INL September 15, 2018 Digital Edition

Supported by 

Fifth Annual Indian Newslink 

Sports & Community Awards 2018 Gala Dinner 

Monday, October 8, 2018 at Alexandra Park, Greenlane, Auckland 

The English Fortnightly (Since November 1999) 

Issue 400 | SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 | Free 

phone 

09 533 6377 

We are happy to 

announce that 

Indian Newslink 

will recognise and 

reward achievers in the field of 

Arts and Culture from next year. 

Our Sports and Community 

Awards will be extended to 

be titled, ‘Sixth Annual Indian 

Newslink Sports, Community, 

Arts and Culture Awards 2019.’ 

People of Indian origin who are 

citizens or permanent residents 

will be eligible to enter the 

Awards Programme, although 

nominations can be made by 

anyone in the country. 

Extensive Range 

Artists- painters (including 

those producing all types of 

paintings), designers (including 

those creating advertisements 

and similar art materials), 

architects and achievers in 

varied aspects of Indian and 

other cultures-dancers, singers, 

musicians, choreographers- will 

be among those honoured under 

these segments of our Awards 

Programme. 

Dancers, singers, musicians 

and choreographers of Indian 

and other Classical, Folk and Film 

formats will be eligible to enter 

the Programme. 

History of three Awards 

Indian Newslink established its 

Business Awards Programme in 

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Announcing Awards for Arts 

and Culture in the coming year 

Venkat Raman 

venkat@indiannewslink.co.nz 

2008 to honour successful businesses 

owned, managed, operated and franchised 

by people of Indian origin. Its 

success led to the launch of the Indian 

Newslink Sports Awards in 2012. 

This year, we have added Community 

Awards. The Fifth Annual 

Indian Newslink Sports &Community 

Awards Night will be held on Monday, 

October 8, 2018. 

Growing Talent 

As anatural extension of our desire 

to honour the increasing talent in 

the community, Arts and Culture. 

Established and emerging artists 

and artistes and youngsters will be 

recognised and honoured under these 

Awards. 

The Sixth Annual Indian Newslink 

Sports, Community, Arts and Culture 

Awards 2019 will be based on nominations, 

which will be decided by a 

Panel of Judges. 

Details of these Awards will be 

announced during April 2019. 

Indian Newslink 

Indian Business Awards 2017 

Winner 

Best Employer of Choice 

Best Medium-Sized Business 

Four-Hundred reasons to celebrate 

Venkat Raman 

The four-hundredth 

edition of anewspaper is 

no big issue. 

In a world which 

boasts of publications that are 

more than 300 years old (The 

Post Och Inrikes Tidningar 

was established in Sweden in 

1645 and is still in circulation, 

although as online format since 

2007; the London Gazette did 

not appear until 20 years later), 

it would be presumptuous to 

celebrate a publication that is 

just 400 issues old. 

Newspaper business in our 

own little country spans three 

centuries, with the Otago Daily 

Times tracing its origin to 1861. 

It may have been dwarfed by 

publications that came awhile 

later, but its harbinger status 

cannot be disclaimed. 

Hope and Confidence 

And so why is the fuss over 

the 400th edition? 

Because it marks amajor 

achievement for asmall 

newspaper. 

Because it narrates how odds 

and ends were overcome. 

Because it relates a story 

of success, built on asaga of 

struggles and challenges. 

Because it is astory of hope 

and confidence and not despair 

and diffidence. 

How it began and how a 

single fire destroyed everything 

we had and how it outpaced 

itself to become anewspaper of 

standing forms the best part of 

our story later this year. 

Voice of the Community 

Today, this little newspaper 

raises the concern of the 

community, along with its voice 

and carries it to the people who 

matter and makes them listen 

and act. 

True, we have tended to be 

contentious in the process, having 

suffered the wrath of some. 

We have been chastised, 

chased and excluded. 

We have been excluded by 

some. 

All because we have put our 

faith on the finest qualities of 

journalism, of taking people’s 

woes and trying to solve them. 

All because everyone does 

not share the same ideals and 

principles that we hold dear. 

All because we stand alone in 

the community, holding the torch 

of free and fearless expression, 

without expecting anything in 

return. 

A publication given away free 

is often seen as frivolous, with 

news and features mercilessly 

and blatantly lifted from other 

media (and traded as one’s 

own) and as an entity too sweet 

to speak the truth. Issues are 

sidelined and criticism if any is 

camouflaged in chorus. 

Justified celebration 

Which is again why, the 

celebration of the 400th issue is 

justified. 

As we move towards the realisation 

of our objectives (there are 

many), we are constantly aware 

of the characteristic changes that 

the print medium is constrained 

to undergo, at times altering the 

course of journalistic values. 

We believe the future would 

be exciting and replete with 

challenges. 

And we love them. 

For in every challenge we see 

an opportunity. 

An opportunity to grow. 

An opportunity to foster the 

ideals of journalism, the community, 

the society and the nation. 

An opportunity to pursue 

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SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 

02 Homelink 

Mount Roskill becomes the 

trailblazer for Transformation 

Michael Wood 

Solving the housing crisis is a top 

priority for the Labour-led Coalition 

Government. 

Over the past nine years, housing has 

reached crisis point as we all know. 

Buying ahouse is no longer possible for 

most Kiwis and even aworse nightmare for 

new New Zealanders who have moved from 

overseas. 

Decisive action 

I am delighted that my electorate Mt 

Roskill is one of the locations in which the 

government is taking decisive action to end 

the housing crisis. It is the most diverse and 

vibrant of electorates, called the ‘Holy City of 

Mt Roskill,’ by my predecessor (now Mayor 

Mortgage Brokers Insurance Brokers Accountants Property Managers 

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www.professionalfinancial.co.nz | Email: info@pfsl.co.nz 

of Auckland) Phil Goff, and Iamproud to 

represent its people. 

The Government’s transformational 

plan, announced in Mt Roskill on Sunday, 

September 9, 2018 by Housing and Urban 

Development Minister Phil Twyford will see 

10,000 new homes for families in Mt Roskill 

built in close co-ordination with the planned 

light rail line from Central Auckland to 

Mangere. 

Long-Term Plan 

Similar in scale to the Mangere Development, 

the 143-hectare Mt Roskill Development 

will be built over the next 10 to 15 years and 

will include more than 2400 modest, affordable 

KiwiBuild homes for first home buyers, 

around 3000 market homes, and more than 

Ram Vashist 

M: 021 401 535 

Kaushal Patel 

M: 021 075 4900 

Alpana Gupta 

M: 021 159 3453 

A disclosure statement as required under Securities Act 1988 is freely available on request 

PROFESSIONAL 

FINANCIAL 

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Michael Wood with Phil Twyford at the 

launch on September 9, 2018 

3000 new state homes. 

“Not only will this redevelopment 

provide families in Mt 

Roskill with high-quality new, 

homes, it will also provide the 

infrastructure to cope with 

growth and connect with the 

planned light rail line” Mr 

Twyford said at the event. 

The Mt Roskill Development 

will be built on existing 

Housing New Zealand land and 

would initially consist of two 

neighbourhoods, Roskill South 

and Owairaka. 

Further neighbourhoods will 

be considered in the future. 

The Stages 

Building in Roskill South has 

already started. Under stage 

one, 80 new state homes will 

be built, with the first ready to 

move into next year. 

Stage two of the project will 

begin mid-2019 and will see 90 

worn-out state homes replaced 

with around 300 new homes, 

including around 95 KiwiBuild 

homes, around 60 state houses 

and market homes. 

It is anticipated that the 

Roskill South part of the 

redevelopment will complete 

in the next six years, with 

302 new state homes and 578 

affordable market homes 

being built. 

Collaborative Scheme 

The Project is collaborative. 

As the elected MP, Iamhappy 

to see that the government is 

working closely with our Local 

Board, Auckland Council, and 

the local community to ensure 

that the development meets 

local aspirations. 

“The Mt Roskill Development 

is agreat example of 

how local and central government 

are working together 

to improve neighbourhoods 

throughout Auckland,” Mr 

Twyford said. 

The 2400 KiwiBuild homes 

and thousands of affordable 

market homes being built will 

give many in the community a 

real shot at owning their own 

home which has been adream 

drifting away from young 

Kiwis in the recent past. 

“With access to rapid 

transport and new warm, 

dry homes for families, the 

redevelopment is afantastic 

outcome for the Roskill community,” 

Mr Twyford said. 

A happy resident 

A local resident and a 

migrant from India, Rajni (not 

her real name) is very happy 

when she shares her feedback 

on the Roskill initiative. 

She has lived in Mt Roskill 

for five years and is renting a 

two-bedroom unit and pays 

$520 as weekly rent. She lives 

with her husband, visiting 

mother-in-law who help look 

after her toddler son and is 

expecting her second child. 

She and her husband are 

employed and have received 

their permanent residence 

recently and Rajni is awaiting 

eagerly for the day she can be 

a proud homeowner at least 

once her new baby is born. 

They have saved for years 

towards a deposit but with 

such a high rent and prevailing 

house prices, her dream 

of buying ahouse has eluded 

them so far. 

“The amount we can save 

is not great if we have to 

buy ahouse over 900 k. This 

initiative has given me so 

much hope” Rajni said. 

She now has opportunities 

which was absent ayear ago. 

To find out more about 

eligibility for Kiwibuild 

homes, please visit the website 

https://www.mbie.govt.nz/ 

info-services/kiwibuild/buyinga-kiwibuild-home 

Pre-Qualification 

To pre-qualify, one needs 

to be a New Zealand citizen 

or apermanent resident who 

resides in New Zealand and 

needs to provide documentation 

evidence on proof of residency 

or citizenship, income, 

financial pre-approval from 

a bank of other lender and a 

statutory declaration signed by 

an authorised person such as 

Justice of the Peace. 

Decent housing for all people 

is one of the benchmarks of 

a civilised society. Iamproud 

that the coalition government 

is getting on with the job of 

building healthy, modern 

housing for all of our families. 

Michael Wood is an elected 

Member of Parliament from 

Mt Roskill and is the Parliamentary 

Under-Secretary for 

Ethnic Communities 

Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi 

National List MPbasedd in 

Manukau East 

Contact 

A 

P 

F 

E 

1/131 KolmarRoad, Papatoetoe, Auckland 

09 278 9302 

09 278 2143 

bakshi.mp@parliament.govt.nz 

facebook.com/bakshiks 

@bakshiks 

bakshi.co.nz 

Funded by the Parliamentary Service. Authorised by Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi MP, 1/131 Kolmar Road, Papatoetoe.


Every suicide narrates our dismal failure to help 

How many deaths would it take to get the system right? 

Anil Thapliyal 

New Zealand’s suicide 

statistics released 

last week provide 

sobering and 

alarming reading. 

I cannot stop thinking 

about the 668 people who 

took their own lives in the 

past year and the families, 

friends and communities 

deeply affected. 

Men accounted for the 

largest number of suicides at 

475 (71%), while the number 

of women who committed 

suicide was 193 (29%). Of 

these, 20% were young 

people in the 10-24 age group 

and 21% were Maori. 

Averting tragedies 

Prime Minister Jacinda 

Ardern rightly summed it up 

as a‘tragedy,’ emphasising 

the need to improve access 

to care. 

I agree with her that “we 

need to do more,” and if we 

must get it right then going 

by successful international 

trends, the Digital Mental 

Health or more commonly 

referred to as eMental Health 

has to play an integral part of 

holistic response to this crisis 

post mental health enquiry 

report. 

Time and time again we 

continue to fix the same 

broken system by tweaking 

around the edges. We need a 

paradigm shift in our thinking: 

where the mental health 

service user is genuinely at 

the centre of service design. 

Crazy Mental Health 

services 

Mental Health service 

users across New Zealand 

receive and consume information 

differently from the 

way we used to in the past. 

We take small things for 

granted (Internet Banking, 

Google, Trade Me, Email, 

Texting and Social Media) 

that connect us to services, 

information, friends and 

families but our mental 

health services continue to 

stagnate. 

There is no overarching 

cohesive innovation framework 

for New Zealand. 

We have failed to deliver 

effective and efficient mental 

health services commensurate 

with the changing times. 

