National Environment Service (NES) director Halatoa Fua and three staff members have successfully completed the Postgraduate Certificate in Environmental Management and Sustainability at the University of Newcastle, Australia.

Fua, alongside Benjamin Maxwell, Matthew Rima and Tekura Moeka’a, undertook the programme last year, to enhance their expertise in addressing environmental challenges.

The course covered Sustainability and Ecosystem Health, Biodiversity, Conservation Science, Marine Ecology, Environmental Legislation and Policy, Environmental Management, Impact Assessment and Climate Change Policy.

The completion of these studies aligns with NES’s strategic goal for 2025–2028 to strengthen technical capacity within the organisation.

Their enhanced expertise is expected to contribute significantly to key areas such as compliance, stewardship, policy development and partnerships, bolstering NES’s ability to implement effective environmental management strategies in the Cook Islands.

Reflecting on the journey, Rima, senior environmental compliance officer, said, “I acknowledge our Heavenly Father for His blessings in life, the opportunities that have arisen, and His spiritual guidance. I also extend my heartfelt thanks to my family, friends, and the NES family for their unconditional support.”

Another senior environmental compliance officer, Maxwell, is also overwhelmed with the opportunity to expand his expertise, adding that there were doubts but faith kept him going.

“I sincerely thank our Lord and Father for His unwavering strength and guidance throughout this challenging yet rewarding academic journey. There were moments of doubt and difficulty, but my faith kept me going, and today, I stand proud of this achievement,” he said.

“I am incredibly grateful to the Faculty at UON for welcoming us into this programme and providing the knowledge and support needed to succeed. To my family, especially my loving wife and wonderful children – you have been my rock, my motivation, and the reason I persevered. Your patience, encouragement, and sacrifices have meant the world to me.”

He also acknowledged NES for the unwavering support and assistance.

“And I deeply appreciate everything they have done. This journey has been tough, but with faith, determination, and the right people by my side, I have made it through,” Maxwell added.

Another graduate staff, Moeka’a also shared, “It has been a challenging year both professionally and personally re-learning to go back to university and trying to work on the work-life balance.”

“I am incredibly thankful for the opportunity to study while working and for the Government’s financial support through both NES and the Ministry of Education Scholarship programme.”

Looking ahead, the graduates are eager to pursue further education, with a Master’s programme as the next step.

NES expects this learning milestone to further strengthen its mission of safeguarding the Cook Islands’ natural heritage for future generations while also building local technical capacity.