Indian Weekender 25 November 2016 by Indian Weekender

25 NOV2016

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Vol. 8 • Issue 36

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www.iwk.co.nz | 25 November 2016

NEW ZEALAND

Four-year-old dies in childcare centre ¡¡ Rizwan Mohammad

tragic accident at Angel’s Childcare Centre in Takapuna on Friday, November 18 claimed the life of fouryear-old Aldrich Viju. Aldrich’s father, Viju Vareed, dropped off his son at the centre at 1:30 p.m. on Friday and left for work at a factory in Henderson. He received a call just after 2 p.m. from the centre informing about his son’s accident. Aldrich had joined Angel’s Childcare Centre just a few months back and attended the centre three times a week. He is believed to have been playing on the playground equipment when the accident occurred. The police are still investigating the circumstances under which the incident took place. Aldrich was declared dead on the scene and was taken to Auckland Hospital for further examination. Aldrich is survived by his parents, two-yearold sister Andrea Viju and the parents are expecting another child soon. Mr Vareed works in a food and drink packaging specialist company and his wife Gisha Viju works as a nurse at Waitemata District Health Board. They are members of Auckalnd Malayali Samajam and are well known in the community. “The family is broken and are unable to accept and come to the terms with their beloved son’s death,” said Joseph Devasia, president of Auckland Malayali Samajam. A prayer service was held for Aldrich on the morning of November 21 at Ellerslie Catholic

“

The family is broken and are unable to accept and come to the terms of their beloved son’s death

Church. More than 300 community members, including friends of the family along with several community leaders and Members of Parliament came to pay their respects. Rev. Father Joy led the prayer service while a soft chant in Malayalam reverberated in the background in the church.

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High Commissioner of India to New Zealand Mr Sanjiv Kohli along with his wife Ruma Kohli visited the grieving family at their Takapuna residence on November 20. Expressing his condolences, Mr Kohli said that losing a child is a painful experience and in this time of grief, the High Commission of India will provide all possible assistance to the family, including footing the bill for the family to travel back to their native state of Kerala in India for their son’s last rites. Mr Devasia expressed his gratitude to Mr Kohli on behalf of the family and the community. Aldrich’s New Zealand journey ended on Tuesday, November 22 as his parents flew to India for his last rites and reached Cochin

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Airport on Wednesday, November 23. The funeral service is scheduled to be held at a local church in Kerala on November 25 The police have referred the incident to the coroner and WorkSafe New Zealand is investigating the matter. When Indian Weekender asked Workplace New Zealand about any developments, they said, “WorkSafe is investigating this incident. We are unable to provide any further information as an investigation is underway.” Aldrich’s untimely death has created a stir in the community as parents fear and question the safety of their children at childcare centres. “We have queries by parents from different places stating they are heartbroken with the news and if they can talk to someone so it brings them a bit of relief,” said Mr Devasia. Read more on P13>> “Childcare death: what everyone wants to know”

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NEW ZEALAND

25 November 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

On board INS Sumitra in Auckland Quiet naval diplomacy in action

¡¡ Sandeep Singh

ndian Naval ship INS Sumitra, along with other foreign navy ships berthed in Auckland to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Royal New Zealand Navy, welcomed people from different nationalities on board on Sunday, November 20. The bright and sunny weather on Sunday afternoon turned out to be perfect to bring people in large numbers to view the different international ships. Indian Weekender met ship Commander K. S. Sreesan, who graciously greeted the team and spoke on a number of issues such as India’s increasing maritime cooperation with the countries of South Pacific, including New Zealand, and India’s overall Act East policy. The new government in India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made its relations with East Asian neighbours—a foreign policy priority under the Act East policy. Commander Sreesan spoke about INS Sumitra, its combat capabilities, and the role in India’s overall maritime defence. “INS Sumitra is a true reflection of [the] Government of India’s ‘Make in India’ initiative,” he said. PM Narendra Modi launched the ‘Make in India’ initiative in September 2014 as part of a wider set of nation-building initiatives with a vision to transform the country into a global design and manufacturing hub. “Measuring about 105 meters in length, 13 meters in breadth, and displacing 2,200 tonnes, the ship can achieve a speed of 25 knots with an endurance of 6,000 nautical miles,” the Commander added. The ship, which was indigenously built in Goa Shipyard Limited, is manned by

Large number of people visited Auckland harbour to view the Indian Naval ship INS Sumitra

105 crewmembers and 10 officers. It has several surface and antiaircraft weapons. The primary role of INS Sumitra is to undertake surveillance of the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) besides other operational tasks such as anti-piracy patrols, fleet support operations, maritime security of off-shore assets, and escort operations of highvalue naval platforms. “The ship is currently in high seas since last 50 days, travelling different countries in the Pacific and reaching back India in December,” said Commander Sreesan. Later in the evening, the ship’s crewmembers presented a colourful cultural programme as a part of the official welcome dinner organised by High Commissioner of India Sanjiv Kohli, welcoming distinguished guests on the Indian ship. Several senior-level officers of Royal New Zealand Navy and leaders of the Indian community in New Zealand were present for the occasion. The ship has departed to Darwin, North Australia on its way back to India.

Mini-India created on Auckland shores Vice Admiral HCS Bisht, (AVSM), the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief

Members of Indian community visited the Indian Naval Ship INS Sumitra

or the uninitiated, Indian Naval ship berthed at Auckland, was a sovereign Indian territory at Auckland shores, albeit not requiring any visa from the visiting guests on the ship. This opportunity was used by the Indian ship to create a ‘miniIndia’ on the shores of Auckland. Indian food and alcohol were served to the guests along with the local dances from the Indian state of Punjab and Kerala, thus creating a ‘mini-India’ experience for the visitors.

nother notable feature of the cultural program hosted at INS Sumitra was the presence of a high-ranking Indian naval official along with several guests. Vice Admiral HCS Bisht, (AVSM), the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief, Eastern Naval Command of India, the highest ranking officer of the Eastern Naval Command was present on the occasion. The fact that the Indian Government flew down their topmost naval commander of the Eastern Naval Command which mainly looks after India’s naval action in the AsiaPacific region, points towards the importance of Act East policy in the current Indian strategic thinking. Vice Admiral Bisht used this opportunity in Auckland to meet with the Commander 7th Fleet US Navy.

www.iwk.co.nz | 25 November 2016

NEW ZEALAND

Home Trends and Designs: The secret to beautiful homes

he newly opened Home Trends and Designs is a must visit store if you are looking to make a house your dream home. With “the best” high-end products in furniture line, the store is catering to the customer from every community. “We had this retail glory in our mind from last 20 years, but the dream finally became a reality in October 2016,” says the manager of Home Trends and Designs Rimpy Kaur. With a full range of lounge suites including recliners, bedroom suites, dining room ranges, occasional furniture including wall cabinets and bottom to high-end mattresses, the store is sure to have something for everyone. And if it is the curtains that you are after, you don’t need to go anywhere else. “We are using the high-end brand Magnussen which has everything to turn a house into a beautiful home. We will give the best products to our customers in lifestyle furniture ranging from traditional to modern designs,” says Rimpy. The store has NZ handmade lounge suites that come with 10 years warranty, beds with 5 to 10 years warranty. Come and take a look at the Blackwood furniture which is quite rare to find, hand tufted lounge suites, occasional chairs, and NZ handmade headboards. All the products are available at reasonable prices as compared to the market. Ms Rimpy says that prices are not what they focus on but the customers’ dreams to furnish their homes. She assures that every customer will get the best buy with guaranteed satisfaction with special deals and offers available for every customer that walks into the store. Home Trends and Designs is also helping the new home-buyers in furnishing their new home by offering a free consultation service

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NEW ZEALAND

25 November 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

Education funding in Mt Roskill schools: who has got the ‘right inflation figures’? ¡¡ Sandeep Singh

he heat and war of words refuse to die in the Mt Roskill by-elections as Labour and National Party candidates continue to engage in making claims and counter claims on getting the policy numbers correct. The latest debate is on getting the “right inflation figures” for calculating funding or the perceived shortfall in funding for the schools in the Mt Roskill area. The debate started when Labour candidate Michael Wood issued a call and challenged the Minister of Education to front up and discuss the government’s plans for schools in Mt Roskill. It was alleged by Mr Wood that “the National Government’s funding proposals mean that 21 of the 22 schools in Mt Roskill will receive less OPEX funding than they would have, had the current year’s funding simply been increased for inflation. That’s extremely concerning to the local community”. Dr Parmjeet Parmar, National’s candidate for Mt Roskill, has ignored the claim stating “Michael Wood’s education stunt fails at simple math”. The Labour Party is already under the microscope for not getting their policy numbers accurate before making big announcements. Previously, Labour leader Andrew Little has faced the heat on the

“

Mr Wood’s office has chosen to hold their guns on their policy numbers stating that Dr Parmar’s press release refuting allegations of a shortfall in funding for Mt Roskill schools was “incorrect”

Mt Roskill candidates Dr Parmjeet Parmar (left) of National Party and Michael Wood (right) of Labour Party

numbers provided along with his proposed ‘work-ready’ policy. However, this time, Mr Wood’s office has chosen to hold their guns on their policy numbers stating that Dr Parmar’s press release refuting allegations of a shortfall in funding for Mt Roskill schools was “incorrect”. The argument advanced by the Labour Party’s office then stated, “All we’ve done is applied the formula they’ve (National) consistently used in the past to the funding schools will receive in 2017. When that formula is applied—with a 1.5% adjustment to account for forecast inflation (as per the BEFU in Budget 2016)— we can demonstrate that 21 of the

22 schools in Mt Roskill will receive less funding than they would have under the previous funding model. In other words, those schools will be worse off.” Later, Dr Parmar’s office hit back on Mr Wood claiming that “Mr Woods has consistently demonstrated his inability to understand how school funding works”. In a response attributed to Dr Parmar, it was stated, “Collectively, schools receive $1.35b in operations grants. On top of this, 99.4% of all schools will receive an additional $12.3m to target students most at risk of underachieving. “Every school in Mt Roskill will be given a share of this new money. How much money each school receives will be based on how many

students it has who meet the criteria. In the case of the school of which Mr Wood is the Board Chair, it will receive a 1.25% funding increase.” Although this explanation is a rebuttal of Mr Wood’s allegations on short funding in Mt Roskill schools, it does not categorically state the accurate inflation figure that the National Government is using to calculate these numbers. It is high time that the general public and the community are apprised about the accurate inflation figure that has led to a war of words between National and Labour. What is the accurate inflation figure and who has got it right in calculating funding for the Mt Roskill schools is the question that needs a clear answer, preferably sooner, than later.

NZ rattled by anti-Semitism Vs anti-Islam debate ¡¡ Sandeep Singh

iven New Zealand’s geographical isolation from the rest of the world and a tradition of being a highly inclusive, multicultural, stable, and peaceful civil society, it may not be an ideal place to be rattled by the anti-Semitism versus anti-Islam debate. However, the emergence of the much reported “hate-speech” allegedly delivered by a prominent Auckland-based Muslim cleric Dr Mohammad Anwar Sahib at the At-Taqwa mosque in Manukau, has unleashed a debate on what is more sinister of the two—antiSemitism or anti-Islam. The speech, which is reported to be delivered sometime in the month of November and first published on Whaleoil (blog) before going viral, was quickly picked up the Human Rights Commission and since then has been widely criticised. In the video, Dr Sahib is seen making a statement that “the Christians are using the Jews, and the Jews are using everybody”. Anti-Semitism is hostility or prejudice against Jews and is explained as an umbrella term for the negative stereotypes about Jews. Race Relations Commissioner Dame Susan Devoy has condemned the Auckland Imam’s anti-Semitic hate speech.

“

This kind of intolerance is not welcome here in any form—prejudice against Jewish people has no place in New Zealand,

Dr Mohammad Anwar Sahib

“We live in one of the most ethnically diverse nations on Earth as well as one of the most peaceful. This is because we are a tolerant nation. “This kind of intolerance is not welcome here in any form—prejudice against Jewish people has no place in New Zealand,” Devoy said in a media statement. Ethnic Communities Minister Sam LotuIiga called Dr Sahib’s speech “offensive and insulting” and said his comments are “way out of step with New Zealand’s egalitarian values”. David Cumin, a member of the New Zealand Jewish Council, also criticised Dr Sahib’s speeches: “It was a concern particularly as they were broadcast publicly.” While initial media reports were expectedly focused on the unacceptable content of the alleged hate speech, seeking clarification from the Federation of Islamic Associations of New Zealand (FIANZ)—the apex body of Muslim associations on this purported speech—there is a need to balance the two sins of anti-Semitism and anti-Islam appropriately in the best interests of New Zealand. Anti-Islam, largely categorised as Islamophobia, refers to fear, prejudice, hatred, or dislike directed against Islam or Muslims or towards Islamic politics or culture. There is a global upsurge of anti-Islam in the 21st century, which if not managed, especially

by the global mainstream media that is already facing a major question mark on its ability to comprehend the real world issues in the postTrump world, has the potential to jeopardise global peace. The response issued by the FIANZ and IWCNZ (Islamic Women’s Council New Zealand), and representatives of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in New Zealand have categorically and unreservedly criticised the hate speech. IWCNZ was more vocal in stating that “these are totally inappropriate and we unequivocally condemn any divisive comments of a similar nature. While we may disagree with aspects of Jewish theology and may have political disagreements, we see the Jewish people as closely connected to us through the Abrahamic tradition. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) had good relationships with his Jewish neighbours [and] encouraged Muslims to do the same”. IWCNZ further took exception to the comments towards the women saying that “we would like to note that Muslim women are and have always been active inside and outside their households, contributing socially and financially to the community”. Similarly, Mr Bashir Khan, National President of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in New Zealand, said, “Islam commands us to protect other faiths and their holy places of worship. The Prophet Muhammad even formed a pact with the Jews and not only protected their rights but enjoined all Muslims to protect their Jewish brothers.” FIANZ expectedly was less tearful as Dr Sahib was a functionary of the body, yet it distanced itself from the comments saying, “Dr Sahib’s views do not represent the beliefs of that organisation or most Muslim New Zealanders.” Importantly, though, FIANZ was critical of the mainstream media’s overemphasis

on the “hate speech” alleging that “we note that many peace and community building events organised by Muslims have gone unnoticed including during the past week. Disproportionate coverage and highlighting only controversial incidents, alongside no mention of peace-building initiatives continue to shape a skewed perspective of Muslims and other communities”. This was shortly followed by a statement issued by the cleric in question—Dr Sahib— who has alleged that he was thoroughly misrepresented and misunderstood in this video, which is a cut-copy-paste of many of his speeches delivered at different times, in a different context. “Sadly and falsely, I have been accused of giving hate speeches and being anti-Semitic. “I was made aware of a post by Cameron Slater from Whaleoil on Saturday morning regarding my past lectures. In that post, he has unfairly cut and pasted various short sections of my lectures and presented them as complete. He has thus taken my lectures entirely out of context and completely misrepresented me,” said Dr Sahib in a press release on his official website. Subsequently, a day later on Wednesday, November 23, FIANZ permanently stood down the Dr Sahib from all posts in the organisation. Apparently, this was a move eyeing at removing “Muslim church” in New Zealand away from any controversy and negative publicity. This is a step forward from the earlier statement by FIANZ where it had distanced itself from the alleged remarks of Dr Sahib. The controversy and the following debate have raised an important question for the media and the wider civil society that are we balanced in our response to these two sinister stereotypes—anti-Semitism and anti-Islam?

