TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI TUESDAY, MARCH 30, 2021 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.20 OKITU DEVELOPERS FINED CORN CHANGES: The Cedenco proposal to shut FOR CONSENT BREACHES down its IQF (Individually PAGE 5 Quick Frozen) plant (below) in the industrial subdivision will directly affect the jobs of 13 permanent staff. It will also affect the amount of corn grown in the district and trucked (main picture) to the factory each season. Pictures supplied PIKE RIVER FAMILIES HEARTBROKEN PAGE 6 PAGE 16 TAKING THE KNEE AT FLOYD MURDER TRIAL Proposal to close IQF CEDENCO factory will affect jobs CEDENCO Foods New by Watties. employees can be easily Zealand proposes to close one “We put the proposed changes absorbed in other departments of its four Gisborne processing to staff last week in a plan and field operations. lines in early April when the that includes reutilising our “All staff will be offered current harvest ends, and it IQF facilities for powder and redeployment either to other RESET will directly affect the jobs of 13 frozen squash facilities, which departments in Gisborne or to people. are already at full capacity,” Mr the Cedenco Hastings factory The company proposes to shut Nelson said. which the company is currently down its Individually Quick “The proposed closure of the expanding with construction of a Frozen or IQF facility which has IQF factory will allow Cedenco new apple processing plant due operated on the site since 2001. and its growers to focus on for completion in April.” “If the closure proceeds it will growing sweetcorn for its Mr Nelson said it was hoped reduce employment on the site powder operation. the 13 permanent workers to by approximately 20 percent “It has been expanded have their roles disestablished, and reduce corn intake from considerably in recent years, could all be redeployed into local farmers by an estimated 50 and is enjoying strong demand either permanent or seasonal percent,” said outgoing Cedenco for its products in Asia.” positions. chief executive Joe Nelson. The proposed closure would “However, this is still a “The proposal follows result in 21 permanent roles proposal and we are in the an extensive review of the becoming disestablished. consultation phase currently.” future sustainability of frozen “But eight of those roles are Cedenco currently employs sweetcorn and pea processing.” currently vacant,” Mr Nelson about 450 seasonal staff That sort of processing has said. annually. been a feature of the Gisborne “A further 107 seasonal horticultural industry for more positions will be disestablished, than 70 years, originally started but all current seasonal CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 Council’s scientist Dr Murry Cave provides an understanding of the Te Araroa and Kermadec earthquakes and why we’re getting so many aftershocks. COME AND FIND OUT MORE EARTHQUAKE PRESENTATION LAWSON FIELD THEATRE 6PM WEDNESDAY 31 MARCH 2021 39034-01 GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ............10 Television ...........18 Racing ...............23 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............11 Classifieds ... 20-21 Sport ............ 24-28 9 771170 043005 TOMORROW National ...... 6-9, 17 World...... 12, 14-16 Picture page ......22 Weather .............27 > 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Tuesday, March 30, 2021 Choral Society and the Hastings Choral accompanied the performance. conducted the work, and will also IN CONCERT: The sound Society were joined by guest soloists, The performance earned a standing conduct it for the Hastings performance. of close to 50 voices filled St Andrew’s (front, from left) soprano Catherine ovation from concert-goers. The concert was originally scheduled Church on Sunday afternoon in a Macdonald, contralto Elizabeth Gawler, The singers get to do it all again in for May last year but was postponed powerful performance of the Mozart tenor LJ Crichton and bass Joseph Hastings in May. because of the Covid lockdown. Requiem. Christensen. Gisborne Choral Society musical The combined forces of the Gisborne Guest organist Heather Easting director (front, back to camera) Picture by Elenor Gill Colour-coding helps in the Game of Life STUDENTS with burning To date, 70-plus youth-friendly questions about their futures employers from infrastructure, could find answers at the primary, social and community, inaugural Game of Life careers services, manufacturing and event next week. technology, and the creative Designed by students for sectors have confirmed their students, it is to be held at the participation. Farmers Air Event Centre on Interactive activities and Thursday, April 8. visuals will increase student The aim of Game of Life is engagement. to show students the learning Each sector will be colour- and career opportunities in coded using the vocational Tairawhiti, along with the pathways colours. Students have realities and challenges that been completing career quizzes come with work. and