PRESS RELEASE - “Realisation of Hopes and Dreams – A refugee’s Journey”
Patron Gregory Fortuin Recruit Wing 302 Graduation Thursday 2 February 2017
National Director of The Salvation Army Education and Employment and former Race Relations Conciliator and Patron of
Royal NZ Police College Recruit Wing 302 delivered a passionate address at the graduation ceremony yesterday.
Fortuin highlighted the Journey of Constable Alexander McKenzie from the harsh realities of a Romanian orphanage to
graduating in the top 4 of the wing. He said “nothing epitomises the realisation of Hopes and Dreams more than the story
of 4th in Wing Alexander. The story of a Hungarian Jewish grandmother who escaped the Holocaust with fraudulent papers
and the slums of Budapest because New Zealand opened its homes and its hearts to refugees – and the story of a
grandmother’s daughter who in turn opened her heart to a baby boy left in an Romanian orphanage by a teenage mum.
Constable Alexander, you proudly stand here today in my home town of Porirua because in this great country of Aoteroa
anything is possible. Here in P’town we are all equal”
Constable Alexander’s mum was in tears as she hugged both Fortuin and her son saying “how proud her mother would have
been to witness this dream”.
Fortuin was lauded by Commissioner Mike Bush as well as Deputy Commissioner Viv Rickard for setting a new standard as a
patron. Fortuin spent time with each one of the 40 recruits over the past 18 weeks and promised to continue the
mentoring and guidance saying “I will always be your patron”
Whilst praising the police for their world class community engagement, Fortuin warned against “turning a blind eye to
discrimination and harassment”. “Don’t whinge about the trivial stuff but make sure you stand up to the bullies and
don’t tolerate the abuse the young females had to endure from disgraced Military predator corporal Kennett. It should
never have been up to a 17 year old lass to blow the whistle. I say to the whole of the police force today as much as I
admire you, that respect is not unconditional or blind. If you ignore abuse or if you turn a blind eye and call it
“custom” – then you are endorsing, you are acquiescing – you are just as guilty. To Wing 302 I say, if you have followed
the command structures and they still turn a blind eye – don’t hesitate to call me, I will always be your patron”
Gregory Fortuin
Gregory Fortuin Recruit Wing 302 Patron
22 The Anchorage, Whitby, Porirua, New Zealand