The Omoka and Tetautua schools on the northern group island of Penrhyn/Tongareva held a special formal assembly to welcome and acknowledge their Member of Parliament, Sarakura Tapaitau.

The event was held last week at Omoka School in the main village which lies on the western side of the island.

It was also attended by the school committee members, parents and families, religious leaders, the Island Government and the council members.

Apii Napa, principal of both schools, said: “We also recognised our MP Sarakura as the first elected female MP of Tongareva.”

“Hopefully her presence will inspire our students especially our young girls to pursue a career in politics.”

MP Sarakura presented resources, including an oven, fridge/freezer and baking utensils, on behalf of her husband Robert Tapaitau, the former Penrhyn MP and deputy prime minister, to support the Penrhyn schools’ life skills programme.

MP Sarakura Tapaitau, Member of Parliament for Penrhyn, attended the Omoka School assembly and presented resources to help the school’s life skills programme. APII NAPA/24090204

“Our schools are grateful to both the present and former MP for helping to develop our children in life skills for their future,” said Napa.

Tapaitau was elected the Penrhyn MP in a by-election in March this year. The by election was triggered after Robert Tapaitau was convicted of fraud related charges and subsequently jailed.

In her maiden speech in Parliament in May this year, MP Tapaitau announced that several projects in the Northern Group island require attention. They include the urgent need for a boat to transport people from Rarotonga to Tongareva for the opening ceremony of the Mission House Peura which is currently undergoing renovations, upgrades for their wharves, upgrades for the electricity infrastructure, the acquisition of additional water tanks, and the renovation of existing key tanks on the island.