Current deficiencies 

Absence of an eMental 

Health Strategy in New 

Zealand has resulted in 

incoherent provision of 

mental health services. This 

is further exacerbated by the 

ineffective and cumbersome 

procurement processes 

strewn across the Ministry 

of Health, District Health 

Board and Primary Health 

landscape often duplicating 

services. The state of Mental 

Health services also suffers 

from alack of integration 

and interoperability between 

disparate services and IT 

vendor systems. 

EMental Health 

It is time that Primary and 

Secondary mental health 

have an embedded eMental 

Health component (e.g. build 

on the Ministry of Health’s 

existing investment in the 

National Telehealth Service). 

Adequate investment in 

this area is long overdue. 

Urgent next steps 

We need to put asense of 

urgency to expedite the next 

steps. 

As anation we can do far 

better by embracing newer 

ways and means of engaging 

with the mental health 

service users. 

To that effect, it is 

important for New Zealand 

to consider establishing 

(a) Astrategy for eMental 

Health (b) A Ministerial 

Advisory Group on eMental 

Health to examine the role 

of digital technology and (c) 

A dynamic eMental Health 

Programme of work at the 

Health Ministry. 

Getting Help 

If you are worried about 

your or someone’s mental 

health or that of your own, 

the best place to get help 

is your GP or local mental 

health provider. 

However, if you or 

someone else is in danger 

or endangering others, 

please call 111. 

If you need to talk to 

someone, call any of the 

following free helplines 

round-the-clock: (a) 

Depression Helpline: 0800- 

111757 (b) Lowdown Text 

5626 (c) Call or text 1737 

● First Home 

● Investment Property 

● Residential or Commercial 

● Building / Extending / Renovating 

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Homelink 

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For all your home loan and insurance needs talk to us... 

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03 

Anil Thapliyal is the 

eMental Health Lead 

and Adjunct Professor at 

the Centre for eHealth, 

Auckland University of 

Technology. He is also 

President, eMental Health 

International Collaborative 

and a Member of the 

eMental Health Section 

of the World Psychiatric 

Association. 

The above is a highly 

edited version. For full text, 

please visit www.indiannewslink.co.nz 

(Picture of Anil Thapliyal 

by Lorenzo Thapliyal) 

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04 Homelink 

Clare Curran resigns as Minister but will remain MP 

“It’s an error of judgement from 

Sourced Content 

a politician. She has acknowledged 

that and she has resigned. 

“There is no doubt the minister 

made amistake.” 

Ms Curran was demoted from 

Cabinet and stripped of two of 

her portfolios last month after she 

failed to properly declare ameeting 

for the second time. 

On Wednesday, Ms Curran 

struggled to answer questions in 

Parliament on what government 

business she conducted via her 

personal email account. 

Kris Faafoi takes over 

Kris Faafoi will become the 

Clare Curran speaking to the media in Wellington on September 7, 2018 (RNZ Picture) 

Minister of Broadcasting, Communications 

and Digital Media, 

remaining outside of Cabinet, and 

Peeni Henare will become the 

Associate Minister for ACC. 

Former Broadcasting Minister 

Clare Curran says she made 

some mistakes but they 

were amplified and created 

“intolerable pressure” on her. 

Ms Curran said she advised the 

Prime Minister on September 6, 

2018 that she would resign and it 

was the best course of action for 

everyone’s benefit. 

She said she will stay on in her 

electorate despite resigning her 

ministerial portfolios. 

She fronted up to media on 

September 7, 2018 and read a 

prepared statement, but would not 

take any questions. 

“I am like the rest of you a 

human being and Ican no longer 

endure the relentless pressure that 

I’ve been under. I’ve made some 

mistakes, they weren’t deliberate or 

undermining the political system,” 

Ms Curran said. 

Issues amplified 

“But my mistakes have been 

greatly amplified and the pressure 

on me has become intolerable. I 

was really proud having served in 

the coalition government ministry.” 

https://youtu.be/zC3mk98PuqY 

She said that she was proud of 

the work she did in her former role 

as Broadcasting Minister. 

“During my time as aMinister, 

I have worked hard on issues that 

I have really believed in - how to 

bring more depth, maturity and 

sustainability to our media system, 

particularly publicly funded 

media, to fundamentally make our 

democracy stronger,” Ms Curran 

said. 

On issue of her Gmail use, she 

said: “I use my Gmail account 

infrequently for work and it 

would have been discoverable 

and it hasn’t been used to conceal 

anything.” 

She thanked her colleagues and 

party for their support. 

Bridges’ demand 

However, National Party leader 

Simon Bridges said the public 

deserved to know what other 

government business Ms Curran 

had been conducting using her 

personal email. 

He said Ms Curran’s resignation 

from her ministerial portfolios did 

“real damage to the credibility of 

both the Prime Minister and the 

government.” 

Unacceptable Distraction 

In astatement, Prime Minister 

Jacinda Ardern said she accepted 

Ms Curran’s resignation. 

“Clare has come to the view that 

the issues currently surrounding 

her are causing an unacceptable 

distraction for the government 

and immense pressure on her 

personally,” Ms Ardern said. 

Speaking to the media, Ms 

Ardern said it was Ms Curran’s 

decision alone to resign. 

“I agree with her assessment 

that resigning is the best course of 

action for the government and for 

her. There is no doubt there was 

a huge amount of pressure on her 

... she’s decided her position was 

untenable,” Ms Ardern said. 

The Minister was not meeting 

expectations in the house this week 

and had been putting a great deal 

of pressure on herself. 

2018 

Celebrate your success with us 

Ms Curran first came into 

Parliament in 2008 and has held 

the Dunedin South seat since then 

- meaning if she was to throw in 

the towel completely her departure 

would result in aby-election. 

For now she remains an MP but 

the pressure of her ministerial 

portfolios, aloss of confidence from 

the Prime Minister in her ability 

to be a Cabinet Minister and one 

of her worst performances in the 

House this week left her no choice 

but to call it quits on her ministerial 

responsibilities. 

Indian Newslink has published 

the above Report, Picture and 

Video under a Special Agreement 

with www.rnz.co.nz. Please read 

our Leader, Curran episode a 

lesson for all politicians’ under 

Viewlink. 

Gala Black Tie Awards Night with Cocktailsand Dinneron Monday, November 26, 2018, 

Sky City Convention Centre, Corner Victoria & Federal Street, Auckland City 

Cocktails and Networking from 5 pm to 6.10 pm 

For tickets, priced at $150 plus GST (including cocktails and dinner) 

Contact us on Phone (09) 533 6377 or email: editor @indiannewslink.co.nz 

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Hindi Singer gets home detention 

for drivers’ licences bribes 

Edward Gay 

Lovepreet Brar, or 

‘Love Brar,’ as he 

is known in online 

Hindi pop videos, has 

been sentenced to 11 months 

home detention for taking 

bribes for driver licences. 

In some cases people who 

did not even sit the test were 

able to buy a New Zealand 

drivers licence and get 

behind the wheel. 

In the video for his song 

‘Jail,’ Brar depicts a character 

who lives in a showy house, 

owns expensive cars, carries 

guns and has just been shot 

in the shoulder. It has had 

more than 4.3 million hits on 

YouTube. 

Charge admitted 

Brar was today sentenced 

after admitting a charge of 

obtaining by deception. 

He worked for the 

Automobile Association as a 

Customer Service Consultant 

- he processed paperwork 

and took money from people 

who wanted to sit their 

driver’s licence test. 

Judge Anna Johns said Brar 

was recruited into a group 

who were taking bribes in 

exchange for licences in 

2014. 

The bribe payers would 

often make contact with Brar 

by text message. 

Lovepreet Brar in Court (RNZ Picture by 

Edward Gay) 

“By way of a bribe 

payment, a price was agreed 

upon which was typically 

$400 if the applicant attended 

and sat their IR or IF driving 

test, and up to $550 if the 

applicant did not attend and 

between $1500 and $2500 

for a class two to five truck 

licence.” 

Potential truck drivers 

The scheme had the 

potential to allow people to 

drive heavy trucks on the 

open roads without having to 

sit the required test. 

Judge Johns said the 

applicants would then book 

their licence either online, or 

at the centre. 

“Once a time and date 

had been obtained, you 

would communicate with 

the corrupt testing officers 

who knew to pass the 

person, regardless of their 

attendance or driving 

ability.” 

Getting around applicants 

The New Zealand Transport 

Agency operates a 

programme called Book 10 

which produces a schedule 

of applicants and allocates 

them a testing instructor at 

random. But the group got 

around that by meeting in 

the lunch room. 

“You and your co-defendants 

would search 

for specific driver licence 

applicants and swap them 

to allow a match between 

the bribe paying applicant 

and a corrupt testing officer 

who knows to pass them.” 

If that could not be 

managed, Brar and his 

co-accused would approach 

the testing officer and ask 

for them to go easy on the 

applicant. 

Edward Gay is Court 

Reporter at Radio New 

Zealand. Indian Newslink 

has published the above 

Report and Picture under 

a Special Agreement with 

www.rnz.co.nz 

Homelink 

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06 Homelink 

Elect the first Asian to the 

Entrust Board of Trustees 

It is time to be truthful to diversity 

Dr Ashraf Choudhary 

Entrust, a Majority shareholder 

of electricity company, Vector, is 

holding its triennial elections of its 

five trustees from October 11, 2018. 

Voting eligibility 

Vector consumers within its district of 

Auckland, Manukau, Northern Papakura 

and Eastern Franklin (former Auckland 

Electric Power Board) are eligible for 

voting. 

Consumers will be getting their ballot 

papers from October 11, 2018 and will 

have two weeks to complete and return 

their voting documents using the Freepost 

envelope provided. 

But, to be counted, voting papers must 

be received by the Returning officer by 5 

pm on Friday, October 26, 2018. 

For consumers with more than one 

connection, and joint consumers on the 

connection, only one voting paper will be 

issued. 

Nominations for the Entrust Board of 

Trustees election have closed with 13 

candidates being nominated including me. 

Changing the trend 

Historically, no one from our Asian 

community has stood for these elections. I 

wish to change this trend and be counted. 

Entrust, a major shareholder of Vector, 

distributes to its consumers about $350 as 

annual dividend. This is helpful to many 

consumers amongst us in paying their 

ever increasing electricity bill. 

Unfortunately, current members of the 

Board are oblivious to this fact, and are 

planning to reduce these dividends. This is 

not acceptable to our consumers. 

Differences in approach 

The current Board is divided in 

their policies impacting the overall 

performance of the company. It’s well 

documented in the media now-a-days. 

I have been nominated to stand for 

this election because we need to change 

the makeup of the board (who are all 

Pakehas) and enhance diversity, promote 

equity and bring meritocracy in these 

organisations. 

Call to Community 

I would like to urge all of you to ensure 

that you use your vote to bring changes. 

spread the word among your networks 

through emails, texting and other electronic 

tools at your disposal. Every vote counts 

as historically there is very low voting turn 

out for this election. 

If you have any queries about this 

election, please call Independent Election 

Services Ltd for Entrust on (09) 9735212 or 

0800-922822. Email: info@electionservices.co.nz 

Dr Ashraf Choudhary was a Member of 

Parliament on Labour List from 2002 

to 2011. He is currently serving as an 

elected Member of both the Otara-Papatoetoe 

Local Board of the Auckland City 

Council, and Counties Manukau Health 

Board. 

Parminder Singh Jabbal (Facebook 

Hamilton Geri-route) 

Timely help enables families to cope with tragedy 

Venkat Raman 

Kharag Singh Sidhu with (from left) Pika Henry 

(brother of Saraiah Waerea), Constable Shammi 

Singh, Saraiah Waerea, Sergeant Simon Betichitti 

and Sarwan Singh 

Two mourning families 

in New Zealand 

(Tauranga) and India 

(Ludhiana, Punjab), 

have been able to resolve the 

issue of performing the last 

rites of a young man who 

died in a traffic incident two 

months ago, thanks to the 

efforts of Kharag Singh Sidhu, 

popularly known as Sidhu 

Singh and a few others in the 

Sikh community. 

Parminder Singh Jabbal (27) 

died on July 11, 2018 when his 

car had a head-on collision 

with a truck on State Highway 

36, between Rotorua and 

Tauranga. 

Jabbal was in a relationship 

with Saraiah Waerea of 

Rotorua, who was pregnant 

with their child at the time of 

the accident. 

