Thank you and farewell to Pacific Advisory Group

The Chief Executive Pacific Advisory Group (CEPAG), set up in 2002 as an initiative of the Department’s first Pacific strategic plan, is coming to an end in its present state.

A ceremony to acknowledge and farewell the seven Pacific community leaders and two youth representatives who have helped build strong working relationships between Corrections and the Pacific community was held on September 2.

The Chief Executive will still have a Pacific advisory group but it will be smaller, comprising only three members representing the three main Pacific Island groups which are over-represented in the criminal justice system; Samoa, Cook Islands and Tonga.

The change has come about because CEPAG has achieved its objective of building Pacific relationships at a national level. Now it’s time for the regions to develop their own local relationships. In addition, Corrections now has a national Pacific adviser and two regional Pacific adviser positions which were not in place when CEPAG was established.

Some of the initiatives CEPAG has had input into are the establishment of the first prison-based Pacific Focus Unit, the development of the Saili Matagi violence prevention programme and the establishment of the national and regional Pacific adviser positions.

The three new advisory members are currently being recruited.