Prime Minister Hon Alatoi Ishmael Kalsakau Ma’aukoro called the Director General Mr Leonard Louma in to his office for a quick update on Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG). He made the call as new MSG Chairman following his election as Prime Minister on the 4th of November, 2022 as Prime Minister.
He told DG Louma that MSG need to be more vocal on issues affecting our region and we must not lose sight of the fact that we are a strategic bloc to be reckon withs because we have a huge land mass, population and natural resources. Therefore, we need to be more focal and energize towards ensuring that the region gets as much attention as it can, the PM stressed. PM also raised a point that any future employment with in the MSG we must first look with in our region if we have people with required skills set. If Melanesian region does not have those skill sets for any upcoming job then we can look beyond our region, the new Chairman reiterated.
Fiji now has a new Prime Minister and we need to start talking. There are issues with Kiribati that made me started thinking we should be speaking out more as Melanesians so that no one feels isolated and vulnerable. Now that we have a new Prime Minister in Fiji, we need to start talking and engage more with each other.
As Chair of the MSG, my best interest would be to have a meeting with my colleagues just so we hold ourselves true to the aspirations of our founding father. I will be meeting with the Australian Prime Minister so it is crucial that we meet for a shell of kava at the MSG Secretariate or via virtual with other leaders.. I want to feel that Melanesian spirit of brotherhood before meeting with Australian Prime Minister now that Australian is a member of MSG under the PIF (Pacific Island Forum) said the new chairman. The more we continue talking with each other with an open mind, the MSG bloc will only grow stronger, according to the new Chairman.
The Chair was also informed that the MSG is running five (5) programs on Youth, Climate change, Environment, Culture and Research & Education. We now have an additional program on Human Rights.
On the issue of West Papua, the new chairman was told that the position of each member states differs from the other countries. There is no joint position and as a result the MSG Secretariate has left the West Papuan issue to national governments. This is different from Human Rights abuse which the MSG leaders have agreed for UN to send a team to West Papua, said DG Louma.
The new Chairman questioned DG Louma why should we treat West Papuan differently? Surely if we give them full membership it will enable them to properly address their concerns to the group, said PM Ma’aukoro as the new MSG chairman.