The call of sack of the positions in the Ministry for Pacific Peoples has started to raise questions about the effects on the health and welfare of the Pacific communities in New Zealand. The Public Service Association (PSAS) is the one that advised the winter of its concern and gave the example of subsequent cuts in the services and support systems for Pacific communities.

At first, the Minsitry presented the proposal of disappearing 63 positions, but in the end, the Ministry confirmed of getting rid of 57 jobs as part of public sector budget-cutting action. The resultant figures lower only insignificantly from the original proposal, but the impact is still considerable. Regretfully, in our case, more than half of the positions targeted for the layoff were already vacant, but 21 out of 33 people who are employed are scheduled to be let go by June, 30th.

The secretary of PSA stated that the ministry's staff size will be reduced by 37%, implying a third of the staff will be let go after being made redundant. From his perspective, the Ministry for Pacific Peoples had been assigned a very sensitive task in reaching out to the approximately 400,000 Pasifika people living in New Zealand. He talked about the role ministry in different community projects their housing development, employment opportunities, language preserving ,cultural support and community enterprise development.

Leo voiced anxieties about such cuts as they happen at the time when these communities already face greater difficulties due to lower income and the recession. He stated that the critical thing in such fights is not to cut services but to continue the support.

The spokesman for the Union insisted that the Pacific ministry would go on focusing on the needs of the Pacific communities, as well as maintaining the existing programs. But there is still an aspiration that the ministry will be carrying out in influencing the voices of the Pasifika people and establishing their communities initiatives.

In light of that, the ministry will facilitate the engagement process through the expression of interest approach that will be at full throttle after the new structure comes into effect on the 1st of July.

With talks on the public sector reform still existing it is a matter of importance that the welfare of the vulnerable is always taken into consideration and the provision of social services guaranteed. It is the health of these communities that suffers as a result of such cutbacks, highlighting the need for both wise decision-making and strategic resource allocation to serve properly the disadvantaged members of a population.