The Indian Weekender, Friday September 4 2020

04SEPTEMBER2020 | Vol 12 Issue 25
www.iwk.co.nz /indianweekender /indianweekender
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Pg 2-3
Over 1700
international
students stuck
overseas have
lost their
visa status
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2 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, September 4 , 2020
The Indian Weekender
Despondency looms large as anoth
SANDEEP SINGH
More than 1700 international
students stuck overseas
have lost their visa status
in the month of August as another
month of uncertainty passes by in
absence of any intervention from the
government.
These numbers include student
visa holders under different
categories - English language study,
exchange students, full fee paying,
Pathway, and scholarship holders.
INZ revealed this information
while responding to the Indian
Weekender’s query on the number
of international students currently
stranded overseas and facing a risk
of loosing their visa status by the end
of the year.
The response from the INZ revealed
that visas of 2247 international
students currently stranded overseas
will expire by the end of this year,
with 1704 visas having expired in the
month of August.
As of August 23, 2020, there were
5,182 international students stranded
outside New Zealand borders (out
of which now 1704 would have
expired by the end of the month
of August).
This figure of international
students stranded overseas currently
would include, both student visa
holders who may have previously
travelled to New Zealand and those
who have not yet travelled to New
Zealand.
INZ also revealed that currently
there were 39,794 international
students onshore, with around 15,000
international students having been
issued in the first three months of
January (5037), February (5367) &
March (4217) before borders were
closed.
Notably, the government has been
playing a waiting game since March
when the New Zealand borders were
first closed to keep the Covid-19
virus away and the country went into
Alert Level 4 lockdown.
Almost six months have passed
since then, with tens of thousands
of temporary migrant workers stuck
overseas and gradually losing their
students lose visas status in August while N
visa status with
each passing month,
with no clarity
whatsoever of what
government intends to
do to help their situation.
Earlier, the government
has also hurriedly passed the new
legislation Immigration (COVID-19
Response) Amendment Act on May
15 under the Alert Level 4 lockdown
to grant exceptional powers to
Immigration Minister, supposedly to
act expeditiously for a large number
of temporary visa holders whose
visas were expiring soon.
However, no follow up action
has yet been taken three months
after the new legislation bringing
despondency among a large number
of temporary migrants stuck
overseas.
Full-fee paying international
students who are currently caught
up in border closure are bearing
incredible pressures and burden after
having invested tens of thousands of
dollars for international education,
apart from investing in their lives
in NZ, are no stuck overseas with
no clear advice from the
government.
"I
have paid
$36,000 for this level
7 course and am now
compelled to study online
for the last 6 months with no
guarantees that this period
will contribute towards
meeting the requirement of
30 hour per week towards
post-study work
visa"
Sakshi, an
international
student currently
stranded in India
is worried that
her whopping
investment of
around $40,000
might be wasted
along with a
prospective new life
in NZ if she did not hear
soon from authorities about her visa
status.
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The Indian Weekender Friday, September 4, 2020
NEW ZEALAND 3
er 1700 international
Z borders remain closed
• From Page 2
"I started level 9 course in March 2019 at Otago
Polytechnic and was in the last leg of my course before
being stuck overseas for almost 6 months.
"I have also lost my part time job in NZ and have no
source of income here while I am being stuck. Although I
managed to pay rent till June but had to vacate the property
and sell all furniture, appliances and the car.
"There are no plans to
amend the duration
in New Zealand requirements
for post study work as a result
of COVID-19. Study that is done
offshore, (whether that is done
remotely by distance or online),
cannot be counted towards
the duration in New Zealand
requirement
“I have paid $36,000 for this level 7 course and am
now compelled to study online for the last 6 months with
no guarantees that this period will contribute towards
meeting the requirement of 30 hour per week towards
post-study work visa,” Sakshi said dejectedly.
Immigration New Zealand has told the Indian
Weekender that international students stuck overseas, and
currently pursuing studies online will still have to meet
conditions for eligibility or getting post study work visa.
No respite for studying online from overseas for getting
post-study work visas
“Students who have completed their qualification must
meet the relevant immigration instruction requirements to
be granted a post-study work visa.
“To be eligible for post study work visas, qualifications
must meet minimum level and duration requirements.
These are: a minimum of 30 weeks study in NZ for
qualifications at level 7 or above, or 60 weeks study in NZ
for qualifications at levels 4-6.
"The duration requirements for levels 4-6 can be
comprised of one qualification at 60 weeks or two
qualifications at 30 weeks each (where the second
qualification is higher than the first, such as level 5
followed by level 6).
“There are no plans to amend the duration in New
Zealand requirements for post study work as a result of
COVID-19. Study that is done offshore, (whether that is
done remotely by distance or online), cannot be counted
towards the duration in New Zealand requirement,” the
INZ spokesperson said.
Nimisha – another international student stuck overseas
told the Indian Weekender that as the time devoted in
online studies did not counted towards the requirement
for post study work visa therefore she had deferred from
her course till she is able to return onshore.
However, she shared her financial distress as she is still
continuing paying off interest for the bank loan, she and
her family had taken for pursuing international education,
despite having no source of income.
There are many such story of destitution and
despondency from temporary migrants stuck overseas and
hoping for some affirmative action from the government.
Meanwhile, visas of another 9,848 international
students currently onshore will be expiring by the
end of 2020.
Christchurch mosque shooter
designated as a terrorist entity
IWK BUREAU
The Christchurch mosque
shooter has been
designated as a terrorist
entity by the prime minister.
The designation under New
Zealand legislation freezes the
assets of terrorist entities and
makes it a criminal offence to
participate in or support the
activities of the designated
terrorist entity.
Last Thursday, Australian
Brenton Tarrant, 29, who
carried out the mosque
attacks on 15 March 2019,
was sentenced to life in prison
without the possibility of ever
leaving jail. He had earlier
admitted 51 charges of murder,
40 of attempted murder and one
charge of terrorism.
Jacinda Ardern said the
designation was an “important
demonstration of New Zealand’s
condemnation of terrorism and
violent extremism in all forms.
“This designation ensures the
offender cannot be involved in
the financing of terrorism in
the future. We have an obligation
to New Zealand and to the wider
international community to prevent
the financing of terrorist acts.”
There are currently 20 terrorist
entities designated under New
Zealand law, including the mosque
shooter, police said.
Under Section 22 of the Terrorism
"This
designation
ensures the offender
cannot be involved
in the financing of
terrorism in the future.
We have an obligation
to New Zealand and to
the wider international
community to prevent
the financing of
terrorist acts
Suppression Act 2002, the prime
minister may designate individuals or
groups as terrorist entities, on advice
from officials, police added.
Details of the designations process
and the statements of case supporting
designation of these entities can
be found on the New Zealand
Police website.
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4 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, September 4 , 2020
The Indian Weekender
How committed are political parties
towards real – engagement with ethnic
minority migrant communities?
SANDEEP SINGH
A
panel discussion hosted
by the Indian Weekender has
delved into one of the
pressing issues facing ethnic minority
migrant communities in this country
of tokenism versus real engagement
in the political process.
The main guest at the panel
discussion was a distinguished
academician and the leading authority
on immigration, race relation, social
cohesion and multiculturalism - Prof
Paul Spoonley of Massey University
- who had a scathing opinion that
the political parties in the country
had not done enough canvassing
of the minority communities
including ethnic migrant minority
communities.
“Are our political parties
formulating policies that are
reflecting the aspirations of
minority communities?
“Are political parties and the
party leadership, particularly from
the majority community, engaging
directly with the issues of importance
to the minority community,” asked
Prof Spoonley.
“What we are seeing currently
is that ethnic MPs who are in the
party on the basis of their ethnicity
are expected to represent the entire
Kiwi-Indian community within the
political party and the government
decision making processes often get
overwhelmed and lose focus on real
issues that matter to the community,”
Prof Spoonley said.
Making it absolutely clear that
his views were not in any
way a judgement of any of
the existing three Kiwi-
Indian MPs, Prof
Spoonley said that
the current system in
place within political
parties was not suited for a deeper
and intense political engagement
with ethnic migrant communities.
However, Prof Spoonley was
cautious to not castigate the current
MMP system that sends List
MPs in the parliament,
"One
of the problems
is that when you are a
list MP, then you are at the
mercy of the political party to
represent the party’s value rather
than constituents’ values"
which has
historically seen
a substantial
increase in
the number of
ethnic or Asian
MPs in the parliament and believed
that the system was best suited to get
minority views and representation in
the parliament.
“It is just that the parties need
to do more to engage with ethnic
communities, cultivating and
grooming emerging leaders and
sensitising the party and their
supporters about issues that matter to
those communities if any meaningful
progress was to be made,” Prof
Spoonley said.
Echoing Prof Spoonley’s views
were other co-panellist Auckland
based Prashant Belwalkar -
president Marathi Association
and Christchurch-based Sandeep
Sharma, who both concurred that
by all means, the current political
engagement with ethnic communities
was superficial and tokenism.
“One of the problems is that when
you are a list MP, then you are at
the mercy of the political party to
represent the party’s value rather
than constituents’ values.”
“There can be personalities that
can overcome that kind of challenge
but the current crop of MPs is not
able to represent the community’s
aspirations,” Mr Belwalkar said.
Expressing concern on underrepresentation
of issues that matter
to the Kiwi-Indian community Mr
Belwalkar further said, “why are
the issues of small businesses and
the broader business community,
international education and
immigration pertaining exclusively
to our Kiwi-Indian community are
not raised in the parliament.”
Sandeep Sharma shared another
impediment that restricted a deeper
and meaningful political engagement
that most of the initial conversations
with political representatives of all
stripes were not followed up with a
clear plan and purpose, thus making
it a case of “being heard, but yet not
delivered.”
Prof Spoonley also raised
questions about why political parties
were not placing good quality
deserving ethnic minority candidates
higher up in the list and also giving
strong winnable electorate seats to
such candidates to make the political
engagement more meaningful.
Prashant Belwalkar also held the
ethnic communities responsible
to some extent for becoming
complacent and getting satisfied too
easily with their current co-ethnic
MPs and not demanding meaningful
progress on issues that matter to the
broader community.
There was a unanimity that there
was an urgent need to enhance
both the number and the quality of
representation of ethnic migrant
communities in the parliament.
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The Indian Weekender Friday, September 4, 2020
NEW ZEALAND 5
Vande Bharat Mission repatriates
750 stranded Indian nationals in
August, more flights in September
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RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
The Indian High Commission through its
social media on Tuesday, September 1
announced that under the Vande Bharat
Mission, three flights had taken approximately
750 stranded Indian nationals back home in
August- one Air India and two private charter
flights to New Delhi, Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
Under the Indian government’s Vande Bharat
Mission, the first and only Air India flight under
Phase 5 for August month took off on August
25, with over 220 passengers to New Delhi.
Private travel company based in Auckland
Mann Travel on August 28 ferried over 280
stranded Indian nationals via a charter flight
to New Delhi, India and another private travel
company Sehion Tours & Travels repatriated
235 passengers via a charter flight from
Auckland to Ahmedabad and then Mumbai on
August 29.
Several more charter flights organised by
private travel agencies have been given NOC
(No Objection Certificate) and some still in the
pipeline for flights to different destinations in
India.
Sehion Tours and Travels have received
provisional NOC from the Indian High
Commission to take a flight to Kochi and
then Mumbai for September 19 and has
NOC pending for the same destinations for
September 12.
The Indian High Commission has also
issued provisional NOC to Eco Travels group
for a charter flight from Auckland to New
Delhi and Hyderabad on September 11 and
to Miles Travels and Tours for a charter flight
from Auckland to Ahmedabad and Mumbai on
September 21.
The High Commission will announce more
flights in the month of September as and when
they are finalised.
