Opeti – Māngere
“I’d say I would like to develop my education and communications and I like to help the people and tell them what they’re going to do to upgrade everything.
I am originally from Tonga. I am a Tongan citizen and I came here in 2005. The reason why I came here was because my daughter in law had a fatal accident in 2005 and she passed away at the scene of the accident so that’s why I came here to look after my 5 grand kids and now they are older now and only 2 still in high school, but now they can carry on by themselves and right now I think to go back to Tonga.
I am a former police officer in Tonga – a detective officer, as a field operation expert. So I have to give evidence at crime scenes in Tonga so I help to trace the criminal over there mostly to do with house breaking and do the bad things in the country. I still love the Tongan police department and I appreciate all of their safety and caring for the people the over here. It’s a very, very, very hard job to look after the people and their property and everything.
Family is most important because that’s the root of the country – is starting from home. What we learn in home we will be doing in the public and everything can carry on from there. We can carry on to other higher institution, but your background will be firmly from home.
This is my favourite city. I went overseas many, many times to America to Australia, but New Zealand is my best. I mean second best home to Tonga, and mostly Auckland is my, my best city here in New Zealand and I spend most of my time in Auckland. I like the South, but I just like Auckland the best.
All the people help our grandkids. Not only that but they are grown in different environment right now because they’re grown in video games and computers. Their knowledge of technologies is advanced but we must build the character to love each other and help each other and enjoy life. Life – it must be very, very important for them to enjoy and live happy, not sad – just facing challenges, but they manage to carry on if they are who they are.
I am the one who just makes them cool down. If you cool down there is no violence – you can cool down. If you’re angry you don’t know what to do it’s a great more difficulty for the situation. You must be cool down and think twice and then carry on, but the police officer theory used to be to keep peace not create violence to other people. Like arresting – arresting is most important to the police officer they just arrest, used to, with normal force and not excess. The new police officer do not know, they just rough around and that’s how damage happens – if they cool down slowly then nothing happen. And the people are safe and not injured.
I am thankful to God because I know everything I’ve developed until now is from him who gives me understanding in every place and so I live by that standard because I know Christ is the sender of my life. He is the one who give me advice and not only that, but the Holy Spirit leads me the way up until now.”
