say that we will not keep the dialogue open with the likes of the Hospitality Association and the Restaurant Association. They are very important sectors to New Zealanders,” he said. a month. These expenses should be fixed in a nature that is not related to the proportion of income. It means that you should calculate your expenses against no sales for three months; multiply that number by three. The sum that you get is the amount you should have in your Cash Reserve Fund available on demand. Review of Insurance Policy: Insurance is a very complex area. The insurance industry is under fear. You can easily under or over-insure yourself. Look at what Risk you are insuring (Life, Health, Car, Fire, Theft). Then look at what is the realistic probability of it happening. What is the insurance expense vs your business or household income? Perhaps this is the time to do comprehensive review of your insurance policies. Review of Personal/Business Debt Structure: Some small business owners are too busy to review their finances. You can make a list of all your debt, including car loan, home loan, business loan and others. Include the principal amount owing, interest rate and time left on the loan. Do a comprehensive review of your loans. The idea is to shift the high interest rates loans to the low interest rate. For example, look at ways how can you shift credit card balance or car loan to the home loan rate. For your home loan we all are in highly volatile interest rates situation. You can divide your home loan into three parts, then fix them for six months, one year and two years. By doing so, you will diversity your risk and hedge yourself from up/down in interest rates. Property Investment: This depends on your personal financial position. If you own three to five properties, you may want to consider selling a property. Currently, the market is very hot. You can sell a property and reduce your lending. However, if you do not own a property, it may be a good idea to invest now. Basic financial principles are a key in making right decision. Diversification is important- do not put all your eggs into one basket. If all your investment is tied into financial markets (KiwiSaver, Stocks, Bank Deposit), then you should diversify into property. Look at the yield percentage, rental demand in the area and other important factors. Hedge yourself from any volatile financial set back: Review all your assets. Only look at income-earning assets. Divide them into three categories, namely Cash (Bank Deposits, Term Deposits), Paper Assets (Stocks, KiwiSaver, Managed Funds) Real Assets (Land, Building). Include all assets that you own in New Zealand and Overseas. Make a list of these assets including market value, date of purchase and the net yield percentage. Then look at financial principle that how you can hedge your assets from any volatility. Customer Services: As a small business owner, Customer Services Businesslink 11 is a key to your business success. You need to communicate with your customers. If they are struggling offer them ways you can serve them better. Help them. Offer them multiple ways they can contact you. Offer them various payment options. Remember the most important thing is we are all in this together. Investment in IT: Investment not only means investing your money but also investing your time. You must learn new things such as use of online meetings, digital paperwork, virtual collaboration and so on. You need to ensure that you have a policy against fraud, spam and any unauthorised use of your emails, phone and websites. A simple, two-factor authentication which is offered by most providers can add an extra layer of security. You can install two factor authentications on your online software, Emails and Websites. Saurav Wadhwa is a Chartered Accountant and a Tax Specialist. He is the Managing Director of the Auckland based firm IBBZ Accounting Limited. He can be reached on 027-5555458. Email: saurav@ibbz.co.nz; website: www.ibbz.co.nz. The above article should be treated as general information and not as specific advice. Please contact your professional accountant for advice related to your company. Saurav Wadhwa, his firm and Indian Newslink absolve themselves of all liabilities in this connection. Court says first nine days lockdown ‘unlawful but justified’ Supplied Content The High Court released its judgment on August 19, 2020 in the Borrowdale v Director-General of Health and the Attorney-General case. It is a significant judgment in which all the Health Orders issued under the Health Act Alert Level 3 and 4 lockdown that started in March were lawful. Attorney General David Parker said that the challenges that the Orders made to close premises New Zealand wide, except for essential services, to prohibit congregating in outdoor places and to require people to self-isolate and stay at home have all failed. The current lockdown orders made under the Covid-19 Public Health Response Act 2020 are not affected by this judgment, he said. The Verdict The Court found that the March 25 Order closing premises providing non-essential services and prohibiting outdoor congregating was lawful. It also found that the Alert Level 4 Order on April 3 to stay at home and in our bubbles, and the Alert Level 3 order on April 24 were also lawful. The Court also dismissed the argument that the list of essential services was unlawfully delegated to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. It found that MBIE and other agencies were not defining essential businesses, but were assessing whether businesses met the criteria defined by the Order. Bill of Rights breached “It is very satisfying that these orders have been upheld. We can be confident in the Orders made and enforced. However, the Court did find that there was a breach of the Bill of Rights Act in the first nine days of the Alert Level 4 lockdown, because the original oral Attorney General David Parker request for people to stay home and in their bubbles was not put in a formal order until April 3, 2020,” Mr Parker said. He said that importantly the Court found that the requirement to stay home and in their bubbles was a necessary, reasonable and proportionate response to the Covid-19 crisis at that time. The Court stated that the question was finely balanced. While it found an unlawful limitation on rights and freedoms for nine days it said, “that must be seen in the context of the rapidly developing public health emergency the nation was facing.” Mr Parker said that the Court found the imperfection from March 25 to April 3 was cured by the April 3, 2020 Order,” Mr Parker said. State of National Emergency The Court also made the point that its findings have to be kept in perspective: the situation lasted for just nine days and occurred when New Zealand was in a state of national emergency fighting a global pandemic. The Court also rejected the challenge that the Prime Minister had attempted to suspend the law, saying that the power to require all New Zealanders to stay at home was a power that could have been (and was, from April 3, 2020) exercised by a Health Officer under the Health Act. Mr Parker said that the government was trying to educate people about the health risks and transition them quickly to take actions that curtailed normal freedoms like staying at home to stop the spread of the virus. “In the end, the measures taken by the Government worked to eliminate Covid-19, save lives and minimise damage to our economy. Since April 3, 2020, orders implementing the Alert Levels have been made under the Health Act or under the new Covid-19 Public Health Response Act. The Court has not said that all urgent Covid-related restrictions to individual rights will be in breach of the Bill or Rights,” Mr Parker said. He pointed to the Courts’ own decision on March 18, 2020, before the Alert Level system, to suspend all new jury trials “out of an abundance of caution” in the face of the Covid-19 threat. “No decision on a possible appeal has yet been taken,” Mr Parker said. Source: Office of Attorney General, Wellington. GET THE NEWS YOUMISSED! EVERYWEDNESDAY AND SATURDAY! Subscribe to the Bi-WeeklyNewsletter. IT IS FREE! IT IS EASY! Write nowtovenkat@indiannewslink.co.nz
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