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6 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, September 4 , 2020
The Indian Weekender
SMC & Residence from Work category visas: Less than
3000 applications processed after Alert Level 4 lockdown
SANDEEP SINGH
Immigration New Zealand has processed
only less than 3000 applications of skilled
migrant category and residence from work
category visas in the last four months.
A spokesperson from the Immigration New
Zealand said, “From 1 April 2020 to 26 August
2020, there has been 2,664 application decisions
made (including approvals and declines) for
SMC and Residence from Work Category.”
The spokesperson was responding to the
Indian Weekender’s query around the current
processing time on the applications of skilled
migrant and residence from work category
visas.
Notably, there were 12,594 ‘on hand’
applications in total for the SMC category as
of January 1, 2020, and since then Immigration
NZ has divided the list under two different
categories – priority and non-priority list.
As per the latest update on the INZ website
50 per cent of all SMC & Residence from
Work category visas were processing in seven
months, while the 90 per cent applications were
taking around 18 months.
This includes both the priority and the nonpriority
queue processing times.
“To better manage the queue of residence
applications going forward, in February 2020
Immigration New Zealand (INZ), with the
endorsement of the Minister of Immigration
at the time, formalised the priority allocation
of some SMC and Residence from Work
applications for highly paid applicants and
applicants with current occupational registration
(where registration is required by Immigration
Instructions),” INZ spokesperson said.
However, since the Alert Level 4 lockdown
and border closures, INZ has closed a number
of visa categories including selections for
Expressions of Interest (EOI) for the Skilled
Migrant Category and visa processing for
offshore applicants, simply for the reason that
borders remain closed for everyone except
residents and citizens.
“All INZ offices were closed during Alert
Level 4 at the end of March 2020 and as a result,
the processing of SMC residence applications
"INZ
can confirm
that applications
in the priority queue
are now being allocated
within two weeks of an
application being put
in the priority
queue."
was on hold during that time.
INZ’s onshore offices began
opening under Alert Level
3 and 2, however INZ was
required to adhere to strict
guidelines.
“While the processing of SMC
residence applications resumed
during Alert Level 2, the number of staff
returning to offices was very limited, in line with
health and safety requirements, which had an
impact on the number of residence applications
being work on,” INZ spokesperson said.
Priority queue applications being allocated to
case officer in 2-week time
“INZ can confirm that applications in the
priority queue are now being allocated within
two weeks of an application being put in the
priority queue.
Once an application is allocated, an
immigration officer will then assess the
application to check that the applicant
and any family included can be granted a
visa. Applicants will be contacted when an
application is allocated to an immigration
officer.
Priority queue includes principal applicant
is onshore and is paid twice the median wage
or higher (currently NZD $51 an hour or NZD
$106,080 a year), or works in an occupation
where registration is required by immigration
instructions and holds that registration.
Information for non-priority
queue
Meanwhile, those who do not
qualify under the priority queue
will and are still currently onshore
will be required to wait anywhere
up to eighteen months – the current
processing times as mentioned on
INZ website.
Currently, under border closure where
INZ is not processing any off-shore based
applications in the queue the processing times
of non-priority queue has also improved.
As of 25 August 2020, INZ is allocating
non-prioritised SMC and Residence from Work
applications received in January 2019.
Need for a 'new consultative
mechanism' to discuss trade
between NZ and India affirmed
in digital conference
SANDEEP SINGH
The need for exploring a “new consultative mechanism”
to discuss trade between New Zealand and India was
affirmed in order to boost bilateral trade.
A digital conference India- New Zealand Enhancing
Bilateral Economic and Trade Relationship hosted by India’s
prominent trade body CII (Confederation of Indian Industries)
in partnership with NZ based premium trade organisation
INZBC (Indian New Zealand Business Council) was held today
bringing experts from both sides to dwell upon enhancing the
bilateral trade.
The two keynote speakers at the digital conference were
India’s High Commissioner to NZ Muktesh Pardeshi and New
Zealand’s High Commissioner to India David Pine.
Covergence on new and existing mechanism
to expand talks on trade
Both the High Commissioners expressed satisfaction on
the overall progress of the bilateral relationship and the close
cooperation in the realm of mutual repatriation of passengers
stranded in both countries, and most importantly in exploring
new consultative mechanisms to discuss bilateral trade between
the two countries.
Mr Pardeshi urged both sides to reorient the basis of
relationship from mere buyer-seller model to a comprehensive
partnership that deals with deeper partnership in trade,
investment and economic engagement focussing on technology
collaboration joint ventures, innovation sector and other
allied areas.
Reiterating the sentiments, David Pine also concurred with
the Indian envoy and suggested that there was a need to move
on and explore other viable settings where free trade goals can
be achieved between both the countries.
Both the envoys pitched for mutual opportunities presented
for both the countries in order to further enhance bilateral trade.
Mr Pine reiterated New Zealand’s proposition as a deserving
partner and enabler of India’s growth story by offering niche
products, services, and technological support in meeting the
growing demand of the Indian middle class.
Later on speaking with the Indian Weekender over the phone
Mr Pine said that he was looking forward to the “virtual business
delegation” planned by CII whereby intending to take NZ
business on a virtual tour of investing and trade opportunities
with India.
Mr Pine also sent his good wishes to recent travellers from
India on Air India flight who were subsequently tested and
found Covid positive.
India’s business urged to see opportunities
in Australasia market
Notably, the Indian High Commissioner offered an innovative
perspective to the Indian investors and businesses to see New
Zealand as an entry point for the wider Australasia-Oceania
market.
Speaking to the Indian Weekender, Mr Pardeshi further
clarified on the proposition saying that once Indian businesses
and investors started looking at the Australasia region as one
single market, which constitutes 16 countries and a population
of 30 million, then it will become a game-changer in facilitating
much elusive high volume two way trade.
Several institutions and organisations had come together to
partner in this digital conference including ANZ Bank, TCS,
National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration
(NIEPA), NZ Tech, Education NZ, and Asia NZ Foundation.
Mitigating the impacts of Covid on trade do not finds mention
However, one glaring omission was an absence of serious
dwelling upon disruptions that Covid may incur on the bilateral
trade between the two countries.
Notably, many experts are of the opinion that Covid could
impact on many facets of bilateral trade, including supply lines,
tourism, and people movement.
According to some reports emerging from Europe, the
international mobility as the world has seen in recent years and
much of recent economic growth that different regions of the
world have seen might not return till 2022-2023, which can
potentially impact sectors like international education - the
fourth biggest export earner for NZ.
Baring Asia New Zealand Foundation executive director
Simon Draper who gave closing remarks and challenged all
participants to dwell upon the possible impact of Covid and
mitigating those future disruptions, there was not much serious
conversation on the issue which is clearly the most important
domestic and global challenge.

The Indian Weekender Friday, September 4, 2020
NEW ZEALAND 7
Linwood Mosque of ChCh among three
mosques chosen as polling stations
RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
The Electoral Commission has selected
three mosques around the country
as advance polling stations for the
upcoming Elections in October this year.
Linwood Mosque in Christchurch,
Kilbirnie Mosque or Wellington Islamic
Centre in Wellington and Al Huda Mosque
in Dunedin will be used as polling booths for
different electorates.
This is the first time ever that a mosque or
mosques will be used as polling venues in
New Zealand.
The Wellington Islamic Centre under
Rongotai electorate will be open from Friday,
October 9 through to election day, Al Huda
Mosque under Dunedin electorate will be
available for polling from Friday, October 9 to
Friday, October 16, and the Linwood Islamic
Centre under Christchurch East electorate
will open only on election day, Saturday,
October 17.
The Electoral Commission is also using the
Muslim Community Centre in Timaru as a
voting place for Rangitata electorate which will
be open on Saturday, October 10 and Sunday,
October 11.
A spokesperson from Electoral Commission
told The Indian Weekender that the intention
behind selecting the mosques as polling stations
is to fully reflect New Zealand’s ethnic and
cultural diversity, especially since places of
faith, such as church halls have been used as
polling booths in the past.
Speaking to the Indian Weekender, Tahir
Nawaz of Islamic Muslim Association of New
Zealand (IMAN) and Kilbirnie Mosque based
in Wellington said it’s a huge positive gesture
from Electoral Commission to choose mosques
as polling stations.
“Choosing mosque as a venue for something
as important like election booth makes the
community feel a strong part of the fabric of this
country and we could not be more thrilled,” Mr
Nawaz said.
A separate hall space adjacent to the praying
will be provided for polling purposes along with
inventories such as table, chairs etc. if required
by the guests.
“Our country has just come out of a massive
incident a year and a half ago, and sentencing
of the terrorist just less than a week ago, and
it is our privilege to open our doors for this
important pillar of democracy, and it will
also give a chance to the wider community to
come and see a mosque and its activities,” Mr
Nawaz added.
The Linwood Islamic Centre where eight
worshippers were killed on March 15, 2019,
terrorist attack has been chosen as another venue
for people to come and cast their vote. Electoral
Commission had also approached the Al Noor
Mosque on Deans Avenue in Christchurch, but
it had been reserved for another event during the
election period.
“We have had very positive feedback from
the community about the selection of Linwood
mosque, amongst other four Islamic centres in
New Zealand for polling purposes.
“We are honoured, and it’s our privilege
to offer our mosque premises as a polling
station for people to come from the nearby
suburbs and cast their vote,” Ahmed Jahangir,
chairperson of Linwood Islamic Centre told The
Indian Weekender.
Mr Jahangir was one of the victims of the
March 15 mosque attack and suffered grievous
bullet injuries to his right arm to the extent that
his arm has lost his arm permanently.
“Offering our Islamic Centre as a venue
for polling also opens doors for the wider
community to come and visit our mosque, and
it makes multi-ethnic ties with the community
much stronger,” Mr Jahangir added.
Earlier in August, Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern moved the election date from September
19 to October 17 along with the End of Life
Choice and cannabis referendums due to
resurgence of Covid-19 in the community
in August.
Advance polling for this year’s General
Election will start from 7 p.m. Saturday, October
3, till election day, Saturday, October 17 and
INCOME SUPPORT IN THE
WAKE OF COVID-19 SURVEY
Associate Professor Louise Humpage, a sociologist at the University of
Auckland, is conducting a survey in collaboration with Child Poverty Action
Group, Auckland Action Against Poverty and FIRST Union.
This survey aims to compare the experiences of main benefit recipients
against those of people receiving the Covid-19 Income Relief Payment, who
are newly employed as a result of Covid-19. To ensure the ability to analyse
the data across a number of variables, they need more respondents who
identify as 'Asian' and who are receiving the Covid-19 Income Relief Payment.
If you are interested, please complete the survey by 10 September at
https://www.cpag.org.nz/the-latest/covid-19-survey/?/?/
"Choosing
mosque as a
venue for something as
important like election
booth makes the
community feel a strong
part of the fabric of this
country and we would be
more thrilled,
people can vote from overseas from Wednesday,
September 30.
To conduct the general election amid
Covid-19 in the community, the Electoral
Commission has put allocated more places
around the country to reduce long queues and
cast their vote with ease, physical distancing.
The spokesperson from Electoral Commission
said they would have in place a range of
COVID-19 measures at all voting places to help
Funded by the Parliamentary
Service. Authorised by
Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi MP,
1/131 Kolmar Road,
Papatoetoe.
keep voters safe.
“Measures will include making hand sanitiser
available on the way in and out of voting places,
managing queues and allowing more room for
physical distancing inside voting places.
“The Commission is also aiming to have
more voting places and bigger venues (such as
school and community halls and marae), along
with longer voting hours, to help minimise
queues and ensure physical distancing.
The Electoral Commission is expecting to
have about 750 advance voting places open
when voting starts on Saturday, October 3– 50
per cent more than during the 2017 election.
