The Chairman of one of the Pacific's largest aid organisations has attacked New Zealand's Foreign Minister as paternalistic and Stalinist in his approach to aid cuts to NGOs working in the Pacific.
Lelei Lelaulu, of the Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific International says Murray McCully has set New Zealand's credibility as an effective aid partner back decades.
Mr Lelaulu says 2 million dollars has been cut from his group's aid programmes since Mr McCully came to power and he talks of the minister wielding a machete over other NGOs.
"We're sick and tired of this paternalistic approach. We thought New Zealand had grown away from it or grown beyond it. We have to face the fact it's there and Mr McCully is an obvious example of that."
Chairman of the Foundation for the Peoples of the South Pacific International Lelei Lelaulu
