SAMOA PROTESTS AGAINST Right Hand Drive Change

Samoa has spoken against the proposed changes made to changing road rules in a 20,000 strong protest march this week. What will the Samoan government do. I recall watching an hilarious debate last year between PM Tuilaepa and Toleafoa Toailoa about the pros and cons of changing to the right hand side of the road.
I remember Toailoa back in my university days - he was the only Samoan married student on campus, a diligent student and a talented musician, and then I discovered he was also known as Romero. How time moves on ..., now he's at the forefront of the anti- RHD protests.
Which ever way the government wind blows on this issue - it cannot ignore the 20,000 voices that marched this week in Samoa. For my opinion - I would say leave things as they are. What is there to be gained from changing the road rules but more expense to the general population in Samoa. Anyway the US dollar will continue to fall so Samoa will still benefit in the long run.

CONDOLENCES - ELIM CHRISTIAN COLLEGE

Six students and one teacher died yesterday while on a school outdoors trip in Tongariro. What a tragedy to wake up to news like that this morning? Some young people of the Manurewa Assembly of God church I attend are students of that school. So it was with a lot of faith and hope that I waited not to hear their names released over the airwaves and thankfully so as well.

Death is not an easy thing to accept. But I take heart from the strong faith and hope of the Elim College community in God which makes the possibility of despair in a situation like this redundant. School staff, the Principal and their supporters have provided sensible support to their community in allowing them to grieve openly on the school grounds. Mayor Len Brown was on hand for most of the day at the school providing support to the school community and has even offered the Telstra Pacific Events Centre free of charge should it become necessary for a bigger venue. Praise the Lord for Mayor Len Brown. My prayers go out to all of the Elim College staff and students and family members of those who are now in the presence of the Lord.

John 14:18 No, I will not abandon you or leave you as orphans in the storm-I will come to you.

BOB THE BUILDER - CLARKSON yells "Pay The Bill'

As I read the NZ Herald this morning, I developed a distaste for Bob Clarkson who was reported to have kept yelling 'pay the bill' while Luamanuvao Winnie Laban delivered a speech yesterday on the importance of new legislation to prevent another Muliaga incident from occurring again. He did apologise for his outbursts, but it has clearly left a sour taste in my mouth toward that MP and it has not sweetened through out the day. I have similar emotions toward James Coleman on TV3 Sunrise - I don't watch Sunrise because of Coleman's heartless response about the cause of Mrs Muliaga's death last year. If I mistakenly switch the channel to TV3 and catch Coleman, I am reminded of his cold talk back sessions about a poor defenceless corpse Mrs Muliaga and her children who were tormented by her death and the loss of their mother.
For me- both occasions were more than attempts at taking an anti-pacific stance, it was an anti-humane position. What hope is there for minority groups with personalities like that at the fore front of our society. They need to be shut down. The Dawn Raids against Pacific peoples ended in the 1970s. This is the age of Pasifika enlightenment. Auckland celebrates Pasifika month in March. So get with it Clarkson or get lost. And TV3 how about a male presenter like Paul Henry or even a Pacific one - one who believes in the sacredness of life.

MANGERE - NATIONAL CANDIDATE

So the lovely Mita Harris has been selected for Mangere. While I am glad he has won favour again for his loyalty to the party, why on earth allow him to suffer a candidate suicidal experience there. Mangere is a Pacific peoples stomping ground - for second and third generation grandchildren of the original Pacific settlers. Since David Lange a candidate who does not have Pacific heritage has no hope of success in a campaign there. I did hear that Enosa Auva'a threw his oar into the blend for Mangere and he would have been more appropriate. There will be no battle for Mangere at election time. Right now it is securely in the hands of Labour's Su'a William Sio who has demonstrated at a local level that he is more than capable of handling the bigger tasks. Recently I listened to him asking Luamanuvao Winnie Laban a few of those contrived questions that party members ask each other when the answer is always a given "yes we did well". There is no doubt that in time Su'a will surpass Luamanuvao in party rankings who I think lacks that ground breaking presence and punch that we all hope our Pacific candidates will have at the national level.
Back to Mita Harris - I hope National has signed up a large loyal group of Pacific party members to support this young man in his campaign because clearly he will need it. Campaigning life in foreign territory can be very lonely and expensive.

Free Trade Agreement - PACIFIC IMPACT

The New Zealand signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with China has many positive spinoffs for exporters and others doing business with China. At its most basic level it means that I will pay less for products (hopefully other than the $2 shop) where tariffs have been lifted. While the battle rages over China's hold over Tibet and much media attention is being diverted toward high anxiety levels being expressed over the Olympic torch travels through Europe to the Beijing Olympics, there is another issue closer to home that has got me thinking.

How do the Pacific Island nation states feel about the FTA? The Pacific Islands have been slowly developing closer ties with China and other Asian nations and were poised to use it as a tactical ploy whenever any Pacific Island nation was dis-satisfied with their treatment from NZ and Australia. The FTA now sends out messages to the Pacific region that NZ's special relationship with China also means NZ may also have a heavier hand in Pacific affairs because it has a strong economic ally in China. It will be interesting to watch our astute Pacific neighbours respond to this new historic FTA relationship between NZ and China. Conversely should China now decide to take an abhorrent stance on a sensitive issue that may cause global concern - what will NZ do? - revoke the FTA under global pressure!! we don't know - these are all difficult scenarios that are open to imagination when dealing with a country that is silent on many issues.
Prime Minister Helen Clark has much to be proud of and NZ has much to gain from it.

CONGRATULATIONS Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga

I had just finished writing up my last blog piece when I discovered that Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga had won the National nomination for Maungakiekie. I don't need to say much more at this point other than, I believe he will secure the Maungakiekie seat in the 2008 election. Congratulations Peseta - well done. Another Pacific candidate takes the stage - great news.

THINKING ALOUD - GOOD LUCK TO ALL PACIFIC POLITICAL CANDIDATES 2008

While I make no secret that I lean more to the right politically for all sorts of christian reasons, I also like to support Pacific candidates from all sides of the spectrum simply because we share a common point of origin - the Pacific. My prediction this year is that Sua William Sio will win the Mangere electorate. Labour have moved smartly and quickly to cement it's position in Mangere with Sua being sworn in as MP this week, that sends a loud and clear message that it means to secure the Mangere seat without any real battle. Had that not occurred then Taito might have won that seat hand downs. The only difficulty here is that there may still be strong local Mangere Pacific views that Sua is not a Mangere 'boy' but rather an Otara homie bred.
The Destiny - Family Party contender Mr Filipaina has been out in the Mangere stomping ground for some months now gathering support for himself and his work has not gone un-noticed. There is however one other Pacific contender who may have been able to gouge Mangere from Labour and that would have been Peseta Sam Lotu Iiga. Winning the Maungakiekie local body elections I'iga has shown that he has the determination and dedication to truly win a community over. Another possible Pacific contender from the right is Enosa Auva'a, school principal and a previous National candidate for the Manurewa electorate. Should Auva'a stand this year, he at least has the experience and support of the Pacific community to promote our issues loudly and clearly.
No matter which side of the political spectrum any of these Pacific candidates might stand, they are nonetheless worthy Pacific candidates. I wish them all well should any or all of them stand in an electorate for this 2008 election year.

CONGRATULATIONS - SUA WILLIAM SIO

Wonderful news for the Pacific community now that another Pacific person Sua William Sio has been sworn in as MP for the Labour Party. The Tagata Pasifika community has gained another channel to promote their issues at a national level. Well done Sua. Like the Hon Tau Henare, this new Labour MP is no ordinary MP, he also - is a brother from the back blocks of Otara.