This number will expectedly double to 1,500
voting places on the weekend before election
day (Saturday 10 and Sunday, October 11). On
election day itself, there should be about 2,500
voting places open.
The Commission is encouraging voters to
bring their own pen to mark voting papers,
although there will be pens available for those
who forget.
Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi
National List MP based
in Manukau East
1/131 Kolmar Road, Papatoetoe, Auckland
09 278 9302
bakshi.mp@parliament.govt.nz
bakshiks
bakshi.co.nz
For JP services please contact
Rahul Chopra on 09 278 9302

8 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, September 4 , 2020
The Indian Weekender
Exemption in building consent
process comes into force
SANDEEP SINGH
The exemptions to the Building Act that
removed the need for a consent for
low-risk building works comes into
force from Monday, August 31.
It means certain structures can be built for
less without any unexpected hold-ups that
may have resulted from needing building
consent. And it will also help to improve the
productivity of the building and construction
sector, supporting the COVID-19 recovery,”
Minister of Building & Construction Jenny
Salesa said.
Building consents will no longer be required
for a number of projects, including certain
sized carports, sleepouts, sheds, ground-floor
awnings, verandas and porches.
The government has earlier introduced
changes into building act on May 24 saying
that it will save around $18 million from
homeowners in consenting cost and also
contribute in small scale construction activity
which can further contribute in the post-Covid
economic recovery.
The changes are expected to result in 9,000
fewer consents for councils to process
Which projects no longer need a
building consent?
Single-storey detached buildings
Single-storey detached buildings include
sleepouts, sheds, greenhouses and other similar
structures can be built without a building
consent. Kitchen and bathroom facilities are
not included in the exemption. Any plumbing
work to a new or current building still requires
a building consent, and any electrical work
will still have to be carried out by a registered
electrician.
Carports up to 40 square metres
The new exemptions mean you can build a
carport up to 40 square metres in size without
a building consent if:
• the design has been carried out or reviewed
by a Chartered Professional Engineer, or
• a Licensed Building Practitioner has carried
out or supervised design and construction.
Ground-floor awnings up to 30 square
metres
The new exemptions mean you can build an
awning of up to 30 square metres on a ground
floor without a building consent if:
• the design has been carried out or reviewed
by a Chartered Professional Engineer, or
• a Licensed Building Practitioner has carried
Spending by overseas visitors
out or supervised design and construction.
Ground-floor verandas and porches up
to 30 square metres
The new exemptions will mean you can
build a veranda or porch of up to 30 square
metres on a ground floor without a building
consent if:
• the design has been carried out or reviewed
by a Chartered Professional Engineer, or
• a Licensed Building Practitioner has carried
out or supervised design and construction.
Permanent outdoor fireplaces or ovens
The new exemption means you can build a
permanent outdoor fireplace or oven built up
to a maximum height of 2.5 metres, and with
a maximum cooking surface of 1 square metre
without a building consent. The fireplace or
oven must also be at least one metre away
from any legal boundary or building, and
there may be local government restrictions on
lighting open fires in your area.
Flexible water storage bladders
The new exemption means you can place
flexible water storage bladders supported
on the ground, for irrigation or firefighting
purposes up to 200,000 litres in storage
capacity without a building consent.
Ground-mounted solar panel arrays
The new exemptions mean ground-mounted
solar panel arrays can be built without a
building consent if:
The ground-mounted solar panel arrays
are up to 20 square metres and in an urban
zone. These can be built without the help of
a professional.
The ground-mounted solar panel arrays
are between 20 and 40 square metres, in an
urban zone and the design has been carried
out or reviewed by a Chartered Professional
Engineer
There is no restriction on size for solar panel
arrays in rural zones.
• Small pipe supporting structures
• Small pipe supporting structures if they
only carry water and are on private land can
be built without a building consent.
Short-span (small) bridges
Short-span bridges if they do not span a
road or rail area can be built without a building
consent. The total span (length) can be a
maximum of 6 metres. The design will need
to be carried out or reviewed by a Chartered
Professional Engineer.
and students in NZ drops by half
IWK BUREAU
Spending by overseas visitors
and students within New
Zealand fell by half in the June
2020 quarter, down to $1.8 billion
compared with the same period a
year ago, Stats NZ said today.
Travel services spending has been
New Zealand’s biggest services
export in recent years, but it plunged
as the COVID-19 pandemic hit.
Travel services includes things like
visitor spending on hotels, food, and
travel within the country and course
fees and rent paid by students.
“The border has been closed to new
international visitors since March
due to COVID-19 but spending by
visitors did not stop because there
were still tens of thousands of people
already here,” international statistics
senior manager Peter Dolan said.
Just before the lockdown in mid-
March it was estimated there were
240,000–260,000 visitors in New
Zealand, dropping to between 90,000
and 120,000 in August.
“While travel follows a seasonal
pattern, this is the lowest June
quarter we’ve seen for travel exports
since 2002, now at a similar level to
fruit exports,” Mr Dolan said.
Overall, services exports
(including travel services) fell 41
percent in the June 2020 quarter
compared with the June 2019 quarter.
The border closure also had an
impact on transportation service
exports (down 58 percent from
the June 2019 quarter) as
airlines carried very few
international passengers
to New Zealand in the
June quarter.
While travel service
exports measure
spending by visitors and students
while in New Zealand, transportation
services relate to international
movements of passengers and
freight, as well as services associated
with transportation.
Historically, transportation
"With
people at home
due to lockdown for a
large part of the June 2020
quarter, we saw an increase in
offshore purchases of digital
services such as gaming and
streaming services"
service exports
have been New
Zealand’s second
largest service
export earner
after travel
services. It was
ranked fifth
for service exports in the June 2020
quarter.
There were also falls in crude oil
and fuel imports (down 60 percent
compared to the June 2019 quarter)
as far fewer people travelled by road
and air in the June 2020 quarter.
“With such low demand for petrol
due to border closures and alert level
4 lockdown, we have seen both the
price, value and volume of petroleum
imports plunge,” Mr Dolan said.
Logs dent goods exports
as dairy holds up
Goods exports fell 2.4 percent
compared to the June 2019 quarter
to $15.8 billion in the June 2020
quarter. This was driven by large
falls in exports of logs (down $361
million), seafood (down $136
million), and mechanical machinery
(down $126 million).
The falls were partly offset by a
$434 million rise in exports of milk
powder, butter, and cheese.
“While travel and transport
services have plummeted due to
COVID-19 measures, dairy products
have continued to hold up New
Zealand exports,” Mr Dolan said.
Dairy and meat were the top
exports in the June 2020 quarter,
followed by fruit and travel service
exports.
Rise in digital imports as
physical imports fall
Overall, New Zealand’s imports
were also down 21 percent in the
June 2020 quarter, compared with
the June 2019 quarter. Service
imports were down 33 percent to
$3.9 billion, driven by large falls in
imports of travel (down 83 percent)
and transportation services (down 49
percent).
Countering these falls, computer
services and personal and cultural
services both saw increases compared
with the June 2019 quarter, up $131
million and $61 million, respectively.
“With people at home due to
lockdown for a large part of the June
2020 quarter, we saw an increase in
offshore purchases of digital services
such as gaming and streaming
services,” Mr Dolan said.
Goods imports were also down
compared to the June 2019 quarter
with an overall fall of 18 percent to
$12 billion. Imports of petroleum
and vehicles lead the fall, each down
by around $1 billion.

The Indian Weekender Friday, September 4, 2020
NEW ZEALAND 9
NZ Sikh Games distribute 1500
free food bags in South Auckland
RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
New Zealand Sikh Games, a communitysports
organisation based in Auckland
have once again come forward to help
the families and individuals with free food bags
in the South Auckland region.
Deemed ‘Essential Services’ by the
government since the first lockdown earlier
this year, NZ Sikh Games supported by
Papakura Koraconnect, Otara-Papatoetoe Local
Board, New Zealand Kabaddi Federation and
The Otara Kai Village distributed free bags
consisting perishable and non-perishable food
items that were picked up by around 1500
individuals earlier on Saturday, August 29.
Earlier last month, New Zealand Sikh Games
in collaboration with retail shops and other
organisations distributed masks, stationery
packs and food bags to the community in
different locations of Auckland.
Speaking with the Indian Weekender, Daljeet
Singh, president of New Zealand Sikh Games
said once alert level 3 lockdown was announced
people started missing work once again thereby
affecting the income of the families.
“It became pertinent to think about our
community members as we went back to the
place where people were once again falling
short of basic resources to support their
families- so we decided to come out again and
help in whatever capacity we can,” Daljeet
Singh said.
Collaborating with local board and vendors,
New Zealand Sikh Games arranged hundreds
of kgs of vegetables including potatoes, onion,
carrots, cabbage, fruits such as apple, banana,
milk, bread, eggs, sugar, sanitising items etc.
Seventy volunteers from New Zealand Sikh
Games worked long hours to arrange food
items in creates, unload and pack it in food bags
to be collected by individuals and families in
distress.
New rules for Alert Level 2 – Mandatory
face coverings on public transport & QR
code posters in businesses
“The concept is to give the necessary house
and food items for families to feed themselves
if they are having a shortage of resources to
support their families,” Daljeet Singh.
Approximately 1500 individuals queued
at the Otara Kai Village with bags to pick up
the food items maintaining necessary social
distancing. People picking up the free food
bags expressed their gratitude and appreciation
towards New Zealand Sikh Games on social
media by posting photos and thanking them at
times of distress.
Priyanca
Radhakrishnan
Priyanca Radhakrishnan
Labour List MP based in
Maungakiekie and Parliamentary
Private Secretary to the Minister for
Ethnic Communities
We are now at alert level 2 as a nation
– but for those of us in Auckland the
rules are slightly different.
For all of New Zealand, wearing a mask or face
covering is now mandatory on public transport
and flights. In Auckland, we are advised to wear
a face covering in public places and avoid travel
if we’re sick. There are some exceptions - for
example, people with a health condition that
makes covering their face unsuitable aren’t
required to wear face coverings.
It’s not mandatory for those using small
passenger vehicles such as taxis or Uber to wear
masks. However, drivers are required to wear
masks.
Also, there’s no need to buy expensive
masks – anyone face covering will do. This
includes scarves, bandanas – and even dupattas!
According to experts, breathable materials
like cotton and silk are preferable. For a more
effective mask, fold the material in half such
that there are two layers against your face.
Health officials recommend three or four
washable masks per person.
Health officials advise that the use of face
coverings can reduce the risk of people spreading
the virus, especially if it’s hard to maintain
physical distance with others. Masks and face
coverings do not replace physical distancing but
complement other health measures.
The Minister of Health confirmed that a
further 3 million masks were released for
national distribution to boost the immediate
supply and will be distributed among iwi, social
service groups and community foodbanks in
regions. I know that a number of our Indian
organisations are part of this initiative and
have already started distributing masks to their
members and I thank them for their support.
Businesses must display COVID tracer QR
code posters. Everyone should download and
use the COVID tracer app and make sure you
can quickly access all your movements for
the last 14 days in case you need to trace your
contacts.
All public transport services and small
passenger services such as taxis will be required
to display QR codes by 11.59pm on Thursday
3 September.
As our Health Minister Chris Hipkins has
said, these are actions that will take some
getting used to but they are small things we can
all do on a daily basis to help us get back to the
freedoms of Level 1.
Labour List MP based
in Maungakiekie
Maungakiekie Office
09 622 2660
priyanca.radhakrishnan@parliament.govt.nz
Level 1 Crighton House, 100 Neilson St,
Onehunga (entrance via Galway St)
| | priyancanzlp
Authorised by
Priyanca Radhakrishnan,
Parliament Buildings, Wellington

10 OPINION
Friday, September 4, 2020 The Indian Weekender
Racist stereotypes on the rise in the age of Covid-19
MENG FOON FOR RADIO
Asian and other ethnic and religious them.
