Paul Bruce

Paul Bruce

Paul Everard Bruce is a New Zealand activist. He is a Regional Councillor Greater Wellington.

CORSO

7th Sept. 1985 - attended CORSO Annual Assembly at Wellington Teachers College, rep. Christchurch Latin America Group.

Circa 1985? attended CORSO meeting as observer, from Latin America Solidarity Committee.

Latin America

Paul Bruce has extensive ties to Latin America.

Bruce has been involved with the Latin human rights issues for over 30 years, through work with CORSO and Amnesty International in the 1970s, and in various roles in the Latin America Solidarity Committee based in Wellington.

While working in La Paz as a climatologist in 1976 and 77 for the Bolivian Government, Bruce lived in Los Barrios and teamed up with community groups and a team of Doctors and agricultural advisors. He returned for a further 6 months at intervals over the following 10 years living with miners in Siglo XX and visiting new miner settlements in the lowlands.

He researched the impact of the neo-liberal reforms of 1981 and human rights abuses, and interviewed officials connected with the US Drug Enforcement Agency interventions in Bolivia and connections to the contragate scandals involving the carriage of cocaine to the USA, publishing articles in the Listener and several daily newspapers.

Nicaragua

March, 29, 1980 elected Chairman at the founding meeting of Wellington Nicaragua Solidarity Committee, later replaced by Nicky Hager while overseas.

1987 - third visit to Nicaragua.

Cuba

1985, Aug. 19, contact for Armando Rivera, (Cuban) Tour.

Connections to Cuban Ambassador

From Latin American Solidarity Committee Minutes, meeting Sunday 9th December 2007, 272 Ohiro Road, Wellington. 5pm

Present: Paul Bruce, Nicole Benkhert, Lucia Zanmonti, Mercedes Gazaron, Lorena Gonzales, Ben Robinson, Carla Batista, Melissa, Metien, Neil, Ron Apologies: Jorge Hererra, Rolando Olmedo, Toni Carson, Michelle Campbell Minute Taker: Julie Webb-Pullman.

Cuban Embassy – discussed opening of Cuban Embassy in NZ, how LAC can work with them. Decided to invite the new Ambassador and his wife to a social event at Havana Bar in the next two weeks, to welcome them and explain what LAC does, investigate ways of working together. Carla said her father is very interested in meeting them, helping set up a Cuban Friendship Society here, but he is only in NZ for a few months more.

Some discussion about LAC as umbrella for other groups such as Zapatista Support Group, Cuba Friendship Society, danger of spreading too thinly. Needs more discussion in January/after speaking with Ambassador. Action: JWP to contact Ambassador to find which day suits him for welcome, notify LAC list.

Peace & Justice in Central America

1987 - spoke at South Pacific Conference for Peace & Justice in Central America 18-19 July, Wellington on Bolivia. Recent visitor there.

Calderon tour

July 1996 - one of Wellingtonians credited with helping NZ tour by Mexican Anti Free Trade activist Dr. A. V. Calderon.

Latin America Report

November 2000 - Helped put together Latin America Committee's Latin America Report.

Green Party

2002 - on Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand parliamentary list no. 34;

I am totally committed to Green ideals as expressed in our Charter, and believe I have a strong contribution to make in the areas of Climate Change, Renewable energy, transport issues and participatory democracy.

Political Background

Activist since early 70s in social and environmental issues. Joined Values Party 1975; Island Bay Alliance Treasurer early 90s. Green Party Treasurer, membership secretary Wellington Region.

98-99. Green Party International Secretary 00/02; NGO representative at World Social Forum Porto Alegre 2001; Sustainable Candidate Wellington Regional Council 2001 with 20% of votes.

Work and Life Experience

Married with two teenage daughters. Grew up working on farms. Keen tramper, climber, cyclist and organic gardener.

Mathematics tutor at St Mary's High School, volunteer aid worker in Peru, documentation of Pirate Whaling operation in Chile for Greenpeace and NZ Foreign Affairs (1982). Trained meteorologist with experience in Antarctica (dry valleys), tropics (Fiji Meteorological Service), continental climate (Bolivian Climate Service) and New Zealand. Currently lead Forecaster New Zealand Meteorological Service.

Education and Qualifications

BSc Physics VUW 1973, Honours papers. Trained A class Meteorologist, currently lead at Meteorological Service of New Zealand

Community Involvement

Environmental interests ranging from Beech Forest Action Committee in the early 70s to ECO (Environment and Conservation Organisations) as Soil and Health representative, Appropriate Technology for Living Association, Cycle Aware Wellington Brooklyn Community Association today. Three years in Latin America on a number of projects, also left me with a deep seated sense of injustice of the world economic order, and a commitment to fight for fair trade and respect for human rights through groups such Latin America Committee (Coordinator),CORSO, Dev Zone and Amnesty.

Peace & Justice Counter-Conference

2002 - Peace & Justice Counter-Conference;

There will be a mass lobby of the Labour Party's election year conference in Wellington next Saturday morning, 18 May. Hundreds are likely to peacefully protest against the Labour-led government bowing to corporate interests on issues like genetic engineering, teachers' pay & conditions, free trade, US war moves, student fees and restrictions on the right to strike,

The day before, 17 May, there will be a Peace & Justice counter-conference at the Victoria University students association hall.

Keynote speakers include:

Paul Bruce (international secretary of the Green Party).

Social Forum Aotearoa

2003 - Social Forum Aotearoa Co-ordinating Group included Paul Bruce who attended the first World Social Forum in Brazil in 2001.

NZ Committee to Free the Cuban Five

Circa 2009, the list of Initiating Members and Supporters of the New Zealand Committee to Free the Cuban Five, included Paul Bruce, Wellington Regional Councillor.

Zapatista Support Group

June 27, 2013, lunchtime, members of the Wellington Zapatista Support Group, including Grace Leung and Paul Bruce held a candlelight vigil outside the Mexican Embassy in Wellington as part of the “Week of Worldwide Action: Juan Vázquez Guzmán Lives! The Bachajón struggle continues!”

After constructing a small shrine with flowers and candles in remembrance of Juan Vázquez Guzmán, an indigenous community leader assassinated in April, the group hand-delivered a letter to the Mexican Ambassador to New Zealand, demanding that Guzman’s killers be brought to justice, and an end to the blatant abuses of rights of the Tzeltal communities of San Sebastián Bachajón.

References

Template:Reflist