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Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga is encouraging New Zealanders to celebrate and participate in this week’s Fijian Language Week.

The theme this year is Noqu Vosa, Noqu iYau Telei: My Language, My Treasure. The theme highlights the importance of the link between language and heritage.

“This week is about celebrating and showcasing Fijian culture, language and the local Fijian community,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today encourages New Zealanders to celebrate and participate in Tuvalu Language Week. 

Tuvalu Language Week runs from 29 September to 5 October. The theme this year is Tuvalu ko tou lagaifakalaga ke mau mai aulua foe: Your language keeps your culture and identity afloat, continue to work together.

“This week is about showcasing Tuvalu culture, pride and the Tuvalu language in New Zealand.” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga is welcoming the official announcement of the All Blacks vs Samoa game in Apia next July 8 and says the local Samoan community are already preparing to attend en masse.

“It is an honour for Samoa, but also an event not to be missed for the local Samoan community who make New Zealand their home.  No doubt there will be a lot of mixed emotions about who to support and the atmosphere will be incredible,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today launched Tongan Language Week at the Tongan Methodist Church in Otahuhu, Auckland.

Tongan Language Week runs from 1-7 September and the theme this year is ‘Ko e kai ia ‘a e Tonga: Enriching Aotearoa with Tongan Wisdom.

“This week is about showcasing Tongan culture, pride and most importantly the Tongan language in New Zealand” Mr Lotu-Iiga said

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Lotu-Iiga today attended a national commemoration at the Cenotaph in the Auckland Domain to mark the centenary of New Zealand’s occupation of Samoa.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

Minister of Pacific Island Affairs Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga hosted a function this evening in Parliament’s Grand Hall to celebrate the partnership between the Pasifika Medical Association (PMA) and Pasifika Futures.

In March this year, Pasifika Futures was appointed as the new Whānau Ora commissioning agency for Pacific communities in New Zealand. 

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

The latest employment statistics show that Pacific people are benefiting from a strengthening economy with the number of Pacific people now employed at 111,400, compared with 93,400 in June 2013.

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says as Pacific unemployment decreases, it means thousands more Pacific people are in jobs earning a living, and able to support themselves, their families and their communities.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

New Zealanders around the country will this week celebrate Cook Islands Language Week from 4-10 August.

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga launched celebrations today at Nor Western Cook Island Early Childhood Centre in Ranui, Auckland.

“It was an atmosphere of pride today in Ranui with many from the local community coming out to share in the Cook Islands language.  It was also significant to have Cook Islands Consul General Rosie Blake and our first Member of Parliament of Cook Islands descent Alfred Ngaro to join the celebrations.”

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga today announced the appointment of Mr Uluomato’otua Aiono as a member of the Pacific Business Trust Board.

The Pacific Business Trust is a charitable trust, established in 1985 and incorporated under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957. It works to develop a strong economic base for Pacific peoples in New Zealand by providing opportunities through business ownership and participation.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

Domestic Pacific workers can be as successful as overseas Pacific workers in the horticulture and viticulture industries says Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga.
 

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has today announced the reappointment of Mrs Poalaga Selma Scott as Chairperson of the Board of the Pacific Business Trust.

Mrs Scott is a barrister and solicitor in her own law practice and has been a member of the board since April 2007. She was the interim Chairperson from July 2013.

“Selma’s legal background and long term membership of the board offer the benefit of continuity and stability to the board and its work with Pacific businesses,” Mr Lotu-Iiga says.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga welcomes the addition of 9 Pacific recipients in the 2014 Queens Birthday Honours list.

“This is the highest number of Pacific people honoured in any single honours list.”

The Queen’s Birthday Honours lists are published to recognise the achievements and service of people across New Zealand.

Included in the 2014 list are the following people of Pacific heritage:

MNZM

Ms Barbara Ala’alatoa – for services to education

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga is on the road seeking the input of Pacific communities to help promote the success of Pacific people in New Zealand.

His nationwide tour includes Counties Manukau, West Auckland, Wellington Central, Porirua, Christchurch, Dunedin and Invercargill.   He also recently visited with Pacific communities in Hamilton, Levin, North Shore and the Hutt Valley.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

An independent report released this week has Pacific people making real progress against national trends, says Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga.