NEW ZEALAND
minorities. These are the real Covid-19 means that the world
experiences of real people, yet many can look afresh at long-standing
When Auckland went back
New Zealanders still deny racism problems. For starters we have to
into level three lockdown
and racial privilege. They downplay stop blaming and shaming minority
a month ago, many New
the effects of racial stereotypes. groups for our problems.
Zealanders focused on the identity of
Those who don’t experience On top of Covid and economic
the «South Auckland family» at the
centre of the emerging cluster.
I would have hoped that the team
of five million would do their best to
avoid conflating Covid-19 with racist
stereotypes about South Auckland
and the Pacific community.
racism often have the privilege to
think it does not happen to others,
but wishing it away doesn’t mean it
will disappear. This is why the public
health message of “being kind” must
include anti-racist messaging.
The Human Rights Commission
hurt, 2020 has brought forward many
stereotypes into public discourse,
playing on people’s fears and phobias
-whether it was blaming ‘Chinese
and Asians’ for Covid; shaming two
women for driving to their dad’s
funeral; fear of ‘gang members’
Instead, we were inundated with
has received many complaints of controlling iwi-led checkpoints;
stereotypical and classist tropes
racism towards Chinese and Asian speculation about a ‘homeless man’
about South Auckland. Within
people because of Covid-19. enjoying luxury accommodation
hours, media stories confirmed that
the positive-testing family were
‘Pasifika,’ leading to racist and
So I’m encouraged that the prime
minister spoke specifically
about the impacts
at the expense of the taxpayer; or
xenophobia toward migrants. In each
of these situations, the fuller story
xenophobic comments about all
of stereotypes and facts became irrelevant but a
Pacific people, just like comments
directed at Chinese and Asian
communities earlier this year.
Within days a racist and harmful There is a power imbalance in who rumours.
in a meeting
with Pacific
leaders,
saying
stereotype was reinforced.
Left unchecked, these stereotypes
can have dangerous results.
Last week I was in Christchurch
conspiracy theory was shared and gets stereotyped and those doing the Many people
that it’s to offer support to families of the
circulated widely.
stereotyping. This is why Pacific contact me who are
dangerous Mosque attack victims and members
The theory has been disproved, academic Emmaline Pickering- concerned about ethnic
to vilify or of the Muslim community.
but not before the damage was done.
It was laced with racist innuendo
based on ethnic stereotypes, fuelling
a mob mentality on social media and
‘confirming’ people’s secret racial
prejudices.
The speed with which these racist
lies were accepted by so many shows
Martin called out the racial privilege
of the person who started the
conspiracy and the platform he was
given to explain himself.
And while the first wave of
Covid-19 affected mainly Pākehā, as
a group, they escaped vilification or
blame for the outbreak.
and racist stereotypes.
Not all stereotypes are
underpinned by malicious
intent, but without context,
they almost always cause harm.
The prevalence of stereotypes
is a motivation behind the Voice
of Racism, stage two of the Give
stigmatise
people with
Covid-19.
Likewise,
Director-General of
Health Ashley Bloomfield
has stated “the virus is the problem,
not the people,” and there’s “no
My prayer is that a day will
come when New Zealanders will
see each other as humans and less
as stereotypes based on fear and
ignorance. We all have a role on
the non-racist ‘waka eke noa’ -
as politicians, media, educators,
neighbours and as whānau.
how ingrained and harmful the This should be the case for Nothing to Racism campaign, shame or blame” in contracting the * Meng Foon is Race Relations
stereotypes are, and the influential
roles that social media giants, other
media, journalists and politicians
play in modern-day race relations.
anyone who contracts Covid-19, but
unfortunately skin colour has been
a factor in assigning stereotypes to
this new cluster, and the spread of
launched in July.
The website includes more than
400 instances of common racist
comments about Māori, Pacific,
virus.
This will comfort those who are
stigmatised because of Covid-19.
Make no mistake, racism harms
Commissioner for New Zealand. He
was mayor of Gisborne from 2001
to 2019, and is fluent in English,
Cantonese and Māori.
Covid 19: Auckland Diwali Festival to go
ahead, spread over three-week period
SANDEEP SINGH
In an innovative readjustment after the
Covid impacted disruptions to major
festivals and gatherings, Auckland Tourism
Events & Economic Development (ATEED)
has decided to go ahead with much anticipated
Auckland Diwali Festival by spreading over
a three-week period between October 27 -
November 14.
The festival will now be celebrated over
three weeks, from 27 October to 14 November,
at various community venues. The revised
festival will enhance the current communitybased
programme with additional features that
may include film nights, cooking classes, and
workshops.
The decision to change the festival this year
from the traditional format of a two-day event
held in central Auckland was made following
consultation this week between Auckland
Tourism, Events and Economic Development
(ATEED) and the Diwali Advisory Group,
which is comprised of representatives from
Auckland’s Indian communities.
The Indian Weekender has been a partner
with the iconic Auckland Diwali Festival and
among other things have been presenting the
hugely popular Mr & Ms Diwali - a cultural
fashion show.
More details about the planning of cultural
events that have become part of the iconic
festival are still awaited.
Meanwhile, Auckland Mayor Phil Goff said
Diwali was one of Auckland’s most popular
cultural festivals and the new format will allow
it to go ahead in a different way if COVID-19
restrictions are still in place.
“We are having to adjust to new ways of
doing things as a result of COVID-19,” he said.
“Along with many other Aucklanders, I
had been looking forward to the traditional
gathering in Aotea Square. However, the
threat of COVID-19 means that this year, our
stakeholders including the Diwali Advisory
Group agreed that we have to do things
differently to help keep our communities safe.
“It is important that we still celebrate Diwali
but do so in a way that is safe for everyone
and that recognises the festival’s significance
to our diverse communities.”
ATEED General Manager Destination
Steve Armitage said, “since March, we have
been looking at alternative ways we can
deliver our cultural festivals, such as Diwali,
within the guidelines of different COVID-19
Alert Levels.”
“The Diwali Advisory Group confirmed
with us how important it was for the
community to celebrate Diwali, regardless of
Alert Level. The alternative approach agreed
upon allows for that.”
The Diwali Festival team is now busy
developing the revised programme, which
may include features such as movie nights,
workshops, cooking classes and panel
discussions on top of the usual community
programme.
The Auckland Diwali Festival
Community Programme began
two years ago and takes place
at community centres across
Auckland. The programme
usually features
activations, workshops
and events such as free
henna, a special Day of
the Older Person lunch,
lantern making and rangoli
art.
Further information about
the Auckland Diwali Festival 2020
programme will be available by the end of
September.
Steve Armitage says: “While the festival
programme will be different this year, it
provides a great opportunity to celebrate
traditional and contemporary Indian culture,
and our diverse Auckland Indian communities.
It will also mean Aucklanders can celebrate
Diwali in their local community, with events
planned in North, South, East, West and
Central Auckland.”
“Making this decision now will ensure we have
time to plan and deliver this new communitybased
festival programme,” says Armitage.

The Indian Weekender Friday, September 4, 2020
NEW ZEALAND 11
Covid 19: More Asian-New Zealanders receiving
wage subsidy support, outweigh other ethnicities
SANDEEP SINGH
A
significantly
higher number of Asian-
New Zealanders are receiving wage
subsidy support, in comparison to
Pakeha, Maori and Pacifica ethnicity, a report
from the Ministry of Social Development has
revealed.
The data in the MSD report as obtained
by the Indian Weekender has revealed that
64% of Asian employees were supported by
the wage subsidy and 22% in the wage subsidy
extension.
Notably, the original wage subsidy covered
a period from March 17 to June 9, and the
payment covered 12 weeks, while the wage
subsidy extension period covered from June
10 to September 1.
The numbers collated for the purpose of the
report that had come out in the second half of
the month of August, when the wage subsidy
extension scheme was still open were lesser and
are expected to increase as future applications
are submitted and paid.
The numbers of Pakeha, Pacifica and Maori
employees supported in the initial wage subsidy
scheme were roughly around 59%, 57% and 56
% respectively, lesser than Asian employees.
Similarly, more Asian employees have
received support in the next round of wage
subsidy extension at 22%, which was again
higher than other ethnicities receiving support.
The Wage Subsidy Extension provides
support to cover 8 weeks and will cover up to
October 26.
What more can be inferred about
the general well-being of Asian
employees?
At this time, there is not sufficient data
available to make any precise analysis with
this information about the general wellbeing
of Asian employees, and the Indian-origin
employees in the current Covid environment.
Except that, it is likely that a greater
number of Asian-origin employees, would
have escaped the brunt of job losses and the
PROPORTION OF UNIQUE JOBS SUPPORTED BY THE WAGE SUBSIDY (Source: Ministry of Social Development)
that in coming months, when many wagesubsidy
supported jobs are expected to collapse,
and the unemployment is set to increase to
a whopping level of 15% in January 2021,
majority of Asian employees who are currently
surviving on wage subsidy supported jobs,
could be more exposed to poverty, as they will
not have the cushion of government’s newly
announced income relief payment.
accompanied poverty.
Notably, a large number of businesses were
so severely impacted by the Covid that they
chose not to keep jobs afloat by wage subsidy
and rather made the position redundant, thus
pushing people in greater adversity.
To provide a cushion to this blow, the
government had earlier announced a new class
of benefit support for 12 weeks in the form
of Covid Income Relief Payment that offered
almost double and unconditional payment
($490 & $250 per week for full time and parttime
employees).
Clearly, the uptake of Asian employees in
this new Covid income relief payment was
much low in comparison to Pakehas (43%) or
even Maoris (16%).
A University of Auckland academic Associate
Kiwi Indian Nilesh Patel appointed
to head commercial real estate
giant JLL Auckland Metro team
RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
A
Kiwi Indian professional based in
Auckland holding commercial real
estate and investment management
portfolios for national and international
corporates at JLL has been appointed as Head
of Metro, it’s Auckland Agency.
“JLL New Zealand is pleased to announce
the appointment of Nilesh Patel as Head of
Metro, Auckland Agency,” a press release
from JLL read.
JLL, a Fortune 500
company specialising
in real estate
and investment
management has an
annual revenue of
USD$18 billion,
operates in over 80
countries and has a
global workforce of
nearly 93,000 as of
June 30, 2020.
Professor Louise Humpage told the Indian
Weekender that this low uptake of Asian-New
Zealanders in the income relief payment, added
with higher uptake in receiving wage subsidy
and wage subsidy extension does point that
they might have been able to escape Covid-19
induced poverty in recent times by remaining in
their respective jobs and possibly earning more
than those on income relief payment.
Prof Humpage is doing a survey to capture
data on the number of people who were now
receiving income relief payments and analyse
the Covid impacted poverty. (The Indian
Weekender is encouraging everyone who has
lost their jobs due to Covid to participate in
the survey).
Another outlier inference, though
unsubstantiated by any data, could be the fact
"Since
returning to
JLL in 2018, Nilesh has
already significantly
improved our profile and
market share in retail,
in addition to being an
invaluable member of our
Leadership team,
Nilesh has been associated with the
commercial property market in Auckland CBD
and city fringes since 2007 since he first began
his career at JLL. With this new appointment as
Head of Metro, Auckland Agency, Nilesh will
continue to manage his existing role as Head of
Retail at JLL.
“This new role allows the already developing
synergies between the two teams to be
strengthened and further enhances our reach in
Some other key insights
Some other key insights about the report
included the fact that construction industry had
the highest proportion of supported jobs from
the Wage Subsidy (101%), whereas arts and
recreation services industry had the highest
proportion of supported jobs from the Wage
Subsidy Extension (48%).
