QUESTIONS TO GOVERNMENT The following Oral Questions are to be asked and answered in the Maneaba ni Maungatabu on Wednesday 25 November 2020. The numbers refer to the Questions as entered in the Order Book. By Hon. Betero Atanibora, MP (Abaiang) OQ12. N na butia te Tautaeka bwa e na kabwarabwara bwa antai ana booti ake a katokaki iaon taian raanti (landing craft) ake a kanakoaki nakoia Kauntira i aonnaba bwa bwain tangira? Translation/Rairana May I ask the Government to clarify on the ownership of boats that were shipped together with landing crafts, given as aid, to all Island Councils? Reply by Hon. Boutu Bateriki (Minister of Internal Affairs) I kan kaongoa te Tia Tei ae e rine bwa booti ake a iri n toka ma te Landing Craft are te buoka nakoia atimwakoro bon ana booti te supplier. Translation/Rairana I wish to inform the Honorable MP that boats which were shipped with the Landing Craft belong to the supplier. By Hon. England Iuta, MP (Beru) OQ20. Tera ngkai tein booia Iabatera ni kabane aika mwakuri n te Air Kiribati ae a karerekea n uoua te wiiki? E kona te Minita are tabena ni kamataata aei, taiaoka? Translation/Rairana What is the fortnightly rate of pay for all the expats employed at Air Kiribati? Can the Minister responsible kindly clarify this matter, please? Reply by Hon. Tekeeua Tarati (Minister of Information, Communication, Transport and Tourism Development) Booia ana taan mwakuri Air Kiribati aika Iabatera ae a karekea e bon kaineti nakon aia contract ao e katineaki ma kainanoakin te mwakuri ae a mena iai iaan te Tua. 1 Translation/Rairana The salary rate for all expatriates employed at Air Kiribati is done in-line with the negotiated terms in their contracts and is weighed according to the demands and need of their respective position under Law. By Hon. Ieremia Tabai, MP (Nonouti) OQ24. Teuana oin te mwaing nakon Tiaina bon ana koaua te Tautaeka ae e na buokira ni kawaekoa karaoan nanon te motinnano ao reken te kabwaia ao te rikirake are e aanaki iai te KV 20. I kan titiraki bwa tera ae e a tia te Tautaeka ni boraraoi iai ma Tiaina bwa e aonga ni waekoa ni koro nanon te kantaninga anne? Translation/Rairana One main reason given for recognizing China is government’s belief that China will assist us to speed up the implementation of the Motinnano and the achievement of the benefits expected from KV 20. I want to ask what agreements have been made with China so that the main aims of Government will be achieved? Reply by His Excellency Taneti Maamau (Te Beretitenti) N ana reitaki Kiribati ma Tiaina ao iai uaekaki tein te boraraoi ake tia tia ni waaki iai. Te moan bon te boraraoi imarenan te Tautaeka ni Kiribati ma te Tautaeka n Tiaina, ao te kauoua bon te boraraoi imarenan ara Tautaeka rinanon te Botaki ni Mwakuri ibukin Reitaki ma Tinaniku ao Boborau (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) ao ana Tautaeka Mwakoron Tiaina ke ana province ae Guangdong. Translation/Rairana Shortly following the resumption of diplomatic ties, there are two types of agreements that the Government has entered into with the People’s Republic of China. The first concerns State to State agreements whilst the other relates to an agreement between our Government, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration and a Province of China namely Guangdong Province. By Hon. Tibanga Taratai, MP (Banaba) OQ31. Inanon boowin te Maneaba ae e nako ao I bubuti buokan Banaba iaon ana mitiin ni karao ran ni ikotaki ma ana Kaa n Ran. N na butiia Te Tautaeka bwa e a bwaka iaa buokan ana kanganga Banaba aio? 2 Translation/Rairana In the last Parliament, I requested for Government’s assistance towards water problem in Banaba in the form of a desalination plant and a water truck. I now wish to follow up the status of this request? Reply by Hon. Willie Tokataake (Minister of Infrastructure and Sustainable Energy) E katautauaki bwa te bobwai ibukin ana kaa n ran Banaba e na waaki ngkana e a tauraoi mwanena. Ibukin ana mitiin ae e boou are e na onea taari nakon te ran ae mam e kantaningaki bwa e a tia ngkai n roko iaon Banaba. Translation/Rairana The procurement for Banaba water truck will commence once funding is made available. The new desalination system for Banaba should have reached the island by now. By Hon. Tinian Reiher, MP (Butaritari) OQ54. E kona te Minita ae e karineaki n kakaea te anga ae e na kanakoraoa raoi riki aron kaokaia aoraki ma aia Taan tararua bwa ana aki rangi n tiku n maan n tataninga te moan mwaawa n te kiba