NEW ZEALAND

www.iwk.co.nz | 25 November 2016

EROSNow™ Premium launches on JadooTV™ worldwide

loudStream Media Inc., the parent company of JadooTV, announced that it had inked a partnership with EROS International, bringing the EROSNow™ streaming service to the JadooTV™ platform worldwide. With this deal, JadooTV’s consumers will get instant access to the world’s largest collection of Bollywood movies, television shows, and music videos. JadooTV™ will make the EROSNow™ premium service available, starting September 2015, for free to Jadoo4 users for the first year, amounting to a $100 value. With this latest announcement, JadooTV™ continues to provide its customers with industry leading line-up of on-demand and live South Asian film and television content on its Over-The-Top (OTT) streaming service. EROSNow™ premium service users on JadooTV™ will see films releasing immediately after theatrical release and before their television release. EROSNow™ will also include in-house flagship original programming delivering high-quality, cuttingedge shows with film-like production values. Consumers can expect never-seen-before content across several genres that include reality shows, adaptations of hit international series, and original productions spanning drama, comedy and thrillers. Full seasons of these shows and series will be available for viewing exclusively on EROSNow™.

JadooTV launches JadooGO mobile app on Apple and Android devices

adooTV has launched mobile applications for its OTT streaming service named JadooGO. “JadooTV users can now enjoy their favourite South Asian content everywhere, all the time with JadooGO. With cord cutting becoming the norm, this release is an essential component of our longterm strategy to release JadooGO on various connected platforms such as Smart TVs, gaming consoles and other mobile devices” said Sajid Sohail, Founder of JadooTV and CEO of CloudStream Media, Inc.. The JadooGO App is available for both Apple (iOS) and Android. The service provides mobile access to the same live and on-demand content available on JadooTV’s set top boxes. Priced at $4.99 a month for those who purchase a subscription directly for use on Apple and Android mobile devices, JadooGo is available for free for one year with a purchase of the Jadoo4 set-top box. Standalone subscribers of JadooGO app get a 30day free trial of the service without using their credit card. JadooGO users are allowed to login on multiple devices at the same time and can enjoy content on up to three screens simultaneously. JadooGO is compatible with Google’s Chromecast as well as Apple’s AirPlay features. Users can wirelessly stream JadooGO content playing on their phone or tablets to their HDTV using Apple TV or Google Chromecast. For further information, please visit www.jadootv.com.

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Michael Wood (centre) with Phil Goff (left) and Priyanca Radhakrishnan (right) Authorised by Andrew Kirton, 160 Willis St, Wellington.

NEW ZEALAND

25 November 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

SOUTH LINE

News-in-brief from South Island

Relief efforts are underway in North Canterbury after the M7.8 Earthquake GeoNet revised it’s initial estimate of the Kaikoura earthquake from M7.5 to M7.8 | Inland Road was opened and then closed again after Tuesday’s (November 22) M5.7 aftershock | Government announced an Earthquake support package | some of the buildings in Wellington’s CBD would be brought down | international naval ships helped in relief efforts

¡¡ Gaurav Sharma

Subsequently, an inland road link– State Highway 70 —was reopened, bringing in army convoys with relief materials.

The Earthquake

irst things first. An almost 2 minutes long earthquake that struck 15 km north-east of Culverden at 12:02 a.m., Monday, November 14, in North Canterbury, is now classified as of magnitude 7.8. GeoNet confirmed this on November 16, adding, “Based on our findings and in discussion with international researchers, early indications are that this is one of the most complex earthquakes ever recorded on land. The very long time it took for the faults to rupture (over one minute) meant that the standard methods of calculating magnitude were insufficient to capture the full energy released. Due to the size of the quakes, we’ve gathered data from our entire network of seismic stations. All of these stations would not generally need to be included in magnitude estimates. Further, our techs at GeoNet went out to several sites which we lost communication with. Based on all these ongoing efforts, we can say with some confidence that the earthquake was an M7.8. This is consistent with estimates from several other international agencies.”

Though on Tuesday, November 22, a powerful aftershock of 5.7 magnitude struck the region again, and the Kaikoura Emergency Access Route (SH 70) remains closed to the public. [at the time of printing]

The November 14 earthquake is now officially bigger than the Napier earthquake of 1931. According to GNS Science, the earthquake has caused the earth to move two metres to the north near the Marlborough region.

The aftermath

ith almost a week gone, authorities have now been able to gauge the destruction that the M7.8 earthquake and its aftershocks have caused in the upper South Island. The effects were widespread over an area of 7,000 km2 with estimates that there has been between 80,000 to 100,000 landslides. Moreover, seven landslide dams

have been found in the Southern Kaikoura Ranges and people have been advised to stay away from steep cliffs and slopes in the Kaikoura and Marlborough region. As reported earlier, the quake has claimed two lives. One person was killed when a Kaikoura homestead collapsed, while another died of a heart attack in Mount Lyford, 150km from Christchurch. Major damage was caused in Kaikoura, and the town and it’s surrounding areas were completely cut-off from rest of the country by land. State Highway 1 was closed, and if statements by the Transport Minister is anything to go by, can remain so for the next six months.

After being stranded for two days, some 450 evacuees, four dogs and seven tonnes of luggage were taken to Christchurch by Navy’s HMNZS Canterbury. NZ Defence Force also used its helicopters to airlift 165 evacuees to safety. About 8,000 kgs of food and 5,000 litres of water were also delivered to residents remaining in Kaikoura. In all, the NZDF mobilised about 500 personnel, at least 11 aircraft and four vessels to support the Government’s earthquake response. Warships from Australia, Canada and the United States—HMAS Darwin, HMCS Vancouver and USS Sampson - which were in the country to take part in the Royal New Zealand Navy’s 75th anniversary, were re-tasked to support the national relief effort. In other efforts, Federated Farmers has opened their line to

offers of help for affected farmers on 0800 FARMING (0800 327 646). The local state of emergency that has been in place in Canterbury for the past week has been extended for another seven days. The Earthquake Commission (EQC) has also notified that anyone who has suffered any damage to their home, land or contents from all the shakes, has three months to lodge a claim with the EQC. There has also been some criticism that the tsunami warning was issued by the Christchurch Civil Defence and Emergency Management on Monday morning at around 3.15am – almost three hours after the quake. To this Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel urged the coastal residents to have an evacuation plan. “If the city was hit by a large earthquake that was strong enough to make it difficult to stand or to walk in a straight line, or by a rolling earthquake that lasted for more than a minute, people along the coast should not wait for the tsunami sirens to sound before getting out of the area. They should immediately head for higher ground, preferably going inland until they are outside the evacuation zone. People need to have an evacuation plan. Get together with your neighbours and come up with a plan for how you

NEW ZEALAND

www.iwk.co.nz | 25 November 2016 would alert each other and help each other to get out of the area,’’ she said. In fact, GeoNet’s director Ken Gledhill came out in defence of his organisation noting that GeoNet can’t give tsunami warning as quickly and accurately as possible because it was not staffed overnight or on weekends. A suggestion not taken too kindly by the acting Civil Defence Minister Gerry Brownlee, calling Gledhill’s comments as “unreasonable criticism”.

Wellington buildings

wing to the November 14th powerful M7.8 Earthquake, several buildings in the capital city of Wellington also suffered extensive damage, with many declared a write-off and would have to be brought down soon. New Zealand Defence Force’s headquarters at Aitken Street, British High Commission, Statistics House - headquarters of Statistics NZ on Harbour Quays, the retailer Farmers building at Cuba Street, BNZ headquarters, Katherine Mansfield House, apartment building at 25 Tennyson Street, the High Court building, Greater Wellington Regional Council building, Wellington City Council building at Civic Square, Archives NZ building, Environment House, and Customs Head Office, are some of the building closed at the time of printing with engineers continuing to assess the damage. Notably, it has been decided to de-construct the office building at 61 Molesworth Street as it has been found to be too structurally damaged to repair.

The earthquake support package

eanwhile, Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce and Social Development Minister Anne Tolley announced on November 22 that the wage subsidy package for small businesses in and around Kaikoura [announced on November 18] would be extended to larger businesses in the district as well. The employment subsidy will now be available for all companies in Kaikoura, Cheviot, Waiau, Rotherham, Mt Lyford and Ward that experience a sudden, large and sustained drop in revenue as a result of the earthquake.

The scheme will be administered by the Ministry of Social Development, with support from the Canterbury Employers Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise North Canterbury, and the Kaikoura and Hurunui and Marlborough District Councils. The Earthquake Support Subsidy will not be subject to GST and will cover up to eight weeks at a rate of: ¡¡ $500 gross per week for a full-time employee ($4,000 per person) ¡¡ $300 gross per week for a part-time employee ($2,400 per person) This measure will be complemented by other programmes, including the Government’s primary sector support package and the tax relief measures. The support package for the primary sector funding of at least $5 million around the upper South Island includes: ¡¡ $4 million for Mayoral Disaster Rural Relief funds (Hurunui, Kaikoura and Marlborough) to help with non-insurable assets such as tracks, on-farm bridges and water infrastructure ¡¡ $500,000 to support Rural Recovery Coordinators in the Hurunui, Kaikoura and Marlborough Districts ¡¡ $500,000 extra funding for Rural Support Trusts ¡¡ $200,000 per month to mobilise and support skilled primary industry students and workers for farm recovery work ¡¡ Rural Assistance Payments (RAPs) from Work and Income NZ - emergency payments for farmers in real hardship

Tax relief measures

nland Revenue will waive the use of money interest when a person is prevented from paying on time as a result of the recent earthquakes. This applies to all late tax payments and at this stage, is scheduled to expire on 31 January.

[Updated as on noon, November 23]

Kiwi-Indian launches fair-trade streetwear clothing label ¡¡ Gaurav Sharma

fairtrade street-wear clothing label was recently launched in Christchurch by a first generation Kiwi whose parents came from Kerala; the initiative is also aimed at helping the sex trade workers living in the largest and most infamous sex district in India, called Sonagacchi (in Kolkata) Clive Antony is a man on a mission. The young University of Canterbury business management student, whose parents immigrated to New Zealand from Kerala in India 25 years ago, is trying to provide the Kiwi youth what he calls “the ethical alternative” of established streetwear brands such as Huffer and RTM. Mallu is a new streetwear clothing label that Antony launched early this year with his fellow students Megan Gerrard, who looks after logistics and operations, and Jess Langtry who is the Creative Design Lead. “While I was fortunate enough to be brought up with a great balance of Indian and Western culture, we decided to name the brand Mallu as a testimony to my Kerala heritage,” said Antony, whose concern for the society saw him unsuccessfully contesting the just-concluded local government elections in Christchurch where he stood as a candidate for the Riccarton Ward of the HalswellHornby-Riccarton Community Board and secured 708 votes. Talking about the reason behind starting a clothing label, he said, “Two things fused together that led to the launch of Mallu. Firstly, while clothing is a basic necessity of life, it needn’t be just an action to make us look great. It can and must have a societal angle to it. That’s why we only source high-quality fair-trade and organic cotton tees from India and combine them with our original designs. We only partner with suppliers who have credible ethical certifications such as Fair Trade International Certification, FairWear Certification, and Global Organic Textile Standard Certification.

Clive with Jess and Megan (right) in front of the famous Victoria Memorial in Kolkata on a recent trip to Sonagacchi to see first-hand how Freeset factory is helping the victims of sex trade

“Secondly, and importantly, since we were already going to source clothing material from India, we decided to partner with Freeset, a fair-trade factory located in Sonagacchi—the largest, most infamous sex district in Kolkata, India. Freeset employs women who have been taken out of the local sex trade. And with every 1000 tees we sell, it supports three-month wages for at least 20 women working in the Freeset factory. Moreover, $2 from every Mallu t-shirt sold is donated directly to The Gateway Campaign set up by Freeset to build a second factory in Sonagacchi. This is our way of helping women come out of the clutches of sex-trafficking.” Future plans As all the three business partners are students, the company is still based in the University of Canterbury’s incubation programme, UC Centre for Entrepreneurship. “But as all of us complete our courses, the next logical step is to have our own space and open Mallu outlets. We are also looking for existing boutique retailers to house the Mallu brand for display. Meanwhile, we continue to sell online and hope to build our brand through that,” Antony concluded.

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Gujarati play wins the hearts of Aucklanders ¡¡ Rizwan Mohammad

fter three houseful shows in Australia earlier this month and one in London in August, Gujarati play Baa Tane Hu Kya Rakhu? (Mother, where do I keep you?) won the hearts of its audience in Auckland. Organised by V3 Events NZ, the play was performed at Dorothy Winston Centre on November 20. Set in contemporary times, the play revolves around a mother of two seeking the attention and affection of her sons as she endures the taunts and quirks of her two daughters-in-law. Her younger son (Manil Mehta), tries to escape from his duties to take care of his ailing mother by leaving for Dubai. Although the older one (Parag Shah) is glad to have his mother in the house, he is constantly taunted by his wife (Tulika Patel). The play deals with a sensitive subject and has been delivered in a satirical format with powerful yet hilarious punches. In a turn of events, Baa (mother) is given the profit shares of her late husband and overnight becomes an independent, wealthy woman. She takes control of her life and her house and eventually makes her sons realise the unconditional love a mother has for her

children. In the final act, Baa decides to spend the rest of her life at an orphanage she bought in New York and leaves her children with the wealth they inherited from their father’s will. The last scene of the play will leave the spectators in tears as Baa takes off to start a new life that is devoted for the less fortunate. The question asked at the start of the play— Baa Tane Hu Kya Rakhu?—is answered when Baa affectionately says, “Keep me in your heart.” Brilliantly written by Ashok Patole, the play is a roller coaster of emotions. Rohini Hattangadi, who is known for her strong roles in both cinema and theatre, gives a powerful performance as Baa. She is ably supported by a cast who display their exemplary acting skills. The colourful set and the background music takes the audience into the world of a small Gujarati family. Although the play addresses a sensitive issue, it has been delivered in a satirical format with powerful yet hilarious punches. A must-watch for all theatre lovers.

