Pacific people need strong representation      
       

Party politics should have been put aside in the best interests of Pacific Island people Labour Pacific Affairs spokesperson Luamanuvao Winne Laban says.

“A fono and meeting today to discuss Pacific Island jobs could have been an opportunity for all groups to come together to ensure Pacific voices were heard. Unfortunately the National Party decided not to invite Labour’s Pacific MPs.

“It is particularly disappointing for Labour Pacific MPs not to be invited when Labour Maori MPs had been invited and took part in a government run Maori economic workshop in January this year.

“Labour wants to work constructively and proactively with government in the best interests of Pacific Island people and New Zealand.

“Pacific people are extremely vulnerable during harsh economic times and they need to know their elected representatives are doing everything to help them.”

Winnie Laban said Minister of Pacific Island Affairs Georgina Te Heuheu was not part of the meeting of economic ministers organised by Prime Minister John Key in January to plan the jobs summit that will be held next week and has now missed a valuable opportunity to include people who wanted to contribute.

“We also have no idea whether the Minister has even been invited to take part in next week’s jobs summit or whether she is lobbying her colleagues and ensuring that Pacific Island concerns are being heard at the highest levels of Government.

“We need to ensure that our Pacific representatives in Government are working in the best interests of our people and not simply engaging in talk-fests. New Zealand needs real solutions that will keep Pacific people in jobs during this recession,” Winne Laban said.

ENDS

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