n oki nako abaia? Translation/Rairana Could the Hon. Minister kindly find arrangements that will improve the repatriation of patients and their caretakers without having to wait long for the first available flight? Reply by Hon. Dr. Tinte Itinteang (Minister of Health and Medical Services) E rabwa Te Tia Tei n ana titiraki ao I kukurei n taekinna ae e a waaki ngkai au Botaki ni Mwakuri n katamaroa aron te kaokioki irouia Aoraki ao aia Taan tararuaia ngkana anang okira abaia ngkana a marurung. Translation/Rairana I thank the Honorable MP for his question, and I am happy to say that my office is currently working on improving the local referral system which includes transporting back patients and caretakers when recovered. 3 By Hon. Ieremia Tabai, MP (Nonouti) OQ33. Ti noria bwa te mwane n tania man Ritemba 2019 e ti raka n te mwaiti ae $2m nakon $1.155 n te ririki aei, iai naba kerikaakin te mwane n tania n te mwaiti ae $54.19m ni Maati n te ririki aio. N ara koaua ao te bwai ae riki e aki raoiroi ni kabotauaki ma ririki aika a nako. I kan titiraki bwa tera ae e riki? Translation/Rairana We note that the value of the reserve fund since December 2019 has just increased by $2m to $1.155 in July this year. There is also a drop of $54.19m in the value of the fund in March 2020. In our view this is not a good performance compared to the last few years. I want to ask the Minister what happened? Reply by Hon. Dr. Teuea Toatu (Te Kauoman ni Beretitenti & Minister of Finance and Economic Development) I kan kaongoa te Tia Tei ae e rine ao te Maneaba aei bwa iai teutana rootakin biribirin te Mwane n Tania n te ririki aio ni kabotauaki ma ririki aika a nako ibukin te aoraki ae te COVID-19 are e taona te aonnaba. Translation/Rairana I wish to inform this Maneaba and the Hon. MP that the performance of the RERF during 2020 slightly weakened compared to previous years, due to the impacts of the COVID - 19 pandemic. By Hon. Bonteman Tabera, MP (Nonouti) OQ49. N na butia te Minita are tabena ngkana e kona riki n rinanoa ana bubuti te Kauntira n Nonouti iaon tangiran kateakin te clinic ae e boou ibukin Taboiaki Meang. Te reta e bonginaki n 14 February 2018 nakon ana Tia Koroboki Te Onaoraki ao iai naba katotona nakon te Tia Koroboki n te MIA. Translation/Rairana I request the Minister responsible in reconsidering the request from Nonouti Island Council in regards to the provision of a clinic for Taboiaki North. The letter was dated on the 14th of February 2018 to the Secretary for Ministry of Health and also copied to the Secretary for MIA. 4 Reply by Hon. Dr. Tinte Itinteang (Minister of Health and Medical Services) I kukurei n taekinna nakon Te Tia Tei ae e karineaki bwa Taboiaki Meang i Nonouti ngaia naba teuana te kaawa ae e na kateaki ana Kiriniki ae e boou. Translation/Rairana I am glad to inform the Honorable MP that Taboiaki North in Nonouti is one of the villages to receive a newly built clinic. By Hon. Tinian Reiher, MP (Butaritari) OQ52. Iai te babaire ibukin te kabomwi nakon taian nii ma kai n amwarake aika a koreaki ma taian rua n bwabwai ao banana aika a taunaki man kaboraoaki ibukin te karao kawai iaon abamwakoro? Translation/Rairana Does Government have a policy to compensate the cutting of coconut and other food trees as well as the backfilling and levelling of bwabwai and banana pits for the road upgrading on the outer islands? Reply by Hon. Ruateki Tekaiara (Minister of Environment, Lands and Agricultural Development) Bon iai te kainibaire iaon te kabomwi iaon kai n amwarake, rua ni bwabwai ma banana ngkana ana karikirake te Tautaeka. Translation/Rairana Government has a policy to compensate for felled crops/trees, bwabwai and banana pits during road upgrading if it is Government project. By Hon. Ieremia Tabai, MP (Nonouti) OQ56. N ana taeka te Kauoman n tain te rinerine ae e nako ao e taku bwa ti aki kainanoa te tarau bwa e mwaiti ara mwane ao irarikina ao iai te tarau mai imwaina ae $55m ao e aki raoiroi ngkana tia manga tarau riki. I kona n titiraki bwa eti otara bwa te Tautaeka aio bon akea ana iango ni kan tarau riki man tabo nako? Translation/Rairana During the last election campaign, the Vice President said that we did not need to raise any loans as we have adequate resources of our own, plus the 5 fact that there is already a loan of $55m and it is not prudent to raise any more loans. I want to ask, is our understanding correct that this Government has no intention at all to seek any loans from anywhere? Reply by Hon.