Fakalofa lahi atu kia mutolu oti,

I am a New Zealand-born Niuean, alongside my other bloodlines of Tongan, English and Māori.

My grandmother came here with little more than a suitcase, trembling courage and readiness to work hard.

Like thousands of other Pasifika families, she worked hard, saving every dollar to one day own something of our own. That’s the Pasifika way—hard work, family, church on Sunday, and building something that your kids can stand on.

So when I read about Hana Schmidt and the dozens of Pasifika business owners who have been frozen out, threatened with lawyers, and treated like dirt by the very organisation that is paid nearly six million taxpayer dollars a year to help us, my anger rises.

The Pacific Business Trust was supposed to be our trust.

It was set up in 1985 to strengthen Pasifika entrepreneurs affected by Labour economic policies – the exact people my parents’ generation were. Instead, it turned into a closed shop, a little Labour-aligned fiefdom where if you weren’t in the right clique, you got nothing.

Referrals dried up overnight. Invitations to events stopped. Contracts vanished without explanation.

And if you dared speak up, as Hana Schmidt did, you got a cease-and-desist letter from a fancy Wellington lawyer telling you to shut up or be sued.

I am reminded of that other organisation claiming Pasifika status, Mana Moana, which started as a community leadership programme and quickly turned into a poisonous atmosphere of ideological replacement and venomous bullying.

That’s not support.

That’s intimidation.

That’s exactly the opposite of what Pasifika people came to New Zealand for.

Let’s not pretend this happened in a vacuum. Ever since they started the Dawn Raids, the Labour Party has treated the Pacific community like a captured vote bank.

Hand-picked CEOs, board members who knew which party conference to attend, and funding that seemed to flow to the loudest Labour cheerleaders rather than the hardest-working Pasifika businesses. Mary Los’e – the CEO who thought it was fine to keep 25% of a support fund for “administration” while our people were struggling – was appointed during their final year in power.

The old board that ignored complaints and protected its mates? Many were/are Labour adherents.

The culture of secrecy and bullying? Straight out of the Ninth Floor playbook, we suffered through from 2017–2023.

I’m not saying every problem at PBT is Labour’s fault, but the rot set in deep while they were in power and pouring money in with no real accountability. They loved turning up to the photo-ops wearing ie faitaga and lavalava, talking about “our Pasifika whānau”, but when real Pasifika business owners asked for transparency or fairness, they were shown the door.

Hana Schmidt didn’t set out to be a whistle-blower. She just wanted to help grow BluWave Galumoana and help other Pasifika businesses get online. She jumped through every hoop PBT asked, then watched the referrals disappear, and the excuses pile up. When she finally spoke out, the response wasn’t “let’s fix this” – it was “lawyer up and scare her quiet”.

That’s not Pasifika values.

That’s pure Wellington bubble arrogance.

Good on the new Minister, Shane Reti, for stepping in, cleaning house on the board and demanding results instead of press releases.

Good on the new chair, Ulu Aiono, for publicly calling out the waste and insisting every dollar of support money actually reaches Pasifika businesses – even when that meant openly contradicting the CEO.

But the damage is done. Trust has been shattered. Too many of our best and brightest entrepreneurs have been left in the dark, wondering why an organisation with “Pacific” in its name treated them like enemies.

We don’t need more government trusts run by connected insiders. We need the barriers taken away so Pasifika mums and dads, cousins and church friends can start businesses, employ their own people, and build generational wealth the way my parents’ generation dreamed of.

Hana Schmidt, Afele Paea, and Pasifika business owners who have been kicked around by PBT – I stand with you.

You’re the real Pacific Business Trust. Not the Penrose office block living off taxpayer money while threatening its own people.

It’s time to give the power back to the Pasifika entrepreneurs who are actually doing the work. Because if we can’t trust the Trust, then what was it ever for?

As for you, Pacific Business Trust,

I am reminded of the Niuean proverb “Tao e umu ke moho,” which means “Prepare your earth oven and make sure it’s cooked.”

This means when undertaking a task, do a proper job; otherwise, the result will not be desirable.

Your apparent focus, according to your website, is:

…to deliver tailored programmes and services that support entrepreneurs and businesses and provide access to funding, training, mentoring and networking opportunities.”

So, fakamolemole:

Tao e umu ke moho.

Ki a monuina.

Elliot Ewen Pasione Ikilei