Lion Red or Lion Red on Aitutaki

Aitutaki MP Teina Bishop says he paid $10,000 to get the inter-island cargo ship Te Kou Maru II to divert its trip to Atiu and Nga Pu Toru due to depart today to be able to supply the island with cooking gas and beer.

Yesterday Bishop, owner of TNM Ltd, said he had managed to negotiate and pay for the ship to go to Aitutaki first so that he could get 90 forty- five-kilogramme gas bottles to the island which was short on cooking gas.

He said he also hoped to get a tonne of fish on board as well as some Victoria Bitter beer.

“There’s a choice of Lion Red, Lion Red or Lion Red in Aitutaki right now so I thought I’d get some VB. I think the people will appreciate that,” he said, laughing.

Bishop said, in any case, he was glad he was able to get some more supplies on the ship for Aitutaki which is still in need of basic commodities.