Confusion and tension 

The Punjabi community, 

displaying its usual solidarity 

and sympathy, began fundraising 

efforts to meet the cost 

of repatriating Mr Jabbal’s 

body to India and other related 

expenses. Mr Singh told 

Indian Newslink that by then 

Ms Waerea had expressed 

her thoughts of keeping the 

remains of Mr Jabbal in New 

Zealand. 

“This caused confusion and 

tension in Mr Jabbal’s family 

in India. She could not travel 

because of the advanced stage 

of her pregnancy,” he said. 

Although not related to 

either party, Mr Singh offered 

to take charge as the local 

guardian on the condition that 

Mr Jabbal’s family in India 

will allow him to give access to 

Ms Waerea and family to say 

‘farewell’ before the body was 

sent back to India. 

“This decision, despite 

bringing an additional cost on 

repatriation, was the best possible 

and amicable outcome to 

this unfortunate situation,” Mr 

Singh said. 

Body sent to India 

The body of Mr Jabbal, sent 

from Auckland on July 25 

after prayers held at the South 

Auckland Funeral Services, 

Otahuhu, South Auckland, 

reached India the following 

Logistics is the line between Order and Disorder 

Community members gather near the 

coffin of Parminder Jabbal at a Punjab 

Village in India on July 27, 2018. 

A tearful Saraiah Waerea receives the final 

remains of her Partner Jabbal from Kharag 

Singh Sidhu 

day and the funeral rites were 

performed in a village in Punjab on 

July 27, 2018. 

The last remains of Mr Jabbal 

arrived back to New Zealand on 

August 15 and were handed over to 

Ms Waerea, bringing an emotional 

reunion. 

Mr Singh visited Rotorua on 

Friday, September 7 to deliver 

household gifts and a car to Ms 

Waerea to help her and her expected 

child to have a reasonably decent 

start in life. 

About Kharag Singh Sidhu 

Indian Newslink had featured 

Mr Singh in its June 15, 2011 issue 

(under Punjabis in Business): 

It was published under the heading, 

‘A fair and square business.’ 

Please visit http://www.indiannewslink.co.nz/a-fair-and-squarebusiness/ 

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08 Educationlink 

Unitec cuts at least 100 jobs as courses dropped 

Sourced Content 

There will be at least 100 job 

losses at Auckland’s Unitec as it 

suspends 19 courses in full, and 

three others in part. 

Unitec has informed staff that 

the courses will be suspended 

from 2019 and for the foreseeable 

future. It will not enrol any 

new students, but says students 

currently enrolled will be able 

to complete their qualifications. 

Unitec has been in financial strife 

for some time, and has lost 600 

full-time students in recent years. 

Dropping numbers 

The courses that are being suspended 

include Bachelor of Arts, 

Bachelor Communication, Doctor 

of Computing, Bachelor of Sport 

and Master of Osteopathy. 

Unitec had 130 programmes 

when there were 10,000 students 

but with dropping student numbers, 

Interim Chief Executive 

Merran Davis told Checkpoint that 

it needed to reduce costs by 20%. 

“Because we have not been proactive 

around managing that portfolio 

with the changing times, it 

has meant that we are now in a 

situation where the review and 

making that change is alot more 

significant than it would be in the 

usual course of things,” Ms Davis 

said. 

Unitec decided on which courses 

to drop after looking at financial 

reliability, strategic relevance 

and educational performance, she 

said. 

$50 million bailout 

The action will result in about 

RNZ/Claire Eastham-Farrelly 

100 to 200 full time-equivalent positions, 

Ms Davis said. 

Ms Davis also confirmed the $50 

million government loan to bail out 

Unitec would be used in part to pay 

for redundancies -and the government 

was aware of the changes and 

job losses when it confirmed it would 

lend the money. 

The government loan would also 

help it become financially stable, Ms 

Davis said. 

“The government is lending us 

money so that we can actually get 

ourselves into a position where we 

are actually able to continue paying 

staff, and also so that we can return 

to a financially sustainable position 

on the basis that we have had declining 

students for the last few years,” 

she said. 

Not sustainable 

“Unless we make significant changes, 

our operating model is not sustainable 

in its current form, because 

it was actually designed for alot 

more students than Unitec has currently 

and is expected to have for 

some time.” 

Unitec was in the process of informing 

staff about the redundancies, 

and deans and heads of 

We take the worry and stress out of the 

New Zealand Immigration process and 

make settlement easy. 

● All types of New Zealand Visa Applications 

● Potentially Prejudicial Information Letters, (PPI),Section 61 requests for 

people unlawfully in New Zealand; 

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pathways had been informed 

roles would be disestablished. 

“Right across the organisation 

there is an understanding 

and an expectation that 

there will be job losses,” she 

said. 

Suspended Unitec 

programmes: 

Bachelor of Arts; Bachelor 

Communication (Language 

studies); Short courses in 

International Languages; NZ 

Cert English Language L2; NZ 

Cert English Language L3 - 

some parts; NZ Cert English 

Language L4 -some parts; 

Bachelor Communication; 

Master International 

Communication; Doctor 

of Computing; Bachelor 

Performing &Screen 

Arts -some parts; Dip 

Contemporary Music; 

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Bio (Osteopathy); Bachelor 

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Bachelor of Sport; Master 

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Applied Practice (Generic); 

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Educational Leadership 

& Management; Doctor 

of Philosophy; NZ Cert 

Horticulture Services; GDip 

Event Communication. 


the above highly edited 

Report and Picture 

under aSpecial Agreement 

with www.rnz.co.nz. Full 

text appears at www.indiannewslink.co.nz 

Better deal for lowpaid 

public servants 

Staff Reporter 

About 2000 core Public 

Service employees 

are now in a better 

position to make ends 

meet after receiving anew, 2018 

Living Wage, hourly rate of 

$20.55, Prime Minister Jacinda 

Ardern and Minister of State 

Services Chris Hipkins have 

said. 

The government order 

became effective on September 

3, 2018. 

This followed the Government’s 

announcement in June 

that the new hourly rate - or annualised 

equivalent of $42,744, 

including full-time, part-time 

and casual employees, would 

be implemented as aone-off 

pay adjustment by September 

1, 2018. 

Deserved boost 

Jacinda Ardern mentioned the 

following: 

About 2000 low paid public 

servants are now better off as a 

result of this decision and they 

deserve this pay boost. 

This is about fairness. 

Everyone deserves to be paid a 

fair amount for the work they 

do, and to earn enough to have 

a decent standard of living. 

While we are continuing to 

lift the minimum wage for all 

workers, our commitment to 

STUDY 

pay all public service staff at 

least the 2018 living wage is 

about leading from the front. 

I want the Government, in its 

role as employer, to be part of 

the solution to the imbalance in 

peoples’ pay. 

Benefits of growth 

We have awide programme 

of work to ensure those on 

lower and middle incomes start 

to see some of the benefits of a 

growing economy. 

More than 164,000 people will 

benefit from an increase to the 

minimum wage to $16.50 on 1 

April 2018 and $20 an hour by 

2021. 

We have also raised the 

incomes of 385,000 everyday 

families by on average $65 

a week through the Families 

Package, approved major pay 

increases for mental health and 

education support workers in 

pay equity deals. 

Freezing income 

Mr Hopkins said the following: 

Our decisions to stop 

performance pay to state sector 

CEOs and freezing MP pay this 

year were also part of our programme 

to focus on lower and 

middle income earners rather 

than those at the top. 

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Fijilink 

09 

IF YOU ARE AN OVERSEAS REGISTERED 

VOTER FOR THE 2018 GENERAL ELECTION: 

For More Details & 

Application Form 

www.feo.org.fj/postal-voting/ 

When to Apply How toApply Who tosend it to 

Application Deadline 

Registered Voters can Download and fill the 

Registered Voters 

The FEO must receive 

apply once the Election 

Postal Voting 

can email their 

all PostalVoting 

Date is announced. 

Application form. 

application form to: Applications 21 days 

postalvote@feo.org.fj before Election Day. 

59 /63HighStreet, Toorak, Suva 

P. O. Box2528, Government Buildings, Suva 

Phone:+679 331 6225 Fax: +679 331 9513 

@Fijianelectionsofice 

www.feo.org.j 

info@feo.org.j


10 Fijilink 

Australia reposes faith 

in Fijian elections 

Selita Bolanavanua 

Australia has confidence 

in the Fijian Elections 

Office (FEO) to deliver a 

credible and fair election 

this year, High Commissioner 

John Feakes has said. 

Speaking to the Fiji Sun, he said 

that election held in 2014 was 

judged by international observers 

as credible and reflective of the 

will of the people. 

Credible exercise 

“I am confident that the FEO 

would deliver a similar, credible 

election this year,” he said. 

Mr Feakes said that Australia 

was happy to accept the invitation 

of the Fijian Government to again 

co-lead with India and Indonesia, 

two of the world’s largest democracies,” 

he said. 

“We expect to deploy at least 

four to six Australian Electoral 

Commission staff to assist during 

the election in 2018 in addition to 

observers,” he said. 

Mr Feakes said that Australia 

has been working closely with 

FEO since 2014. 

Strong Partnership 

“We have supported the FEO 

through a partnership with the 

Australian Electoral Commission 

(AEC), providing short-term inputs 

in areas such as full Electoral 

Cycle planning and, logistics and 

Australian High Commissioner John Feakes and Prime Minister- 

Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama In Suva on September 10, 2018. 

(Picture by the Australian High Commission) 

ballot paper printing processes. We 

currently have two advisers in place, 

including a Senior Elections Adviser to 

the FEO largely working on operations 

and an Adviser,” he said. 

The Deputy Supervisor would be 

from New Zealand. 

Mr Feakes said that the Partnership 

Agreement among the University of 

South Pacific, FEO, the Indonesian Government 

and International Institute for 

Democracy and Electoral Assistance 

would deliver tertiary level courses on 

electoral management to Fijians and 

other members of the Pacific. 

“These courses will develop the 

professionalism of the FEO staff and 

provide a pipeline of qualified future 

employees. The FEO also provides 

training to a number of electoral bodies 

in other parts of the Pacific,” he said. 

Under a Special Arrangement with 

the Fiji Sun. 

Please read our Editorial, ‘Democracy 

ripens in Fiji,’ under Viewlink 

Leading Cardiologist and friend of Fiji retires 

Venkat Raman 

Friends and patients 

of Dr Albert Ko, 

an Interventional 

Cardiologist 

based at Ascot Hospital 

in Greenlane, Auckland 

were surprised when he 

announced his retirement 

from medical practice 

effective September 1, 2018. 

In an email addressed to 

Indian Newslink, Dr Ko said 

that he was contemplating 

retirement for a while 

and that he wished to 

spend more time with his 

family and his two sons in 

Australia. 

“I have retired on my 

60th Birthday. I would like 

to continue visiting Fiji 

and to do more teaching. I 

would leave the frontline 

work in the capable hands 

of my colleagues,” he said. 

Over the past several 

years, he has conducted 

angioplasty procedures on 

hundreds of poor Fijians 

and brought back normalcy 

in their lives. During one 

of his visits last year, he 

completed 21 angioplasty 

procedures in as many 

patients, while 40 persons 

underwent angiogram 

tests. 

Achieving self-sufficiency 

“I am happy that Fiji is 

fast becoming self-sufficient 

in skills; we have doctors 

and nurses who can perform 

angiogram and angioplasty 

procedures on patients without 

our assistance. They are well 

trained, committed and resolved 

to raise the standard of medical 

practice and service in Fiji,” 

he said, speaking to Indian 

Newslink. 

Dr Ko was in an early batch 

of experts to visit as a part of a 

delegation led by Dr Nand. But 

it was in 2011 that he conducted 

the first angiogram and angioplasty. 

“I was shown a patient who 

was in a terrible condition. 

I conducted an angioplasty 

procedure and two hours later, 

he was walking on the corridors 

of the Hospital. It was a turning 

point for him in his life and for 

me in my engagement with Fiji,” 

he said. 

Soon thereafter, Dr Ko saved 

the life of a taxi driver. After that, 

he has been visiting Fiji every 

year, not only to treat patients 

but also to lobby and arrange 

equipment required to conduct 

angiogram and angioplasty. 

“Like the proverbial fish and 

fishing, it was important that 

we taught the people of Fiji to 

handle their patients with skill 

and efficiency. I am happy that we 

have been able to achieve a lot in 

these seven years,” he said. 

