Premier to review festival

NIUE – Niue’s Premier wants to review the island’s Arts and Cultural Festival next year if he wins his seat in next month’s election. Sir Toke Talagi admitted the festival, which takes place every two years, had deviated from what he originally thought it should be.

One of the week-long festival’s aims was to help connect Niue’s local population of around 1600 people to the nearly 30,000 Niueans living overseas. Hundreds of participants and visitors took part in this year’s festival but there were significantly fewer overseas Niueans attending than in previous years.

Sir Toke said the next time it is held there may be changes.

“We are trying to do too many things in a short period of time when we should split it,” he said. “So don’t be surprised if next year, if I am still the premier, that I split the festival into two parts. One, the performing arts and the other one, the cultural and Taoga Niue aspects of it.”

Niue’s 5th Arts and Cultural festival officially ended in Alofi last night.