The accommodation industry had the secondhighest
proportion of supported jobs from both
the Wage Subsidy (93%) and Wage Subsidy
Extension (46%).
The figures covered in the report include
of unique jobs who are paid a wage, salary or
withholding payment by the Inland Revenue
Department (IRD) and excludes sole traders
as their information will not be fully available
until their tax returns are submitted.
The report does not cover the period of twoweek
resurgence wage subsidy announced
mid-August due to change of Alert Levels in
Auckland and the rest of New Zealand.
each market,” Nilesh said.
“It also means internally; we are able
to further strengthen our relationships and
network with close collaboration to increase
our share in both markets and to bring on key
personnel to help us get there.”
JLL New Zealand Managing Director, Todd
Lauchlan says Nilesh is a genuine asset for the
company and this expansion of his role is based
on performance.
“Since returning to JLL in 2018, Nilesh has
already significantly improved our profile and
market share in retail, in addition to being an
invaluable member of our Leadership team,”
says Lauchlan.
“He’s got a lot of experience and respect in
the market having carved out a very successful
career in brokerage, project leasing, and
strategic property consulting.”
Throughout his career, Patel has built
relationships with a range of clients and
has represented many large corporate
landlords in addition to both national and
international tenants.

Editorial
Indian economy’s
twin-engine
heart needs land
leasing push
In the bleak Covid scenario, a rare bright spot has emerged with Indian corporates waking up to
the rural sector’s potential. However, forging a deeper synergy of the two that can pivot India’s
economy would require pushing through impending changes in land leasing laws.
For decades, the Indian industry’s interest in the farm sector through contract farming has been
lukewarm because of the obstacles to the consolidation of fragmented agricultural land which
hampers mechanization and harvest collection.
As per the latest Agricultural Census, 48 per cent of agricultural holdings are of half a hectare
or lower and over 68 per cent are up to 1 hectare. 86 per cent of holdings are up to 2 hectares,
accounting for 46 per cent of the nation’s cultivable land.
Given the staggering proportion of marginal landholding, the reason for farmer distress becomes
self-evident. What has historically stood in the way have been obsolete laws that made a lease of
farmland illegal.
High time to dust out model law
To its credit, the Indian government recognized the problem. It approved the Model (Agricultural)
Land Leasing Act of 2016, under which the landlord was allowed to legally lease the agriculture
land with mutual consent for agriculture and allied activity.
However, this law that allows consolidation of land by a cultivator has been gathering dust as it
is yet to be adopted by any state in India.
Effectively, this has stymied the effort because agriculture is a state subject, and the centre’s role
is more in policymaking.
However, there is much more that can be done than wring hands. The ruling Bharatiya Janata
Party has an iron grip over many states including the most populous Uttar Pradesh, where the
changes to land leasing can easily be instituted.
In unprecedented moves, the government has taken the initiative to launch a series of agricultural
reforms recently including the freedom to allow farmers to sell their produce anywhere in the
country. It has simultaneously taken steps to encourage contract farming.
Good beginning- but a long road ahead
All these efforts may yield only marginal results unless the process of farm consolidation is
implemented. If a few BJP-ruled states were to take the initiative, the benefits to farm income are
likely to be so apparent that other states would follow.
While farmers may hesitate to lease their land to big corporates for fears that they may not be
able to get back their property, the Model Act clearlyesays that the land should return to the owner
at the end of lease period.
There are already many successful examples of similar leasing agreements, such as in the
poultry industry.
In any case, the contours for dispute resolution has been set in the Model Land Leasing Act with
the first charge on the farm output given to the landowner in case of a default in the lease payment.
However, to build greater confidence, these provisions should be fine-tuned further. A model
lease agreement should be inserted as a schedule in the act, which could serve as a reference point
to resolve any disputes between the owner and cultivator where their contract is silent.
There is a provision in the Model Act of dispute resolution through conciliation, which is openended.
There should be a time limit of one month set for conciliation, and failing a resolution should be
referred to the Tehsildar or a jurisdictional revenue officer of equivalent rank.
There should be a period of limitation or put simply a time bar, for an appeal to the collector
from Tehsildar’s order and a similar one for the collector to pass an order to ensure that the whole
system does not get drowned out by cases prolonging indefinitely.
The benefits of establishing such a system will be multiple both for the farmer and the state. If
the cultivator is a corporate entity, it is highly likely that productivity will increase because of the
use of better technology and mechanization.
Land leasing will be a smart way to achieve consolidation of land without disturbing the
ownership of land. But as much as states should try to give confidence to farmers, they should also
have the wisdom to allay concerns of business houses.
For example, any relief given to farmers during times of natural disaster should not preclude
cultivators.
Similarly, just because the cultivator might be a big business house, they need not be forced to
pay minimum support prices and rather ensure fair market-linked prices.
After all, the state’s responsibility towards farmers can’t be imposed on business entities and
then expect them to come in droves to engage with farmers.
Land concessions also need to be provided to ancillary industries like food processing and
storage to tackle the nation’s tremendous burden of food wastages.
With positive intent, all such niggling issues can be resolved. However, it’s important to
recognize the unprecedented opportunity created by the pandemic and walk the path.
Thought of the week
“As we look ahead into the next century,
leaders will be those who empower
others.” – Bill Gates
4 September – 10 September 2020
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thu
On-and-off
rain and
drizzle
16°
9°
Partly
sunny
15°
8°
17°
9°
Indian Weekender : Volume 12 Issue 25
Publisher: Kiwi Media Publishing Limited
Content Editor: Sandeep Singh | sandeep@indianweekender.co.nz
Chief Reporter: Rizwan Mohammad | rizwan@indianweekender.co.nz
Chief Technical Officer: Rohan deSouza | rohan@indianweekender.co.nz
Sr Graphics and Layout Designer: Mahesh Kumar | mahesh@indianweekender.co.nz
Graphic Designer: Yashmin Chand | design@indianweekender.co.nz
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Editor at Large: Dev Nadkarni | dev@indianweekender.co.nz
Views expressed in the publication are not necessarily of the publisher and the publisher
is not responsible for advertisers’ claims as appearing in the publication
Views expressed in the articles are solely of the authors and do not in any way represent
the views of the team at the Indian Weekender
Kiwi Media Publishing Limited - 133A, Level 1, Onehunga Mall, Onehunga, Auckland.
Printed at Horton Media, Auckland
Parlty
sunny
Clouds and
sun
14°
10°
A touch o
dafr
15°
10°
This week in New Zealand’s history
4 September 1863
The wreck of the Delaware
Copyright 2017. Kiwi Media Publishing Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Sunshine
and pactcy
clouds
16°
9°
A few
morning
showers
After leaving Nelson for Napier, the newly built brig Delaware ran into bad weather. It was
wrecked on rocks in a bay between Grahams Point and Pepin Island, about 30 km northeast
of Nelson, that is now known as Delaware Bay. Accounts of the incident often focus on
the heroism of Hūria Mātenga, the only woman among five local Māori who helped the crew
get ashore.
4 September 2010
7.1 earthquake rocks Canterbury
The earthquake which struck at 4.35 a.m. on a Saturday morning was felt by many people
in the South Island and southern North Island. There was considerable damage in central
Canterbury, especially in Christchurch, but no loss of life.
4 September 2010
Fox Glacier plane crash
On 4 September 2010 a plane crashed soon after taking off from Fox Glacier airstrip, killing
all nine people on board.
5 September 1939
Prime minister declares New Zealand’s support for Britain
When New Zealand declared war on Germany on 3 September 1939, Prime Minister
Michael Joseph Savage was recovering from an operation for colon cancer. Acting
Prime Minister Peter Fraser issued a statement in his place.
6 September 1948
New Zealand citizenship established
The British Nationality and New Zealand Citizenship Act 1948 (the order of the terms
showed their relative importance) gave New Zealand citizenship to all current residents
who had been either born British subjects or later naturalised (granted citizenship). Until this
Act came into force, people born in New Zealand were British subjects but not New Zealand
citizens.
7 September 1909
New Zealand's heaviest gold nugget discovered
‘
Messrs Scott and Sharpe’ found the heaviest gold nugget on record in New Zealand at Ross on
the West Coast in 1909. Weighing in at 3.09 kg (99.63 ounces), it was named the ‘Honourable
Roddy’ after the minister of mines, Roderick McKenzie.
15°
9°

The Indian Weekender Friday, September 4, 2020 FIJI 13
FRANKLIN INSTITUTE OF AGRI-TECHNOLOGY:
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Email: enquiry@fiat.ac.nz • Office: 09 2 36 37 38 Fax: 09 236 3772 • Web: www.fiat.ac.nz

14 FIJI
Friday, September 4, 2020 The Indian Weekender
‘Travel to Fiji will be delayed’
The re-emergence of COVID-19 in New across the globe,” he said.
for RBF’s twin monetary policy objectives of monetary policy where appropriate.
Zealand and Australia will further delay “The resurgence of infections in low inflation and comfortable level of foreign “Domestically, partial indicators for
the resumption of international travel to Australia and New Zealand will now further reserves remain intact, said the central bank. consumption and investment remain
Fiji, said Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji, delay the resumption of international “However, the persistence of the pandemic well below those recorded a year ago
Ariff Ali.
travel to Fiji and defer the return to and the associated delay in the resumption of and are in line with the forecast for the
He made the comments in a RBF press some form of normalcy of tourism, our international travel is a significant downside sharpest economic contraction on record,”
release that was posted on the central bank’s largest industry.”
risk to the outlook.”
said Mr Ali.
website on August 27.
Mr Ali said on a positive note, there had been The RBF said it would closely monitor “However, recent sectoral data shows some
“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to soar some progress in finding a vaccine. The outlook economic developments and risks and align improvements over the month.”
Fiji and India seek
stronger collaboration
As longstanding development partners, Fiji
and India remain committed to strengthening
bilateral engagements.
Through pursuing innovative opportunities in socioeconomic
sectors.
This was the message conveyed by outgoing High
Commissioner of India to Fiji, Padmaja while paying a
farewell call to Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama.
Bainimarama conveyed the Fijian Government’s
appreciation to High Commissioner Padmaja for her
contribution in advancing the Fiji-India cooperation
for the benefit of both the nations despite the current
challenges we face due to COVID-19.
Bainimarama says partnerships generate returns on
Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama (left) and High
Commissioner of Indian to Fiji, Padmaja. (Source: Fijian
Government)
Micro and Small Business Enterprises and cultural
exchange programmes.
investment through development initiatives that benefits The Prime Minister acknowledged the High
both Fiji and the region.
He says Fiji also recognizes India’s enormous
Commissioner’s role in the first-ever Regional Hindi
Conference held at the Grand Pacific Hotel in January
support and collaboration in renewable energy, this year and commended India’s rich traditional and
provision of technical experts and training, educational, cultural heritage.
Bainimarama praises Fiji’s strong border controls
Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has hailed The Prime Minister also highlighted that immigration
Fiji’s strong border control saying it has helped systems are also being strengthened to make travel
prevent new Coronavirus from entering Fiji. more convenient for Fijians and the recently rolled out
Speaking on the review of the Ministry of Defence, e-passport adds a new layer of security.
National Security and Immigration’s bi-annual report, “These new passports are containing a new range of
Bainimarama highlighted that our immigration system is security features that make it much more difficult for
being strengthened.
people to enter the country illegally establishing a more
He says national security starts at the border as secure Fijian passport, bringing greater integrity to our
evidenced by the duration of the global COVID-19 immigration system.”
pandemic where Fiji has prevented new outbreaks in the Fijian passports have the same security features as
community and safely allowed yacht tourism to resume. Australia, New Zealand, and the United States, protected
“Our vigilance has now placed us more than 130 against forgery, identity theft and passport tampering,
days from a new case of the virus in our communities. and re-production. Bainimarama says the government
We are one of, if not the only country in the world with will continue to provide technology, professional training
such a record which is testament to the strength of our and continue to update relevant laws to strengthen the
immigration infrastructure.”
institutions charged with border security.