But Dr Ko is conscious of the 

need to provide more funds, 

better equipment, train doctors, 

nurses and other medical practitioners 

and lift the overall quality 

of service. 

Influencing factors 

He said that five major factors 

influence heart-related diseases. 

They include family history, high 

blood pressure, high cholesterol, 

diabetics and smoking. 

“Fiji Indians carry a higher risk 

of coronary problems, with nine 

out of 10 requiring intervention. 

Diabetes strikes them and hence 

they should exercise caution. We 

specialists do not see any patient 

directly. It is therefore imperative 

that they go for regular medical 

check-up. Education is important 

to raise awareness,” Dr Ko said. 

An Open heart gets cleansed: 

Dr Albert Ko at his Ascot 

Hospital Clinic 

(Indian Newslink Picture) 

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12 Viewlink 

The English Fortnightly (Since November 1999) 

ISSUE 400 | SEPTEMBER 15, 2018 

Curran episode a lesson 

for all politicians 

Clare Curran should have 

seen the writing on 

the wall in April over 

the Carol Hirschfeld 

‘episode,’ when the latter became 

a victim of impropriety. 

She should have considered 

it a warning or a wakeup call 

when she narrowly missed 

indictment for not recording 

the meeting with the Radio 

New Zealand journalist. 

Last fortnight, unable to face 

the heat in Parliament, she 

resigned her post as Broadcasting, 

Communications and 

Digital Media Minister. 

Gmail Account usage 

Among her transgressions 

was using a Gmail account for 

government communications, 

which was apparently a breach 

of the Cabinet Manual. Prime 

Minister Jacinda Ardern did 

not hide her disappointment 

when she readily accepted Ms 

Curran’s resignation saying that 

her position was untenable. 

Her own defence was equally 

untenable. 

She said that she was proud 

of the work she did in her 

former role as Broadcasting 

Minister. 

“During my time as a 

Minister, I have worked hard 

on issues that I have really 

believed in - how to bring more 

depth, maturity and sustainability 

to our media system, 

particularly publicly funded 

media, to fundamentally make 

our democracy stronger,” Ms 

Curran said. 

On issue of her Gmail use, 

she said: “I use my Gmail 

account infrequently for 

work and it would have been 

discoverable and it hasn’t been 

used to conceal anything.” 

Our expectations 

New Zealanders have set 

exacting standards for their 

politicians and follow zero 

tolerance approach towards 

their behaviour. It is therefore 

important that political parties, 

their leaders and those supporting 

them are assured that the 

candidates being proposed for 

election do not have any issues 

that would haunt them later. 

Clearly, Ms Curran should 

have gone clean with the Prime 

Minister before being exposed 

so badly; her forced resignation 

queered the pitch for her 

return to the Cabinet in the 

near future. 

In New Zealand, we consider 

and expect our politicians to 

be role-models. They must be 

honest and open to scrutiny. 

There can be no compromise 

on their behaviour at all times. 

Allegations against a 

politician, more so a minister 

become matters of public debate 

and hence it is important 

that all facts are placed on 

the public domain to ensure 

transparency. 

As Election looms, 

democracy ripens in Fiji 

People of Fiji are beginning 

to evince more 

interest in the ensuing 

general election as days 

roll, there is increasing certainty 

that the polling day would be 

sometime in November. 

No one is however making 

any guesses as to the outcome. 

While followers of the 

FijiFirst Party believe that 

Prime Minister Josaia Voreqe 

Bainimarama will return, albeit 

perhaps with a decreased majority, 

parties in the opposition 

camp seem to be too weak to be 

formidable. 

Political equity 

Incessant to sanctions and 

ultimatums to restore parliamentary 

democracy from the 

developed world including his 

powerful neighbours Australia 

and New Zealand, Mr Bainimarama 

and his Government have 

worked over the past twelve 

years to make Fiji a more 

inclusive polity and economy. 

They have given the country 

a new Constitution, which 

promises the long-cherished 

political and economic equity, 

making all Fijians eligible for 

equal treatment. 

Australian government has 

expressed its satisfaction that 

Election 2018 would be free and 

fair, based on the experience of 

the 2014 exercise. New Zealand 

has expressed its view on 

similar lines, while India, the 

largest democracy in the world, 

has been the only country that 

has continuously stood by Fiji, 

offering its support and assistance. 

While Delhi has desired 

Fiji to follow democratic ideals, 

it has always respected the 

country’s right to choose its own 

form of Government through its 

own processes. 

No Template 

There is no template for 

democracy as the concept 

and practice differ between 

countries. That said, Fijians 

in Fiji and elsewhere with the 

eligibility to vote, must exercise 

their franchise in the coming 

election, which would steer the 

country towards calmer seas 

and progressive future. 

Indian Newslink is published by Indian Newslink Limited from its offices located at Level 

1, Number 166, Harris Road, East Tamaki, Auckland 2013 and printed at Horton Media 

Limited, Auckland. All material appearing here and on our web editions are the copyright 

of Indian Newslink and reproduction in full or part in any medium is prohibited. Indian 

Newslink and its management and staff do not accept any responsibility for the claims 

made in advertisements. 

Managing Director & Publisher: Jacob Mannothra 

Editor & General Manager: Venkat Raman; Marketing & Sales Manager: Ronny Kumaran; 

Production Manager: Mahes Perera; Financial Controller: Uma Venkatram CA; 

Phone: (09) 5336377 Email: info@indiannewslink.co.nz 

Websites: www.indiannewslink.co.nz; www.inliba.com; www.inlisa.com 

UN needs a strong, oneterm 

Secretary General 

Helen Clark at the Office of Indian Newslink on 

June 16, 2007 (Picture for Indian Newslink by 

Narendra Bedekar) 

Helen Clark: Women, Equality 

& Power 

From Noon to Noon by 

Kathryn Ryan on RNZ 

The UN needs a one-term Secretary 

General who is not beholden 

to the veto powers of the Security 

Council if it is to be effective in 

modern conflicts, Helen Clark says. 

Helen Clark, Former Prime 

Minister of New Zealand and Head 

of the United Nations Development 

Programme, who campaigned to 

become the first woman Secretary 

General of the UN, now describes 

herself as a “freelance public 

advocate.” 

About Helen Clark 

She speaks on big global issues 

such as climate change, sustainable 

development, migration, conflict and 

gender equality. 

She has been in politics and the 

public eye since first running in local 

elections in the 1970s. 

Just 31 years old when she first 

entered Parliament, she led Labour 

to victory in 1999 and was prime 

minister for nine years before 

leading the UNDP in New York. 

She was unsuccessful in her own 

bid to become the UN Secretary 

Ms Clark thinks that the UN Secretary General 

should be a one-term position. 

Photo: RNZ / Claire Eastham-Farrelly 

General in 2016, and has been 

unflinching in her criticism of the 

selection process and underlying 

sexism. 

She has just published a book of 

selected speeches she’s made over 

the years, called Women, Equality, 

Power. 

UN’s Mandate 

Speaking to Nine to Noon, she 

says that the UN has three parts 

to its mandate - Development and 

Humanitarian Work, Human Rights, 

and Conflict Resolution - and it is the 

last by which people judge it. 

“I think people largely judge the 

UN by the, really, lack of capacity 

now to resolve very significant 

conflicts,” Ms Clark said. 

“They have looked at Syrian 

conflict into its eighth year, they 

have looked at South Sudan, they 

look at Mali, they look at Central 

Africa Republic, Yemen – there is 

quite a long list.” 

Restricting Power 

She said that the veto powers in 

the Security Council is “pretty much” 

handicapping the effectiveness and 

efficiency of the UN in those types of 

conflicts. 

“It locks us into the post-war 

Taiwan wants UN for ‘All 

Peoples in all Countries’ 

The 73rd session of the United 

Nations General Assembly 

(UNGA) will convene 

at the UN Headquarters in 

New York on September 18, 2018. 

The General Debate is scheduled 

to be held from September 25 to 

October 1. 

In order to meet the expectations 

of the 23 million people of 

Taiwan of participating in the UN 

system, the government of the 

Republic of China (Taiwan) has 

decided to continue UN- related 

campaigns. 

The UN Theme 

This year’s theme will be “Taiwan, 

a Vital Global Partner in the 

Implementation of the Sustainable 

Development Goals (SDGs).’ 

This echoes the theme of the 

73rd session of the UNGA General 

Debate, namely, ‘Making the United 

Nations relevant to all people: 

Global leadership and shared 

responsibilities for peaceful, equitable, 

and sustainable societies.’ 

Taiwan is calling on the international 

community to recognise 

its determination to contribute to 

regional and global affairs. 

In addition to requesting its 

diplomatic allies to speak up at the 

UNGA General Debate, Taiwan’s 

government has solicited allies’ 

Permanent Representatives to the 

UN to write to UN Secretary-General 

António Guterres, urging him 

to resolve the long-pending issue 

The Presidential Building in Taipei, Taiwan 

(Picture Courtesy: Wikipedia) 

of the exclusion of Taiwan’s 23 

million people from the UN system 

in accordance with the spirit of 

the UN Charter and upholding the 

principles of fairness and justice. 

Main Appeals 

This year, the main appeals 

of Taiwan’s UN bid are (1) The 

people of Taiwan should be 

treated equally to those of other 

nations. The UN should resolve 

the serious issue of Taiwan’s 23 

million people being excluded 

from the UN system (2) Taiwan 

passport-holders and journalists 

should be granted unfettered 

access to the UN premises (3) The 

UN Sustainable Development 

Goals concern the wellbeing of all 

humankind; Taiwan should not be 

left behind. 

An Open-Ed 

To help the international community 

gain a better understanding 

of Taiwan’s appeals, Minister 

of Foreign Affairs Jaushieh Joseph 

Wu will author an op-ed, and the 

Ministry will produce a series of 

settlement of 1945 which looks very 

different from the world of 2018, 

and it is proving near impossible to 

change,” she said. 

“Poor old UN organisation with 

its earnest officials and politics and 

peacekeeping ... somewhat stymied 

by member states who don’t agree 

on things. So many significant 

issues really don’t get dealt with 

effectively by the security council 

because there’s a major power 

disagreement,” Ms Clark said. 

She says as well as the security 

council, the UN is facing financial 

problems. 

Secretary General Strapped 

“The Secretary General over the 

years has found himself - and it is 

always been himself - somewhat 

constrained by member states 

micromanaging the budget. 

“It is pretty strapped for cash at 

the moment, and I think perhaps 

some of the relative silence we 

hear from the UN on some issues 

is because of its concern that one 

particular major player - which 

is the US, the biggest contributor 

with about 20% of the budget - may 

choose to throw its toys out of the cot 

again as it did in Kofi Annan’s time 

and refuse to pay.” 

Along with a change to the system, 

a Secretary General who can frontfoot 

peace advocacy and is prepared 

to engage directly with troubled or 

troublesome leaders - like Bashar 

al-Assad, Muammar Gaddafi, Hosni 

Mubarak - is what is needed, Ms 

Clark said. 

“The special envoys obviously 

aren’t cutting the mustard. It has 

been a long time since the Secretary 

General went to Damascus for 

example, or to Sana’a the capital of 

Yemen. 

Indian Newslink has published the 

above Report and Pictures under a 

Special Agreement with www.rnz. 

co.nz. The above is a highly edited 

version. For full text, including Ms 

Clark’s comments on Prime Minister 

Jacinda Ardern, please visit www. 

indiannewslink.co.nz 

short videos about its implementation 

of SDGs addressing Taiwan’s 

fulfillments in the areas of clean 

energy, universal health coverage 

and the circular economy. 

(Please read the Open-Ed under 

Businesslink in this issue). 

The government will also host 

a series of events on sustainable 

development in New York City 

during the UN General Assembly 

to demonstrate that Taiwan places 

great importance on achieving 

the SDGs. These events can help 

deepen the understanding of the 

UN community about Taiwan’s 

relevant effort. 

Taiwan’s determination 

Taiwan’s civil society and 

overseas compatriot communities 

will hold creative and lively events 

at the same time to express a clear 

message to the UN, that Taiwan’s 

23 million people are willing and 

able to implement the SDGs in 

conjunction with the rest of the 

world. 

The ROC government sincerely 

thanks its diplomatic allies and 

friendly nations for supporting 

and assisting Taiwan’s participation 

in the UN system. 

