The government is introducing a number of changes to the immigration rules concerning health certificates that are likely to make it easier for international students to have their applications processed. The changes, due to become effective in July, would mean international fee-paying students need not provide full medical certificates, unless there are reasons determined by Immigration New Zealand (INZ) either…
Read More
Perpetrators of family violence would have got a clear message from a recent Hamilton Court verdict that they would spend a long time behind bars if charged and convicted for their despicable behaviour. Thirty-year-old Devesh Kumar Sharma received a non-parole prison term of 14 years and six months on proven charges of murdering his wife last year. He set fire…
Read More
An Easter Weekend outing ended in a tragedy for a group of 12 Aucklanders as one of their mates fell into a waterfall and drowned. Efforts to retrieve 28-year-old Ram Prasad Bade were unsuccessful. The accident occurred on Sunday, April 8, 2012 around 1220 pm at the at the Waikino Gorge waterfall, between Paeroa and Wahi. Ram’s close associate Ravi…
Read MoreIn an article titled ‘Downgrading Indian market begs the question’ published in our June 1, 2011 issue, New Zealand Career College (NZCC) Managing Director Feroz Ali had emphasised the importance of India as a profitable and mutually beneficial export education market and had urged the government to refocus its market strategy. That comment was prophetic, since Prime Minister John Key…
Read MoreAbout 5000 Aucklanders marched in protest on March 10, 2012 against the decision of the Ports of Auckland to sack 300 workers and contract out their jobs. At the same time, dockworkers overseas were refusing to touch ships loaded by non-union labour at the Ports of Auckland. The ins and outs of the struggle on the waterfront between the Maritime…
Read MoreThe ‘Better Local Government’ reforms announced by Prime Minister John Key recently are simplistic. The central government is ignoring the key issues that continue to weaken local governments. The issues that could redress the weaknesses identified in their paper are continued disconnection between local governments and their citizens and confusion over the roles of mayors and councillors. Declining voter turnout…
Read More
Community leaders and ordinary Sikhs all over the world have expressed relief over the stay of execution of Balwant Singh Rajoana in India. The High Court of Chandigarh in Punjab had sentenced Rajoana on March 5, 2012 to death by hanging for his involvement in the assassination of State Chief Minister Bean Singh in 1995. The verdict outraged the Sikh…
Read MoreThe Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has commenced Part II of its investigation into NZF Group Limited, NZF Money Limited and their related companies. NZF Money has traded as a finance company and primarily provided commercial and residential loans. The company was placed into receivership on July 22, 2011, owing debenture- holders approximately $16.4 million. SFO and the Financial Markets Authority…
Read MoreJohn William Jackson (62) was sentenced to two years and five months imprisonment in the North Shore District Court on March 29, 2012, after pleading guilty to charges of accessing a computer for dishonest purposes. The charges were brought following an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). Mr Jackson was a director and shareholder of air conditioning company Aire…
Read MoreThe Wellington District Court sentenced a 62-year-old Waikanae man to an additional prison term of six months for failing to pay reparation of $110,000 to the victims of his fraud. The Court had ordered Ian Victor Petersen in March 2001 to pay the amount when he had pleaded guilty to 13 counts of theft by a person required to account,…
Read More