The saving grace was government intervening and asking the fishing vessel Viking Spirit to bring fuel from Pago Pago to the island.
Manihiki MP Apii Piho said the vessel dropped off around 20,000 liters of fuel about two weeks ago, giving the power station another two months worth of fuel.
Now Air Rarotonga is planning its last flight to the island next Tuesday, after which its service will be cut off indefinitely. Piho says there is no aviation fuel on the island for more flights until a shipment is sent there.
Piho said he was hoping that Taio Shipping’s new boat will help address the problem of food and fuel shortages in the north.
“We need more fuel up there. We are running out because nothing is going up.”
Piho said the island would have been in darkness without power if the Viking Spirit had not diverted with the fuel.
“We thank government for the assistance on short notice,” he says.
The recent government charter of Taio Shipping’s vessel to Mauke has also thrown off the shipping schedule says Piho.
The last shipment of fuel for the island came when the body of the late Sir Pupuke Robati was returned to Rakahanga in May.
At the time Piho said a ‘miscommunication’ between Taio staff led to the island being short-shipped 4500 liters of fuel.
Members of the public have enquired when the next voyage to the north will be – and there has been no answer.
“It’s a shame there is no regular service up there. The new boat should take the pressure off,” said Piho.
He believes a cargo ship should be taking goods to the islands every six weeks, but for the past few years regular voyages have ceased and shipping to the outer islands has become more irregular.
“I guess we are at the mercy of the operator, but let’s have a consistent service to the outer islands.”