The Appeal 

It also calls upon the United 

Nations to recognise Taiwan’s 

willingness and determination to 

make contributions to the world 

and the region. 

Taiwan urges the UN to respond 

positively to its appeals, and welcome 

its participation in the UN 

system in line with the principles 

of equality and reciprocity, in 

order to safeguard UN ideals and 

wellbeing of the humankind.


Minister says UN should open its doors to Taiwan 

Jaushieh 

Joseph Wu 

The 2030 Agenda for 

Sustainable Development, 

adopted at 

the 70th session of 

the United Nations General 

Assembly in 2015, set bold 

goals to shift the world onto 

a sustainable, resilient path. 

Here was also pledged the 

formation of arevitalised 

Global Partnership for 

Sustainable Development 

including all countries, all 

stakeholders and all people, 

such that no one would be 

left behind. 

Principle of Universality 

violated 

Despite such a pledge, 

Taiwan’s 23 million people 

have been left out of this 

global effort. This violates 

the principle of universality 

upon which the UN was 

founded and deprives 

Taiwan as well as the 

international community 

of opportunities to work 

together for the common 

good. 

Taiwan, though not being 

allowed to participate in 

the UN’s meetings, activities 

and mechanisms, has 

never shirked its duties as a 

responsible stakeholder. 

Positive Results 

In line with the 

Agenda’s recommendation, 

Taiwan has released its 

first Voluntary National 

Review last year, detailing 

our whole-of-government 

approach to implementing 

the UN Sustainable Development 

Goals (SDGs). 

The concrete results 

that we have achieved 

include alleviating poverty, 

zero hunger, reducing the 

percentage of low-income 

households to under 

2%, cutting the maternal 

mortality rate to just 11.6 

per 100,000 people and 

under-five child mortality 

rate to just 2.4 per 1,000, and 

improving our literacy rate 

to 98.7%. 

All of these are well above 

UN SDG standards. 

Development Assistance 

Taiwan also provides 

development assistance to 

other countries. Through the 

International Cooperation 

and Development Fund 

(Taiwan ICDF), Taiwan’s 

official development assistance 

organisation, we have 

launched various programs 

in the Pacific, Asia, Africa, 

Latin America, and the 

Caribbean. 

These programmes aim 

to help countries in these 

regions to achieve clean 

energy, food security, food 

safety, sustainable agriculture, 

better education, 

health and well-being for 

all age groups, and disaster 

reduction and adaptation. 

Taiwan ICDF also works 

with the European Bank for 

Reconstruction and Development 

to assist countries in 

Central Asia and Central and 

Eastern Europe to develop 

market economies and a 

green economy. 

UN denies permission 

While Taiwan’s valuable 

contributions have been 

widely acclaimed around 

the globe, the UN continues 

to ignore what Taiwan can 

offer. 

Taiwan’s tourists, experts 

and professionals are denied 

entry into UN premises simply 

because the UN does not 

accept the Republic of China 

(Taiwan)’s Passport, which is 

recognised by almost every 

country in the world. 

The UN has refused to 

accredit Taiwan’s journalists 

covering its meetings and 

activities, yet the work of 

such people is in the interests 

of the people of Taiwan 

and the world. 

Extreme disappointment 

We are extremely disappointed 

that the UN continues 

to misuse 1971 General 

Assembly Resolution 2758 

(XXVI) to justify Taiwan’s 

exclusion and isolation. 

As we have pointed out 

before, this resolution 

neither addresses the issue 

of representation of Taiwan 

and its people in the UN 

system, nor defines the relationship 

between Taiwan 

and China. The so-called 

‘One-China Principle’ has 

been challenged by many 

UN Member States. 

It is wrong for the UN, 

an organisation created to 

serve all of humankind, to 

unilaterally define Taiwan’s 

status. 

Article 1ofthe UN Charter 

proclaims that the purposes 

of the organisation are 

to “achieve international 

co-operation in solving 

international problems 

of an economic, social, 

cultural, and humanitarian 

character, and in promoting 

and encouraging respect for 

human rights.” 

At this critical juncture 

when humankind is facing 

multiple challenges, global 

cooperation that includes all 

countries, all stakeholders, 

and all people is ever more 

important. 

By excluding awilling and 

able partner like Taiwan, 

the UN not only violates 

the fundamental human 

rights of Taiwan’s 23 million 

people but also greatly 

harms human welfare. 

To ensure the UN remains 

relevant to all people, the 

organisation should stand 

up to external pressures and 

open its doors to Taiwan. 

Jaushieh Joseph Wu is 

Foreign Affairs Minister 

of Republic of China 

(Taiwan). 

BNZ gets Canstar Small 

Business Bank Award, again 

Staff Reporter 

BNZ has won the ‘Canstar 

Small Business Bank of 

the Year 2018’ Award, in 

recognition of its passion 

to support small businesses that 

power New Zealand’s economy. 

Chief Executive Officer Angie 

Mentis said that winning the 

‘Canstar Small Business Bank 

of the Year 2018’ was a‘great 

acknowledgment of BNZ’s 

continued commitment to delivering 

the exceptional service, 

products and support that small 

business customers deserve.’ 

Small businesses need more 

than just a traditional bank, she 

said. 

Trusted Partner 

“They need a trusted partner 

that can help them navigate an 

increasingly complex environment, 

and apartner that takes 

the time to understand their 

ambitions to grow and succeed. 

Small businesses are the unsung 

heroes of the New Zealand 

economy –making up 97% of all 

enterprises and employing nearly 

athird all of New Zealanders,” 

she said. 

Passion for Small Businesses 

Having grown up in a 

small business family Iama 

passionate believer in the need 

to continually provide the tools 

and services to help them focus 

on being successful. Every one 

of them is unique and no two 

owners need the same support. 

BNZ is exceptionally well placed 

to help,” Ms Mentis said. 

13 

BNZ has won the Canstar Bank of the 

Year: Small Business Award’ seven times 

in the last eight years. (Image from BNZ 

website) 

She highlighted three areas 

where BNZ works to help their 

small business customers 

succeed. 

“Good support, information, 

and advice you can trust is 

critical. Over and above that, we 

know small businesses need to 

connect with each other to learn, 

seek inspiration and create new 

opportunities. BNZ Connect 

speaking events: providing 

businesses with co-working 

spaces and our Community 101 

initiative that gives business 

owners a place to get work done, 

hold meetings, and meet other 

owners, are all part of creating 

an environment for success,” Ms 

Mentis said. 

About the Award 

The Award is based on 

research conducted by Canstar, 

which assesses loan products, 

banking facilities, relationship 

managers, support services, 

business insights, education, 

advice and other services in 

making their decision. 

BNZ has won the Canstar 

‘Bank of the Year: Small 

Business’ seven times in the 

last eight years. 

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14 Businesslink 

Biased media destroys tenets of honest journalism 

And Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern deserves time and credit 

Thakur 

Ranjit Singh 

The curse of Labour 

Party, with adeficient 

and wanting media and 

communication cell had 

plagued it since the leadership of 

Phil Goff, David Cunliffe, David 

Shearer, Andrew Little and it 

seems to have stuck around with 

the Hail Mary goal-scorer, Jacinda 

Ardern. 

While having the blessings 

of (Opposition Leader Simon) 

Bridges digging a hole in the 

travel expense leak fiasco, she is 

nevertheless cursed with some 

right-wing commentators in the 

mainstream media, namely ZB 

News and New Zealand Herald. 

Colouring the Team 

Lest Ibeaccused of hate speech, 

one glaring fact is that the mainstream 

media in New Zealand is 

still very white, and despite some 

plea, even the Labour Party did 

little to colour its media team. 

And what Iamwriting should 

have been written by one of their 

well-connected and well-paid 

Kiwi communications person 

and not this Fiji Indian, writing 

voluntarily for Indian Newslink, 

the leading Indian community 

newspaper, and his blog, Fiji 

Pundit. 

There is nothing wrong with an 

Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern chairing a meeting of 

her Cabinet Ministers (Picture Supplied) 

Anglo Saxon team. 

The only problem is their lack of 

exposure to other better ways of seeing 

things, and missing on diversity and 

alternate views. 

Unbalanced and tainted views 

Most commentators, including Mike 

Hosking, Matthew Hooton and Larry 

Williams, among others, appear to be 

spin doctors of the opposition party, 

tainting the fourth estate with their unbalanced 

and slanted views, which may 

even go to the extent of blaming Ardern 

for avery wet winter. 

They have been harping about her 

lack of business experience and lack 

of decisiveness in party discipline and 

expecting her to be her brother’s keeper. 

While the editorial writer of New 

Zealand Herald could appreciate the 

issue of cabinet discipline, some of its 

columnists and radio commentators 

appear to be very naïve about Cabinet 

responsibilities. 

Rightful expectations 

New Zealand Herald summed it up 

well in its September 1, 2018 issues, 

when it rejected former Labour Party 

President Mike Williams’s 

contention that such lack of 

discipline reflected alack of 

training for those appointed 

ministers. 

The Herald corrected him, by 

stating: “Voters and taxpayers 

have aright to expect that all 

of the people apolitical party 

offers for election -let alone 

those chosen to be ministers 

in government- possess the 

personal qualities needed at 

any level of leadership.” 

The Curran and Whaitiri fuss 

The question that arises is, 

did Clare Curran and Meka 

Whaitiri meet this criteria? 

Do you expect Ardern to 

nanny-sit these two experienced 

persons in management 

in their own rights? Should 

she be held responsible for 

their lack of performance? 

And should she be roasted for 

having aheart for them and 

allowing them natural justice 

that the older generation of 

Prime Ministers, may have 

denied them? 

Why, as with heartless 

military type operations, heads 

need to roll for moments of indiscretion? 

(Read Bill Clinton) 

People need to realise, for 

the first time in New Zealand 

history, we have amillennial 

Prime Minister, aperson of 

the new generation, with 

immense personal charm and 

aura. She can be classed as 

the first Prime Minister with a 

semblance of aheart. 

She has delivered for the 

vulnerable in our community, 

having aheart for poorly paid 

people ignored by previous 

governments. 

Hence you cannot expect her 

to show ruthlessness that you 

expect her to have inherited 

from previous decisive, but 

merciless and cold-blooded 

leaders who gave little room 

for natural justice that she is 

demanding. 

She has a right to carve that 

new culture and the Kiwi middle 

class media commentators 

need to realise that. 

That is where ethnic 

journalists can appreciate the 

Pacific kind of leadership of 

compassion that our leaders 

give to their astray Ministers. 

Charm Offensive 

The fact that she has roped 

in rock star chief executive, 

Christopher Luxon who was 

caught on the wrong side of 

Shane Jones speaks volumes 

for her charm offensive. 

And the fact that she has not 

reigned in Jones makes sense. 

Jones deserves the loose rope 

that Jacinda has given him-he 

is ahero to agreat number of 

people who have been victims 

of big corporate (read Air New 

Zealand, Warehouse, Australian 

Banks, among others) and 

had nobody speaking for them 

until Jones came on the scene. 

The pundits of doomsday 

need to realise that the 

so-called lack of economic 

confidence is not supported by 

economic indicators. 

Great Agenda 

People who seem to taint 

the Fourth Estate need to 

realise New Zealand has a new 

government. It has the agenda 

to correct weaknesses they 

inherited: skills shortage, lack 

of investment in productive 

sector (inflated house price 

is not one of them), under-investment 

in infrastructure, 

low productivity, low-wages, 

environment neglect and little 

care on social welfare with an 

obsession for healthy books 

but extremely unhealthy 

everything else. 

Perhaps it is not too much for 

an ethnic journalist to request 

better understanding from the 

mainstream journalists who 

need some refresher course on 

ethics, morals and balance in 

journalism. Ihope that it is not 

asking too much from media 

which still fails to reflect the 

country’s demographic colour 

in its newsrooms. 

Sadly, political parties also 

mirror such deficiency, including 

the Labour Party. 

Thakur Ranjit Singh is a 

Media Commentator and 

runs his blog, ‘Fiji Pundit.’ 

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16 Businesslink 

Retail Trade leads franchise business in New Zealand 

Khushbu 

Sundarji 

A2017 Survey of 

New Zealand 

franchising, conducted 

by Massey 

University (Auckland) 

and Griffith University 

(Queensland, Australia) 

demonstrated the growing 

popularity of franchising in 

New Zealand. 