Police accepts independent report on ignoring the ‘fleeing driver policy’ ¡¡ Sandeep Singh

olice has accepted the findings of the Independent Police Conduct Authority’s investigation into a fleeing driver incident in Counties Manukau on August 13, 2015. “In this situation, and while the two initial officers were justified in the initial pursuit, a number of subsequent actions by staff did not comply with Police’s fleeing driver policy,” says Superintendent John Tims, District Commander Counties Manukau. This is after the Independent Police Conduct Authority found out that two officers repeatedly disregarded both Police fleeing driver policy and the directions of the pursuit controller during a 20-minute chase in South Auckland. At about 7:40 p.m. on August 13, 2015, police commenced a search for a stolen Mazda containing three young people who were suspects in a series of recent crimes. On several occasions, the 16-year-old driver drove on the wrong side of the road, including on the motorway. The driver also turned off the Mazda’s headlights. Due to the risks involved, Police abandoned the pursuit multiple times. However, some officers continued to follow the Mazda. Road spikes were correctly used on three occasions to deflate the vehicle’s tyres. The pursuit came to an end when the Mazda was stopped on the motorway, and the driver was arrested. The media release from New Zealand Police further said that “shortly after this incident, Police also conducted a review, and action was taken in respect to some officers involved. Police do note that, while there was no death and or injury as a result of this incident, we still investigate any matter which may display a departure from Police policy.” The Authority Chair, Judge Sir David Carruthers said, “This pursuit included many

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NEW ZEALAND

25 November 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

Stuart Nash: I am happy with a centrist tag in the Labour Party

“I am a political pragmatist, and by that I mean that I want this country to be brilliant. I want Kiwis, young and old, to be able to achieve to their best of ability.”

¡¡ Sandeep Singh This week Stuart Nash, Labour Party spokesperson for law and order visited Indian Weekender. He was parachuted in the Mt Roskill ‘war zone’ due to by-elections to lead his party’s onslaught against the National Government on the perceived increase in crime in the community. Although Mr Nash was keen to talk on law and order issues, we had our eyes set on his other portfolios of revenue, energy, forestry and assistant economic development. One of our questions to him was if he was happy to be seen as a centrist within his Labour party. “Yes”, came the quick reply. Here are the excerpts of the interview with Mr Nash. IWK: What do you know about the Indian Community in New Zealand? Stuart Nash: My experience with the Indian community in New Zealand is that they work incredibly hard, their children study extremely hard, they add significant value and they are exemplary citizens. IWK: Are you aware that Indian community recently facilitated a big festival? And what do you know about it? Stuart Nash: Diwali. I don’t know much as I possibly should, but what I do know is that Indians celebrate their festivals well. The lights of Diwali are magnificent. There is an upcoming Diwali festival in Napier on Saturday (November 26) which I plan to attend and enjoy. IWK: The Labour Party has stepped up their ante against the National government since the New Zealand statistics has reported a 12% increase in the number of recorded crimes. But the National Party had countered this by stating that this increase is still less than what they inherited from the previous Labour government in 2008 when the crime rate was brought down by recruiting 500 front line police officers. What is Labour’s response to this argument? Stuart Nash: I think that the best policy is based on evidence and the evidence suggests that in the last 24 months crime has increased to substantial amounts. But what also has happened is that the crime resolution rate has dropped, and the nature of policing has lost. My primary concern is that there is not enough police on the ground to meet the expectations of our communities. In my view, there are two types of policing. Community policing— these are the officers who are fully

Stuart Nash at Indian Weekender’s office

integrated into the community and they prevent crime. And traditional policing—these are the men and women who tend to be based in the police stations, and their job is to solve the crime and put bad guys behind bars. Obviously, there is a level of overlap because police in the community helps solve crime and police at stations helps prevent crime. But when these models work well our communities are safe. At the moment there is 94% of lack of resolution rate for burglary, something like 45% lack of resolution rate for sexual offences. When only 6% of burglary is being resolved, and 94% are not being resolved, then we have a problem. The only way we can solve this issue is by having more police staff. That’s why we (Labour Party) have come out and said that we want 1000 more police staff. IWK: Police Minister Judith Collins is repeatedly hinting that the Prime Minister would be announcing something big on the Police, suggesting a hike in police numbers. If that happens then what will be your reaction? Stuart Nash: If Judith Collins or the Prime Minister make an announcement that they are going to increase Police numbers by 1000, then I am going to stand up and shake hands with the Prime Minister and say thank you very much for adopting the Labour’s policy. The reason why I say that because in March this year the Police Minister signed on Police Strategic Plan, which is a four-year program from this year to 2020. And it states that no more police for the next four years. We got hold of that, and we are saying that this is not acceptable as our population is increasing, crime resolution rate has declined, and community policing is being withdrawn. Therefore we cannot have a police force without increasing numbers. We have highlighted the demand for increasing numbers, and

“

My experience with the Indian community in New Zealand is that they work incredibly hard, their children study extremely hard, they add significant value and they are exemplary citizens.

since then the Police Minister has come out and accepted that they had made a mistake and that we need more police. If they adopt that policy, I will be flattered. IWK: What will your government do differently from the current National government to create more jobs? Stuart Nash: The main difference between the Labour’s and National’s perspective is that the Labours believe that the government has a significant role to play in driving economic growth and creating a kind of environment where businesses can thrive, whereas National thinks that if we leave things to market, it will come with optimal outcomes. I believe that we have seen in certain areas like housing, forestry, etc. where a monopolistic behaviour is seen occurring then it is not in the best interest of the community. I fundamentally believe that the government has a role to step in and tweak the settings to get things right. You can argue that in an economy of the size of America, or China, or India, where the market can self-correct but in New Zealand,

the government has to play an important role. IWK: So you want to see for the government to play a significant role in the market and the businesses? Stuart Nash: Through a legal process, though. Let me give you an example in the forestry sector. It is now 70% owned by foreign companies, and there is one in particular which have held this forest for 20 years, and they had promised in their application to build a state of the art processing facility which will give employment to locals in Gisborne. Now in 20 years nothing has happened. In my view it’s wrong, and when a Labour government is there, we will hold them to account to what they have promised and not delivered. Whereas Nationals have said in answer to my questions that let the market determine the best outcome. In that situation, the government has a significant role to play and holding that company to account. IWK: As a business owner yourself would you support demand for the tax-cut for New Zealand’s businesses to support job creation in New Zealand? Stuart Nash: I think at this point the business tax rate is nearly at a right place. Australia’s business tax rate is 30%, and some time back they had signalled that they are going to drop it to 28%. NZ promptly followed that and went ahead to cut the tax rate to 28% whereas Australia became reluctant. I would love to be a Finance Minister and be able to go to businesses and say that we want to give you the tax cut. However, the only way we can do that is by first getting our basics right on issues such as education, health system, policing, and housing. I think it is little irresponsible right now to offer business tax cuts when our health system is underfunded; there are not enough police staff on the ground to keep our communities safe.

IWK: Are you saying no? Stuart Nash: (smiles) Let me tell you Labour’s policy. Andrew Little has stated that we are going into 2017 elections without any Capital Gains Tax. What we have said, and I completely agree with that, is that we will set up a high powered Tax Working Group in the first 100 days. This working group, unlike the Bill English’s one, will not be constrained by any directive of which tax to consider and which not to. Instead, we will give only one instruction to them that design us with a world class tax system for the 21st century. We will then go to the electorate with that recommendation in 2020 so that voters will have all the transparency to vote for the Labour government in full knowledge about what we want to do. I think that the electorate demands that transparency in this day and age. IWK: Are you happy with a tag that you are more a centrist than at the left within your party? Stuart Nash: Absolutely! I am a political pragmatist, and by that I mean that I want this country to be brilliant. I want Kiwis, young and old, to be able to achieve to their best of ability. I am not saying that I have all the answers or the Labour has all the answers but what I am saying is that we need to create an environment where businesses thrive, we need to create an educational environment where our children are aspirational, and they can achieve to the best of their abilities. I do think that we can do things better than we are doing now. I am also not saying that everything that Nationals are doing is wrong. We believe that our vision for New Zealand is much more aspirational. IWK: Give me three main issues on which the Labour party will fight elections in 2017? Stuart Nash: Law and Order, Education and Health Care. Can I have three more? (laughs)

NEW ZEALAND

www.iwk.co.nz | 25 November 2016

CHILDCARE DEATH:

what everyone wants to know ¡¡ Sandeep Singh

hildcare centre is not a place like roads where accidental deaths could be expected as a norm. The tragic death of a four-year-old child at a Takapuna childcare centre following an accident on playground equipment has raised several unanswered questions in the minds of parents who leave their children in good faith at the day care centres. Although, any child death is shocking, an incident involving a childcare centre generates substantial questions that need answers, sooner rather than later. Often the questions that cross human mind at such instances defy logic and reason, yet they should be seen as unavoidable emotional needs that cannot be brushed aside behind institutional barricades. To some extent, it may be fair to expect concerned authorities refraining from making any comments in haste, but it is not completely unreasonable to demand an assurance from ‘someone’ that our childcare system has adequate measures in place to prevent any such future incidents. The police is still investigating the matter and have declined to comment any further than what they have earlier said at the scene on November 18 when the incident occurred.

Inspector Cornell Kluessien had then said, “Playground equipment looks like standard playground equipment, but it’s one of these accidental things that a perfect set of circumstances have sort of caused this tragedy.” WorkSafe New Zealand has been advised and is making “enquiries”. However, their media office was “unable to provide any further information as an investigation is underway”. Angels’ Childcare, the centre where the tragic incident happened and who has expectedly avoided any media query, posted on its website that “we are working closely with the authorities to support them in their investigation of the accident. We

“

Although, any child death is shocking, an incident involving a childcare centre generates substantial questions that need answers, sooner rather than later.

will also be making contact over the weekend with all of the families of our children here at Angels to provide them with further information”. The fact of matter is that it is not just the parents of children at the Angels’ Childcare Centre who have questions that need immediate answers. Parents far and wide in New Zealand have genuine concerns about what actually happened on that ill-fated day, especially after the news in media that the incident possibly involved “slide and a rope”. Were the children unsupervised at the time of incident? What kind of “rope” was involved in the incident? Was there a surveillance camera installed at the outside playing area in the centre? Joseph Devasia, president of the Malayali Samajam Incorporated group, and the family spokesperson, who has been at the helm of affairs for the last few days right till sending the body back to India on Wednesday, November 23, had received several messages from parents from places

such as Christchurch, Invercargill, and Wellington, who want to form an association to seek answers collectively from the authorities. Sharing the concerns of a parent and a community member from Christchurch with Indian Weekender, Mr Devasia said that an accountant in Christchurch had expressed that that he and his family were left heartbroken after the incident. “We have seen the little boy’s photos and [are] really heartbroken. We also have a son of the same age. I hope [to talk] to someone there [who] can bring a bit of relief to us.” It is high time that people are told about what happened on that dreadful Friday when a child in somebody’s custody other than their parents met an accident at a seemingly innocuous place as a playground and could not survive. It is in everyone’s best interest, especially young working parents who depend on the services provided by childcare centres, to be reassured about the integrity of the entire system.

NAME CHANGE NOTICE Monika Dhirubhai Patel of Albany, Auckland has now changed her name to Monika Hiten Patel.

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25 November 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

POWER COLUMN

Getting real about our relationship Barry Coates Green Party MP

t first glance, the New Zealand-India relationships look strong. The huge contribution of 170,000 people of Indian ethnicity in New Zealand is increasingly recognised by the public, festivals such as Diwali are loved by a growing number of Kiwis and the New Zealand economy benefits from tourists and students from India. But there are problems that need to be addressed. Better government policy would help. Firstly is the need for better regulation of recruitment of Indian students. There needs to be a system of proper certification of agents and education providers so that students are not made the victims of fraud and scams. A number of students have sacrificed their savings and two years of their lives on education in New Zealand and risk being sent home without any certificate or recognition. The second area of contention is employment practice. Too many trained and experienced professionals arrive in New Zealand from India, only to find that their qualifications are not recognised and their experience ignored. The government needs to tackle restrictive rules by professional bodies, strengthen mutual recognition of qualifications between India and New Zealand and educate employers about the value of hiring the best people for the job.

Thirdly are issues of trade negotiations, and particularly the incessant calls from the New Zealand government for a Free Trade Agreement (FTA). India has real concerns that should shape any treaty, whether an FTA with New Zealand or the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership which is under negotiation. The New Zealand government needs to listen. For example, India faces a number of cases from foreign multinationals claiming compensation for alleged breaches to other FTAs. These include tax-related cases brought by Vodafone and UK company Cairn Energy, each claiming billions of dollars. In the wake of the collapse of the TransPacific Partnership Agreement, it is clear that fundamental changes are needed to these treaties, to ensure they benefit all, not just a few large foreign investors. Finally, millions of people in India are highly vulnerable to climate change. New Zealand has been part of the problem rather than part of the solution - our emissions have grown by 20% since 2008. We need to move far more quickly to reduce emissions, not only to protect our farmers and our coastline but also to play our part in the global effort that can protect vulnerable people in India. Better policies are possible. The Green Party is committed to addressing these problems through smarter regulation, fairer trade and real action on climate change. We want to see an even stronger India-New Zealand relationship in the future. Barry Coates MP has recently entered Parliament as a Green Party list MP, based in Auckland.

India-NZ relationship revisited David Shearer Labour MP

t was great to see an Indian naval ship on the Waitemata Harbour in Auckland last week, joining the celebrations for the Royal New Zealand Navy’s 75th anniversary. It’s a mark of the closeness of New Zealand’s relationship with India, and respect that we have towards each other, that the Indian Navy sent a warship to celebrate this milestone with us. INS Sumitra, the presidential yacht of India, was designed and constructed locally in India, put into commission by the Indian Navy in 2014, and was here under the command of Commander KP Shreeshan. INS Sumitra joined warships from several other nations represented here for the celebrations, which included frigates from China, South Korea, Singapore, Indonesia and Chile. New Zealand and India have a warm, longstanding relationship —bilateral ties were formalised in 1952, and in the year to March 52,000 New Zealanders travelled to India, while nearly 60,000 Indians visited New Zealand. New Zealand’s Prime Minister John Key and India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi met for a bilateral meeting in Washington DC in March this year, and a month later, Pranab Mukherjee became the first Indian president to come to New Zealand, flying into Auckland for a threeday official visit.

Last month’s trip to India by Prime Minister Key was another step in the two-country journey towards a Free Trade Deal following years of hard work by both National and Labour governments. The desire for a Free Trade Deal with India is a bi-partisan policy across both major political parties. The trade relationship between our two countries represents a huge opportunity: China is New Zealand’s top market for export goods – and it has similar demographics to India, which is number 10. India has traditionally followed a more protectionist approach to trade in order to safeguard its domestic industries. This has contributed to the slower development of a free trade agreement with New Zealand, in comparison to China. It’s just one of the reasons why it’s so timely to have INS Sumitra spending six days in New Zealand, strengthening maritime security cooperation as the New Zealand/Indian national friendship continues to grow.

Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation charity raises more than $130,000 ¡¡ Rizwan Mohammad

riends of Fiji Heart Foundation (FOFH) hosted their 10th annual charity dinner at Pullman Hotel on November 19 where they raised more than $130,000 from 14 items sold in an auction. The event gathered around 600 patrons of the foundation. Some of the items auctioned included a small framed bat signed by former Black Cap captain Brendan McCullum, an accounting package worth $1000, Blue Lagoon Cruise packages, Fiji 7’s jersey signed by the team, All Black’s jersey signed by Richie McCaw, Heart Valve Memorabilia from ‘Mediatronics’, and a fully functional heart surgery machine. The highest bid was secured by the Heart Valve Memorabilia that was bought by for $19,000. Fiji 7’s Olympic gold-winning jersey went for $9,000 and the fully functional heart and lung machine was sold out for $50,000, with 10 contributors donating $5,000 each for their names to be embeded on the equipment. Present at the fundraiser was 16-year-old Agnes from Fiji who recently went through a surgery and is now healthy. “Exactly three years ago, Agnes was unable to even come out of her room, and now, after the surgery, she is travelling the world,” said a member from the foundation. She expressed her gratitude towards the donors and appealed to the mass to come forward to donate for the noble cause. A few members voluntarily made extra contributions apart from what was raised through the auction. FOFH—a charitable organisation that provides free open surgery currently unavailable in Fiji—was the brainchild of Dr Parma Nand and was established in 2006 at Mahatma

Gandhi Centre in Auckland. It is currently led by Dr Vinod Singh, a Clinical Teacher and Senior Lecturer of Medicine at the University of Auckland. FOFHF has a team of 80 volunteers, who transfer 15+ tonne of equipment every time they travel to Fiji for surgery. Each year, the foundation needs $230,000 to $250,000 to cover the cost of medications, heart valve logistics, medical team members’ travel, food and lodging. The Ministry of Health of Fiji provides an annual grant to cover some of the expenses of accommodation and medical supplies needed in operation. The foundation completed its 11th mission in September 2016, and in the last 10 years has provided treatment worth $15m. The team carries out 22–27 open heart surgeries, 20–30 pacemaker implants, about 100 pacemaker checks, and 20–30 coronary angioplasties

(Clockwise from above) A volunteer holding Fiji 7 team jersey up for auction at the fundraiser; 16-year old Agnes from Fiji who underwent open heart surgery; Dr Parma Nand addressing the patrons at the fundraiser

and stenting each year, none of which were available in Fiji. Performing heart surgeries require special equipment and expert knowledge from experienced doctors in the field of cardiology. The operations are offered free to people from poor financial background who cannot afford the treatment overseas. Patrons and trustees of FOFHF are exFijians settled in New Zealand, who support the cause by bringing funds to the trust.

NEW ZEALAND

www.iwk.co.nz | 25 November 2016

Interfaith meeting to forge stronger bonds in the community ¡¡ Rizwan Mohammad

The interfaith meeting is an effort to bring people together in the name of Mother Teresa and promote love, peace and harmony among different communities. Gautham Lewis, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Freedom in the Air, London, will be the guest speaker at the event. Gautham shares his experience of being in the missionary for two years and become abandoned with Polio at the age of three. It is believed that his stay at the Mother Teresa’s missionary at Calcutta (now Kolkata) have cured

he annual Mother Teresa Interfaith meeting is scheduled to be held on Sunday, November 27 from 2:30 p.m. at St Paul’s College, Ponsonby. Mother Teresa is one of the greatest figures of the 20th century who dedicated her entire life to serving the cause of humanity. The event organising committee is representative of different religions such as Hindu, Muslim, Buddhists, Christians, Sikhs, and Zoroastrians communities from around the Auckland region.

him and inspired him to embark on a journey to become a pilot in London, England. Mother Teresa was canonised by Pope Francis before a huge crowd in Vatican City on her 19th death anniversary this year. The annual meeting will witness community members and interfaith leaders come together under one roof to share and discuss the teachings and examples left by Saint Teresa. The meeting will be followed by songs and hymns of peace and love. Mother Teresa sisters in Auckland will also be taking part in the event.

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READERS SPEAK

How has your experience been so far while renting a house in New Zealand?

Editorial

The only cure for grief is to grieve

here was no way possible to get past through this edition without talking about the grief of an unfortunate death at an Auckland child care centre on November 18. It was a tragic accident that has shaken all New Zealanders equally; however, the impact on the Indian community in general and the Malayali community in particular has been beyond redemption. The community has done well in whatever little they could have done during this grave crisis and moment of personal loss for the family of ‘little-angel’. Still, it is not sufficient to relieve the bereaving parents of the deceased boy from the deeprooted pain inflicted on them involuntarily. Sometimes, the only cure for grief is to grieve. Probably, the parents of ‘little-angel’ who rightly chose to return to India to be with their extended family to overcome this grief had signalled that they might not be back before months if they opted to come back at all. Indian Weekender acknowledges this deeply embedded pain in the wider community and brings a cover story on the chronology of the events. We also raise our voice on behalf of the larger community seeking answers and information from the concerned authorities about what happened on the dreadful day that resulted in such a catastrophic outcome. If negativity around the child’s accidental death was not enough in our lives, then we were exposed to the controversy of ‘hate speech’ allegedly delivered by an Islamic scholar at a local mosque thus bringing the threat of communal and racial disharmony at our door step. Sometimes we tend to forget the fact that we are blessed to live in this beautiful country which is renowned for its social inclusiveness and multiculturalism. Indian Weekender, like many others, has to take the lead in deploring such nefarious attempts in all its guise and content. We bring a story rejecting to be entrapped into the anti-Semitism versus anti-Islam debate. We make our stand very clear on such issues that any temptation to make provocative statements against any community, race and religion has to be resisted. Importantly, we did not lose our focus on the other important issues concerning the KiwiIndians in New Zealand. Stuart Nash, Labour Party spokesperson for law and order, energy, revenue, and assistant economic development visited Indian Weekender and we have brought excerpts of the interview. We are still closely following the Mt Roskill by-election debate between different candidates in the fray. This week we bring a story on the debate on education in the Mt Roskill schools between the Labour candidate Michael Wood and the National candidate Dr Parmjeet Parmar about getting accurate inflation figures. Indian Naval Ship INS Sumitra finally arrived in Auckland and was open for public viewing, bringing people in hoards to visit the ship. We are bringing a story about different activities related to the ship’s visit to New Zealand. In our feature section, we bring a new column on careers for our readers, especially new immigrants, who are seeking guidance on starting a new work life in this country. That’s it for now! Till we meet again. Have a great weekend!

Mili Patel, Blockhouse Bay It has been a mixed experience. The first place I rented in Auckland CBD, the place was somehow liveable but the landlord was too fussy. We changed to a quiet place in Epsom, which was reasonable and good. I had my privacy even though there were other flatmates. However, I lost some money on my bond, as I had to move to a new place because of my new job.

Muath Albalushi, Parnell I have been here for three years and never had an issue with my flatmates or the landlord. I find renting more convenient, as the responsibilities are divided, plus we can have a party every weekend.

Bhim Bahadur, Hamilton I came from Nepal on a work visa six years ago. My employment included a single room accommodation and food provisions. We had some troubles with roommates on cleaning the kitchen and bathroom and vacuuming the house. I find people in New Zealand to be nice. So far my renting a house experience has been fabulous.

Sobina Gurung, Queenstown I have had some pretty ugly experience with regards to renting a house. We were four people sharing a big house in Hamilton, and the landlord robbed us of our bond money on the pretext of dirtying the house and breaking furniture. The furniture was already in a bad shape and so was the kitchen, but he wouldn’t budge. Since we were new to the country, we did not know much about rules and had to bear the losses.

Dilbagh Singh, Huntly Before coming to New Zealand, I had not booked anything, but my friend’s friend had a room vacant. So I had a free accommodation for two weeks in Hamilton with a private room, complimentary food and no power or internet charges. After that, I started living in a flat with a few college mates.

Indian Weekender : Volume 8 Issue 36 Publisher: Kiwi Media Publishing Limited Managing Editor: Bhav Dhillon | bhav@indianweekender.co.nz Content Editor: Sandeep Singh | sandeep@indianweekender.co.nz Chief Reporter: Swati Sharma | swati@indianweekender.co.nz Reporter: Rizwan Mohammad | rizwan@indianweekender.co.nz Chief Reporter—South Island: Gaurav Sharma 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 Accounts and Admin.: 09-2137335 | accounts@indianweekender.co.nz Sales and Distribution: 022 3251630 | sales@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 - 711 Mt Albert Road, Royal Oak, Auckland. Printed at Horton Media, Auckland Copyright 2016. Kiwi Media Publishing Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Bhargav Patel, Blockhouse Bay My stay at three different places has been peaceful with nice flatmates, friendly neighbours, and easygoing landlords. Since, both my wife and I were working, most of the time we would be away from the home. Sometimes my wife would cook for our flatmates and on other occasions they would help us with the cooking. It was fun.

“Never tell your problems to anyone. 20% don’t care and the other 80% are glad you have them.” — Anonymous

OPINION/EDITORIAL

www.iwk.co.nz | 25 November 2016

Key lies in closing gap

between academia, industry ¡¡ Indu Kannan

‘Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much’ - Helen Keller

deally, a robust and functional collaboration should exist between industry and academia. That would augur well for any country, given that it would enable the growth of the education system and also produce employmentready workforce. The common interaction between the two pillars of society has been that of producer-consumer, where the industry provides feedback to the academia for faulty products rather than providing keen insights and feedback, which will help improve the quality of education, research or infrastructure. This has led both sides to develop a frosty relationship. These are the major pain points in the academia-industry relationship, as also the key to addressing them:

Social environment and lack of awareness

ne of the biggest problems that both the industry and the academia face is the lack of knowledge on what the other really wants. Despite being a long-standing problem, there is no specific model that is widely used. The lack of structure and appropriate forums meant that the few interactions that took place were neither structured nor ongoing. Both look for selfserving purposes rather than with the objective of working out the differences. Hence it is important to note that the two entities need to work with a common vision instead of isolating

each other. We can also see that a lot of innovation and entrepreneurship is happening at a young age. This has been possible due to convergence of ideas and technology, and through the networking of communities. If we look at the evolution of Cloud Data, Mobility, Big Data, a lot of entrepreneurship has been facilitated through technology as these disruptive changes have increased employment opportunities for the youth.

The bane of stereotyping sciences

irstly, there is very little awareness about scholarships and other basic understanding of various streams and there are very few institutes that offer quality education in the sciences. Also, parents and students have built stereotyped images of pure science subjects, which are thought to lead to a career in darkness, with the result being that there are more engineers today than science students. Secondly, many

companies prefer to do their own research rather than associate with a university, unlike the West.

Research and development

he intellectual capital of Indian talent is well-known. However, research funding is not uniform across all sectors. For example, a fund crunch has hit research in ICMR institutions. While India is being touted as a R&D destination, it has contributed only 4.36 per cent of the global research output in 2013. Many R&D partnerships between the corporate and the academia are yet to take off even though the investments are tremendous. The proof is always in the pudding, so we will have to wait and see how they pan out. However, it is encouraging to note that India is fast emerging as a new innovation destination of choice. The Central government instituted the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) to

rank institutions across the country. According to NIRF methodology, one of the parameters that carry a lot of weightage is the number of research papers published. Hence, it has become necessary for institutes to collaborate with the industry for research fellowship programmes, which is a win-win for both.

Outdated curricula and teaching methodologies

echnology is advancing at such a rapid rate that the curricula and teaching methodologies in universities seem outdated and out of sync with the market. This results in companies spending a tonne of money in reskilling employees in the skills they need. Recent surveys have shown that a majority of educated youth in the country are unemployable and given the rising demographic dividend, it can quickly turn into India’s worst nightmare if adequate measures are not immediately to address this demand-supply gap.

For India to emerge as a global leader, job seekers, academia and corporates need to work towards a common goal of fighting the challenges of unemployment and domain knowledge in India. Besides domain skills, the industry also looks at soft skills, team building, values and attitude of an individual at the time of hiring. Upgrading curriculum and keeping up with the changes is required of the institutes. Each domain curriculum needs to be driven by the respective sector to be able to create almost-jobready students. The need of the hour is a framework or network that can bring industries and academia on to a platform for dialogue 17 and collaboration. This platform should facilitate identification of synergies and enable outcomes that are lucrative and attractive to both parties. The Worldwide Academia Industry Network (WAIN) is an attempt to fill this yawning gap by creating a robust platform for students, corporate leaders and academicians to share, identify and collaborate on various levels. Under this platform we will witness an innovation-focused event called MeltingPot2020 Innovation Summit 2016 to facilitate dialogue and collaboration between all players in the innovation eco-system. This initiative will see a confluence of ideas from academia and corporate to drive innovation and catalyze India’s transformation into one of the top 10 Innovative countries of the world. Indu Kanan is a senior marketing professional. The views expressed are personal

Demonetisation a make-or-break venture for Modi ¡¡ Amulya Ganguli

Indian PM Narendra Modi

here is an element of spasmodic jerkiness about some of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies. In foreign affairs, this unevenness was seen in his interactions with Pakistan, which swung from warm friendliness to hostility, raising fears of a war. In domestic matters, the sudden outlawing of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes has caused a turmoil in all sectors of the economy, resulting in severe inconvenience to individuals and throwing trade and agricultural activity out of gear. Understandably, no advance notice could be given about the demonetisation of highdenomination currency in case the hoarders of black money took advantage of the disclosure. But the transition from one type of legal tender to another could have been managed in a far more smooth manner. Since no forethought was apparently given to the impact on the ordinary people of the withdrawal of the notes, which constitute an estimated 86 per cent of those in circulation, banks and ATMs have had to face an unprecedented rush— with some people even dying while standing for long hours in queues.

Because of the prevailing misery outside banks and ATMs, the initial reaction of the people has changed from welcoming the move because of its intention of curbing black money to deep unease and even anger about the government’s deplorable failure of implementation. It was only when the disorderly scenes inside and outside the banks threatened to jeopardise the government’s initiative that belated efforts were made to ensure separate queues for the elderly. But it is clear that it will take weeks for order to be restored. If the Prime Minister thought that his latest move was yet another surgical strike—Congress leader Kapil Sibal has called it carpet bombing—which will boost the government’s image, he must have

realised that it is not being seen in the same positive light as the earlier one. Unless the banks can begin to function with a modicum of efficiency, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) will have to pay an electoral price. The first test will be in Uttar Pradesh when the assembly elections are held early next year. It is a poll which the BJP cannot afford to lose since its victory in Assam in the far corner of the country has not been enough to erase the stain of its defeats in Delhi and Bihar. The party’s fears will be all the greater since it is now admitted that the economic situation will get worse before it can improve. It is the period when the GDP is expected to fall by nearly one percentage point, which will be of considerable worry to the BJP

because the opposition parties will not lose this opportunity to pillory the government. From this standpoint, the otherwise bold and much-needed demonetisation has come as a godsend to opposition parties like the Congress, the Trinamool Congress, the Aam Admi Party and others, which care more about scoring brownie points than about taking a holistic view. Some of the BJP’s allies like the Akali Dal and the Shiv Sena have also joined the dissenters, probably to emphasise their distinctiveness vis-a-vis Big Brother rather than to seriously oppose the move since they have prefaced their criticism by hailing the move. The BJP will be grateful, therefore, that at least some parties have seen the bigger picture and decided to support demonetisation despite the severe inconvenience faced by the ordinary people. These include the Janata DalUnited, the Biju Janata Dal, the Nationalist Congress Party, the DMK, the Telugu Desam and the Telangana Rashtra Samithi To retrieve the situation, the government has to act more resolutely to alleviate the distress of

the ordinary people by revving up the creaking banking sector. It is possible that Modi’s initiative has been motivated by the realisation that two-and-a-half years into his reign, the government’s achievements have been less than substantial. The economy remains sluggish and employment prospects are not too bright in an age of automation. His promise, therefore, of boosting job-creation via rapid economic growth hasn’t quite been fulfilled, although he still remains the best bet among all the politicians if only because there is no one else who fits the bill. For Modi, the gamble of demonetisation is some kind of a make-or-break venture. Even if it poses electoral risks in the short term, it is bound to yield dividends at the time of the next general election in 2019 when the economy will have overcome the present hump of a logistical nightmare afflicting the banks. As a result, the GDP will begin to rise as lakhs and crores of the new legal tender enter the banking system. But, for the present, the teething troubles will continue. Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. The views expressed are personal.