job research in school which It arose out of conversations will provide them with some between students, employers direction (indicated by the sector and whanau which highlighted a colours) when they arrive at the perception that to be successful event. students must be encouraged to There will even be an “IDK” (I go to university. Don’t Know) tent. One student in those Students will be able to talk discussions said that if she had to employers and find out about been given a better idea of what career opportunities, subjects was available to her locally, she they should be studying at school, may have looked at building her work entry requirements, follow- career here. up site visits, Licence to Work THE NEXT GENERATION: From left, Gabby Wong, Lucy Allan, Georgia Barbarich, Isabella Frota, Gisborne Girls’ High School and Gateway work placements, Jovan Potter and Aaliyah Manager helped design and advertise the event, along with students from the principal Jan Kumar encourages apprenticeships and tertiary Turanganui a Kiwa Activity Centre. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell all students to make the most of education qualifications. this experience. “It is more important now than senior students will have the and Reciprocity that results said they were excited to be a “Any opportunity for our ever that we support employers opportunity to attend The in sustainable Employment) part of it. students to interact with by preparing our future Gisborne Herald Careers Expo, regional forum and Gisborne “Strengthening partnerships community members and workforce,” says Karen Fenn of where they will be able to talk Chamber of Commerce. between schools, youth providers employers and learn about future Trust Tairawhiti’s Licence to to tertiary providers about study “Helping students to be aware and the world of work offers work prospects is welcome.” Work programme. programmes. The Careers Expo of the vocational opportunities in support frameworks for our In 2019 the Government “Our young people’s potential is on April 12 and 13. Tairawhiti and preparing them future talent and is in the best provided funding towards is enormous and it is essential “With the two events only days with work readiness is a key interests of industry partners employment education so schools we continue to enable them apart this is great for Gisborne priority,” says CARE co-chair and the community as a whole,” could create events to promote to realise it by providing students to make informed Gavin Murphy. she said. local industries. collaborative and engaging decisions based on what they “We have the highest number Game of Life is a collaborative Local employers have platforms where they can thrive. have learned from the employers of school leavers without effort by Gisborne Girls’ High welcomed this fresh approach of “Game of Life is very much a and tertiary providers,” said The qualifications in the country, and School, Campion College and linking education to work and pilot. We would like it to become Gisborne Herald advertising our youth unemployment rate is Turanganui a Kiwa Activity will engage with an estimated an annual event for all rangatahi manager Jane Smith. in the range of 20-24 percent.” Centre, supported by Trust 1400 students aged from 13 to 18 in Tairawhiti.” The event is backed by the Gisborne Chamber of Tairawhiti and the Gisborne on the day. Following the Game of Life, CARE (Commitment, Action Commerce manager Lena Bevan Chamber of Commerce. LOOKING AHEAD Get your FOCUS ON THE LAND Gisborne Herald • Prices and comment from today’s home-delivered male weaner fair at Matawhero — about 2400 head yarded. • Noddy Halley and Jade won two of the four events at the Whangara dog trial at the weekend. • The weekly AgrHQ report for the week beginning March 29. THE GUIDE TOMORROw THuRSdAy The Gisborne Herald, 64 Gladstone Road, P.O. Box 1143, Gisborne • Phone (06) 869 0600 • Fax (Editorial) (06) 869 0643 (Advertising) (06) 869 0644 Editor: Jeremy Muir • Chief Reporter: Andrew Ashton • Circulation: Cara Haines • Sports: Jack Malcolm/John Gillies To fi nd out more call 869 0620 e-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] • web site: www.gisborneherald.co.nz The Gisborne Herald • Tuesday, March 30, 2021 NEWS 3 Report points to house price drop this month THE latest OneRoof-Valocity property report indicates a $25,000 fall in the median house price in Gisborne so far this month, as the return of higher deposit requirements for investors put the brakes on the housing market. The figures show property values in every region dipped this month on January and February levels. The latest OneRoof-Valocity figures, covering the month to March 20, show an easing of price growth as buyers and sellers came to terms with new loan-to-value ratio restrictions, which came into effect on March 1. The OneRoof-Valocity report shows a median house price for Gisborne so far this month of $510,000. It was down $25,000 on the February figure, but still 36.5 percent up on the pre-Covid values.