Dannevirke: Mayor bids new citizens welcome

Nine of the 10 new citizens at Tuesday's ceremony in Dannevirke. Abdul Zameel (left), from Fiji, Keith Rowe from Britain, Alison Collins, Britain, Pat Mollison, Thailand, Tararua District mayor Roly Ellis, Tony Joseph, India, Salesh and Sarita Prasad and Sharti and Shartika Devi, Fiji.

It was a special day for the 10 new citizens who took their oaths and affirmations of allegiance in Dannevirke last Tuesday.

"We're here to make you feel at home. You will be one of us and enjoy the freedom and privileges of all New Zealanders," Tararua District mayor Roly Ellis said. "However, no one expects you to cut yourself off from your native country and we hope you will share with us the culture of your native land."

New citizen Tony Joseph (left), from India, with his sons Thomas and Jayden, wife Meenu and daughter Maria at Tuesday's citizenship ceremony in the Tararua District Council chambers.

Mr Ellis said, as someone who had come to New Zealand 23 years ago from Britain, he knew what the new citizens had experienced and what they had gone through to become citizens.

"It's great to see people from all countries coming here and fitting in. Tararua is becoming very multicultural and we welcome everyone. May you find happiness and contentment here."

And Mr Ellis said when, like him, our new citizens go back home for a visit, they will realise how lucky they are to live here.

Uttam Chandra (left) with new citizen Shartika Devi, Tararua District mayor Roly Ellis and new citizens Salesh Prasad, his daughter, Sharti Devi, wife Sarita Prasad and Shirley Uttam.

Tony Joseph has been here for almost two years and came to New Zealand to study for his PhD at the University of Canterbury.

"I studied plant biology and found a job here in Dannevirke with Outgrow," he told the Dannevirke News. "It's fantastic. I'm enjoying life here and specialising in soil and land management, I work as a technical consultant with farmers for Outgrow."

Sarita Prasad and her family have been in Dannevirke for seven years and on Tuesday it was a special day as she and husband Salesh and children Sharti and Shartika became citizens. Mrs Prasad works at Eileen Mary and her husband works at Scanpower.

"We are very happy here, this is a nice community with lovely people," Mrs Prasad said. "We've a lot of friends and I enjoy my work with the elderly."