FIJI

25 November 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

Fiji signs International Solar Development agreement

iji has secured greater access to solar financing, technologies, research and development opportunities, and capacity-building programmes following Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama’s signing of the Framework Agreement of the International Solar Alliance (ISA). Prime Minister Bainimarama lauded the agreement as an

important stepping stone to help Fiji realise its potential as a regional hub of solar development. In particular, he highlighted the benefit that Fiji’s vast solar resources could have for rural and maritime communities. “As one of the founding members of the ISA, Fiji recognizes the importance of advancing solar technology as an alternative to the burning of fossil fuels that is

contributing to the greenhouse gas emissions warming our planet. This agreement will help lay the foundation for Fiji to take full part in the global solar revolution and give our people improved access to one of the fastest-growing forms of renewable energy on the planet,” he said. The agreement was signed by the Prime Minister on the margins

of the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP22) in Marrakech. Following the signing, Prime Minister Bainimarama also held talks with the Indian Minister of State (independent charge) for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Mr. Anil Madhav Dave, during which the prime minister reaffirmed Fiji’s commitment to

Find your noble reason to be a queen, says Begg ¡¡ By LUKE NACEI

ind your noble reason to be a queen and use this crown to serve others, says Zaira Begg. The former Miss Fiji Pageant made this comment before handing over her crown to the 2016 Miss Fiji Pageant Anne Dunn at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka. Ms Begg reminded all the queens their value and told Wear them to keep on this crown well striving for for it is not quite an progress. She said experience you dream 2016 Miss Fiji Pageant Anne Dunn with other queens at the culmination of the week long event; (right) Ms Begg performs for her off. To all the young ones an item during the handing over her crown to the 2016 Miss Fiji Pageant Anne Dunn at the Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka being the of this country, show up, dress up and stay up. “Wining this crown is only said. “You can be anything you want you dream of. To all the young ones first Fijian The world is yours for one reason, No it’s not about to be. of this country, show up, dress up woman to for the taking dispelling lies I was on fire to win and stay up. The world is yours for represent “It is with immense pleasure that I the first ever Miss Fiji crown because the taking.” Fiji in 2015 was take off this crown to give to someone I wanted to create a new truth for a pleasure. else this incredible journey—the Meanwhile, the 2016 Miss Pacific young girls from communities which second Miss Fiji. Wear this crown Island Pageant will be held in Samoa “Your worth is dictated by how are often overlooked at,” Ms Begg well for it is not quite an experience next month. you look.

international cooperation on solar development. The ISA was launched at the end of 2015 as a common platform for cooperation among sunrich countries lying fully or partially between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn that are seeking to massively ramp up their use of solar energy, thereby helping to reduce global greenhouse emissions while providing clean and cheap energy.

Ministry awards grants to Senior Citizens home

ive senior citizen’s homes around the country were given a grant of $10, 000 each, a commitment by the Fijian Government to the care of elderly persons. The grant was given through the Ministry of Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation to the Housing Assistance and Relief Trust (HART), Suva Relief Trust and Pearce Home, Chanel Home of Compassion, Senior Citizens Ba Community Centre and the Senior Citizens Charitable Trust of Nadi. Minister for Women, Children and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Mereseini Vuniwaqa acknowledged the senior citizens homes for the compassion and commitment in looking after senior citizens and reassured them that the Ministry will continue to support the Homes so that quality and affordable care is given to senior citizens.

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INDIA

www.iwk.co.nz | 25 November 2016

Skill India Summit: Europe offers know-how for skilling of youths A S

Vrindavan widows attend international photo exhibition for social empowerment

everal European stakeholders made their bids and shared views on how to make rural Indian youth more employable and increase their competence, on the second day of EU-India Skill Development Summit in New Delhi on Tuesday, November 22. Speaking on the behalf of Rudoph Strahm, author of “Why They are So Poor: A Work Book for Development and Underdevelopment in the South”, Nandini Nagar, a learning specialist in Switzerland, gave her insight into the reasons behind the economic and educational success there. “It’s certainly not because of the banks,” she said at the event. “They (banks) constitute only 5.8 per cent of the total GDP of the country. It’s the vocational educational system of Switzerland, which allows youth to be well-trained before they hit the job market, which makes the country special,” said Nagar, adding 80 per cent of Swiss youth goes to vocational training institutes under its VET (Vocational Education and Training) system, and only 20 per cent opt for universities after schooling. She also emphasised that lack of professional training is “the biggest poverty risk”.

iming to shun the old custom of ostracising widows from important public gatherings,

two widows from a Vrindavan ashram in Uttar Pradesh were part of a delegation who attended the Montier-en-der photo exhibition— one of the biggest in Europe. Ninety

three-year-old

Manu

Ghosh and 70-year-old Gaurvani Sheel living in Meerasahabhagini ashram in Vrindavan attended the exhibition in France as part of an initiative to socially empower widows by internationally known NGO Sulabh International. “In India going to vocational colleges is considered a stigma— electrician and plumbing are not the only vocational courses. We have vocational courses like mechanical engineering as well, among many others,” she added. Another official from a major bank in Europe clarified that giving vocational training to young people by the industries should not be considered charity, but the most practical thing to do.

“Everything involves a cost, so does the training of young people. But it has emerged that benefits outweigh the costs and make economic sense when we train people in the initial phase,” said Clemens Weiland, Senior Project Manager, Bertelsmann Stiftung, Germany. Organised in collaboration with the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the summit is a brainchild of the EIFE (EuropeIndia Foundation for Excellence),

Das

Consultanz Ltd

a Belgium-based foundation which has adopted Skill India as its own mission. The Summit was kick-started on November 22 with EIFE Chairperson Count Christopher de Breza announcing that they “have identified the partners in the European Union who can contribute, and we have brought them to New Delhi, face to face with their Indian counterparts who are looking for help in exactly these areas”.

The exhibition was also attended by Sulabh International’s founder Bindeshwar Pathak. On her return to India, Ghosh said, “Such trips are not just a foreign trip for us. It’s kind of attaining due respect at an international platform. I got a chance to represent thousands of widows of Vrindavan and Varanasi at the international photo exhibition.”

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INDIA

25 November 2016| www.iwk.co.nz

In emotional speech, Modi defends currency move

n an emotional speech to parliament members from his ruling BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, November 22, vehemently defended the demonetisation move, saying it was done for the benefit of the people. Addressing the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting in New Delhi, Modi urged the members to counter what he called was “misinformation” being spread by the opposition parties on the demonetisation of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 currency notes. “We came to power for the poor, not for our own sake,” the Prime Minister said in his speech, according to Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar. “The poor, the lower middle class and middle class have been suffering since the last 70 years due to corruption and black money.” “This decision is in favour of the people and against black money, corruption and counterfeit currency. Our target is fight a long battle against all these,” said Modi, according to Ananth Kumar. According to sources, the Prime Minister said that demonetisation decision is just a “beginning of government’s crusade against black money and corruption”, and such type of actions will be continued. Sources also said that Prime Minister asked party leaders not to use the word “surgical strike” for demonetisation. “Don’t call it a surgical strike. Only a soldier can do that,” a source quoted Modi as saying at the meeting. Incidentally, BJP President Amit Shah, in his first reaction after demonetisation scheme was announced, had dubbed the move as surgical strike on black money and corruption.

NZ PM John Key (left) with Indian PM Narendra Modi during Mr Key’s India visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi with MOS’s S S Ahluwalia and Jitendra Singh after BJP parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi

The BJP Parliamentary Party also passed a resolution backing the government’s decision to spike the high value currencies. The resolution was moved by Home Minister Rajnath Singh. Ananth Kumar told the media, “The Parliamentary Party unanimously passed a resolution on the historical demonetisation decision of November 8.” “The Parliamentary Party unanimously welcomes the historic announcement made by PM withdrawing the legal tender value of currency notes of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 and compliments the Prime Minister, the government and the Reserve Bank Of India,” the resolution said. “The parliamentary party is supremely confident that this bold initiative will achieve the

intended objectives cutting off financial support to terrorists and extremists organisations, address the problem of counterfeit currency besides checkmating unaccounted money in the system and serving as a serious warning to those indulging in corruption,” it added. It also acknowledged the initiative as a national project of cleansing the system and of great significance that will usher in behavioural and attitudinal changes encouraging honesty in personal and public life, particularly political life. The BJP Parliamentary Party also hailed the common man for patience despite facing hardships. “They are queuing for a better India,” the resolution said.

Punjab Congress misses its deadline as AAP, Akalis announce candidates ¡¡ Jaideep Sarin

unjab’s main opposition Congress party has missed its own deadline for announcing candidates for the assembly elections in the state six months before the polls, even as the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal and the new challenger, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), have taken a lead in doing so. While assembly elections are likely to be held in the last week of January or early February, as per Election Commission of India officials, the Congress is still grappling with the names of its candidates for the 117 constituencies. Punjab Congress president and former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh stated in December last year that he would press for the announcement of candidates to be made at least six months before the polls. “By that measure, the names should have been announced in August. This delay in announcing names had happened before the 2012 assembly polls too and the party lost an election that it could have won. Even if all the names are not announced, at least the first list of candidates who are definitely to be fielded or unlikely to be changed should have been announced. The AAP and the Akali Dal have already taken a lead over us on this front,” a senior Congress leader, who was also a former minister, told media in Chandigarh. “If names are announced too close to elections, the rebels can damage prospects of party candidates during the crucial campaign period. If names had been announced earlier, things could have been controlled,” added the

Cabinet nod to revise India-New Zealand double tax avoidance pact

he Union Cabinet on Wednesday, November 23 approved the third protocol to India’s agreement with New Zealand on avoidance of double taxation and on the prevention of fiscal evasion, an official statement in New Delhi said. “The Protocol, signed on 26 October, 2016, will stimulate the flow of exchange of information between India and New Zealand for tax purposes, which will help curb tax evasion and tax avoidance,” a cabinet communiqué said. The Convention between India and New Zealand came into force on December 3, 1986. It was amended in 1997 through a first protocol and in 2000 through a second protocol. On Tuesday, November 22, India and Switzerland signed an Automatic Exchange of Information (AEOI) agreement in New Delhi under which India will start getting information automatically about accounts held by Indians in Swiss banks from September 2019. “Fighting the menace of black money stashed in offshore accounts has been a key priority for the present government,” a Finance Ministry release said. The government’s recent demonetisation of high-value currency notes has provoked calls from opposition parties for the government to act also against black money stashed abroad.

Ex-Olympian Pargat Singh and Sidhu’s wife to join Congress

F leader, who did not wish to be identified and is an aspirant this time too. In typical Congress style, the 34-member Punjab Congress Election Committee, headed by Amarinder Singh, has authorised Congress president Sonia Gandhi “to take the final decision on ticket allocations”. This was done on November 20. The first list of Congress candidates is likely to be announced in the first half of December, leaving about 45-50 days for the candidates to campaign. “The Congress president will finalise the names after the central screening committee submits its views on the candidates shortlisted,” Amarinder Singh said. In contrast, the AAP, which is posing a political challenge to the ruling Akali Dal-

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) combine and the Congress, released its first list of candidates in August. The party, which has been grappling with internal issues in the past couple of months, has so far declared 80 candidates and is ahead of the other parties. The AAP was believed to be going strong in Punjab till June. However, the party’s graph has plummeted in the past two to three months, mostly due to internal bickering. The Akali Dal, which has been in power with alliance partner BJP since 2007, has also announced its first list of 69 candidates on Nov 16. The Akalis, who appear quite confident of getting a third term, will contest 94 seats, leaving 23 for the BJP. The BJP too has not announced its list of candidates so far.

ormer Olympian Pargat Singh and cricketer-turned-politician Navjot Singh Sidhu’s wife Navjot Kaur will join the Congress, Punjab unit President of the party Captain Amarinder Singh announced on Wednesday, November 23. “Awaaz-E-Punjab leaders Dr. Navjot Kaur Sidhu and Pargat Singh will formally join the Congress party on November 28 in New Delhi,” Amarinder said in New Delhi. Welcoming the development, Amarinder said the party will be further strengthened ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections with the joining of like-minded people. Pargat and Kaur met the Congress high command in New Delhi to seal the deal. Later, both met Amarinder and discussed the formalities of their joining. However, the political fate of Navjot Sidhu continues to be uncertain even though it is widely speculated that he will also join the Congress later. Amarinder had, on Wednesday, formally resigned from the Lok Sabha over the Sutlej-Yamuna Link canal (SYL) issue. He represented the Amritsar Lok Sabha seat in Parliament.

INDIA ABROAD

www.iwk.co.nz | 25 November 2016

Nikki Haley makes history as first Indian American to get cabinet-level position ¡¡ Arul Louis

resident-elect Donald Trump announced on Wednesday, November 23 that he would appoint Nikki Haley, “a great leader” to be the United States ambassador to the United Nations, a cabinet-rank position, marking a historic breakthrough for Indian Americans in politics. Announcing the appointment, Trump said, “She will be a great leader representing us on the world stage.” As the Permanent Representative to the UN, Haley will be the first woman and nonwhite appointed to a high-level post in Trump’s incoming administration. In the US, the UN ambassadorship carries a cabinet rank, although the Permanent Representative does not figure in the line of succession to the presidency, where the Secretary of State takes precedence. “Governor Haley has a proven track record of bringing people together regardless of background or party affiliation to move critical policies forward for the betterment of her state and our country,” he added. “She is also a proven dealmaker, and we look to be making plenty of deals.” Accepting the position, Haley said, “Our country faces enormous challenges here at home and internationally, and I am honoured that the President-elect has asked me to join his team and serve the country we love as the next Ambassador to the United Nations.” Her appointment caps a year of political achievements for Indian Americans. Her full name is Nimrata Nikki Randhawa Haley and she is the daughter of Sikh immigrants from Amritsar. While Haley does not have direct foreign policy experience, she has travelled to India and Europe for developing businesses in her state. She also has well-honed diplomatic skills having manoeuvered her way through the politics of South Carolina, a conservative state, where she was opposed by a section of her own party. Trump alluded to this when he made the announcement calling her “a proven deal-maker.”. Indian Americans made significant political headway this year in the US. For the first time an Indian American, Kamala Harris, was elected to the Senate, and the House of Representatives now has

South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley

four from the community with the election of Pramila Jayapal, Raja Krishnamoorthi and Ro Khanna, who will join the re-elected Ami Bera. The first Hindu elected to Congress, Tulsi Gabbard, a Democrat from Hawaii, is also under consideration for a job in the Trump administration. A military veteran of Afghanistan, she has been critical of US military entanglements abroad, while taking a strong position against terrorism, which aligns her with Trump’s state policies. Gabbard was invited by Trump to meet with him earlier this week and discussed the Syrian situation, terrorism and the department that deals with ex-service people. By appointing Haley, Trump is reaching out the centrist sections of the Republican Party that had been critical of him. Haley had vehemently criticised Trump during his campaign for the Republican nomination, going to the extent of saying that he was everything she didn’t want to see in a president. When she gave her party’s response to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address, she made an indirect criticism of Trump for fomenting a politics of anger. However, Haley endorsed Trump after his nomination as the party candidate. Last Thursday, she was in the first batch of potential candidates for positions in the Trump administration who were interviewed by him for possible positions.

