Fiji vs The Forum

By Akanisi Motufaga

FIJI’S relationship with the Forum Secretariat’s leremia Tabai may take some time to heal following the controversy over the appointment of a secretary general for the Sec retariat.

The controversy led to a lot of anger and disappointment in the Fiji delegation, which be lieved that its own candidate, Senator Filipe Bole, would get the job.

However, Tabai’s reappointment has led to the Forum laying down clear and firm guidelines on future ap pointments. Tabai was ap pointed three years ago and his

job vacancy resulted in four applications

one each from Fiji, Tonga, Papua

New Guinea and Australia.

The candidate from Papua New Guinea withdrew his application after being offered a United Nations post.

Senator Bole, in his application, had asked that his letter be set aside if Tabai reapplied for the post. Seeing that Tabai * i T?— did not reapply, fni endorsed Senator b i > ju , •

Bole s application and began lobbying.

T'V • . t - ' * Tfc *1 i During the Forum in Brisbane last ment!!, Kiribati nominated Tabai for the post minus his application.

In explaining the controversy, Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said his delegation had to review its stand when it arrived for the meeting. He said Fiji went to the Forum knowing that Tabai did not re-apply.

He said he was disappointed when Cook Islands Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Henry stated that there was an unwritten agreement that there would not be a Fijian holder of the post because of the location of the Forum Secretariat s headquarters m Suva.

“I did not know that ... and if that is the case, then I don’t think that it’s very r • d u j u* c fair. Perhaps we can do what one of ji . 1 . .. delegates suggested that we put the T-i ri • 1 , r* , I Forum Secretariat on a platform so that everyone can apply, he said.

Throughout the controversy, Tabai refused to comment or to confirm whether he did apply or not. A senior Fiji official to the Forum described Rabuka as very angry and disappointed. He said Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Tonga, Western Samoa and the

Federated States of Micronesia all supported Fiji and its candidate.

“Mr Bole was the best candidate but the prob lems were the procedures and the Pacific way of

conducting meeting

through a consensus.

The Prime Minister (Ra

buka) spoke very

strongly against the fact

that Fiji could not sup port a candidate because it was the host country.

“But they agreed that

Tabai should be re appointed and that when his term expires in three years time anyone,

including a Fijian, can

apply,” the official said. He said the leaders also agreed at the Forum that future appointees should inform the Forum after the second year of service of whether they wish to re-apply for a second term He said if future appointee decide to re-app y en ewi ge o serve asecon srn?’5 rn ?’ ccor m S ° orum o icia s, Australia supported labais • * > i a u xr- u <-■ \ reappointment backed by Kiribati. A JT f h Fiji de l e gation business- U 1 ill vIVIL t; CltlUll. U UolllC-OJ man j im Ah Koy J said it B was disappoint . see , he Fo ' rum endorse and *X C ce P t Tabai’s “arrogance” in not applying.

The senior official said that if Tabai had indicated his wish to be reappointed, then Fiji would not have had to go

through the lobbying period, the disap

pointment and anger during the meet

ing. □

Bole: Fiji nominee

Tabai: returned