PANUI PAPAHO / MEDIA ADVISORY
9 AUGUST / 2013 HERE-TURI-KOKA

Waipareira And Papua New Guinea – Humble Beginnings

The Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea praised Te Whanau O Waipareira for the work they are doing in the community.

The Honourable Peter O’Neill and a team of his senior ministers visited Waipareira’s Whānau Centre today.

Mr O’Neill said Papua New Guinea people are facing the same issues as Māori families.

“The models and systems the Waipareira Trust have today is a very good example of how we can develop our tribes in order to serve their communities better,” Mr O’Neill said.

“I see we face similar challenges and hopefully we can continue to share and offer support so that we can overcome all these challenges.

“It is about self-belief and reassuring our peoples that they are important and that they do have a role to play in this world, one of which is to uphold their customs and traditions of our own communities so that we leave it for the future generation.”

The two-hour visit was the Prime Minister’s last appointment before flying back to Papua New Guinea.

Waipareira Chief executive officer John Tamihere said it was an honour for Waipareira to host the Prime Minister.

He said Waipareira was committed to helping indigenous people around the world.

“The first step in an on-going partnership was made today for Te Whanau O Waipareira and Papua New Guinea,” Mr Tamihere said.

“We can both learn from each other and have a lot in common.

I’m hoping we can help each other.”

Mr O’Neill, his Foreign Affairs Minister Rimbink Pato, Sport Minister Justin Tkatchenko, Agriculture Minister Tommy Tonscol, Governor, Governor Western Province Ati Wobirom, Member for Sohe Delilah Gore, visited Whānau Centre.

Ends

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