18 May 2004

Niue premier denies claims of home misallocation

3:43 pm on 18 May 2004

The Premier of Niue, Young Vivian, has hit back at allegations by an opposition MP that some people, whose homes weren't damaged in Cyclone Heta, are on the list for a new home.

The French Polynesian government has allocated 40 homes as part of rebuilding efforts after the cyclone hit in January.

But a politician, O'Love Jacobsen, says some people who aren't living on the island, and others whose homes weren't devastated and outside the danger zone, are among those to get a new house.

Mr Vivian says so far 20 homes have been given out.

And he says he doesn't know what Mrs Jacobsen is talking about.

And while he declined to say who's on the list to get a new home, he said everybody in Niue knows who will get homes donated by French Polynesia.