Help comes for Indian man living on terrace for 8 months in UAE

n Indian man who had been living on the terrace of a building for the past eight months in UAE’s Ajman city as his employer had not returned his passport after settling his dues, was offered help overwhelmingly by people after a local media reported his plight. Sajeev Rajan, a one-eyed man in his early 40s who worked for a Sharjah-based construction company, made the barren concrete terrace of a six-storeyed building his residence. He has been desperately trying to return home to Kollam, in Kerala, where his wife, two children and ageing parents await him. After Khaleej Times reported his story, now several people have come forward with offers to buy air tickets, give him a job, or provide monetary help. Rajan, an electrician, had been surviving off the generosity of some construction workers and shop owners in the neighbourhood during his 237-day stay on the terrace. According to Khaleej Times, officials of the Indian consulate refused to comment on the issue. Rajan’s employer told the daily on Monday, November 21 that he was “trying his best” to repatriate the worker. “There is no other option but to wait for the labour court hearing and I don’t know when that is due,”

S. Singh, the employer who hails from Punjab, told the daily. On Monday, November 21, Rajan’s told Khaleej Times: “Please send me home or I will die here...there is no money for food or room.” “I was living in the company accommodation for two years. My contract ended on March 11 and I wanted to go home. Working for Dh900 ($245) per month did not meet my expectations. I do not have money for food, but a restaurant owner gives me food. One person gives me Dh3 per day for breakfast.” Rajan told the daily that he has approached the labour court “several times”, the Indian Consulate, community associations and others “but nobody could help me”. After getting offers of help on Tuesday, Rajan thanked the people for their support. “I am happy that after a long time today I will get money for food. For several months, I had been eating from a restaurant without paying them. The Indian consulate had earlier told Khaleej Times that the employer had promised to settle the issue by the first week of October but nobody contacted them.

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ndia rode on a superb bowling Resuming performance to beat England at the overnight by 246 runs in the second score of 87/2, cricket Test at the ACA-VDCA England lost Ben Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Duckett in only the Monday, November 21 to lead the sixth over of five-match series 1-0. the day. Chasing 405, England lost wickets at frequent intervals on the fifth and final day to end their second innings at 158. Rookie off-spinner Jayant Yadav enjoyed a memorable Test debut with figures of 3-30 while star offspinner Ravichandran Ashwin also bagged three wickets. Fast bowler Mohammed Shami and left-arm pacer Ravindra Jadeja claimed two wickets each. England skipper Alistair Cook top scored for Team India celebrates their victory over England his team with 54 runs. Jonny Bairstow remained unbeaten on 34. India captain Virat Kohli, who has been in at backward short leg. Ben Stokes joined Root excellent form with the bat in recent times, was in the middle and continued with the English adjudged the Man of the Match. Kohli had strategy of adopting an overtly defensive strategy scored 167 runs in the first innings and 81 in in a desperate bid to stave off defeat. the second. He battled for 33 deliveries for his six runs Ashwin was the most successful among the but Jayant Yadav put an end to his innings with Indian bowlers with a total of eight wickets in a delivery that turned in sharply after pitching the match. and beat the outside edge before crashing Resuming at the overnight score of 87/2, into the stumps. England lost Ben Duckett in only the sixth over England suffered another crucial in the very of the day. next over when Joe Root also went back to the The left-hander went for a sweep off an pavilion Ashwin delivery but was outfoxed by the extra Root, who lasted 107 deliveries for his 25 bounce as the ball looped up for an easy catch to runs, was trapped leg before by an in-swinger wicketkeeper Wriddhiman Saha. from Shami. Duckett’s dismissal triggered a middle-order Shami also dismissed Adil Rashid with a collapse for England. short-pitched delivery just before lunch and an Moeen Ali was the next to go, defending Indian win was only a matter of time from there. patiently to score a mere two runs off 31 balls The third Test begins at Mohali on before Jadeja induced an edge to Virat Kohli November 26.

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FUN ZONE

Answers

www.iwk.co.nz | 25 November 2016

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More people are killed annually by donkeys than die in air crashes. Every citizen of Kentucky is required by law to take a bath once a year. Will and Guy's jokes - bathing every year No word in the English language rhymes with month, orange, silver and purple. The United States has never lost a war in which mules were used. The only two nations whose name begins with an 'A,' but doesn't end in an 'A,' are Afghanistan and Azerbaijan. A jiffy is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second. Duelling is legal in Paraguay as long as both parties are registered blood donors. Every dog in my house is required by law to take a bath once a year. Page 1/2

Page 1/2

Simple Question: Why? Why are boxing rings square? Why do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are flat? Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet? Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard? Why does a round pizza come in a square box? Why is it that people say they slept like a baby when babies wake up, like, every two hours? Why do banks charge a fee on insufficient funds when they know there is not enough?

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Send us stories, drawings, poems and other contributions by your little ones along with their photographs for this page. E-mail us at editor@indianweekender.co.nz

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1,000 ÷ 2 = 500 g g 1,000 ÷ 2 = 500 copyright:

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www.abcteach.

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Welcome to Aotearoa, what next? ¡¡ Rajesh Krishnamurthy

ince time immemorial, people have migrated to different lands for a number of reasons. Sometimes voluntarily and sometimes due to certain circumstances, but mostly, for the safety and security of their people. In more recent times, people have moved to make a better life for themselves and their families. Most of you would have taken the plunge after researching the various options available, lifestyle, costs, future prospects, and other points. The million-dollar question that every new migrant faces once they land is—what next? It doesn’t take time for reality to sink in that settling in a foreign land is not a piece of cake. Everything is different, right from the weather—the biting cold and winds come as a shock to most and it takes time for most of us to get accustomed to it. The honeymoon-like fascination continues for a few months. But once the novelty wears off and the savings brought along begin to diminish, you have to face the harsh realities of life. Here are a few tips to assist you to settle down and seamlessly integrate into the social fabric of New Zealand. New Zealand is pretty much a DIY (Do-It-Yourself) society. So have no inhibitions. Go out there, be yourself, and just do it.

New Zealand is a wonderful place to explore different aspects of your personality or hidden skills that you may have. A career change is more often the norm rather than an exception and making a career of what was your hobby in the past is not unheard of. It is quite common to find people doing diametrically different things here for a living, some of which they would not have considered back home.

Another thing to bear in mind is that unlike India/Asia that is traditionally a knowledge-based society, New Zealand is more focussed on hands-on trade skill. It is, therefore, fairly easy to enter the workforce if you possess marketable trade skills such as joinery and plumbing. If you decide to stick to a familiar knitting pattern and look for a job, then the first thing to do is work on your CV. Whether you have two or 20 years of work experience, ensure

that your CV does not exceed two to three pages. Cut out the usual stuff such as father’s name or marital status that is the norm back home. If you have multiple qualifications, mention the ones that are most relevant to the position you are applying for or else you run the risk of rejection for being “overqualified”. If you have a long name, it is an accepted practice to shorten it So, Siddharth becomes Sid, Jyoti becomes Jo, and Rajesh becomes Raj. After sorting your CV, start your job hunt. Don’t’ be shy to call companies and ask about the job openings they may have. Many times, some of the jobs are not advertised. Next, if you have friends or family who are already here, connect with them. It is one of best ways of landing a job in the shortest possible time. Another important thing to work on is your English. Since it is the lingua franca of New Zealand, it is imperative to have a good command of the language, both spoken and written. To improve your spoken English, listen to the local English radio or watch the daily news. This will familiarise you with the Kiwi accent and you will also pick up commonly used terms

such as ‘sweet as’, ‘awesome’ and ‘g’day mate’. At a job interview, don’t dwell too much on what you did in the past but connect what you have done to how it will be useful to the role that you have applied for. The New Zealand Government, too, has put in place a number of initiatives to assist new immigrants in their quest to settle in the country, and one of the best ones to answer any query is the Citizens Advise Bureau (www.cab.org.nz). The good thing about CAB is that as they are spread around the country, you can find one close to you. They also have a multilingual service, so you may communicate in your own language. Career Services (www.careers.govt.nz) and Auckland Regional Migrant Services (www. arms-mrc.org.nz) also provide service to new settlers. New Zealand also provides an ideal environment for those who would like to start their own business either by purchasing a franchise or through a greenfield start-up. A quick look around will show umpteen examples of successful first-time entrepreneurs. So, new Kiwis, go for it and realise your dreams. Rajesh Krishnamurthy is a Columnist and professional CV writer. He can be contacted on rajesh104@yahoo.com

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www.iwk.co.nz | 25 November 2016

Manisha Koushik is a practicing astrologer, tarot card reader, numerologist, vastu and fengshui consultant based in India with a global presence through the online channels. She is available for consultations online as well. E-mail her at support@askmanisha. com or contact at +91-11-26449898 Mobile/Whatsapp: +919015607139 • www.askmanisha.com

November 25 to December 1 | By Manisha Koushik ¡¡Aries (Mar 21-Apr 20) This is the time for you to consolidate your gains. You plan something at work, but someone changes it without taking you into confidence. Such and some other provocations of a similar kind can make you see red on the professional front. Employer can withhold your salary or some other perk, just to bring you in line. Dispute over an issue threatens to spoil the environment on the family front, especially if it is a joint family.

¡¡ Cancer (Jun 22-Jul 20) A raise is on the cards for the privately employed. Steering clear of office politics will be in your interest, as you can become its victim. Hard work is the only way you can thwart your rivals on the academic front and you will manage it. Much respect and adulation is in store for some on the social front. You are likely to spend quality time with lover. A property matter will be amicably resolved.

¡¡ Libra (Sep 24-Oct 23) You may have to plan your moves in advance on the social front. This is the time of your life when you feel really fit and nice. It may be because of your resolve to remain in top physical condition. You have the ability not to get stagnated in whatever job you undertake. Your diverse interests are enough to make life motivating for you. An improvement on the financial front is likely, but may be below your own expectations.

¡¡ Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 21) You may have to reciprocate a good deed done to you by someone. A new health fad is likely to show positive results almost immediately. At work, you achieve victory of sorts by bringing the client to your financial terms and conditions. Some of you are likely to tap a few more sources for adding to your wealth. Your will to excel will help in completing a difficult job in record time. Expect total support from family.

Lucky number: 18 / Lucky colour: Dark purple

Lucky number: 15 / Lucky colour: Violet

Lucky number: 17 / Lucky colour: Coffee

Lucky number: 2 / Lucky colour: Light grey

¡¡ Leo (Jul 22-Aug 22) Someone’s large-heartedness is likely to benefit you. Your faith in a person you were apprehensive about will be restored by his or her positive actions. Financial help provided to the needy will not only add to your reputation, but will also win a string of admirers. At work, your practical approach in problem solving will be much in evidence. This is the time to consolidate your gains with an eye to the future. Health remains good.

¡¡Scorpio (Oct 24-Nov 22) You may be needed by someone close on the social front, so remain available. Good health is no guarantee that it will remain that way tomorrow. Continue taking all steps to keep fit. Minimising your expenditure will be a step in the right direction. Changes happening on the professional front can have you worried, but will turn out favourable. You may take some time in bouncing back on the work front. Spouse’s suspicious nature may annoy you.

¡¡ Gemini (May 21-Jun 21) You will manage to establish yourself in a new environment. An approaching event on the professional front will bring you onto the centre stage. A tough competition will find you coming out with flying colours on the academic front. You will find yourself much happier in a present relationship, than you were when single. Some of you can plan to join a close relation overseas. Financial help will be forthcoming and will help realise some of your dreams.

Lucky number: 11 / Lucky colour: Pink

Lucky number: 5 / Lucky colour: Dark green

¡¡ Virgo (Aug 24-Sep 23) This is the time you will need to be at your best on the professional front. You have pulled all the stops on the work front and there is literally nothing that can stop you from achieving what you have set out for. Present earnings will not be enough for you, as you go full steam ahead seeking greener pastures. A fine balance of controlled diet and regular exercise will find you in your old dynamic mould.

¡¡Sagittarius (Nov 23-Dec 11) You will be on the forefront in volunteering for something that you like at work. Ability to take reverses in your stride will keep you focussed on the big picture. Something important may be entrusted to you at work. Becoming a confidante of someone important cannot be ruled out for some. An opportunity for earning an extra buck may come to you. You are likely to remain much happy and contented on the family front.

¡¡ Pisces (Feb 20-Mar 20) You may have someone coming at home for a meal, so get set for an enjoyable time. Delegating tasks on the work front will help lighten your workload. You will have the energy for completing an important job before the deadline. Extra expenditure on something will be money well spent. Love at first sight cannot be ruled out, so expect romance to blossom. Travelling, especially those you are comfortable with, will be fun.

