South Asian Outlook : An Independent e-Monthly | NRIs in New Zealand Parliament

Two NRIs Elected to New Zealand Parliament

Two persons of Indian origin have made history in New Zealand. For the first time, two Indian New Zealanders, Delhi born Kanwaljit S Bakshi, who migrated to New Zealand in 2001 and Fiji-born Rajen Parsad, became member of New Zealand's Parliament in November 8 elections. Bakshi is from the National party while Parsad is from the Labor party. National has now become the ruling party in New Zealand. Both the new parliamentarians have been members of GOPIO New Zealand.

NRI businessman Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi will be the first Sikh member of the New Zealand parliament out of six Asian members in the election of November 8. He was born in Delhi, India, holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Delhi, had 23 years of business experience and migrated to New Zealand in 2001 for more opportunities. Bakshi has been active in a number of business ventures including property, wholesaling and the fashion industry.

Bakshi is actively involved in the NZ Indian community and is the Deputy Chairman of the India Trade Group Inc. and an Executive Member of the Auckland Indian Association.

He is the Vice Chairman of the Hindu Heritage Centre's (Management Committee) and the Secretary of the Auckland Sikh Society. He was a founder member of Sikh Naujawan Sabha, an organisation which focuses on assisting teenage children to meet their full potential. He has been married to Irvinder Kaur for 19 years and they have two sons.

Former race relations commissioner, Fiji-born, second NRI , Dr Rajen Parsad, 62, was also elected as member of New Zealand's Parliament. He came to New Zealand in 1964 started his work life as a spot welder in a factory in Auckland.

Like many people from Pacific Island nations, Prasad was first drawn to New Zealand on a working holiday as an 18-year-old in the 1960s. He understands first hand the huge adjustment and culture shock faced by immigrants to New Zealand.

`I had to learn everything in minute detail as everything was so different,' he remembers.

He holds a Ph.D from Massey University where he worked as Associate Professor and Director of the Department of Social Policy and Social Work. He maintains close and significant relationships with the leaders of many cultures. He has a distinguished career in New Zealand in both practical and academic social work. He has served on international projects at the UN's regional headquarters in Bangkok, Thailand, and in 1993 on a child welfare project in Croatia.

Dr Prasad has appeared frequently as an expert witness before New Zealand's Family Court. He has been Race Relations Conciliator, a member of the Residence Review Board, and the Chief Families Commissioner. He is not just a firefighter for cross-ethnic flare-ups. The creation of a national vision for race relations is at the forefront of his agenda. He is challenging New Zealanders to decide for themselves what sort of social ethnic relations they want in their society.

Prasad knows what it is like to grow up outside the ethnic mainstream of society. His family trace their cultural roots back to India, although he was born in Suva, Fiji.

He believes the biggest gift from his early home life was learning a `sense of purpose'. He and his 14 brothers and sisters grew up trilingual. `We spoke Fijian out in the streets, English at school and Hindi at home. We joked in Fijian and bantered in Shakespearean verse.' It is hardly surprising that he has the ability to cope in varying cultural situations. He meets people halfway with an easy manner.

Prasad's grandparents were from Uttar Pradesh, India, and became tobacco farmers when they came to Fiji. Prasad's grandfather on his maternal side was a Hindu guru who travelled to Fiji on the indentured labourer ships as a spiritual leader.

Prasad feels comfortable with many religions and believes his early cross-cultural experiences make it easier `to accept difference and live with it'. One of his brothers is a Catholic priest and an uncle is a Hindu priest.

He cites Canada as an example. `They have a very explicit multicultural programme. They have a clear positive vision for their ethnic relations in society and it is enshrined in their constitution. When I talked to a bus driver in Toronto, he could tell me what Canada wants to do in regard to race relations.'

[Source: GOPIO & NRI PRESS]