Cook Islands Prime Minister Henry Puna visited Pacific Homecare as part of the celebrations marking 50 years of the special relationship between his nation and New Zealand, when the Cook Islands became self-governing.
Pacific Homecare CEO Hamish Crooks, who is of Cook Islands descent, said he was proud to have hosted the PM.
“Pacific Homecare is an organisation with Cook Islands roots, having been established in 1988 as the Kuki Airani Aorangi Pakari Trust by the late Mama Matarena George and Mama Pi Elisaia,” he says.
“It was wonderful to have Mama Pi attend along with other members of Auckland’s Cook Islands community.”
Hamish gave the delegation a tour of the organisation and also of the new family medical clinic, OneCare, which Pacific Homecare is partner of.
It was followed with a presentation of the organisation where he spoke of the challenges and opportunities in the growing aged care sector, particularly following the Social Assistance (Portability to Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau) Act in July which allows people in New Zealand to be eligible for NZ Super under the agreement.
“With a growing, ageing population we have to look at the training and resources among private, public, NGO and other sectors at a broader, global level,” says Hamish, who was part of a New Zealand delegation that included New Zealand Prime Minister Hon John Key, which went to the Cook Islands in early August for the Constitution Day celebrations.
“I’m sure there will be lots of Cook Islanders in New Zealand who want to return to the Cooks to retire and the Act makes it more viable. What we need to look at is how we can better resource their health system to manage it, rather than them sending people back to New Zealand for specific health needs.”
Mr Puna attended a number of other engagements in Wellington and Auckland, including a Cook Islands community celebration of the anniversary and a breakfast with members of the New Zealand-Pacific Parliamentary Friendship group.