Survey results 

Some of the results from 

the Survey were as follows: 

The number of business 

format franchise systems 

operating in New Zealand 

increased to 631, compared 

to 446 in 2012. 

Franchising covers a 

wide range of industry 

categories and sub-sectors. 

Among them are Retail 

Trade, (23%), Other Services 

(20%), Accommodation 

and Food Retail (18%) 

and Administration and 

Support Services (8%). 

The median total start-up 

cost for afranchisee was 

$308,500 for Retail and 

$87,550 for Non-Retail. 

Sales turnover for the 

entire franchising sector 

was estimated at $46.1 

billion. 

Excellent Entry Point 

It is clear from the 

Survey that business 

format franchising is 

growing in New Zealand 

and franchises can be 

an excellent entry point 

into owning businesses, 

especially for first-time 

buyers. However, before 

you sign any agreement, 

you must always conduct 

thorough due diligence 

on both the franchise and 

franchisor and you should 

obtain independent legal 

advice. 

Disclosure Statement 

All franchisors who are 

members of the Franchise 

Association of New Zealand 

(FANZ) must provide 

a disclosure document that 

provides details on the 

franchisor and the financial 

background and how 

much you are expected to 

pay each month. 

If the franchisor is not 

a part of FANZ, it should 

still provide the earnings 

history of the franchise, 

how long it has been 

operating and the number 

of stores. 

We always recommend 

that you talk to other 

current franchisees about 

the franchise. 

The franchisor should 

provide current franchisee 

details for you to contact 

three or more franchisees. 

When you speak to the 

other franchisees, do not 

be afraid to ask about 

the earnings potential as 

advised by the franchisor 

and the robustness of the 

franchisor/franchisee 

relationship. 

Cost Analysis 

The franchisor should 

also provide a breakdown 

of the costs involved in 

entering into the franchise. 

This should include 

training costs and monthly 

payments as well as the 

working capital required. 

Sometimes, the franchisor 

will include indications of 

legal and accounting fees 

but we do not recommend 

relying such figures as 

these fees will be advised 

by your accountant and 

your legal advisor. 

The franchisor will 

usually provide adraft 

franchise agreement for 

you to review. You should 

look at the nature and 

extent of your obligations 

and that of the franchisor, 

your rights to renew or sell 

the franchised business, 

and your territory and 

restraint provisions. 

Engaging an Accountant 

You should also engage 

an accountant to look over 

all the financial statements 

provided by the franchisor. 

Some franchisors require 

that your accountant 

provides acertificate 

confirming you have been 

provided with financial 

advice. 

You should be wary if 

the franchisor is not willing 

to provide any of the above 

information, demands that 

you pay adeposit before 

you see any documents or 

information or promises 

‘big profits’ but is unable to 

provide any further details. 

This is abig ‘red flag’ and 

you should not enter into 

any further negotiations or 

sign any agreement until 

the franchisor provides 

you with details about the 

franchise. It is better to 

invest time and money on 

research, rather than signing 

afranchise agreement 

without doing any due 

diligence. 

The money spent trying 

to resolve the issues will 

far outweigh any money 

you would have spent on 

obtaining initial accounting 

and legal advice. 

Khushbu Sundarji is an 

Associate at the Stewart 

Germann Law Office 

based in Auckland. 

Phone: (09) 3089925; 

khushbu@germann. 

co.nz; website www. 

germann.co.nz 

Legal Disclaimer: The 

above article should be 

considered only a general 

guideline and not as 

specific advice. Indian 

Newslink and its Management, 

Stewart Germann 

Law Office and Khushbu 

Sundarji absolve themselves 

of all obligations 

in this connection. Please 

consult your lawyer and/or 

accountant before taking 

up any business mentioned 

in the above article. 

Pay equity for women far 

away, says business leader 

Aleading business 

woman is warning 

that New Zealand 

will not achieve 

pay equity for another 26 

years. 

Government statistics 

show it has taken New 

Zealand 20 years to drop 

the gender pay gap from 

16% in 1998 to just over 9% 

in 2018. 

GlaxoSmithKline 

Pharmaceuticals General 

Manager Anna Stove said 

at that rate pay equity 

would not be achieved 

until at least 2044. 

Momentum needed 

“We need to pick up the 

momentum...we need to 

look at the introduction of 

gender based targets and, 

potentially, regulation to 

enforce them.” 

Ms Stove said that New 

Zealand was leagues 

behind the United Kingdom 

and Australia when it came 

to fair pay. 

“I think that we are 

behind everyone at the 

moment...although New 

Zealand got the women’s 

vote 125 years ago and we 

led the charge, I think because 

we have not brought 

in any other sort of legislation, 

the momentum has 

Picture for RNZ by Eva Corlett) 

just not really happened. If you 

look at most developed countries 

in Europe and even Australia, they 

are in amuch stronger position.” 

Systemic problem 

Ms Stove said that was most 

likely due to the “systemic and 

complex” problems surrounding 

societal views towards women. 

“So I just think that because we 

still have this gender pay gap and 

because legislation has not been 

bought in and businesses are not 

reporting on this situation, and it 

is just that we are undervaluing 

women in New Zealand,” she said. 

Ms Stove said that in order to 

quickly reduce the gap, more 

women needed to be supported 

into leadership roles by their 

employers. 

She also called on the government 

to introduce legislation 

which would mandate the minimum 

levels of women on boards. 


the above Report and Picture 

under aSpecial Agreement with 

www.rnz.co.nz 

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18 


Communitylink 

Gandhi Nivas opens its third branch in Auckland 

Papakura facility another milestone in reducing family harm 

Venkat Raman 

Ethnic Communities Minister Jenny Salesa with (from left) Senior Sergeant 

Sharon Price, Sucharita Varma, Gandhi Nivas Chairperson Ranjna Patel, 

Rakesh Naidoo and Mark Vela 

Organisations like 

‘Gandhi Nivas’ are important 

contributors 

in reducing family violence 

and family harm and 

make our homes safer, Ethnic 

Communities Minister Jenny 

Salesa has said. 

Inaugurating the third branch 

of Gandhi Nivas in Papakura, 

South Auckland on Friday, 

September 7, 2018, she said that 

her government supports such 

projects that work to bring about 

positive changes in perpetrators 

of family harm. 

Expanding horizon 

“I am happy that ‘Gandhi 

Nivas’ has been successful in being 

a good interventionist to help 

men perpetrating family harm. 

I understand that it was established 

(in December 2014) to be 

of service primarily to the members 

of the Indian community 

but has since grown to cater 

to all other communities including 

Maori and Pacifica. All of us 

must work together to ensure 

that our homes are free of violence,” 

Ms Salesa said. 

Unveiling a plaque to mark 

the opening of ‘Gandhi Nivas 

Papakura,’ she dedicated the 

branch to the memory of Vivek 

Varma, who was a strong supporter 

of the Project since its inception 

and a pillar of strength 

to his wife Sucharita Varma to 

set up ‘Sahaayta Counselling and 

Social Support' on October 15, 

2013. 

Mr Verma passed away 

suddenly on July 3, 2018 in 

Auckland. 

About Sahaayta 

Indian Newslink has been 

working with Ms Varma since 

2012 when she joined the South 

Auckland Family Violence 

Prevention Network, a voluntary 

service based in Papatoetoe. 

The growing incidence of family 

harm among South Asian communities 

and a lack of facilities 

to provide victims and perpetrators 

appropriate guidance and 

service, encouraged her to establish 

‘Sahaayta Counselling and 

Support Service.’ 

A private initiative, formed 

with finances raised through a 

loan by the Varmas, Sahaayta 

provides general counselling 

through its own Counsellors 

who are proficient in eleven 

languages including English, 

Hindi, Urdu, Fiji-Hindi, Punjabi, 

Marathi, Gujarati, Telugu, Tulu, 

Arabic and Dutch. 

About Gandhi Nivas 

Gandhi Nivas is a partnership 

between Serenity Foundation, 

Sucharita Varma and Ranjna Patel with the two plaques 

unveiled by Ethnic Communities Minister Jenny Salesa 

Counties Manukau Police and 

Sahaayta Counselling and 

Social Support. The first home 

was established in Otahuhu in 

December 2014. 

ACC Funding 

ACC provided a funding grant 

of $1.32 million in December 

2016 to enable Gandhi Nivas to 

provide a full wrap-around service 

around the perpetrator, victim 

and family. 

ACC Minister Iain Lees- 

Galloway announced at the 

opening of the second branch 

of Gandhi Nivas in Te Atatu 

Peninsula, West Auckland on 

Friday, August 16, 2018 that ACC 

Aman and Advay, holding the plaque dedicating Gandhi 

Nivas Papakura to their late father Vivek Varma 

(Pictures Supplied) 

would invest a further $1.7 million 

over three years to support 

the expansion of Gandhi Nivas. 

Major Social Problem 

Family Violence is a major social 

problem globally, disempowering 

and paralysing women 

physically, psychologically, sexually 

and economically. 

One in three women face some 

form of violence in their homes; 

every four minutes, Police are 

called to a Family Violence incident 

and Police believe that 12% 

of women actually make the call. 

Gandhi Nivas is a round-theclock, 

round-the-year facility and 

is governed by a board.


Model of the Fortnight 

Communitylink 

19 

The loving Sahni family: Harneet Singh, 

Simar, Sarnai and Parmeet 

Despite technology, photography remains an art 

Parmeet Sahni outlines her journey of life 

Venkat Raman 

Reviewing a painting exhibition 

in our June 2, 2017 

web edition, we had said, 

“One of the easiest tasks 

that a journalist can undertake is to 

review a painting exhibition- just 

publish three pictures of the exhibits 

and you have a 3000-words 

story.” 

And as a footnote, we had said 

that the photographs of the exhibition 

of Eksimar (Simar) Sahni were 

that of Parmeet Sahni. 

The pictures were outstanding 

but that was no surprise, for, we 

had known Ms Parmeet as an ace 

photographer and writer two years 

earlier and as the Runner-Up at a 

local beauty contest. 

It was therefore a pleasure 

to receive an invitation to her 

photography exhibition held on 

September 2, 2018 at the Fickling 

Convention Centre, located in 

Three Kings, Auckland. 

‘Namaste’ says this Nepalese woman Forty winks do no one harm- a Nepalese worker resting May darkness go away for ever 

Glorious Nepal 

The Exhibition, held under the 

theme, ‘The Gathering of Life,’ 

highlighted the Himalayan State of 

Nepal in all its splendour and glory. 

Held to raise funds for the victims 

of floods that ravaged Nepal, 

the Exhibition attracted more than 

200 guests representing a cross-section 

of the communities during its 

three-and-half hours run. Among 

them were Michael Wood, elected 

Member of Parliament from Mt 

Roskill and New Zealand Nepalese 

Association President Shreedhar 

Basnyat. 

There were more than 200 

photographs which brought the 

‘real essence and rich culture of 

Nepal to New Zealand.’ 

Noble Causes 

Said a guest: “Ms Parmeet is a 

passionate and spirited photographer. 

Those who know her will 

be aware that she loves to capture 

emotions and stories in her work. 

She ‘captured Nepal’ during a solo 

trip that she undertook to celebrate 

her birthday earlier this year.” 

Another photography enthusiast 

and admirer said that through the 

lenses of her camera, Ms Parmeet 

bought back a glimpse of a divine 

and mystical Nepal, the eighth 

wonder of the world. 

“The Exhibition aimed to raise 

funds to provide money for 

building a library and books and 

stationery in remote areas of Nepal 

and educate underprivileged 

children. I hope to conduct another 

exhibition soon,” Ms Parmeet said. 

The Art of Observation 

According to her, photography is 

the art of observation. 

Quoting American advertising and 

documentary photographer Elliott 

Erwitt, she said, “It is about finding 

something interesting in an ordinary 

place. I have found it has little to do 

with the things you see and everything 

to do with the way you see.” 

About Parmeet Sahni 

Parmeet Sahni has been a keen 

photographer since long but the 

‘guilt’ of having left behind thousands 

of photographs in her native 

India, when she and her family 

migrated to New Zealand many 

years ago, haunted her. 

“It was sad; photography has 

always been my passion,” she said. 

Encouraged by her husband Harneet 

Singh, she established ‘Soulful 

Memories Photography,’ to pursue 

her interest as a photographer, 

while retaining her daytime job as 

Team Support Administrator at the 

Auckland District Health Board. 

