Tuesday, 26 October 2021 Te Iwi o Ngātiwai calls for L3 in Te Tai Tokerau
Te Poari o Ngātiwai Heamana (Chairman) Aperahama Kerepeti-Edwards this long weekend wrote to the Government expressing his deep concern at the lack of action with the delta outbreak in Tai Tokerau.
He stated to Ministers and officials of Crown that Tai Tokerau has large rurally isolated communities, very low vaccination rates and a clear lack of resources to cope should a full delta outbreak set in.
“Why have the Government been quick to abandon the hard and fast rhetoric?” asks Mr Kerepeti-Edwards.
“The Northland cluster is growing and in four days we have gone from two to now seven cases with twenty-seven close contacts. These cases are all rural Māori. We acknowledge the cases are all linked and isolating at home but given the level of risk it is still a huge concern for our people. It has been a long weekend with no real restrictions on travel across the region.”
“Ngātiwai stands united with Ngā Iwi o Te Tai Tokerau calling for the Government to take a highly precautionary approach and move Te Tai Tokerau immediately to Alert Level 3.”
Mr Edwards calls for iwi inclusion in alert level assessment and decision making as is our right as mana i te whenua through He Whakaputanga me Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Aperahama closes “Should any Ngātiwai fall victim to this outbreak via this Northland cluster, ka rongo koutou i te wehi o Ngātiwai!”
ENDS
Contacts: Aperahama Kerepeti-Edwards Heamana (Chairman)
Te Poari O Ngātiwai
Phone: 09 430 0939
E-mail: aperahama.edwards@ngatiwai.iwi.nz
Barry Caldwell, Communications Advisor, Ngātiwai Trust Board
Phone: 021 728 291
Email: barry.caldwell@ngātiwai.iwi.nz