This is Home:  An Update on the state of Pasifika people in New Zealand was produced by The Salvation Army and focuses on five areas: children and youth, crime and punishment, work and incomes, social hazards, and housing.

“The evidence is clear: our Pacific children are highly engaged in education and our communities are doing better,” says Mr Lotu-Iiga.  

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

Another step to improving housing affordability was made today with the second reading of the Local Government Amendment Bill, says Associate Local Government Minister, Peseta Sam Lotu-liga. 

“A key part of this Bill is a restriction on the charges developers pay to councils when new housing is built. These fees are one of the things that determine how much a new house costs. Ensuring they are under control is yet another way this Government is improving the affordability of housing for new home-buyers,” the Associate Minister says.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs
  • Local Government

Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has welcomed the start of Samoan Language Week and says the celebrations hold special significance for the Samoan community.

Mr Lotu-Iiga, a Samoan, officially launched the week-long celebrations at the Pacific Island Presbyterian Congregational Church in Cannons Creek, Wellington.

“I spoke to the 300-strong congregation about how our Samoan culture, values, genealogy and history influence us and how we can continue to learn and be inspired by our Samoan identity.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

Budget 2014 delivers real benefits for our Pacific communities, says Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga.

“The Budget focuses on the wellbeing of our families and children, and family is at the heart of Pacific culture.

“In addition, the growing economy is providing more opportunities for Pacific people – including more jobs and higher incomes. It’s important that we continue to build on the success of the Government’s economic programme over the next few years.”

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs
  • Budget 2014

Wellington’s small but vibrant Tongan community is to be commended for its continuing efforts to help friends and relatives in cyclone-ravaged Tonga, Minister of Pacific Island Affairs Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga says.

Mr Lotu-Iiga was the guest of honour at a fundraising dinner held last night at the James Cook hotel by the Wellington Tongan Leaders Council. The council filled and sent a container of supplies shortly after Cyclone Ian hit Ha’apai in January this year.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

The annual Polynesian Festival “Polyfest” event put on another vibrant display of fun and festivity today, attracting tens of thousands of spectators over the course of the festival.

Among them were Prime Minister John Key and Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga.

Prime Minister John Key spoke on the Tongan stage and was extremely well received.

The annual event is now the largest festival of its kind in the world and is in its 39th year.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

Consumer Affairs Minister Craig Foss and Pacific Island Affairs Minister, Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga welcomed the launch of the 2014 Talanoa campaign. Talanoa encourages Pacific communities to ask for help and seek redress when they have problems with loans.

“One of the main aims of the campaign is to help Pacific communities to be more proactive when lodging complaints if things go wrong when borrowing money,” says Mr Foss.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Craig Foss
  • Pacific Island Affairs
  • Consumer Affairs

Minister of Pacific Island Affairs, Peseta Sam Lotu-liga, spoke to a group of Pacific prisoners and their families today at the launch of a violence prevention programme at Spring Hill Correction facility.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs

A leading health organisation devoted to improving the health of Pasifika peoples has been selected to establish a Whanau Ora Commissioning Agency, that will be known as Pasifika Futures announced Minister for Whanau Ora Tariana Turia and Minister for Pacific Island Affairs Peseta Sam Lotu-liga today.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Tariana Turia
  • Pacific Island Affairs
  • Whānau Ora

Land Information Minister Maurice Williamson and Pacific Island Affairs Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga have welcomed the completion of electronic navigational charts for the south-west Pacific.

The development of these charts by Land Information New Zealand for Niue Tonga, Samoa, Cook Islands and Tokelau is part of an initiative funded by the New Zealand Aid Programme to improve maritime safety in the region.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Maurice Williamson
  • Pacific Island Affairs
  • Land Information

Leading Pacific health experts gathered last night at the Growing Pacific Solutions (GPS 2.0) conference to discuss ways to work better together and improve the overall health and wellbeing of Pacific people.

Pacific Island Affairs Minister, Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga, spoke at the opening dinner and said that innovative solutions were needed to improve the standard of Pacific peoples’ health.

  • Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
  • Pacific Island Affairs