This week the prizes for the twelfth round of the Vaka Pride competition on Rarotonga will be awarded.  More community groups will be rewarded for their initiatives to help keep our little paradise safe and clean. 

Want to learn how your community group can win prizes in the Vaka Pride competition?  Contact a member of your Kumiti Tama Oire (Village Cleaning Committee), or Sieni Tiraa at CI Tourism for more information. 

The latest Vaka Pride competition prize giving was held on the 31st of July at the Punanga Nui Market. Prizes to the total value of $10,000 were given to deserving recipients in the community, doing good work within the three categories of the Vaka Pride competition.

On the 27th of June, the Vaka Pride committee conducted their visitations and inspections around the island. The focus areas for the judging was on agricultural sites and the water stations around the islands.

The Vaka Pride committee visited a number of agricultural sites on the day and scored these sites based on their farming practices, management of crops and the use of traditional forms of planting contributing towards points in the Peu Maori section.

First placing went to Matthew Mokoroa who is a young farmer who implements sustainable methods into his farming practices having been taught traditional forms of planting by his grandfather. Vaka Pride committee member from the Office of the Prime Minister described Mokoroa’s farming practices as “a sustainable supply food chain.” He received $1,500 to go towards the ongoing maintenance of his plantation. Gary Tangiiti followed closely behind in second placing receiving $750. Tangiiti impressed the VP committee with his immaculate plantation and organic methods of planting.

The VP committee also visited 14 water stations around the island with scoring for this focal area on cleanliness of the site, water quality and its maintenance with points going towards the Peu Maori Category. Not all water stations were well received with the Ministry of Internal Affairs representative commenting on the water station at the Aroanui hall, “This needs to be cleaned and well maintained for the safety of the school children.”

Five water stations received outstanding results from the committee and as such have been awarded $500 cash prize for their efforts to keep their respective water stations clean for all to enjoy. The water stations are situated in the following areas:

Enuamanea hall

Ooa Station

Muri meeting House

Rangiura meeting house

Pokoinu meeting house

The Takitumu Vaka Police, Victor Teao and Rarotonga Security Ltd were nominated by members of the committee for prizes in the Tupuranga Tangata category. This category looks at individuals or groups that address social issues in the community. The Vaka Pride committee unanimously decided that all three nominees should be awarded equally as they all similarly contribute to the community to reduce crime, keep our roads safe and offer work for our youth in the community. Therefore, they all received an award to the value of $1,000.

The Akono I te Ao Rangi category awards community groups who continue to keep public areas around the island clean. These results are taken from the monthly clean up reports from the Ministry of Internal Affairs (INTAFF) and the compliance report from the National Environment Service.

Those groups that exceed their cleaning expectations have a higher chance of winning this category. The village of Takuvaine continuously go over and above their cleaning arrangement with INTAFF and as a result have taken out the 1st placing in this category for the fifth time. Their special projects which they continue to clean each month include the Takuvaine stream, valley, public graveyard, Avarua stream and Kaviri stream earning them $1,000 for first placing.

Another consistent village regularly receiving rewards for their cleaning efforts is the village of Avatiu in second placing and receiving $750. Their special projects in the monthly reports have included the Ruatonga burial site, Avatiu stream and the Panama Public area.

Third placing for this category is the village of Ruaau who was awarded $500 for their extra efforts in keeping the black rock area and Inave graveyard clean.

Destination development coordinator, Sieni Tiraa says, “Well done to all the individuals and groups who mostly volunteer their time to give back to the community. We hope that the rewards provided in this round of the competition will go a long way to assist with the good work being done.”

Tiraa concludes by adding that, “the 13th round for the Vaka Pride competition is well underway with judging scheduled to take place in October and focus areas to be confirmed. To nominate a group or individuals who are Mana Tiaki Champions or are actively finding solutions to keep our island safe, please let me or the Vaka Pride committee know.”

For more Vaka Pride information please contact Sieni Tiraa on [email protected] or +682 29435