PACIFIC ISLAND ADVISORY COMMITTEE (PIAC)

Press release

24 April 2007

PIAC Elects New Chairperson

The Pacific Island Advisory Committee (PIAC) has elected Tongan community representative Dr ‘Etuate Saafi to be its Chairperson for the next 12 months.

The Cook Islands community representative Mrs Tupou Manapori, who previously held the position, was elected to be Deputy Chair. The final result was decided by a toss of a coin after the committee votes were evenly split between the two candidates.

Born in Tonga, Dr Saafi was raised and educated in Wellington, Palmerston North and Auckland. He holds a BSc, MSc (Hons) and a PHD from Auckland University. He is a Biomedical Research Scientist who has specialised in Type 2 diabetes research. Dr Saafi also represents PIAC on the Counties Manukau District Health Board’s Pacific Health Advisory Committee.

PIAC was established in 1991 to serve as a ‘forum’ for Manukau’s Pacific communities to raise key issues with the Manukau City Council that impacted on the everyday lives of Pacific peoples. The committee has 15 members and is elected every three years by the ethnic Pacific communities that they represent. They include the Cook Islands, Tonga, Niue, Samoa, Tokelau and Fiji as well as representation for small Pacific island nations.

Manukau has approximately 330,000 residents of which 86,000 are from the Pacific (Statistics New Zealand 2006 Census). Last year, the council adopted the Pacific Peoples Policy and Action Plan which is aligned to ‘Tomorrow’s Manukau – Manukau Apopo’, the council’s long term vision for the city.

“The policy not only acknowledges the positive contributions made by Pacific peoples towards the city’s development, it also provides a framework for Pacific peoples to voice their aspirations, needs and priorities,” said Dr Saafi.

In accepting the position, Dr Saafi said, “I am firmly committed to building on the previous good work by Mrs Manapori and committee members to ensure that PIAC continues to work closely with the council, Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs, and community-based organisations that provide health and social services for our Pacific communities in Manukau.”

ENDS

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