Sio Su'a William: Motions — Pacific Islands—Tsunami 
Sio Su'a William: Motions — Pacific Islands—Tsunami 
[Volume:658;Page:6915] 
SU’A WILLIAM SIO (Labour—Mangere) 
: 
 Oute mata’utia fa’atulouna le päia fa’atafafa o le mäota fono faitulafono aoao o Aotearoa nei. Ou te fa’afetai mo lenei avanoa e momoli ai se mätou faamaisega aua le ao pouliuli ua ufitia ai nei Samoa Niuatoputapu ma Tutuila talu mai le fafati o le galulolo i le masina ua te’a. Tulouna le lagia Tiafau o le mäota e afio ai le Ao Mamalu o le Malo o Samoa le afioga i le Tupu Tafaifa le afioga i le Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi. Tulouna le lagia o Maota e fia o Atua ma Tuamasaga. O mäota e afifio ai aiga e fia o Samoa. Tulou tulou tulouna lava. 
I have used the language of my elders to convey my gratitude first and foremost to this House for the privilege of being able to share and support the Government’s motion. I have conveyed in appropriate Samoan language the depth of emotion that I share with members of the New Zealand House of Representatives over the loss of so many lives as a result of the tidal wave scattering its mighty anger on the islands of Samoa Niuatoputapu and Tutuila. I acknowledge that clouds hover over those islands of the Pacific and I recognise in particular the depth of sadness that the leaders of those countries experience. I acknowledge the pain and grief that so many including members of this House must feel at the personal loss of families. 
The last few weeks have been an overwhelming experience of pain anguish sorrow and love. We have all shed tears. We have all felt the pain and sorrow. It did not matter that we may not be related. The people of Aotearoa New Zealand shared in the loss of others our neighbours our friends our aiga our family. It has been immensely difficult for the many both in Samoa and New Zealand who lost family members. 
Many have lost and I wish to add my condolences for all who have lost their lives in the tsunami. By way of paying tribute to all I pay tribute to one who died in the line of duty in Samoa on Tuesday 29 September. Peter Letiu was one of the first to die after an accident as he and his team of firemen rushed to the Aleipata district to provide assistance. His was one of the first bodies found in the aftermath of the tsunami in Samoa. His in fact was the third recorded death. He was a member of Samoa’s fire brigade. On the morning of Tuesday 29 September Peter and four others were in a fire truck heading towards the low-lying villages of Aleipata to alert them of the tsunami. Unfortunately the fire truck tipped over a steep cliff injuring all of them. They were reportedly all injured but they were all alive at that point. Local Samoan media reported that two young local Samoan boys from a nearby village watched over the overturned firefighter truck and its injured passengers. Peter’s boss—Samoa’s fire commissioner Seve Tony Hill—said at his funeral yesterday that Peter died in hospital of his injuries. He was the first firefighter to die in the line of duty in Samoa. As Peter’s coffin was lowered into its final resting place his boss stood guard and saluted his final passage home. 
Peter’s family and friends in Auckland of all nationalities mourn his passing. He was well known to Pacific circles in Auckland in media and in advertising. Peter went to live in Samoa last year to help his mother from the village of Sataoa. His father wife daughter and siblings live in Mangere. His body was brought back to Mangere late last week and on Sunday night friends and family began to gather for his family service and then yesterday for his burial. He will be remembered as a hero who died trying to save his people. Peter leaves a proud legacy for his daughter to follow in. He leaves behind a strong but grieving wife who is leaning heavily on her faith to see her through the years ahead. We as Samoans are proud of his heroism his courage under fire and his putting the lives of others ahead of his own. His dad got up to give a testimony but could not find the words. To sum up the feeling that was felt by his dad he later said: “Ua oge manatu; ua sola mafaufauga.” That is to say: “My mind is blank; my thoughts have gone from me.” He said he loved his son. 
In conclusion I express and pass on to this House the sincere gratitude of the Samoan and Tongan communities to all of New Zealand for the overwhelming support that has come forward. Everyone needs to be thanked—donors businesses schools organisations individuals and families—for the support that has come forward and that has lightened the burdens of many of us who have lost loved ones. So to all of New Zealand I say fa‘afetai fa‘afetai fa‘afetai tele lava. May God bless the Pacific and may the dark clouds that cover these nations—Samoa Niuatoputapu and Tutuila—quickly dissipate. Ia soifua.