TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI SATURDAY-SUNDAY, MARCH 28-29, 2020 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.70 COVID-19SEE PAGES ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? • Contact tracing under way in Gisborne case TRAVEL • Foodbanks continuing to operate • Gisborne man stuck in transit • Wage subsidies rolling out CRACKDOWN • Essential gear being stolen from hospitals ‘We need you to do your part to save lives’ • Hundreds killed from drinking methanol in Iran by Sophie Rishworth virus can be transmitted as easily as the Covid-19 testing clinic outside Three no evidence of community spread in picking up someone’s pen, and when it Rivers medical centre. Tairawhiti. POLICE are cracking down on non- takes hold it is potentially lethal to some The unidentified man has asked The man was in quarantine at home essential travel in the district and those people.” his privacy and that of his whanau be and was recovering well, he said. who flout it will face the consequences. Police are stopping cars and asking respected. “The man is well enough to stay at It comes after the first case of Covid-19 drivers where they are headed and for “They did everything right and in home and has not exposed anybody to in Gisborne was confirmed yesterday. what reason. Those on non-essential trips doing so have protected the people of the virus apart from close contacts who Checkpoints and random stops by are being turned around. Tairawhiti,” said Hauora Tairawhiti are self-isolating. police have been increased — measures He urges everyone to play their part in Medical Officer of Health Dr Osman “Everyone he has been in contact with aimed at “protecting our community”, keeping Tairawhiti as safe as possible by Mansoor. since his return is being followed up with says Gisborne District Council civil staying home and self-isolating. The man has been in self-isolation but because he has been in self-isolation, defence and emergency management “Be responsible about this,” says Mr since he returned to Gisborne on an Air the number is low. group controller Dave Wilson. Wilson. “This is about saving the lives of New Zealand flight. “We ask everyone to be kind. The way Mr Wilson said those flouting the level people in our own community.” He was one of the 85 new cases to suffocate this virus is literally in our 4 lockdown would face the consequences. A Gisborne man in his 50s tested confirmed in New Zealand yesterday, hands. If we don’t pass it on, it will die.” “All non-essential travel has to stop if positive for the coronavirus after he bringing the total Covid-19 cases to 368 we want to halt the spread of Covid-19. returned home from the United States. as of yesterday afternoon. “People need to understand that this He was swabbed earlier this week at Dr Mansoor said there was still CONTINUED ON PAGE 3 CHECKPOINT: Police stop drivers at a checkpoint in Gisborne. People are urged to avoid non-essential travel in a bid to stop the spread of Covid-19. The district’s first case of the coronavirus was confirmed yesterday. As of this morning, there had been 368 cases of Covid-19 in New Zealand, 37 of them listed as “total recovered”. Picture supplied CANCELLED DO YOU KNOW WHAT TO DO IN A Public information drop-in sessions 10, 17, 24, 31 March from 5:30pm TSUNAMI? HB Williams Memorial Library www.gdc.govt.nz/civil-defence 31577-01 GISBORNE RUATORIA WAIROA Local News ...... 1-5 Business ...... 11-12 Farming ........ 19-20 Television ....W9-11 Births & Deaths ...4 Opinion ..............13 Classifieds ... 21-23 Sport ............ 25-28 TOMORROW National ...6-10, 17-18 World............ 14-16 Racing ................24 Weather .............27 977 1175467004 2 NEWS The Gisborne Herald • Saturday, March 28, 2020 METH CRISIS Call for ‘real solution’ by Matai O’Connor agencies, as this is always a worry to whanau when in similar situations. A GISBORNE man who has been battling “It’s actually a huge barrier when people methamphetamine in the community ended up need to reach out for help but can’t in case in hospital after a meth user in his own whare agencies move in and start taking action,” he (house) attacked him. said. Tuta Ngarimu was hit numerous times in “Oranga Tamariki rang and said they want the head by a whanau member who was a to meet with me to see how safe my mokopuna meth user. When he got to hospital he did a are. This situation has sparked all that.” live feed on Facebook to show people the effects These situations are what need to be meth can have on those who try to support highlighted, Mr Ngarimu said. “We need to get recovering addicts. focus on these situations.” Following this situation