14 August, 2003
Pacific community leaders met with Corrections staff to celebrate the Department's new Pasefika initiatives in Auckland on Friday, 1 August.
The Chief Executive, Mark Byers, officially launched the Fautua Pasefika initiative for the Auckland Regional Prison and met the seven approved Fautua Pasefika members. The occasion was also an opportunity to announce three other Pacific initiatives from the Department's Pacific Strategy for Auckland. These are the appointment of four Pacific Community Liaison Officers for Auckland and Mt Eden Prisons, the Chief Executive's Pacific Advisory Group (CEPAG), and the Saili Matagi violence prevention programme.
Mr Byers spoke about the Department's commitment to the Pacific community, and the strategic goal of the Department to contribute to a safer community by protecting the public and reducing re-offending.
Lautafi Selafi Purcell, Principal Adviser (Pacific), says the success of the day showed the willingness of the Department and the Pacific community to work together to support the Pasefika initiatives.
"The day was an opportunity for all players in the various Pasefika initiatives to come together to share ideas and gain a better understanding of how to work together to address the needs of the Pacific peoples. There was a genuine enthusiasm between Pacific community representatives and departmental staff to work together," says Lautafi.
The formalities of the launch were concluded with traditional Pacific entertainment, by Samoan and Cook Island youth perfomance groups.
The Fautua Pasefika Policy, an initiative of the Department's Pacific Strategy, enables Pacific community leaders greater and easier access to prisons and Pacific inmates. In addition, these leaders will be able to advocate on behalf of the community to the Department and Minister of Corrections on any issues affecting Pacific inmates.
The Pacific Strategy is the Department's first strategic plan developed for Pacific peoples and shows the Department's commitment to reducing re-offending by Pacific offenders.