Inspiring people 

An extensive traveller, Ms Parmeet 

has captured many countries 

and cities, which she hopes to 

display as future exhibits to inspire 

people. 

Her Facebook comment is 

descriptive of her attitude in life: 

“It gives me contentment to give 

Prayers never cease in Nepal 

(Pictures supplied by Parmeet Sahni) 

someone memories to treasure. 

Thank you, beautiful people for 

letting me click you.” 

Ms Parmeet is also a good writer, 

an example of which appeared in 

our February 15, 2015 issue. 

She had written about Kawerau, 

‘the youngest town’ of New 

Zealand in North Island. 

“We do not realise that when 

we motivate someone, our soul 

is moved deeply. That was how I 

felt being a part of this generous 

project. I am in love with the 

people of Kawerau; I am in love 

with your simplicity and will do 

my best to contribute as much as 

I can with the help of my fellow 

beings. I loved spending time with 

the children and with each one of 

you to the core of my being. The 

trust has the noble objective of 

serving the community.” 

We hope to carry more works of 

Ms Parmeet in our ensuing issues.


20 Communitylink 

30th SEPTEMBER 

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Shopping 

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You're favourite Desi brands with the best deals, 

in this one of akind shopping festival!


Model of the Fortnight-Surabhi Shukla-Raval 

Peace to the world begins 

with self-contentment 

Women have immense 

potential to become 

leaders in every 

field of activity but 

it is important that they build selfconfidence 

and the ability to manage 

challenges, says Surabhi Shukla-Raval, 

our Model of the Fortnight. 

“I would like every woman to 

be strong and face any situation 

anywhere at any time under any set 

of circumstances,” she said. 

Surabhi is the Founder-Director 

of ‘Be Dazzled Fitness and Beauty,’ 

a company that provides not just 

quality products but acomplete 

programmee for acomplete makeover. 

She is popular for yet another 

reason- she is the wife of Blackcaps 

Test Openerr Jeet Raval. 

Stress Management 

“Beauty iss not just doing your hair 

and makeupp or wearing fancy outfits. 

It is about feeling positive internally 

and externally. ‘Be Dazzled’ focuses on 

reducing stress and promoting inner 

peace through fitness, nutrition and 

beauty. Building your own confidence 

can help you reduce stress and the 

risk of developing mental health 

disorders. Iff you want to spread peace 

in the world, it needs to start from 

inside you first,” she said. 

Armed withw 

aMaster’s degree in 

Psychology, , with qualifications as 

a Certified PersonalP 

Trainer 

Makeup 

artist and 

a Blackbelt 

in Taekwondo, Surabhi is a 

YouTuber and blogger. 

Organic Therapy 

“Be Dazzled offers aline of organic 

soy based candles and lip balms 

which are handmade from natural 

New Zealand ingredients. Candles 

are relaxing and many of us use lip 

balms in our daily lives. This form of 

aromatherapy helps to reduce stress 

and improve your psychological 

wellbeing,” Surabhi said. 

She conducts fitness workouts, 

makeup tutorials, and offers healthy 

recipes through her YouTube channel 

and other social media platforms. 

She hopes to commence Fitness and 

Beauty Workshops next year. 

Her products can be 

purchased from her website 

(www.surabhishukla.com) 

or Instagram (Surabhi. 

shukla15). 

Indubitably, her 

favourite game is 

Cricket, especially 

when the Blackcaps 

play. 

Communitylink 

21 


Celebrate your success with us 

1. Business Excellence in Retail Trade 

2. Business Excellence in Innovation 

3. Business Excellence in Marketing 

4. Business Excellence in Customer Service 

5. Best Employer of Choice 

6. Best Small Business 

7. Best Medium Sized Business 

8. Best Large Business 

9. Business Excellence in Health &Safety (NEW) 

10. Business Excellence in International Trade with India* 

11. Best Accountant of the Year 

12. Best Young Entrepreneur of the Year 

13. Best Businesswoman of the Year 

14. Best Financial Advisor (Mortgage) of the Year 

15. Best Financial Advisor (Insurance) of the Year 

Supreme Business of the Year Award 

(All entries will be entered for this category) 

Gala Black Tie Awards Night with Cocktails and Dinner on 

Monday, November 26, 2018, Sky City Convention Centre, 

Corner Victoria &Federal Streets, Auckland City 

Cocktails and Networking from 5pmto 6.10 pm 

For tickets, priced at $150 plus GST (including cocktails and dinner) 

Contact us on Phone (09) 533 6377 or email: editor@indiannewslink.co.nz


22 Communitylink/Classifiedlink 

Instagram createsanewBrand Ambassador 

And the budding actress 

advocatessocial media 

for success 

Sabina (Sabby) Jey (25) 

is an actress and model whose 

work as an influencer began after 

her Instagram following grew to 

24,000 people. 

Since then, shehas beenworking 

to promote lifestyle,fashion 

and fitnessincollaboration with 

several New Zealand brands. 

Realising the influence that 

she held on social media, Sabby 

began to useInstagramasa 

platform to talk about her own 

lifestyle and fitness and soon, 

people allover the world began to 

followher journey. 

Her steady increase in the 

number of followers on the social 

media gained theattention of 

companiesthat headhunted her 

for modelling and acting opportunities 

in India. 

Making adifference 

Sabbycredits alarge part of her 

success to Instagramwhich she 

believes can makeatremendous 

difference if used correctly. 

In her own life, she has usedit 

to market her skills,strengths and 

opinions. 

“I feel that in this dayand age, 

the younger generation should 

really leverage social media as 

amarketingtoolfor their own 

brand rather than dismissingit 

as adistraction. Each individual 

has his or herown unique skills, 

personality traits and products 

that can contributetothis world. 

Social media is agreat wayto 

find youraudienceonline who 

supportyou everyday in what 

you do,” shesaid. 

Brand Ambassador 

Sabby’sworkwithseveral 

brands as an Ambassadorfor 

clothing items, beauty products 

and services and technology,isa 

great example of how social media 

cangiveone the opportunity 

to collaborate with international 

businesses. 

After receiving aproductfrom 

abusiness, she evaluatesand 

tests the product, recommending 

it onlywhen she believes it will 

be beneficial to herfollowers’ 

lives in some way. 

Sabbybelieves in interacting 

with her followers and actively 

replies to questions whichare 

often about whatshe does, what 

she wears and what products 

she uses. This interaction is what 

attracts brands to approach her 

with collaboration offers. 

Honest Reviews 

“I am genuineand honestwith 

my reviews. It is hard to be authentic 

on social media but I find 

the best version of me is when I 

am being truetomyselfwhich is 

whyIworkclosely with brands 

that sharethe same values as 

me,” she said. 

Sabbystrives to promote 

productsthat will benefitothers’ 

lives. 

As a‘Dark is Beautiful’ Campaign 

Ambassador, Sabbyhas 

become an avid fanofHuawei’s 

P20 phonecamerawhich she 

feels works well for people of 

colour, especially those with a 

darker skin tone. 

Companylaunched 

If all her experience on social 

media has taught her anything, 

sometimes taking aleapoffaith 

is the best thing you can do 

for yourself; which is why, she 

recently launched her own company, 

SabbyJey Social Limited. 

Her companyworks with 

brands to create social media 

strategies that generate more 

sales through their Facebook and 

Instagram marketing. 

The most crucial part is finding 

the correcttarget audience on the 

web. 

With more thanone million 

active users on Facebookevery 

month in New Zealand, Facebook 

and Instagram users are more 

affordable options in comparison 

to other onlinemarketing options. 

Sabbystrives to promote local 

businesses and young talent 

Persons Whereabouts 

Could Miss Sewita Ranioranyoneknowing her whereabouts, please 

contact Karen at Westpac Bank. Phone (09) 3024371. 

Last known address forMiss Rani was 62 Tiverton Road, 

New Windsor, Auckland 0600. 

House Maintenance 

‘Manmarziyaan’ will decide the 

fate of Abhishek Bachchan 

Meanwhile, alook at the disasters of dynasties 

rather that international products 

and has began working with Kiwi 

brands likeJudyGao Couture and 

Caci Beauty. 

Local brand advantage 

She prefers to use local brands 

rather than international ones 

as she endeavours to build a 

community where local talent can 

support each other. 

Manyofher close friends 

and connections are people she 

has met and collaborated with 

through Instagram. 

Professional for RoofPainting, Roof Cleaning, RoofLeaking,Gutter 

Cleaning,Outside Wall Painting/Cleaning. 

Call Peter Jin 021-1292354 of (09)2740353. 

comeback- which sadlyother 

more talented actors do not. 

Immune to digitaldisruption 

The film industry has also 

not been immune to the phenomenon 

of digital disruption. 

Streaming serviceshave given 

Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi and Melissa Lee with the 

organisers 

Mushairaglorifies communitybards 

Venkat Raman 

The literary and phonetic beauty 

of Urdu and Hindi came to the 

fore last fortnight at aMushaira 

and Kavi Sammelan Night in 

Auckland. 

Organised by Ghouse Majeedand 

Syed Mujeeb Hyderabadi of Urdu 

Hindi Cultural Association at Fickling 

Convention CentreinThree Kings, the 

four-hour long programme held on 

September 1, 2018, also brought together 

Indian and Pakistani professionals 

and beginners on aplatformthat 

radiated love and respectnot only for 

the languages but alsofor eachother 

casting to the winds the political differences 

betweenthe two neighbours in 

the Indian Sub-Continent. 

MPs and other dignitaries 

While the two Indian Members of 

ParliamentKanwaljit Singh Bakshi and 

Dr Parmjeet Parmar (National) and 

former MemberofParliament Mahesh 

Bindra(New Zealand First) understood 

the meaning and concept of every 

Mushairaand Ghazal, otherlawmakers 

including Michael Wood, Melissa Lee 

and Deborah Russell lent their presence 

exhibitingtheir solidarity with the 

communities.They acknowledgedthe 

passion that people havefor Urdu and 

Hindi, although not everyone speaks 

them with equal literary mastery. 

Mahesh Bindra with Rashmi Sharma and Suman Kapoor 

(Pictures Supplied) 

Roopa Suchdev,President of the Urdu 

Hindi Cultural Association proved 

yet again her proficiency in the two 

languagesand her skill in oratory.She 

led the event with dignity and honour, 

which was asource of inspiration. 

Getting to the roots 

Mr Hyderabadi, who has been 

organising this annual programme 

with passion, told us: “This event is the 

reminder of our roots and it allows 

our new generation to connect with 

the cultureand literary aspects of the 

enriched languages. This is asmall 

but significantattempt towards the 

preservation of the languages from 

Indian subcontinent.” 

The first Session of Mushairaand 

Kavi Sammelan were hostedby 

Mohammed Ayub Khan and Preeta 

Vyas with Mr Bindraasthe Master. 

Among the participants wereRashmi 

Sharma from India and Hannan Khan, 

Rohit Kumar, Dr Yousuf Quraishi, 

Suman Kapoor, Shiv Bhagirath, Dr 

Yousuf Qureshi Mr Majeed and Mr 

Hyderabadi. 

Sandeep Singh,Arif Zia and Jyoti 

Virk were among the singers. 

Among the highlights of the event 

was the release of ‘Dhanak,’ the 

SeventhAnnual Editionofthe Association’smagazine 

by Mr Bakshi, who is 

also the Patron of the Association. 

Apurv Shukla 

Abhishek Bachchan 

makes acomebackthis 

month afterabreak of 

nearly two years, with 

‘Manmarziyaan,’ alovestory 

set in North India, with Taapsee 

Pannu as his heroine for the first 

time. Director Anurag Kashyap 

seeks to makeacommercial film 

with this musical. 

The much-hyped return of 

Amitabh Bachchan’sson again 

raisesthe oft asked question on 

whether the Indian filmindustry 

is an exclusive club where only 

star children can gain entry. Is 

Bollywood aclosed shop if you 

do not have afamous surname? 

It is natural for aparent to 

ensurethe best possible start 

for their children. Established 

names in the industry feel that 

they can guide their children 

and control certainvariables 

to get them agood start. These 

childrenare raisedinthe industry 

environment and know its 

workings. They haveprivileges 

denied to astruggling actor. 

The Kapoor Family 

The Kapoor family has been 

the mostprominent film family 

of the Hindi film industry. 