he put out a call for “There is someone in every street of people to find someone running in the general Tairawhiti dealing with the same thing,” election who would champion the issues of he said. So I am taking advantage of this methamphetamine addiction in Government. situation. What has arisen from the first “There needs to be a ‘stand alone’ live feed, I am dealing with it by confronting organisation similar to what is happening everything. If Oranga Tamariki or other with suicide, that deals specifically with agencies want to have the conversation let’s do methamphetamine,” Mr Ngarimu said. it.” “I’m pushing for whanau out there who don’t He is asking for those with power to provide vote to seriously think about voting at the serious resourcing for the whanau coming off next election. I want them to look for someone meth and support for the whanau who support who can champion the call to take this issue that person. forward so we can get some real solutions. We “No one is looking after whanau. No one is need someone in parliament that champions coming and knocking on the door saying ‘we the issues of methamphetamine.” understand what you are trying to do, here’s a The situation that caused this call to action support group for you to go to, here’s a number was when whanau woke him up and said one you can call, or how can we put a safety plan in of the whanau was “nutting out”. place’. There’s nothing here or anywhere that “I woke up and walked into the hallway and does that. straight away got attacked. I was half asleep. I “More resources need to go towards Maori had no idea what was going on.” organisations such as Te Kuwatawata and There were no weapons, it was just “full Hiringa Matua as whanau are more open to agro”. engaging in these services, and trust them. “I could feel I was going down. I was caught “The Government and previous governments off balance because of the intensity of the hits. have relied on whanau to take in and look It was like hammers going, bang, bang, bang.” after their loved ones impacted by meth. Doing He called the police and got the man that puts them at considerable risk and the trespassed. Then he went to hospital to get his only way they get help is when you call the injuries checked. police and they come lock them up, which is While there, he went live on Facebook. ridiculous.” He said in the video, “I got the bash tonight. Tuta wants to know what is happening with Here I am fighting meth all over the place, how the addictions and mental health facility build much more do we have to take? I don’t know the Government put $20 million aside for in what to do now. Just to see that rage meth does the 2019 Budget. when it’s used on you.” He said people had a lot of issues going on Over 22,000 people have viewed the live besides ‘P’, such as inter-generational trauma. stream. It sparked an outpouring of supportive “I think people haven’t dealt with their comments to Tuta for the work he does. issues and they go to drugs or alcohol to use it “Kia kaha Tuta.” to deal with pain and trauma they are feeling Although there have been positive reactions to get some temporary relief. It starts an DONT METH AROUND: After being attacked by whanau in his own he is concerned about the reaction from addiction and the repercussions and outcomes home Tuta Ngarimu is calling for someone to champion the issues of Government organisations like Oranga can be really, really bad for you, the person methamphetime addiction in this year’s general election. Tamariki Ministry for Children and other with the issue and those around them.” Picture by Paul Rickard Planning for facility well down the track: Green A $20 MILLION mental health facility for Tairawhiti with lived experience, families, iwi, service Support for people dealing with mental health at the Community Mental Health and Addictions is still in the planning stages. providers, staff currently working in Te Whare and addictions is available through Hauora Service at 110 Peel Street, Gisborne, or phone 869 The facility is for people with mental health Awhiora and those in support. Tairawhiti. Acting clinical care manager mental 1311 to receive advice or urgent support where we conditions, those starting their recovery from “Once that initial business case is approved, health Nicola Barrington said people generally can. addictions and those on a rehab journey. there will be around 12 months of intensive work did not go to Gisborne Hospital for their “We have an open-door policy where self- A “single-stage business case” is being put to define the final layout and make the working methamphetamine addiction unless they were referrals are encouraged.