His comments come in response to the United Nations new campaign calling for action on homophobia and transphobia in the Pacific Islands.
Puna says the Cook Islands shouldn’t just follow what the UN or the international community is doing.
“We have our own community here, and we need to be guided by our own people as to what we want to do in response to those pressures.”
The UN is hoping governments in the Pacific will adopt active measures to make sure people’s perception of LGBTIs change, for example by working closely with schools and health care facilities.
