Former All Black puts support behind deal

Va'aiga Tuigamala. Photo / Paul Estcourt

The man who has been allocated $4 million of taxpayers' money for Pacific economic development, JR Pereira, has gained a powerful public ally - All Black legend Va'aiga Tuigamala.

Mr Tuigamala, who now runs a gym and a funeral business and is secretary of the Pacific Island Chamber of Commerce, says critics should calm down and ask the right questions before they judge Mr Pereira.

"There is a lot of deliberate slandering of certain people, in this case JR Pereira," he said yesterday.

Pacific Economic Development Agency, which is wholly owned by Mr Pereira, was given $1 million a year for four years in last month's Budget for what it says is a project to prepare young Pacific people for trades, liaise with training organisations, build a database of Pacific workers, and mentor workers and their families to upgrade their skills.

Ministers told Parliament later that no money would be paid to the company until a "robust" purchase agreement was in place. The deal is still being negotiated.

Mr Tuigamala said somebody needed to try something different because all previous attempts to lift the economic position of Pacific New Zealanders had failed.

"We are struggling big time. These economic programmes and interventions have not been what is required," he said. "So I think this National Government has decided to do something about it directly."

Labour MPs have questioned the deal partly because of Mr Tuigamala's links with the National Party.

He and fellow ex-All Black Michael Jones endorsed National before the last election and both said yesterday that they had not ruled out standing as National candidates at a future election.

The Pacific Island Chamber of Commerce has worked closely with Mr Pereira on the deal. Its chairman, Cogita software founder Ulu Aiono, said yesterday that the proposal was developed in 2007 by himself, Mr Pereira and a former United Nations economist, Mose Saitala.

"I would say it was 60-70 per cent JR's idea, 20 per cent Mose's idea and 10 per cent mine," Mr Aiono said.

Mr Aiono sought backing for the idea from the Auckland Regional Economic Development Forum, NZ Trade and Enterprise, the Government Urban and Economic Development Office in Auckland (Guedo) and other agencies.

"Everyone was supportive, without exception. It's just that no one had any money," he said.

However, NZ Trade and Enterprise, Guedo and Manukau and Waitakere city councils sponsored a conference organised by the chamber in October 2008 to develop an "Auckland Pacific economic and social transformation agenda".

Mr Aiono, Mr Pereira and Mr Saitala have lobbied ministers and officials since then and were finally rewarded with the Budget allocation.

Mr Jones spoke at a follow-up forum last December on opportunities for Pacific people in the Rugby World Cup.

Meanwhile, a former head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Neil Walter, has been appointed to investigate how a Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs briefing paper about the risks in the deal with Mr Pereira reached Radio NZ journalist Richard Pamatatau.

Mr Walter's report is expected in the next few weeks.