Prithviraj Kapoor entered the 

industry in 1929, and to date his 

great grandson Ranbir Kapoor 

continues to entertain audiences. 

This familywhich has given 

four generations of actorsto 

the industryisagood example 

of how a film family can help 

one enter the industry,but not 

guarantee success. 

Not allmembersofthis family 

have become big stars. Also no 

one can denythe charisma and 

acting prowess of aRaj or Shashi 

Kapoor. 

Dharmendraand Sons 

Deolsare another family 

which has given three generations 

of actorstoBollywood 

(SunnyDeol’sson Karanmakes 

his debut soon). Here also Bobby 

has not beenassuccessful as his 

father Dharmendraand brother 

Sunny. On the flip side, he gets 

multiple attemptsatmaking a 

audiences auser friendly platform 

to view excellent content. 

This has also providedaspiring 

actors and technicians aplatform 

to showcase their skills. It is easier 

to get an opportunity in this 

new age,contentheavy medium 

than abig Bollywood release. 

AlsoTelevision todayisavery 

big industry. It is making stars 

out of actors andtechnicians like 

never before, andalso providing 

talented people an outletto 

channelise their creativity. 

Film-making is abusiness. 

Children of established stars can 

get their first film easily,but after 

that, it is on their own merits 

that they progress. Goodwill and 

connections meananinitial soft 

landing forthem- but no one 

will carry on investing in afailed 

product; no matter what the 

lineage.


Entertainmentlink 

Odissi exponent Madhavi Mudgal to perform in Auckland 

On November 3 at Green Bay High School Performing Arts Centre 

Venkat Raman 

One of the foremost dancers 

of the Odissi format will 

perform in Auckland later 

in the year. 

Madhavi Mudgal, known the 

world-over for her impeccable style 

and exquisite footwork, will present 

her dance concert on Saturday, 

November 3, 2018 at the Green 

Bay High School Performing Arts 

Centre, located at 161, Godley Road, 

Greenbay. 

Called’ Arpan,’ (‘Divine Offering’), 

the programme is being brought 

to Australia and New Zealand by 

Dr Ghulla (Sam) Goraya, a famous 

Odissi Dancer based in Melbourne. 

Prior to arriving in New Zealand, 

Madhavi Mudgal will perform in 

Adelaide on October 20 (at The Parks 

Recreation and Sports Centre, 46 

Cowan Street, Angle Park) and in 

Melbourne on October 26 and 27, 

2018 (at Southbank Theatre located 

at The Lawler). 

About Madhavi Mudgal 

A prime disciple of the legendary 

Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra, 

Madhavi Mudgal is credited 

with bringing a greatly refined 

sensibility to her art form. 

She has received repeated acclaim 

in major cities and dance festivals 

throughout the world, including the 

Edinburgh International Festival 

(UK), the Festival of India (USA), the 

Cervantino 

Picture of Madhavi Mudgal from Wikipedia 

Festival (Mexico), Festival de la Mer (Mauritius), Vienna 

Dance Festival (Austria), Festival of Indian Dance (South 

Africa), Festival of Indian Culture (Sao Paulo, Brazil), 

Days of Indian Culture (Hungary), Festival of Indian Arts 

(London), the Avignon and Montpellier Festivals (France), 

Pina Bausch’s Festival (Wuppertal and Berlin Festpiele, 

Germany), Theatre de la Ville (Paris), Lyon Biennale 

(France) and at festivals of dance in Spain, Morocco, Laos, 

Vietnam, Malaysia, Japan and the Indian Subcontinent. 

About Dr Sam Goraya 

A Melbourne based Odissi dancer who has many years 

of performance and production experience, Dr Sam 

Goraya produces powerful performances that invoke the 

latent energy that resides within the human system. 

His works are confined to themes that are spiritually 

uplifting and possibly use consciousness concepts which 

are highly complex in nature and, at times, difficult to 

comprehend. 

He always attempts to present these concepts with care 

and clarity, using Odissi as the medium of expression. 

With four postgraduate (Masters’) degrees and PhD 

in Mathematics and Oceanography, his career is in the 

telecommunication industry. 

About Odissi Dance 

Odishi, also referred as ‘Orissi’ in older literature, is a 

major ancient Indian Classical dance that 

originated in the Hindu temples of Odisha – 

an Eastern Coastal State of India. 

Odissi, in its history, was performed 

predominantly by women, and expressed 

religious stories and spiritual ideas, particularly 

of Vaishnavism (Lord Vishnu as Lord 

Jagannath). 

Odissi performances have also expressed 

ideas of other traditions such as those related 

to Hindu Gods Shiva and Surya, as well as 

Hindu Goddess Shakti and her forms. 

Modern Odissi is performed by children 

and adults, as solo or group performances. 

Theatrical Foundations 

The theoretical foundations of Odissi trace 

to the ancient Sanskrit text ‘Natya Shastra,’ 

its existence in antiquity evidenced by the 

dance poses in the sculptures of Odissi Hindu 

Temples and archaeological sites related to 

Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. 

The Odissi dance tradition declined during 

the Islamic rule era, and was suppressed 

under the British Rule, which was protested 

by Indians, followed by its revival, reconstruction 

and expansion since India gained 

independence on August 15, 1947. 

Genre of Dance Drama 

Odissi is traditionally a dance-drama 

genre of performance art, where the artistes 

and musicians play out a mythical story, a 

spiritual message or devotional poem from 

the Hindu texts, using symbolic costumes, 

body movement, abhinaya (expressions) and 

mudras (gestures and sign language) set in 

ancient Sanskrit literature. 

Odissi is learnt and performed as a composite 

of basic dance motif called ‘Bhangas,’ 

that conform to symmetric body bends, 

stance. 

23 

It involves the feet, midriff and hand and 

head as three sources of perfecting expression 

and audience engagement with geometric 

symmetry and rhythmic musical resonance. 

An Odissi performance repertoire includes 

invocation, Nritta (pure dance), Nritya (expressive 

dance), Natya (dance drama) and Moksha 

(dance climax connoting freedom of the soul 

and spiritual release). 

For more information and tickets for ‘Arpan’ 

in Auckland please contact Arvinder Vasudeva 

on 021-0756194, Shanti Ravi on 021-2946394 or 

Basant Madhur on (021-0357954).


24 Sportslink 

Indian Newslink List of 

Honours is growing 

Ravi Nyayapati 

In just over a fortnight, we 

will celebrate the Fifth 

Annual Indian Newslink 

Sports & Community Awards 

2018 (on Monday, October 8, 2018 

at 6 pm). 

At press time, the nomination 

process was in full swing. 

Readers will be delighted to 

know that the Guest of honour 

will be current Blackcaps Opening 

Batsman Jeet Raval. 

His presence will be inspiring 

for budding Sportspersons and 

Cricketers in particular. 

Perseverance and 

Determination 

Raval is a classic example of 

perseverance and determination. 

His Test selection came at the 

back of several seasons of consistent 

performance, complemented 

by his ‘never-give-up’ attitude to 

make it to the national squad. 

Raval instantly demonstrated 

why he was the rightful choice as 

the perfect Test Opener. 

Focus on the Young 

Our Awards Night is a magnificent 

opportunity to recognise 

and reward achievers from the 

Diaspora involved in Sports and 

Blackcaps Opening Batsman Jeet Raval (Picture Supplied) 

in community service. 

A key focus of the event is to 

recognise young talent, who 

often excel at what they do but 

fall short of gaining recognition. 

Our Awards Night is set to 

change this norm and provide a 

platform to motivate the 

young achievers and bring joy 

to their families, who are a huge 

part of their success. 

Our readers may recall that 

it was the growing importance 

of people of Indian origin in 

various sports that encouraged 

Indian Newslink to launch the 

Indian Sports Awards in 2012. 

These Awards were the first of 

its type in the Indian community 

in New Zealand. 

After a two-year break, 

the Awards are back in a 

revised format, incorporating 

recognition of stalwarts in the 

community. 

Our Sponsors 

Indian Newslink is grateful 

to our Title Sponsors, the 

Rainbow Corner Group of 

Companies and our Category 

Sponsors (Sports Awards) 

Link2 Services, CFR Line Group, 

0800 Rachna Mortgages & 

Insurance, Reliance Ventilation 

Systems Limited, Lotus Foreign 

Exchange, Immigration Advice 

New Zealand Limited and 

Bank of Baroda (New Zealand) 

Limited. 

Our Special thanks are to 

New Zealand Indian Central 

Association (NZICA) for being 

our Support Sponsor of the 

Sports Awards segment. 

Tickets for the Awards 

Night, priced at $50 plus GST 

per person and tables seating 

ten persons per table at $500 

plus GST per table is available. 

Please call 021-836528. 

Awards to honour our sporting 

giants and aspirants 

Bhikhu Bhana 

The time is rapidly approaching 

for the Fifth Annual Indian 

Newslink Sports & Community 

Awards, to be held at Alexandra 

Park, Auckland, on Monday, 

October 8, 2018. 

There has been a change in the 

format this year. 

Along with sports nominees, there 

will also be Awards for some of our 

past elite athletes, and for emerging 

and aspiring youngsters, who in future 

years, may become not only talented 

in their field of sports but also be the 

leaders of our Indian community. 

The talents of our past and present 

sportspersons are outstanding. The 

audience will be proud of their 

achievements. 

Community Awards 

Apart from these high-profile athletes, 

there will be Community Awards 

for our people who have served 

communities in various capacities. 

We are all very grateful for these 

respected people. 

NZICA Partnership 

New Zealand Indian Central 

Association (NZICA) is partnering 

and supporting Indian Newslink in 

providing expertise in the sporting 

domain. 

Sports is an avenue to embrace 

and help many members of family, 

community, the public and the Government 

through this bond of an 

even-playing field. 

It will show to the Indian 

community, the talent, and a need 

for all Indians whether young or 

old, regardless of one’s gender, that 

everyone can participate, and develop 

a very healthy body, plus heathy and 

positive mind. 

The Real Winners 

While many persons will be honoured 

at the Awards Night, the real 

winners will be those attending this 

event to witness the showcase of the 

Indian community achievements. 

This is a new direction of such 

Awards, as in any pioneering venture, 

there will be many learnings and 

avenues on how to improve the 

event. This venture will provide the 

foundation of future for the event to 

become bigger and better. 

The Awards Night will include 

entertainment and dinner. 

Please encourage your friends to 

make up a table and enjoy the evening 

together. 

For tickets, please contact Venkat 

Raman on 021-836528 or Ronny Kumaran 

on (09) 5336377 or 022-1913664. 

Email: venkat@indiannewslink.co.nz 

Bhikhu Bhana is President of 

the New Zealand Indian Central 

Association, the largest and oldest 

Association that represents the 

Indian Diaspora in New Zealand. 

The Association is a Partner of our 

Sports & Community Awards this 

year. 

Our Sponsors 

Supported by 

Fifth Annual Indian Newslink 

Sports & Community Awards 2018 

Gala Dinner 

Guests of Honour: 

Jeet Raval, Blackcaps Opening Batsman 

Manoj Darji, Chief Executive, Auckland Hockey 

An exciting opportunity to recognise and reward our achievers. 

Special Recognition for Emerging Young Sports People. 

Finalists and Winners will be announced at the Fifth Annual Indian Newslink Sports Awards Gala Dinner 

on Monday, October 8, 2018 at Alexandra Park, Greenlane, Auckland. 

Tickets, priced at $50 plus GST per person and 

tables seating 10 persons at $500 plus GST per table are now available. 

Please contact Ronny Kumaran on (09) 5336377 or 022-1913664 

Or Venkat Raman on 021-836528. Email: venkat@indiannewslink.co.nz 

Introducing Arts & Culture Awards from 2019 

Details soon 

Reliance Ventilation 

Systems Ltd. 

Sports Awards Categories: 

Best Senior Division Cricket Player of theYear | Best Under 19 Cricket Player of the Year |Best Vetran Soccer Player of the Year |Best Under 19 Soccer Player of the Year | Best Rugby Union Player of the Year 

Best Rugby League Player of the Year | Best Netball Player of the Year | Best Hockey Player of the Year | Best Golfer of the Year |Best Under 19 Player of the Year-Other Sports 

Best Over 19 Player of the Year-Other Sport | Best Sportsman of theYear | Best Sportswoman of the Year

INL September 15, 2018 Digital Edition

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