India offers scholarships to Fiji women
Women in the country
were reminded by the
outgoing Indian High
Commissioner to Fiji that there are
Indian scholarships available for
them. High Commissioner Padmaja
revealed this while addressing
women from the Soqosoqo
Vakamarama iTaukei in Nabua, who
celebrated Women’s Equality Day
and to farewell Ms Padmaja.
Women’s Equality Day
commemorates the passage of the
19th Amendment to the United
States of America Constitution,
granting women the right to
vote. The amendment was first
introduced in 1878. Ms Padmaja
said the Government of India
offered a programme called the
Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation
(ITEC). The programme
offers skill training studies for
technical jobs. It is fully funded.
“All expenses are paid by the
Government of India including
Indian High Commissioner to Fiji Ms Padmaja (wearing garland) with members
of the Soqosoqo Vakamarama iTaukei at Nabua on August 26, 2020. Inset: High
Commissioner Padmaja places a scarf as a farewell gift on one of the women.
travel expenses, accommodation,
food and tuition fees,” the High
Commissioner said.
“As soon as the international
flights resume, I advise those who are
interested in the training skill studies
to apply for the scholarship.
“Those who are interested in arts
such as Indian dancing, music or yoga
can also apply for the scholarship.
“In fact, in our cultural centres,
the best kathak and bharatanatyam
dancers are iTaukei girls.”
Leaving soon
Ms Padmaja, who has completed
her term of service and is looking
forward to her retirement,
said her one year and four
months stint in Fiji was
something she would
cherish forever.
“I will be living a life
of my own and do things
that I am passionate
Citizenship of Fiji Amendment
Bill aims to amend how
foreigners get Fijian Citizenship
Attorney General Aiyaz
Sayed-Khaiyum says
the Citizenship of Fiji
Amendment Bill 2020 seeks to
ensure for one to become a citizen
of Fiji, they have to at least be a
permanent resident.
While tabling the bill in Parliament,
Sayed-Khaiyum says currently if
someone comes to Fiji as a foreigner
and gets a work permit and stays
for aggregate five years in Fiji, the
person can apply for citizenship.
Sayed-Khaiyum says the
amendment aims to change this.
Sayed-Khaiyum also says that
there are anomalies that need to be
fixed.
While speaking on the motion,
SODELPA MP, Ratu Naiqama
Lalabalavu asked Sayed-Khaiyum
what happens to the children of
people who are serving in the British
Army.
Sayed-Khaiyum says the existing
provisions regarding children of
Fijian citizens remain.
The amendment states that in order
to qualify for the grant of a certificate
of naturalisation under section 13, a
person must be the holder of a valid
permanent residence permit, have
been lawfully present in Fiji for an
aggregate period of 10 years in the 15
consecutive years immediately before
the application for naturalisation,
be of good character, intend to
continue to reside in Fiji and have
adequate knowledge of the English
language and of the responsibilities
and privileges of Fijian citizenship
about, but I will definitely miss Fiji,”
Ms Padmaja said.
“I will cherish my memories of
being here with you all. I am fortunate
that at the time of my retirement, I
was given an opportunity to spend
some time on this paradise.”
She appreciated and commended
the work done by the Soqosoqo
Vakamarama iTaukei group in
empowering women.
“I salute the work done by you to
empower women. It is the work that
speaks for itself,” she said.
The president of Soqosoqo
Vakamarama iTaukei, Adi Finau
Tabakaucoro, while presenting her
"She
was the first
diplomat who showed
interest in our organisation
and since then other diplomatic
officers have shown an interest to
help us as well. It is our culture to
appreciate her for her support"
farewell speech, thanked
Ms Padmaja for her
support.
“We thank
you for your
spirit and
positivity
towards this
organisation,”
in accordance with guidelines which
may be prescribed by regulations.
It also says for the avoidance of
doubt, in calculating the aggregate
period in subsection (2)(b) the
Minister must not take into account
any period in which the applicant
was not a holder of a valid permanent
residence permit and where the
applicant has held more than one
permanent residence permit, only
take into account consecutive periods
in which the applicant has held a
permanent residence permit.
An application for citizenship
lodged with the Fijian Immigration
Department on or prior to 31st
August 2020 must be assessed under
the criteria applicable on that date.
An application for citizenship
lodged with the Fijian Immigration
Department on or after 1st September
2020 must be assessed under the
criteria provided for by virtue of the
Citizenship of Fiji (Amendment) Act
2020.
Parliament will debate and vote on
the amendment bill on Thursday.
Adi Finau said. She thanked India for
their medical treatments provided to
Fijians and gave well wishes to Ms
Padmaja on her return.
“We wish you best of luck on
your return and I hope you will take
good memories with you of Fiji and
Soqosoqo Vakamarama iTaukei,”
Adi Finau said.
“Your country has been looking
after Fijians who go for medical
treatments to India and we pray for
them.” Adi Finau also acknowledged
Ms Padmaja for recognising them as
a group.
“She was the first diplomat who
showed interest in our organisation
and since then other diplomatic
officers have shown an interest to
help us as well. It is our culture to
appreciate her for her support,” Adi
Finau said.
Ms Padmaja also wished the
women’s group well in its 100th
anniversary preparation, which will
be celebrated in 2024.

The Indian Weekender Friday, September 4, 2020
INDIA 15
REMEMBERING
PRANAB
MUKHERJEE
1935 – 2020
Pranab Mukherjee,
India's former president
But he could also raise hackles, as when finance
minister in 2012, he demanded a $2-billion payment
from Vodafone, then India’s largest overseas
corporate investor, as part of a retrospective tax
on long-concluded corporate deals.
Mukherjee entered parliament in 1969,
following his father into the Congress party led by
Indira Gandhi, just as she steered the country on a
sharp turn toward socialism.
He rose under Gandhi’s mentorship, only to be sidelined by
her son, Rajiv, after elections in 1984.
But Mukherjee managed to regain his proximity to the
Congress leadership and the Gandhi family, becoming one
who never became PM
During five decades in Indian politics, Pranab of India’s most influential politicians during the 1990s and
Mukherjee, who died on Monday after a lung infection, 2000s, by building a deep network of inter-party relationships.
led some of the nation’s most powerful ministries and “Everybody realized he was so clever that they would rather
eventually became its president, but the ultimate prize still have him as a number two than a number one,” said Sanjaya
eluded him: the prime ministership.
Baru, a former adviser to Manmohan Singh, the architect of
Mukherjee tested positive for COVID-19 on Aug. 10 and India’s financial reforms who beat Mukherjee to the top job
had been in hospital since.
in 2004. He had a tremendous role on policies, right from the
He was 84. Valued for his ability to build consensus 1980s.” Mukherjee’s reward then should have been a stint as
by exerting his charm to bring together disparate groups, prime minister, by his own estimation as well as that of some
Mukherjee never won the top job, despite decades of loyalty others, but he was passed over by Rajiv’s Italian-born widow,
to the Congress party.
Sonia, who gave it instead to Singh, an Oxbridge-trained
The former college teacher and journalist lacked a economist.
grassroots political base, but held more than a dozen federal In 2012, Mukherjee resigned from parliament to take the
portfolios between 1973 and 2012, ranging from commerce largely figurehead role of head of state.
and finance to defense and foreign affairs.
He was sworn in as India’s 13th president, with crossparty
support that underlined his wide acceptability,
an attribute rare in Indian politics.
A corruption scandal two years into his
presidency led to a defeat in general elections
for Congress, which has ruled India for most of
its independent history, and Mukherjee had to
swear in Hindu nationalist leader Narendra Modi as
prime minister. Born on Dec. 11, 1935 in the village
of Mirati, in the eastern state of West Bengal, Mukherjee
studied history, political science and law.
“My passion has been the service of the people of India,”
Mukherjee said in a speech summing up 50 years in public life
when he left the office of president in 2017.
Nation bids tearful adieu to Pranab Mukherjee
Former President and Bharat
Ratna Pranab Mukherjee’s last
rites were performed with
full military honour at the Lodhi
Road crematorium in south Delhi
on Tuesday amid strict adherence to
social distancing norms because of the
raging coronavirus disease (Covid-19)
outbreak that forced a limited presence
of family and his friends.
The former President (84) died
on Monday evening, 22 days after
has admitted to the Army Hospital
(Research and Referral) in south Delhi
to undergo a surgical procedure to
remove a brain clot from which he
never recovered. He had also tested
Covid-19 positive during his treatment
in the hospital.
Mukherjee’s mortal remains were
brought to his residence at 10, Rajaji
Marg earlier on Tuesday morning,
where President Ram Nath Kovind,
Prime Minister Narendra Modi,
Vice-president M Venkaiah Naidu,
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Lok
Sabha Speaker Om Birla, former PM
Manmohan Singh, BJP president JP
Nadda, former Congress president
"Everybody
realized he was
so clever that they
would rather have
him as a number two
than a number
one."
Rahul Gandhi, Congress leader Ghulam
Nabi Azad, chiefs of the three services
and a host of dignitaries paid their
tribute. Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal
also paid his homage.
“Paid tributes to respected Shri Pranab
Mukherjee. He would be remembered
by generations for his efforts towards
India’s progress,” PM Modi tweeted
after paying a floral tribute to the leader,
who he considered to be his mentor and
a father-figure.
The Union Cabinet observed a
two-minute silence in memory of
Mukherjee, who had served as the
Union minister for finance, defence and
external affairs during the Congress-led
United Progressive Alliance’s (UPA)
rule between 2004 and 2014, among
his other portfolios and roles in his long
and distinguished career in public life.
“The cabinet expresses profound
sorrow at the sad demise of Pranab
Mukherjee, former President of India. In
his passing away, the country has lost a
distinguished leader and an outstanding
parliamentarian,” the Cabinet said in a
resolution.
India: Coronavirus cases
Confirmed: 3,769,523
Deaths: 66,333
Recovered: 2,901,908
NEWS in BRIEF
India's foreign minister says favourable U.S.
visa policy would be good for both countries
India’s foreign minister,
Subrahmanyam
Jaishankar, said a U.S.
visa policy that supported
Indian talent would
be beneficial for both
countries.
A more knowledgedriven,
global economy
will require more trusted
talent, which is an opportunity for India, Jaishankar told a virtual
conference on relations between the two nations.
“That is an opportunity for India and it is an opportunity which
should be reflected to some degree in American immigration
policies,” he said, adding that immigration was a “win-win” for
both countries. U.S. President Donald Trump has this year restricted
several categories of foreign work visas, blocking the flow of certain
skilled Indian workers into the United States.
The suspension included H-1B visas for skilled workers, which
are often used by the tech industry. Indians made up 72 percent of
the some 388,000 H-1B visa petitions approved in fiscal-year 2019,
according to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services data.
India, 3 nations call for UNSC reform
India has joined
hands with Brazil,
Germany and Japan to
call for expediting the
process for reforming
the UN Security
Council, with the four
countries saying that
inter-governmental
negotiations on the issue have dragged on for more than a decade
without substantial progress.
The four countries, also known as G4, outlined their position
in a common letter submitted to the President of the UN General
Assembly, Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, on Monday.
They demanded action for transforming the UN Security Council
in line with “Common African Position”, and said negotiations
shouldn’t be held “hostage, procedurally and substantially, by those
who do not wish to bring about reform”.
India’s letter, submitted by the deputy permanent representative
to the UN, K Nagaraj Naidu, referred to the draft decision regarding
roll-over of the inter-governmental negotiations on equitable
representation and increase in the membership of the Security
Council, and said this process “must capture clearly the tangible
progress” made in two meetings held earlier this year.