Lucky number: 11 / Lucky colour: Orange

Lucky number: 18 / Lucky colour: Red

Lucky number: 22 / Lucky colour: Turquoise

Lucky number: 6 / Lucky colour: Forest green

¡¡Taurus (Apr 21-May 20) You will need to get ahead of someone who is in close competition with you. It is difficult for you to remain down and out. Those feeling down in the dumps for sometime are likely to bounce back strongly to conquer the professional front. Some excellent opportunities will come your way at work. Wealth is likely to come to you from more than one source. Those trying to make a venture profitable will succeed. Health remains satisfactory. Lucky number: 22 / Lucky colour: Beige

¡¡Aquarius (Jan 22-Feb 19) You may not be able to have your way at work. Colleagues and seniors may appear a bit indifferent. Your suggestions not being taken may make you see red, but take it in your stride. Not being methodical in carrying out your responsibilities may prove a big obstacle to smooth functioning. Your financial strength may show signs of weakening. Cold may not allow you to remain regular in your workouts. Don’t give unwanted advice. Lucky number: 1 / Lucky colour: Light yellow

CORNER THE MARKET IN FREEMANS BAY 44 IRELAND STREET AND 3 SCOTLAND STREET, FREEMANS BAY, AUCKLAND

Boundary lines are indicative only

RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT SITE ● 1,173m² rectangular site zoned Terrace Housing and Apartment Buildings [THAB] ● There is an existing 3 bedroom house on the site with a periodic holding Income of $22,880pa. ● Storm water, Geotech and survey plans available. ● Take advantage of the Auckland residential market. Add value by developing the site. The property is located on the western side of Great South Road within easy walking distance of Southmall shopping centre and Manurewa Train Station. This location has seen significant growth recently and if offers easy access to Auckland Airport, Manukau City and Auckland Central Buisness District. www.bayleys.co.nz/1500589

Auction (unless sold prior) 12pm, Tuesday 29 November 2016 Bayleys Papakura, 292 Great South Road, Takanini, Auckland Michael Block +64 21 888 233 +64 9 489 0973

michael.block@bayleys.co.nz

Devereux Howe-Smith Realty Limited Bayleys, Licensed under the REA Act 2008

Piyush Kumar

+64 27 410 4750 +64 9 295 2290

piyush.kumar@bayleys.co.nz Bayleys Real Estate Limited, Licensed under the REA Act 2008

Peter Migounoff +64 27 492 0788 +64 9 295 1185

peter.migounoff@bayleys.co.nz Bayleys Real Estate Limited, Licensed under the REA Act 2008

2 Artist Impression from Ignite Architects

• • • • •

3 44 Ireland Street

Opportunity to buy one or both Two adjoining standalone buildings on freehold titles Potential for redevelopment with Mixed Use zoning Maximum building height 18 metres Excellent access to CBD and motorway interchanges

Strategically situated on a corner site behind the New World supermarket. The property enjoys excellent access to the CBD, Victoria Park Market, motorways and the public transport Link bus service. With both properties under developed and fully leased at conservative rentals, an opportunity exists to redevelop the site under the zoning Mixed Use. Property Details 44 Ireland Street 3 Scotland Street ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Floor Area 97.2m² (approximately) 184.5m² (approximately) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Land Area 245m² (more or less) 245m² (more or less) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Carparks Three (3) carparks Four (4) carparks ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Tenure Freehold Fee Simple Freehold Fee Simple ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Zoning Mixed Use Mixed Use ______________________________________________________________________________________________________ Tenancy Details Both properties are tenanted. All lease documents are available upon request.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________

BAYLEYS.CO.NZ/1500557

4 3 Scotland Street

Tenders Close (unless sold prior) 4pm, Thursday 1st December 2016 29 Northcroft Street, Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand Paul Prouse +64 27 549 3769 paul.prouse@bayleys.co.nz Devereux Howe-Smith Realty Ltd, Bayleys, Licensed under the REA Act 2008

Ranjan Unka +64 21 711 755 ranjan.unka@bayleys.co.nz Devereux Howe-Smith Realty Ltd, Bayleys, Licensed under the REA Act 2008

Kate Kirby +64 21 469 479 kate.kirby@bayleys.co.nz Bayleys Real Estate Ltd, Licensed under the REA Act 2008

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25 November 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

How WhatsApp is giving wings of freedom to housewives ¡¡ Akanki Sharma

year ago, when 28-year-old Soma Chatterjee Maiti from India started using mobile messaging app WhatsApp, she did not know that one day the platform would economically empower her. Living in the small town of Khorda in Bhubaneswar, Maiti is a school teacher and sells suits and sarees via her WhatsApp group during her spare time. She informed her friends about the idea and they helped her get more customers from across the country. “The group currently comprises 30 people belonging to different cities like Delhi, Bangalore and in West Bengal, among others. Moreover, it’s been just six months since I started this business. Every now and then, my friends introduce me to new members to whom my products can be sold,” Maiti says Creating a group is not where her job ends. Maiti has to make sure that the group remains active, for which she keeps on following up, like asking the members if the package was delivered properly. Besides, she keeps on posting the pictures of her products in the group, so that the sales do not slow down. “Whatever material I have, I click its pictures and post it in the group. If a person likes a product, she directly

“

WhatsApp is a social community tool and these days it is becoming an opportunity for homemakers to earn as well as stand on their feet.

contacts me over the phone and the deal is taken further,” Maiti added. WhatsApp is a social community tool and these days it is becoming an opportunity for homemakers to earn

as well as stand on their feet, while not restricting themselves to just being “homemakers”. Just like Maiti, 30-year-old Pooja Srivastava, who lives in Ghaziabad, has also created a group on WhatsApp called “Bend the Trend”. The name suggests breaking the general trend of shopping in the malls or via online portals, through a daily-use app, making the process easier. “With about four years of using WhatsApp, I thought of starting my own business this year. I was aware that this app is quite popular and has every feature I needed to kick-start my business,” Srivastava says. There are 76 members in the group who hail from various metros of India, along with some belonging to countries like Canada, Singapore and the US. Her group also exists

on Facebook that helps her get customers from abroad. Srivastava sells all sorts of apparel, artificial jewellery, kids wear, fashion accessories, etc., and earns around Rs 30,000 (USD 600) in a month. Prior to starting her business, Srivastava was an Assistant Professor at the Sun Institute of Management and Technology in Shahjahanpur, Uttar Pradesh. “I used to teach a few years back and even before that I was an HR professional. However, after getting married, I shifted to Ghaziabad and it was difficult to find a new job here. Thus, I decided to start my own business,” she adds. According to Anoop Mishra, a Lucknow-based social media analyst, technology is becoming an enabler for homemakers these days.

“One-touch mobile accessibility of social applications is playing a wider role in making ideas visible and viral. Easy accessibility of technology and cost-effectiveness are encouraging homemakers day by day,” Mishra says. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s schemes like ‘Make in India’ and ‘Skill India’ getting a push, Mishra thinks that these homemakers-turning-entrepreneurs can be recognised if they are good enough at their work. “To make their story bigger, they would have to be exceptionally different and must go beyond the limits,” he asserts. Yashmalika Singh, a resident of Delhi, has also been using WhatsApp for quite some time. She has a paying guest house (Ashirwaad PG) for girls in Dwarka and whoever lives there, she easily connects with them through this app. “Whenever she has to inform or ask something, she would send a text in the group she has created on WhatsApp, instead of calling the person individually,” informs Riya Singh, who lives there. It’s true that technology is evolving every day and with its evolution, people are also looking for possibilities to make their lives better. In an era where we talk of gender equality, a tool like WhatsApp is helping these homemakers attain their own identity and freedom.

In conversation with Rohini Hattangadi ¡¡ Rizwan Mohammad

nowadays, I don’t see much meaningful cinema commercially.

ohini Hattangadi is known for the strong award-winning roles she has portrayed in several Bollywood hits. She is best remembered as the mother of Sanjay Dutt’s character in the 2002 blockbuster Munnabhai MBBS, as Kasturba Gandhi in Richard Attenborough’s Gandhi—that earned her the BAFTA in 1982, and as Amitabh Bachchan’s stern mother in Agneepath, which won her the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1990. The veteran actress was in Auckland last weekend for her globally successful Gujarati play Baa Tane Hu Kya Rakhu organised by V3 Events NZ. Indian Weekender spoke to her about her journey into cinema and theatre. IWK: What do you like more, movies or theatre? Rohini: Theatre, anytime. I trained in theatre, and I like to perform on stage. In theatre, my experience as Rohini Hattangadi becomes richer by day. In films, once a scene finishes, it is done, and it cannot change, but with performances on stage, you improve every day and every time. IWK: Tell us a little about your first major break. Rohini: I began in 1976 as a professional actor. I graduated from National School of Drama from Delhi (1971–74). After NSD, I was doing plays and Syed Mirza, who

knew me as a theatre actor, asked me if I would work in a film and I said yes. After that, I worked on films such as Arvind Desai ki Ajeeb Daastaan, Albert Pinto ko Gussa Kiun Aata Hai, and Chakra before I was selected for Gandhi. IWK: How was it working with Sir Ben Kingsley in Gandhi? Rohini: Ben Kingsley is also from the theatre. He is an actor from Royal Shakespeare Company. I went for a screen test to England, and it was a lovely experience. Sir Richard Attenborough took me to Ben Kingsley’s room and introduced me to him and then left us to see the set. Back in India, we had this practice

of rehearsing a dialogue, and I was nervous because I was not sure how to approach him. But when he asked if we should rehearse the lines together, I realised that actors all over the world are the same. We struck a chord then and started rehearsing. During our time in Delhi for shooting, we learnt to use the charkha (spinning yarns) and read and discussed Gandhi. That is how we understood each other better as well as the characters. IWK: What are your views on the evolution of cinemas in the last couple of decades? Rohini: Previously, there was a lot of emphasis on content and story, and

IWK: A film that you like for its content and structure? Rohini: From the top of my head, I can say Lagaan is one. It has a strong narration and structure. Fashion was also good cinema. We have developed so much in technolog y that we have lost the maturity in filmmaking and stories. IWK: An actor or a director you would like to work with? Rohini: Every actor or a director is different and when you work with them, you get to know more and understand them. IWK: On a lighter note, what is your favourite food?

Rohini: Just food! Food is my favourite, anything delicious. IWK: Your favourite pastime? Rohini: I love being at home and play Sudoku and Candy Crush.

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FEATURES ENTERTAINMENT

25 November 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

Force 2 is too-forced on hapless viewers ¡¡ Rajesh Krishnamurthy

orce (2011), a remake of the Tamil film KakkaKakka was a grand success. Given the current trend of sequels in Bollywood, it was only a matter of time before Force 2 made it to the silver screen. In Force 2, John Abraham, who is also the co-producer of the film, revives the character of ACP Yashvardhan from the first edition. John not only reinvigorates the character but also continues with the underplayed presentation of a hapless cop. However, this time the portrayal appears pretentious possibly because of the expectations created by the success of Force 2. John uses his rippling muscular physique to lift a Mercedes! RAW Power one would call it! However, muscle power alone cannot raise the flawed script. Sonakshi Sinha as KK (Kamaljit Kaur), a kickass RAW agent, tries hard to do a “Lara Croft”, but fails miserably, thanks to the weak characterisation. A film such as Force

First look of Akshay’s character in 2.o revealed

2 is supposed to be an all-adrenaline pumping action movie full of bombs, bust-ups, stunts, and car chases. However, the film has little too much of action without a compelling storyline to back up the mindless action. In fact, it is the villain, played to perfection by Tahir Raj Bhasin (as Shiv Sharma), who holds the story together. By focusing on the villain’s character, the writer-duo Parvez Sheikh and Jasmeet Reen end up giving the best lines and scenes to Tahir Bhasin, who grabs the opportunity with both hands and does well. Music is by Ram Sampath, the guy gave the signature tune to Amir Khan’s Satyamev Jayate. So, it is fair to say that the music plays second fiddle in Force 2. The song Rang Laal is somewhat of an ode to the heroes and martyrs who fought for our nation—a sort of Mere Desh Ki Dharti. O Janiya is a peppy number. Neha Kakkar breathes life into this song. On the other hand, Catch me if you can by Armaan Mallik

could have been the signature piece of the film but disappoints. The overall music and acting— barring the performance by Tahir— in the movie is average. Cinematography by Imre Juhasz and Mohana Krishna is adequate, although the presentation could have been a shade better. In short, Force2 is 2Forced…get it? Therefore it isn’t a force that it might have been had it dared to drift away from the familiar and into the uncharted. Might be worth a watch for lovers of Bollywood style action genre and for die hard John Abraham fans.

scientist Vaseegaran, Akshay will be seen playing an eccentric scientist called Richard. The film, which is directed by S Shankar, also stars Amy Jackson, Sudhanshu Pandey and Adil Hussain in important roles.

Apart from the actress, the list also includes four Indian names— Gouri Chindarkar (Sangli), Mallika Srinivasan (Chennai), Neha Singh (Mumbai) and Saalumarada Thimmakka (Karnataka), read a statement. Some of this year’s high profile women include singer-songwriter Alicia Keys; US gold medal winning gymnast Simone Biles and French politician Rachida Dati. The BBC’s 100 Women season kicked off on November 21.

Sunny Leone among BBC’s 100 most influential women

Verdict: 2 out of 5 stars Cast: John Abraham, Sonakshi Sinha, Tahir Raj Bhasin Director: Abhinay Deo

Rajesh Krishnamurthy is a Financial Wellness Coach, Columnist and Film Critic. He can be contacted on at rajesh104@ yahoo.com

SRK likes working with male directors with womenlike sensitivity

ctor Akshay Kumar on Sunday, November 20 unveiled the first-look poster of his character from superstar Rajinikanth’s 2.o. In the film, he’s believed to be playing a character called Crow Man, the result of an experiment gone wrong. Akshay Kumar plays the prime antagonist in the film. Introducing his character as the new face of evil, Akshay shared the poster on his Twitter page. According to Lyca Productions, the make up for Akshay’s character would take six hours. “Every day he has to get up six hours early, so that he can be on the sets on time,” read a slide released by the makers. The first look of the film was unveiled in Mumbai on Sunday. A sequel to 2010 Tamil blockbuster Enthiran, the film is being made on a lavish budget of Rs 350 crore. While Rajinikanth returns as

FILM REVIEW

little more women-like sensitive... there is a quality to that sensitivity. Of course I have worked with directors, who are action directors, which is also cool but I think, yes, I am more comfortable working with female directors,” Shah Rukh told media on November 22. He was in New Delhi for a press conference to promote the film along with actress Alia Bhatt and Shinde. Dear Zindagi is a slice-of-life film with Alia playing the protagonist - an aspiring filmmaker, who is on the lookout for a lot of unanswered questions. The film also features Ali Zafar, Aditya Roy Kapur, Kunal Kapoor and Angad Bedi.

Like off-beat but would like to do on-beat films as well: Alia Bhatt

A A

ctress Sunny Leone has made it to the BBC’s 100 most influential women. This year’s BBC 100 women list marks the fourth year of the season They are once again a mixture of high-profile and influential women including entrepreneurs, engineers, sportswomen, business women, fashion icons and artistes. Sunny, who is celebrating her fifth year anniversary in Bollywood, started in Indian showbiz by participating in the controversial reality TV show Bigg Boss in 2011. She went on to star in Bollywood films like Jism 2, Jackpot and Ek Paheli Leela.

uperstar Shah Rukh Khan, who was here to promote his film Dear Zindagi, which has been directed by Gauri Shinde, says that he is more comfortable working with male directors with a feminine sensitivity or women. “I am more comfortable working with female directors. I find being directed by men also... who are a

ctress Alia Bhatt, who has delivered films like Udta Punjab and Highway, says that she likes to work in off-beat films but won’t restrict herself to only this kind of genre. With her next film Dear Zindagi releasing on Friday, November 25 which is a slice-of-life film with Alia playing the protagonist—an aspiring filmmaker, who is on the lookout for a lot of unanswered questions, the 23-yearold was here to promote the film with superstar Shah Rukh Khan and director Gauri Shinde. “I like off-beat but I would like to do on-beat films as well. My father once told me that people keep saying ‘I want to do something out of the box’ but

then he asked me if I know what is in the box? ‘Have you been inside the box that you want to know what is outside it?’” Alia said. “I am glad that I got the opportunity to do a film like Dear Zindagi or Udta Punjab. I also want to fit into any kind of mould. I also want to do glamorous roles. My career started with one,” she added. Alia, whose character in Dear Zindagi will be seen dealing with a break-up, says that when it comes to charting out a formula to get over a break-up in life, “there is no fixed way of dealing with it”. “It is a very clichéd thing to say, but like how the wounds on our body heal over time, the heart as well fixes itself. It is just that we are very impatient and we want to fix it quickly, we want to not feel pain immediately. Like I take a holiday or talk to a friend... Not like I have had a lot of break ups but maybe one or two,” she said. Asked how she would define her ideal man, she said, “There is no ideal guy. It is actually the way you feel for a person. One thing though which is a must for me is a sense of humour.” Dear Zindagi also features Ali Zafar, A d i t y a Roy Kapur, Kunal Kapoor and A n g a d Bedi.

