Plan to kickstart economy
on a smaller set of ‘‘relatively asset-rich, though not necessarily cash-rich’’ ratepayers, and challenges to fund infrastructure improvements.
Horizons strategy and regulation group manager Nic Peet said he did not want to paint a picture that the region was not a good place to work or live in.
‘‘The report is what it is from MBIE and it points out some of the challenges we’ve got ahead of us.
‘‘The trends this region are struggling with are not necessarily unique to this region; they’re are happening across a lot of New Zealand, particularly rural New Zealand.’’
Peet said the region still had a lot of activity going on and there was stong leadership from councils, which recognised that economic growth was ‘‘critical for the region’s future’’.
The report identified that there was ‘‘opportunity to do better’’.
‘‘The growth study highlighted that there is an awful lot of potential in the region and it’s how do we best harness that.’’
Peet said the implementaion governance group would look into how to ‘‘unlock those opportunities’’.
Palmerston North City mayor Grant Smith, who is part of the implementaion governance group, said they had met and were getting their plan in order.
‘‘We know exactly where we are; where we need to go is the big question.
‘‘The region has got massive potential if we can unlock some of the projects.’’ A Mexican wave has broken over Palmerston North and residents are quickly getting hooked on its Latino flavours.
Food trailer Dos Locos Taco, often seen in The Square, has been open for about two months and has its regulars with their favourite dishes.
Selling burritos, quesadillas, tacos and nachos, a Colombian couple claim to have noticed a gap in the market and decided to fill it.
Dos Locos Taco translates as two crazy guys, referring to Oscar Londono and wife Yoana Beltran.
Lawyer Michelle Woods said she would normally have had to visit the Americas for such quality Mexican fare.
Having visited the car one day for lunch, she returned the next day and have the exact same thing.
‘‘It’s been a short experience,[but] very good.’’
Indulging in the pork burrito, Woods said the cart’s location was a bonus because of its proximity to her work.
With a selection of hot sauces and chilli peppers, Londono and Beltran welcome any spice-lover’s challenge. With their peppers grown in Feilding, Londono said they aimed to always have the freshest possible ingredients.
They base themselves in the trailer, so they can go where the customers are, attending plenty of events around the region.
‘‘We need the Mexican food, because Palmerston North doesn’t have many options.’’
Beltran said two young men fell foul to their Trinidad scorpionmoruga chilli pepper, the second hottest on earth.
‘‘I saw the two guys, they were crying.’’
But others really enjoyed the heat, including one woman who regularly orders the extra spice for her regular lunch-time tacos.
They even have milk on the ready, in the fridge, for safe measure for those who find their food too spicy.
Because they are from Colombia, Beltran said they plan on expanding the menu to include their indigenous food in the future, once they are able to source the ingredients.