Japan announces emergency loan for India to
fight Covid-19 pandemic
Japan announced it will
extend a emergency
support loan of up to
50 billion yen (almost
Rs 3,500 crore) to back
India’s response to the
Covid-19 crisis, including
implementation of health
and medical policies and
development of hospitals
equipped with ICUs.
Japanese ambassador Satoshi Suzuki, and CS Mohapatra,
additional secretary in India’s department of economic affairs
exchanged notes regarding the provision of the yen loan for the
response to the Covid-19 emergency.
A statement issued by the Japanese embassy noted that the Indian
government has taken several measures, including health sector
reforms, in response to the spread of Covid-19.
“This loan provides the necessary funds for emergency response
in the fight against Covid-19 in India,” it said.
This is the largest amount of financial assistance announced by
any country so far to support India’s response to the Covid-19 crisis,
which has had widespread impacts on the economy and health sector.

16
WORLD
Friday, September 4, 2020 The Indian Weekender
World: Coronavirus cases
Confirmed: 25,835,301
Deaths: 858,661
Recovered: 17,122,192
NEWS in BRIEF
Covid-19: Beijing to test all imported cold-chain food
Beijing Customs will carry out novel coronavirus nucleic acid tests on
all imported cold-chain food, the latest move of the Chinese capital for
Covid-19 prevention and control. Other goods will also be tested if they are
from high-risk countries and regions, the customs said at a press conference
on Wednesday.
All inbound means of transportation, venues of imported goods, as well
as storage of imported cold-chain food, will be disinfected, Xinhua
news agency reported.
Meanwhile, Beijing Customs will work with other customs, with the
support of the General Administration of Customs, to strengthen oversight
of imported cold-chain food from other ports to the capital, in a bid to ensure
the safety of imported food in Beijing.
China cabinet approves two nuclear
power projects – state media
China’s cabinet approved two nuclear
power projects, according to state
radio on Wednesday evening, quoting the
country’s cabinet meeting.
The approved projects were Hainan
Changjiang nuclear power plant phase 2
and Zhejiang San’ao nuclear power plant
phase 1, according to state radio. China last year launched three new nuclear
power plants in the provinces of Shandong, Fujian and Guangdong, which
marked the end of a moratorium on new projects.
China’s nuclear association said the country will build six to eight
nuclear reactors a year between 2020 and 2025 and raise total capacity to
70 gigawatts (GW), up 43.5% from end-May, according to the official China
Daily in July.
Nearly 480,000 kids infected with Covid-19 in US
Nearly 480,000 children in the US have been infected with the novel
coronavirus since the pandemic hit the country earlier this year, a new
report has revealed.
The report by the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Children's
Hospital Association released on Monday said that while children represented
only 9.5 per cent of the overall caseload, a total of 476,439 kids have tested
positive so far, reports Xinhua news agency.
The overall rate is 631 cases per 100,000 children. According to the report,
70,330 new child cases were reported from August 13 to 27, a 17 per cent
increase in over two weeks.
Children were 0.6 to 4.1 per cent of total reported hospitalizations, and 0
to 0.3 per cent of deaths, said the report.
Australia in recession for 1st time in nearly 30 years
Australia has officially entered its first recession after nearly 30 years,
with the June quarter GDP numbers showing the economy went
backwards by 7 per cent, the worst fall on record, official figures revealed.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), the latest figure
follows a fall of 0.3 per cent in the March quarter this year, reports Xinhua
news agency.
The record fall was driven by the private sector, much of which was shut
down or restricted due to efforts to contain the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
Michael Smedes, Head of National Accounts at the ABS, attributed the
quarterly fall to the "global pandemic and associated containment policies".
"This is, by a wide margin, the largest fall in quarterly GDP since records
began in 1959," he said.
The 7 per cent quarterly GDP slump was also more than three times worse
than the previous biggest fall of 2 per cent in June 1974.
COVID-19 can wipe out
health care progress
in short order: WHO
More than 90% of countries
have seen ordinary health
services disrupted by the
COVID-19 pandemic, with major
gains in medical care attained over
decades vulnerable to being wiped
out in a short period, a World Health
Organization survey showed.
The Geneva-based body has
frequently warned about other lifesaving
programs being impacted by
the pandemic and has sent countries
mitigation advice, but the survey
yielded the first WHO data so far on
the scale of disruptions.
“The impact of the COVID-19
disturbed in almost a quarter of
responding countries.
pandemic on essential health The Eastern Mediterranean
services is a source of great Region, which includes Afghanistan,
concern,” said a report on the study Syria and Yemen, was most affected
released on Monday. “Major health followed by the African and
gains achieved over the past two
decades can be wiped out in a short
period of time…”
The survey includes responses
from between May and July from
more than 100 countries. Among
the most affected services were
Southeast Asian regions, it showed.
The Americas was not part of
the survey.
Since COVID-19 cases were first
identified in December last year, the
virus is thought to have killed nearly
850,000 people, the latest Reuters
routine immunizations (70%), tally showed.
family planning (68%) and cancer Researchers think that nondiagnosis
and treatment (55%), COVID deaths have also increased
while emergency services were in some places due partly to health
US moots a
formal structure
for the Quad,
like NATO
and EU
The United
States said
it is open to
“exploring” ways to
formalise the Quad, as
the group of Indo-Pacific powers it
forms with India, Japan and Australia
is called.
Starting in 2017, the Quad has
met once or twice a year at the
level of officials and ministers
— New Delhi is expected to host
the next ministerial in the fall —
but the group has lacked the kind
of institutionalised organisation
that supports something like the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) of the EU.
“It is a reality that the Indo-Pacific
region is actually lacking in strong
multilateral structures,” Stephen
Biegun, the US deputy secretary
of state (he is the American
counterpart of foreign secretary
Harsh Shringla), said on the opening
day of the annual summit of the US-
India Strategic Partnership Forum
(USISPF), a trade body of companies
of the two countries. They don’t have
anything of the fortitude of NATO,
or the European Union,” he added,
referring to the most popular models
being talked about for the formalised
structure. “There is certainly an
invitation there at some point to
formalise a structure like this.”
The top diplomat indicated a certain
inevitability about the formalised
structure that had not been known
previously. It’s something that, he
said, could happen in the “the second
service disruptions, although these
may be harder to calculate.
The WHO survey said it was
“reasonable to anticipate that even a
modest disruption in essential health
services could lead to an increase in
morbidity and mortality from causes
other than COVID-19 in the short
to medium and long-term.” Further
research was needed.
It also warned that the disruptions
could be felt even after the pandemic
ends. “The impact may be felt
beyond the immediate pandemic as,
in trying to catch up on services,
countries may find that resources are
overwhelmed.”
term of the Trump administration or,
(if he doesn’t win) the first term of
the next president”.
A formalised, institutionalised
structure, Biegun said, would meet
the need for a “sustained regular
communication between countries
with those shared interests and
values”.
Biegun, who is not a career
diplomat but a political appointee,
displayed rare candour in identifying
China as a unifying threat to the
Quad but argued for a higher
purpose: “I think responding to the
threat of China in and of itself, or
any potential challenge from China
in and of itself, would be enough of
a driver, though it also has to have a
positive agenda”
AstraZeneca starts US final-stage trial of Covid-19 vaccine
AstraZeneca Plc has begun a largescale
human trial of its coronavirus
vaccine in the US, the company said
in a statement, with plans to enroll as many as
30,000 adults to test the shot.
The AstraZeneca shot, invented by
researchers at the University of Oxford, is one
of the farthest along of numerous Covid-19
vaccines in development. In addition to the
US trial, a final-stage test of the inoculation is
underway in the UK and could yield preliminary
results as soon as next month. Other companies
that have Covid-19 vaccines in phase 3 trials
include Moderna Inc. and Pfizer Inc.
The trial had been delayed for several days,
according to researchers from the University
of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public
Health who are helping conduct the tests.
The university is one of the sites where the
trial is being run, and plans to begin injecting
healthy volunteers, according to William
Hartman, a UW Health anesthesiologist and
investigator on the trial.
It plans to ramp up to injecting 50 people a
day shortly after the Sept. 7 Labor Day holiday,
he said in an interview.
An Aug. 27 article in the Palm Beach Post
reported that the US trial of AstraZeneca vaccine
has been put on hold due to political pressure,
perhaps because US regulators planned to grant
“It is
a reality that
the Indo-Pacific
region is actually
lacking in strong
multilateral
structures"
an emergency use authorization on the basis of
the trial in Europe.
Hartman said he was told the hold was due to
unspecified operational issues.
“There was a hold on enrollment. We don’t
really know what the reason for that was. We
were told it had nothing to do with safety and
didn’t have anything to do with an EUA, it was
just an operational issue,” Hartman said. “On
Friday evening, they lifted that hold.”
An email shared with Bloomberg that
Hartman received on Aug. 28 from AstraZeneca
and contract research organization Iqvia
Holdings Inc. stated the hold “was lifted and we
have our first patient screened and randomized.”
Americans should understand that “there
are no corners that have been cut,” said
Hartman, in a phone interview. “We are going
to proceed with the trial independent of any
political pressure.”

The Indian Weekender Friday, September 4, 2020
FEATURES 17
Cornflake chicken tenders with
potatoes and peas
Ingredients
• 1/3 c. plain Greek yogurt
• 1 tbsp. lemon pepper seasoning
• 1 1/4 lb. chicken tenders
• 2 c. finely crushed cornflakes
• 1/3 c. grated Parmesan
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 chopped shallot
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 1 1/2 c. thawed frozen green peas
• 1 (16-oz.) package cooked microwavable baby
Idaho potatoes
• 1/4 c. torn fresh mint leaves
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon zest
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• Lemon wedges, for serving
Crunchy chicken
fingers with coleslaw
Enjoy the taste of fried chicken without all the fat
thanks to this oven-baked recipe, which features
chicken tenders coated in a crunchy mix of finely
crushed baked potato chips, paprika and salt
Ingredients
Chicken Fingers:
• 1 large Egg
• 1 lb. chicken tenders
• 1 c. finely crushed baked
potato chips
• 3/4 tsp. paprika
• 1/4 tsp. salt
Coleslaw:
• 4 c. bagged coleslaw mix
• 3/4 c. seedless red grapes
• 3 tbsp. each light mayonnaise
and plain lowfat yogurt
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper
• 1/2 c. reduced-fat ranch
dressing
Method
• Heat oven to 450°F. Line a
rimmed baking sheet with
Method
Preheat oven to 450°F. Stir together Greek
yogurt and lemon pepper seasoning. Toss in
chicken tenders until coated. Stir together crushed
cornflakes, Parmesan, and olive oil. Coat each
tender in crumb mixture and place on a lightly
greased wire rack set in a baking sheet. Bake until
cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook shallot in butter over medium
heat in a saucepan until tender, 2 to 4 minutes.
Stir in peas and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in baby
Idaho potatoes. Stir in mint leaves and lemon zest.
Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Serve
peas and potatoes with chicken tenders and lemon
wedges alongside.
Baked coconut tenders with
strawberry-mango salsa
Tender and oven-fried, these chicken tenders are
jazzed up with coconut
Ingredients
Tenders
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 c. cornstarch
• 1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 large eggs
• 1 c. sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 c. panko bread crumbs
• 1 tsp. paprika
• Lime wedges
Salsa
• 3/4 c. Finely chopped strawberries
• 3/4 c. finely chopped mango
• 1/2 c. finely chopped shallot
• 2 tbsp. Chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp. hot pepper jelly
• 1 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• salt
• pepper
Methods
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Set
an oven-proof wire rack on a rimmed
baking sheet and spray with cooking
spray.
• Cut chicken into 1/2- to 3/4-inchthick
strips. Season with salt and
pepper. Stir together corn starch and
garlic in a shallow dish. Place egg in
a second shallow dish. Stir together
coconut, breadcrumbs, paprika, and
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a
third shallow dish.