ENTERTAINMENT FEATURES

www.iwk.co.nz | 25 November 2016

A designer who makes red-carpet

statements with ‘garbage’ ¡¡ Radhika Bhirani

t international red carpet galas, where the crème de la crème of international showbiz step out in bespoke designer ensembles, Larisa Katz makes heads turn with her penchant for turning “garbage” into haute “art” couture. It is her way of creating awareness on global environmental and waste problems. The designer, based in Germany, uses cookie packaging, plastic spoons, empty plastic soft drink bottles and biscuit packaging to make her point. Does she consider it a social responsibility as a designer? “Well, social responsibility doesn’t mean we have to clean the mess. “That’s the gover n men t’s responsibility to try to create a possibility to recycle things on a big scale. As artists, we can only bring awareness and can only signalise the problem by saying, ‘Hey, you can also do creative things with garbage instead of just discarding it’,” Katz said. “For me, it was like making a statement on the red carpet and say, ‘Hey, you guys are wearing Cashmere, silk, Swarovski and diamonds, and I’ve come here wearing trash. But because I am creative, I make trash look stylish’. “For me, it’s about giving expression to c r e a t i v i t y, and you can be noted

even if you wear garbage,” added the out-of-the box thinker, who essentially creates wearable art for advertising and film productions. Originally a painter, who used to do portraits, Katz says she came into fashion “by mistake” when a person saw her wearing one of her “crazy outfits” and offered her the task of designing for a photoshoot. Katz has, in the past, grabbed eyeballs at the globally popular Cannes Film Festival, where she sashayed down the red carpet wearing a creation made by using biscuit trays, and another using what seems like flattened cake pans. At other events, she has flaunted innovative ensembles using plastic bottles, spoons, LED lights and more.

A shiny dress that Katz wore at the Cannes gala earlier this year, was created after her visit to India in 2015. “It looks like marigold, the flowers you use in India for puja. “If you look at the dress closely, you will see the form is a reminder of the marigold,” said the designer, who visited Delhi, Haridwar a n d Rishikesh during her India sojourn. As an environmentally conscious person, she said that while she loved India for some of the quiet areas she explored, the polluted air was a disappointment. “Delhi’s air is not good. In Rishikesh, the air is good, and Mussoorie is also nice. I hope your government will solve the problem of pollution... D o n ’ t k n o w how long it will

take them,” Katz said at the French European India Fashion Week held in Paris recently. Keen to visit India again, she said, “The air is bad for the people. “It doesn’t matter whether you are rich or poor, but you are all breathing bad air. When you are living there, I guess you are used to not having a blue sky. “But for us, we were always looking out for blue sky during our three-week stay. Hopefully, the government does something.”

Left: Larisa Katz, wearing an outfit made from chocolate packaging, poses for a photograph during the second day of Royal Ascot, in Berkshire, west of London.

With age, actors become better in craft: Genelia D’Souza

ollywood actress Genelia D’Souza thinks actors become much more evolved when they get older. “I think I am much more experienced than I was earlier. Therefore, I feel I am a better actor than what I was before. “There are so many emotions you come across and that’s the reason why in the west, the actors are all married and have kids,” said the Tere Naal Love Ho Gaya actress. Speaking at the event in Mumbai to launch India’s first only ‘Baby & Mother Wellness Centre’ on Wednesday, November 23, Genelia was asked if pregnancy is a drawback for a Bollywood actress and she said, “I don’t think it is a drawback at all.” “At a certain level, India is evolving. Primarily what is important is to understand that this is a part of nature and life. The more we accept that, the more we will able to do better films. “I am sure the thought process is changing. You can see many mothers like Aishwarya (Rai Bachchan), Konkona (Sen ) are coming back

to screen,” she said. The exuberant actress is married to Riteish Deshmukh and they have two kids together. On being asked for tips for soon-to-be mom Kareena Kapoor Khan, Genelia said, “No mother needs tips. There is enough information everywhere.”

Indian Weekender in association with Hoyts, Sylvia Park is hosting a contest every week where you can win two passes to a selected movie at Hoyts Cinemas. To win the passes you have to do the following: • Like Indian Weekender Facebook Page • Like and Share the post with #indianweekender, #hoytssylviapark & #moviename • Tag the friend you would like to watch the film with, in the comments section of the post • Your tagged friend should also like Indian Weekender Facebook Page All the participants will go into a draw, and the winners will be chosen randomly.

FEATURES

25 November 2016 | www.iwk.co.nz

Looking beyond Apple and Samsung? Five great phones at great prices a beefier battery and has the same 5.5-inch Super AMOLED HD panel. The phone runs on Oxygen operating system based on Android Marshmallow that incorporates some neat features and shortcuts. It is a fantastic phone and you need to use it to understand why people swear by it.

Huawei Honor 8

¡¡ @maheshk

hile the iPhone is great, it is definitely overrated. In recent iterations, Apple has increasingly copied features from other phones. Take the dual-camera setup or notification system for instance. Android phones have been clearly ahead in the game. Although there is no denying that as a hardware and software package, iPhone does excel, the level of innovation is going down with each new iteration. There are many people out there who think iPhone is over-rated, over-priced and too restrictive when it comes to the eco-system. In recent times, Samsung has also taken a beating, especially due to the scandal of the Note 7 battery. Samsung’s Galaxy S7 was and still is a great phone. It sold well and got positive reviews. Even Note 7 was praised for its design, camera performance and software features. But Samsung had to discontinue Note 7 due to reports of explosions while charging. The whole episode has put a lot of pressure on the company, both financially and as a brand. If you look beyond Apple and Samsung, there are many phones that offer a good user experience and have excellent value for money. Let us look at five such phones that have gradually perfected the art of delivering a punchy package at a surprisingly low cost.

(another modular phone). It has a 5.5-inch Super AMOLED full HD screen and is powered by Snapdragon 625 processor coupled with a 3GB RAM. The phone is rich with connectivity options such as NFC, IR blasters, and USB Type C. Even with the camera, the phone shines with a 16 MP, f/2.0, phase detection, and laser autofocus setup. Storage starts at 32GB and the phone has a MicroSD card to extend storage. All in all, a top-notch phone with snappy performance and some forward-looking innovations. You might have to look around to buy this phone in New Zealand. It should be available between NZ$500 and NZ$600.

Oneplus 3T

LeEco Le Max 2

uawei Honor 8 was launched in July this year and was appreciated for what it packs inside at its low price. The phone was widely touted for its photography prowess. It has a 5.2-inch full HD display and is powered by Huawei’s Kirin 950 processor with 4GB of RAM. The phone features a 12MP dual camera system that can capture more light resulting in sharp vivid colours and better lowlight performance. It also has a Professional mode that aims to offer DSLR experience with full manual controls. The phone has a 3,000mAh battery with fast-charging technology. Like other phones, this phone is also not easily available in New Zealand but if you search around, you should be able to get it for about NZ$650.

Xiaomi Mi5s

Moto Z Play

hen Motorola was taken over by Lenovo, many doubted the continuation of the innovations that came to be associated with it. The Moto Z line put those doubts to rest. The phones had two standout features: modular design and the claim to be the thinnest phone (Moto Z) in the market. While Moto Z Play is not the thinnest phone, it has bumped the 3,510mAH battery unlike its sibling, which had to sacrifice battery capacity to claim to be the thinnest phone. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack unlike other Moto phones. The phone has some neat ideas to connect accessories that are different from LG G5

Art of Happiest Living free self-development course

Date: Monday to Sunday,November 28 to December 4 Time: 5 a.m. to 7 a.m. Venue: MIA Community Hall, 57 Hillside Road, Papatoetoe Art of Happiest Living (New York based) is oranising second FREE 7-day self-improvement and development workshop. This holisticdevelopment course will teach you practical techniques to lead a happy, healthy and rich life. Come and bring anyone above the age of 18-years along with you on Monday, November 28 and see what more the course has to offer and decide for yourself if you would llike to continue or not. As there’s no fee so you have got nothing to lose. Please note that only those who attend the workshop on Monday will be able to continue for the entire week. This is the last course of the year, so don’t miss this great opportunity to transform your life in 7-days. Call now on 0204400024 or 02040081234 to reserve your spot or for any other information. You can also register online at www.artofhappiestliving.org

arely months after the successful launch of the ‘flagship killer’ Oneplus 3, the company launched Oneplus 3T. While the new phone retains all the goodness of original model, it takes things a notch higher. Don’t get this wrong. Oneplus 3 is still one of the best phones out there. But Oneplus 3T has a newer Snapdragon 821 processor, which is coupled with 6GB of RAM. The front camera is now 16 MP like the rear camera. The phone has

CAB workshop on Housing and Accommodation

Date: Friday, December 2 Time: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Venue: CAB Eden Albert, Library Building, 82 St Lukes Road, Mt Albert Are you a newcomer to New Zealand? Find out: how to find safe and suitable accommodation about new requirements for rental home insulation information on renting, flatting, tenancy disputes and bonds including bills for water and gas The session will be facilitated by Lesley Bradley (CAB Trainer) and Angela Maynard (Tenants Protection Association).

Sargam School of Music Annual Concert Date: Saturday-Sunday, December 10-11 Time: 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Venue: Blockhouse Bay Community Hall, 524 Blockhouse Bay Road, Auckland Sargam School of Music is organising its annual concert on December 10 & 11. Pt Salil

to benefit from such a screen. In terms of the processor, Mi5s has Snapdragon 821 compared to the 820 that Mi5 came with. The new phone comes in two options: 3GB RAM + 64GB storage and 4GB RAM + 128GB storage. Mi5s sport a 12 MP primary camera that can record 4K videos. It also has a slightly larger 3,200mAh battery along with quick charge technology and USB type C. It is a phone capable of great performance and will not break your bank. The phone should be available in New Zealand for about NZ$500 to NZ$600

ust like Oneplus, Xiaomi also refreshed its flagship phone Mi5 barely months after launching it. Mi5 was a great phone, but the new Mi5s has improved internal hardware and features. Screen size is 5.15 inch and the panel is full HD IPS one. The difference is that the new screen is pressure sensitive like iPhone and possibly the software has some features

eEco (formerly known as LeTV) is an ambitious Chinese company that has made inroads in the mobile phone industry with its budgeted yet solid performance-based offerings. The company is widening its footprint with a recent launch in the US after launching in China and India. Le Max 2 ticks most of the boxes when it comes to flagship offerings. It has a great 5.7-inch Quad HD panel with Gorilla Glass protection. Like most of the phones these days, Le Max 2 also has a metal body, USB Type C connection, and fingerprint scanner. Le Max 2 does not have a 3.5mm headphone jack but comes with an adapter. The phone packs a Snapdragon 820 along with 6GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Interestingly, the phone does not feature NFC, which seems to be quite common in the entry-level phones. Le Max 2’s operating system is based on Android Marshmallow and comes with some neat features. The camera on the phone is also very capable with a 21-MP sensor, Optical image stabilisation, and 4K video recording. The phone is powered by a 3,100mAh battery and supports Quick Charge 2.0. It is available in New Zealand and will cost anywhere between NZ$700 and NZ$800.

Bhatt (Renowned Indian Classical Musician, deciple and son of Grammy Award Winner Pt Vishwa Mohan Bhatt.) will perform and also it will be featuring the performances by the students of Sargam School of Music. Tickets: $20, one ticket for two concerts.

IN HOMAGE TO THE MOTHER WHO ENTERED SAINTHOOD CANONISED BY POPE FRANCIS

Annual Mother Teresa Interfaith meeting

Date: Sunday, November 27 Time: 2:30 p.m. Venue: St Paul’s College, 183 Richmond Road, Ponsonby, Auckland The Mother Teresa Inter Faith Committee invites everyone to honour one of the 20th century’s greatest figures, Mother Teresa of Calcutta in homage to inspiring Leadership and Community work. Among those on the committee are representatives of the Hindu, Muslim, Buddhists, Christians, Sikhs and Zoroastrians communities from around Auckland. Indian High Commissioner Mr Sanjiv Kohli will also be present. This whole event will be approximately for an hour followed by coffee/ tea.

MOTHER TERESA Bishop Patrick Dunn DD

The Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland and Members of the Mother Teresa Interfaith Committee invite you to attend an Interfaith Meeting

On SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 27 2016 at 2.30 pm At St Paul’s College, 183 Richmond Road, Ponsonby, Auckland

Guest Speaker

Gautam Lewis Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Freedom in the Air, Community Interest Company Ltd - London Elstree Aerodrome | Cranfield Airport Henstridge Airfield | Copenhagen It’s impossible for me to forget Mother Teresa – soon to be Saint Teresa of Kolkata. At three years old I was abandoned after contracting polio and spent two years at Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity. Mother gave me a chance to escape poverty and to a different destiny in London, England”

Love and Faith Conquer Hardships For further details, contact Arthy at motherteresaif@gmail.com

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PLUS

frEE LOcAL DELivErY*

frEE local delivery and guaranteed delivery within 10 working days.

off our usual price

*FREE LOCAL DELIVERY ONLY APPLIES TO ZONE 1. SEE IN STORE FOR MORE INFORMATION. north island only!

% whiterose nz made off lounges

SUPER DEAL NOW ONLY

mika armchair was $339

In stock items + floor models

199

save $ 140 off our usual price

NOW ONLY

SUPER DEAL

mika 3 seater was $699

NOW ONLY

SUPER DEAL

mika 2 seater was $499

399

save $ 300 off our usual price

299

PLUS

frEE local delivery and guaranteed delivery within 10 working days. *FREE LOCAL DELIVERY ONLY APPLIES TO ZONE 1. SEE IN STORE FOR MORE INFORMATION. north island only! not available online.

save $ 200

SUPER DEAL

off our usual price

Limited Stock

50 only

SUPER DEAL

cello display unit

hamptons display unit

NOW ONLY

599

save $ 400 off our usual price

599

save $ 400 off our usual price

was $999

Limited Stock

NOW ONLY

50 only

699

HOMESTEAD bar table $ $ 300 outdoor set save off our usual price 1 x bar table + 4 x bar chairs was $999

(excludes BArry 3 seAter + 2 seAter, BArry chAise & winston corner suite) * discounts not in conjunction with any other offer, discounts off our usual retail price, All prices exclude accessories, mattress sold separately, colour may vary from picture shown, stock may vary from store to store. sales end on 28 nov 2016

pay nothing

tilL January 2018* Minimum purchase $799.

frEE LOcAL DELivErY*

If you find a lower advertised price at one of our Annual account fee - $50, Establishment fee $55, Advance fee - $35. Lending criteria, fees, terms and conditions apply. See in-store or online for more details. pkfurniture.co.nz/pages/finance#qcard

competitors on the same product we stock, we will ensure you always take home the best price by matching competitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s advertised price less 10%. Special conditions apply. see our store or website for more details.

click & collect or delivery