MP Bakshi appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to Minister of Police
In an announcement made by Prime Minister Bill English, National Party MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to assist Minister of Police Paula Bennett.
PM English announced Mr Bakshi’s appointment at National Party’s Global Indianz Group (Canterbury branch) luncheon held in Christchurch on Thursday, January 26. This was his first interaction with the Indian community in Canterbury after taking over the reins of the country in December last year.
The appointment comes as a big news for the Indian community in New Zealand as Mr Bakshi is the first Kiwi-Indian MP to be appointed as a PPS. It also suggests that Mr English is going to take his relations with the Indian community a step further from what former Prime Minister John Key had.
Talking to Indian Weekender about his appointment, Mr Bakshi said, “I am really excited about this additional responsibility that the Prime Minister has given me, and I am honoured to be assisting Hon. Paula Bennet. I have always had a keen interest in law and order, and I am looking forward to work even more for our ethnic communities.”
A PPS is appointed by the Prime Minster to assist the ministers. They are not a part of the executive government and a minister cannot delegate any statutory roles or function to a PPS. However, it is expected that the PPS represent their minister at public events and deliver speeches on occasions when the minister is not available.
So how will he contribute to his new role?
“Ethnic communities have been facing issues related to crime and law and order. My effort will be to make them feel safer. I understand that there has been a continuous demand to increase police numbers and to tackle the crime. We are taking actions,” Mr Bakshi said.
Recently, Mr Bakshi received backlash from the Indian community for not raising and standing up for the concerns of the community. He was also criticised for comparing Indian international students to “faulty fridges” and not doing anything for those facing deportation in the false financial documents case. This appointment would be Mr Bakshi’s chance to make a difference.
When asked about the criticism that he has been facing, he said that he was doing whatever he could to make sure the voice of the community is heard.
“I have been working in the parliament from last 8 years now, and I have been taking the issues that matter to our ethnic communities to the caucus.”
Apart from Mr Bakshi, four other MPs were also appointed PPS. Melissa Lee was re-appointed as a PPS to Ethnic Communities Minister with Jian Yang joining her. Jonathan Young was appointed as the PPS to Minister of Economic Development and Scot Simpson as PPS to the Environment and Conservation Minister.
In 2008, Mr Bakshi became the first Indian-Sikh MP in New Zealand and since 2011, he has been the Chairperson of Law and Order Select Committee.
Mr Bakshi has been in the parliament for eight years, yet neither he nor any other Kiwi-Indian MP was appointed as a cabinet minister in the recent reshuffle after PM English took office. In our December 20, 2016, issue, we stated the community’s concerns of not having a Kiwi-Indian MP in a ministerial position. The Indian community needs more representation in the parliament, but would that become a reality soon or not will be decided only after the elections this year.
In an announcement made by Prime Minister Bill English, National Party MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to assist Minister of Police Paula Bennett.
PM English announced Mr Bakshi’s appointment at National Party’s Global Indianz Group (Canterbury...
In an announcement made by Prime Minister Bill English, National Party MP Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi was appointed as Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to assist Minister of Police Paula Bennett.
PM English announced Mr Bakshi’s appointment at National Party’s Global Indianz Group (Canterbury branch) luncheon held in Christchurch on Thursday, January 26. This was his first interaction with the Indian community in Canterbury after taking over the reins of the country in December last year.
The appointment comes as a big news for the Indian community in New Zealand as Mr Bakshi is the first Kiwi-Indian MP to be appointed as a PPS. It also suggests that Mr English is going to take his relations with the Indian community a step further from what former Prime Minister John Key had.
Talking to Indian Weekender about his appointment, Mr Bakshi said, “I am really excited about this additional responsibility that the Prime Minister has given me, and I am honoured to be assisting Hon. Paula Bennet. I have always had a keen interest in law and order, and I am looking forward to work even more for our ethnic communities.”
A PPS is appointed by the Prime Minster to assist the ministers. They are not a part of the executive government and a minister cannot delegate any statutory roles or function to a PPS. However, it is expected that the PPS represent their minister at public events and deliver speeches on occasions when the minister is not available.
So how will he contribute to his new role?
“Ethnic communities have been facing issues related to crime and law and order. My effort will be to make them feel safer. I understand that there has been a continuous demand to increase police numbers and to tackle the crime. We are taking actions,” Mr Bakshi said.
Recently, Mr Bakshi received backlash from the Indian community for not raising and standing up for the concerns of the community. He was also criticised for comparing Indian international students to “faulty fridges” and not doing anything for those facing deportation in the false financial documents case. This appointment would be Mr Bakshi’s chance to make a difference.
When asked about the criticism that he has been facing, he said that he was doing whatever he could to make sure the voice of the community is heard.
“I have been working in the parliament from last 8 years now, and I have been taking the issues that matter to our ethnic communities to the caucus.”
Apart from Mr Bakshi, four other MPs were also appointed PPS. Melissa Lee was re-appointed as a PPS to Ethnic Communities Minister with Jian Yang joining her. Jonathan Young was appointed as the PPS to Minister of Economic Development and Scot Simpson as PPS to the Environment and Conservation Minister.
In 2008, Mr Bakshi became the first Indian-Sikh MP in New Zealand and since 2011, he has been the Chairperson of Law and Order Select Committee.
Mr Bakshi has been in the parliament for eight years, yet neither he nor any other Kiwi-Indian MP was appointed as a cabinet minister in the recent reshuffle after PM English took office. In our December 20, 2016, issue, we stated the community’s concerns of not having a Kiwi-Indian MP in a ministerial position. The Indian community needs more representation in the parliament, but would that become a reality soon or not will be decided only after the elections this year.
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