• Working one piece at a time, dip
chicken in corn starch mixture, then
in the egg mixture, then in coconut
mixture, pressing gently to help
adhere. Transfer to the greased rack.
Spray chicken with cooking spray until
well coated.
• Bake until golden brown and cooked
through, 10 to 20 minutes.
• For the salsa, combine all ingredients
in a bowl. Let stand 10 minutes before
serving.
• Serve the chicken with the salsa and
lime wedges.
Tender and oven-fried, these chicken tenders are jazzed up with sesame seeds and
Chinese five-spice powder, an indispensable blend of seasonings that showcases
the five basic flavours of Chinese cuisine – sweet, sour, bitter, savoury, and salty
Ingredients
• 3/4 c. panko (Japanese-style bread
crumbs)
• 2 tbsp. sesame seeds
• 1 large egg white
• 1 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 lb. chicken-breast tenders
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 small onion
• 1/2 c. ketchup
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. cider vinegar
• 1 1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Method
• Preheat oven to 475 degrees F.
In 10-inch skillet, toast bread
crumbs and sesame seeds over
high heat about 5 minutes or
foil (for easy cleanup).
Lightly coat with nonstick
spray.
• Make Chicken Fingers:
Beat egg in a shallow bowl
with a fork until frothy. Add
tenders and toss to coat. In
another bowl, mix crushed
chips, paprika and salt. Add
tenders, a few at a time, and
toss with a fork to coat. Place
on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake 10 minutes or until
chicken is cooked through.
• Meanwhile put Coleslaw
ingredients in a bowl; toss to
mix and coat.
• Serve tenders with ranch
dressing and the slaw.
Oven-fried chicken tenders with five-spice BBQ sauce
until golden, stirring frequently.
Transfer crumb mixture to plate.
• In medium bowl, with wire
whisk or fork, mix egg white, 1/2
teaspoon five-spice powder, and
salt until foamy. Dip tenders in
egg-white mixture, then in crumb
mixture to coat. Place tenders on
cookie sheet.
• Bake tenders 13 to 15 minutes or
until they lose their pink colour
throughout. Do not turn tenders
over.
• Meanwhile, in same skillet, heat
oil over medium heat until hot.
Add onion and cook 8 to 10
minutes or until soft and lightly
browned.
• Remove skillet from heat; stir
in ketchup, sugar, vinegar,
Worcestershire sauce, and
remaining five-spice powder.
Pour sauce into small bowl; serve
with tender
Tortilla chicken
tenders with
corn salsa
Ingredients
• 2 oz. crushed baked tortilla chips
• 2 tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 lb. chicken tenders
• 1 c. corn
• 1 jar salsa
• 1/4 c. Fresh cilantro leaves
• Lime wedges
Method
• Preheat oven to 450ºF and mist
a rimmed baking sheet with
cooking spray. On a sheet of
wax paper, combine tortilla-chip
crumbs, chili powder and salt; set
aside.
• In a medium bowl, mist chicken
tenders with cooking spray,
tossing to coat well, then roll in
tortilla-crumb mixture to coat;
arrange on baking sheet and mist
with more cooking spray. Bake
until chicken loses its pink color
throughout, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine corn
kernels, salsa and cilantro in a
small bowl and stir until blended.
Serve chicken with corn salsa on
the side for dipping. Garnish with
lime wedges.
Mary Jane
Medlock's chicken
tenders with
roasted potatoes
Ingredients
• 2 medium onions
• 1 lb. red, white or yellow potatoes
• 1 lb. chicken tenders
• 2 tsp. garlic
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 small lemon
Method
• Preheat oven to 425ºF. Coat a
shallow roasting pan with butterflavored
nonstick cooking spray.
• In large bowl, combine onions,
potatoes and chicken tenders.
Coat lightly with cooking spray;
sprinkle with garlic, salt and
pepper. Toss gently to coat evenly.
• Spread in single layer in prepared
roasting pan. Bake in lower third
of oven for 20 to 25 minutes,
until potatoes are fork-tender and
chicken is cooked through.
• Divide among four plates; garnish
with lemon wedges for a lastminute
squeeze of flavour.

18
ENTERTAINMENT
Friday, September 4, 2020 The Indian Weekender
Shefali Shah:
OTT space is not about
‘hero’ or ‘heroine’, every
single character is powerful
Talks about OTT platforms
being more democratic than
normal theatrical releases,
and providing a level playing field
are quite common today. One
reason for that could be that there’s
no number game one has to focus
on, it’s just the content. And actor
Shefali Shah agrees.
“This was happening before
OTT too, small-budget films went
on to do great business since they
were content-driven, and good
films. The biggest advantage of
OTT is that it is not confined to the
box office. Right now, there are no
theatre, kahaan jaakar dekhenge?
Even when otherwise films used
to release (theatrically), it’s fate
would lie on a weekend. Friday
Saturday nahi chali, then it is
gone, even if it’s a good film, it
doesn’t even get a run or viewing,
to be liked or disliked. That’s not
the case with OTTs,” says the Dil
Dhadakne Do (2015) actor. What
also makes Shah excited about
online streaming platforms is that
one is there on it for posterity.
People can watch it any time
they want.
“I still get messages from people
saying ‘I was too scared to watch
Delhi Crime (her web show,
which released in 2019), we just
watched it’.
Projects are going to have a life,
show are never going to die. You
are not worried by how much time
Actress Madhuri Dixit Nene says
that after reading the script
of "Saajan", which released
29 years ago on this day, she instantly
decided to be a part of it.
Madhuri took to Instagram, where she
shared a still from the film, which also
stars Sanjay Dutt and Salman Khan. S
he captioned the picture:
"#29YearsOfSaajan. After reading the
script of this film, I instantly decided to
Continuing with her allegations
that drugs are a commonplace
occurrence in Bollywood,
actress Kangana Ranaut, in her latest
tweets, has revealed that the most
popular drug in the film industry is
cocaine.
She has also offered to help
Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in
any probe they might want her to,
but wants the "centre government" to
provide her with protection in return.
Kangana has, over the past few
years, been vocal about Bollywood
nepotism that favours star kids. The
conversation around the subject
has been revived after the death of
Sushant Singh Rajput on June 14.
She opened up about how
drugs are commonly used in
the film industry.
"Most popular drug in the
film industry is cocaine, it is
we spend, or we will make it if we
have a star attached to it- it’s free
of all that.
It’s giving not just actors, but
writers, directors the liberty of
creating what they want. They
are not compromising ‘gaana toh
daalna padhega’. On OTT, it’s not
about her or heroine, every single
character is powerful and a hero,
heroine in their own space,” tells
us Shah.
Shah reveals that there were talks
about going the theatrical way,
but she advised the makers to not
do so. She reveals, “The director,
producers and all of us were sitting
together
watching
film initially,
a n d
obviously
t h e y
after
the
wanted to
release it
in theatres. I space."
remember telling
them ‘this film can
get lost very easily.
It’s a very sweet film,
but let’s accept and
acknowledge that there are no
stars in this film. I would be very
happy to see my poster, but
let’s be realistic, if you want
this film to be lost or viewed.
Your best option is to go to
OTT platforms’. It’s having
a great run.”
Madhuri Dixit 'instantly decided' to be part of 'Saajan'
be a part of it. The story was romantic,
the dialogues were poetic and the music
was brilliant!"
The film tells the tale of two best
friends Amar and Akash who fall in love
with the same girl named Pooja.
Madhuri was last seen on screen in the
2019 film "Kalank", which also starred
Alia Bhatt, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditya Roy
Kapur, Varun Dhawan and Sanjay Dutt.
used in almost all house parties it's
very expensive but in the beginning
when you go to the houses of high
and mighty it's given free, MDMA
crystals are mixed in water and at
times passed on to you without your
knowledge," tweeted Kangana.
"I am more than willing to help @
narcoticsbureau but I need protection
from the centre government, I have
not only risked my career but also
my life, it is quiet evident Sushanth
knew some dirty secrets that's why
he has been killed," she further
tweeted.
One Twitter user called
the revelations
"explosive" but
she doesn't
think so.
"I don't
t h i n k
it's that
explosive in movie Sanju
exploitation of women, debauchery,
drug abuse movie mafia's underworld
connections has been flaunted,
explicit details are given yet it seems
they hold way too much power to
pretty much get away with anything,"
she replied.
The Media reported how the
actress had referred to the film
industry as "Bullywood". She had
said that if NCB enters "Bullywood",
many A-listers will be behind bars
"If narcotics Control Bureau
enters Bullywood, many A listers
will be behind bars, if blood tests
are conducted many shocking
revelations will happen. Hope @
PMOIndia under swatchh Bharat
mission cleanses the gutter called
Bullywood," Kangana had tweeted
from her verified account, tagging
the office of the Prime Minister of
Author Twinkle Khanna is super
proud of her mother, veteran
actress Dimple Kapadia. Twinkle
took to Instagram and shared a glimpse of
Dimple from the sets of her forthcoming
Hollywood film, Tenet.
"East Or West, Dimple is the Best! I never
thought I would riff on an Anu Malik song but this one had to be
done:) #Tenet #ProudDaughter #behindthescenes," Twinkle wrote.
Along with it, she shared a brief clip of Dimple Kapadia sharing
her experience of working with the film's director Christopher Nolan.
Dimple Kapadia's nephew Karan Kapadia also shared the video.
"I'm so proud of you #tenet," Karan captioned the clip.
The movie, which stars Robert Pattinson and John David
Washington, has been described as "an action epic evolving from the
world of international espionage". It has released in select theatres in
the US, Europe, and New Zealand.
Actress Padmini
Kolhapure got nostalgic
about how she was
once called from school to
help legendary singer Lata
Mangeshkar record a song for
the Raj Kapoor hit, Satyam
Shivam Sundaram.
The song
Yashomati maiya
se was picturised
on Padmini
for Kapoor's
1978 release,
Satyam Shivam
Sundaram, starring
Shashi Kapoor and
Zeenat Aman.
"I remember I was in school
when I got a message from the
Eros office that my father was
there and I had to rush over
immediately.
"Upon my arrival, I saw Lata
ji and she made me sit close to
her. She then asked me to sing
a few lines of the song to her,"
recalled Padmini.
"I was shocked that I was
called from school to sing the
song and, as perplexing as it
India.
The actress had also alleged
without taking names that her
mentor used to spike her drinks
when she was still a minor.
Kangana also alleged that
after she started attending
famous film parties, she
got exposed to the world
of drugs, debauchery
and mafia.
"I was still a minor
my mentor turned
tormentor used to spike
my drinks and sedate
me to prevent me from
going to cops, when I
became successful and got
entry in to the most famous
film parties I was exposed to
the most shocking and sinister
world and drugs, debauchery and
mafia," Kangana had written.
sounded, I sang
a few lines and the
result after that was
unbelievable.
The way Lata ji sang the song,
till today people think that I sang
it, since many of them know
how I sing. She sang it with such
conviction and observed me so
well to capture my image in the
song that I was flabbergasted.
"This idea of Lata ji imitating
me while I sing was the
brainchild of Raj Kapoor,"
Padmini shared the anecdote,
while shooting for an episode of
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li'l Champs.
Kangana Ranaut: Most popular drug in the film industry is cocaine
"If
narcotics
Control Bureau enters
Bullywood, many A listers
will be behind bars, if blood
tests are conducted many shocking
revelations will happen"
"On
OTT, it’s
not about her or
heroine, every single
character is powerful
and a hero, heroine
in their own
Twinkle Khanna roots for mom
Dimple Kapadia in 'Tenet'
Padmini Kolhapure: I was called from
school to help Lata Mangeshkar sing

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