A new book of memories was launched to mark the Tonga High School 75th Diamond Jubilee recently. Called Road to ‘Faa’imata – 75th Anniversary’ the work is a collection of history and stories of ex-students of Tonga High School.
The election battle for the PIF SG position and the deportation of USP VC will, at a minimum, cause division and discord for many years to come, write Stephen Howes and Sadhana Sen.
Pacific Islands Forum in crisis following regional split The Pacific Islands Forum the Pacific’s major regional leadership body is facing a crisis after nearly one-third of its 18 member countries quit last month. The Micronesian sub-grouping Palau, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Kiribati, and Nauru gave notice they will leave in protest over the selection of the new secretary-general on February 3.
At the reportedly “heated” 16-hour remote meeting, former Cook Islands prime minister, Henry Puna, defeated the Marshall Islands’ US ambassador Gerald Zackios by 9 votes to 8 in the final round. Other contestants included Tongan economist Amelia Kinahoi Siamomua, Fiji’s former foreign minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, and Jimmie Rodgers of Solomon Islands.
RNZ
5 February, 2021, 9:14 am
Cook Islands Prime Minister, Henry Puna, at the Asia Pacific Energy Leaders Summit, 1 November 2018, Te Papa, Wellington. Photo: RNZ / Johnny Blades
The former Cook Islands Prime Minister, Henry Puna is the new Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum after a marathon online meeting.
Puna was voted in over Micronesia’s candidate Marshall Islands Ambassador to the US, Gerald Zackious by nine to eight.
The outgoing secretary-general, Papua New Guinea’s Dame Meg-Taylor had been in the role for over six years.
Regional divisions over who should replace her emerged last year.
Micronesian states threatened to leave the Forum if the role wasn’t given to their candidate, saying that it was Micronesia’s turn, citing a pledge to rotate the post by sub-region.
Former Cook Islands PM elected new secretary-general of PIF in close vote asiapacificreport.nz - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from asiapacificreport.nz Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.