Pacifica board launch for Wairarapa

Masterton detective Mana Faraimo, who is heading the establishment of a Pacific Advisory Board for Wairarapa.

Police were pleased with the turnout at a meeting held to get a Pacific Advisory Board up and running in Wairarapa.

Masterton detective Mana Faraimo, who has been tasked with setting up the board, said more than 30 people attended the meeting held at The Lighthouse Church, in Masterton on Sunday.

Masterton mayor Lyn Patterson and former mayor Bob Francis were also in attendance.

Mr Faraimo said there was an overwhelming consensus of the Pacific Island community wanting to take things into their own hands.

"They are quite happy to take command of it and drive it themselves. Certainly we want to be a part of that and we want to invite the District Health Board and other social services into the board as well."

The board aims to open discussions with Pacific Islanders, and other minority ethnic groups, in the community and create a safer Wairarapa.

Mr Faramino said Pacific Islanders make up about 3 per cent of the New Zealand population but are highly represented in crime statistics and hopes the board will help drive down offending.

"There is a real concern among the Pacific Island leaders," he said.

As well as Pacific Islanders the meeting had a good representation of South Africans and Mr Faramino hoped Filipinos and Indians in the community would be able to attend the next meeting.

He said the board would like to include youth as well. "We don't want to form an advisory board and not have any representation of the youth, we want young people to be involved. Traditionally they have just not been consulted and it's particularly so in Pacific Island communities, they are seen and not heard."

Once established the board will meet quarterly with members of the Wairarapa Pacific community and other minority ethnic groups, such as Asians, Melanesians, Filipinos and Indians to discuss police and non-police issues they face in the community. The next meeting will be held at Lakeview School on December 1, at 6pm.