Appointment of MSG DG should be made by the leaders, not an individual country: Pato

By Pita Ligaiula in Dakar, Senegal

Papua New Guinea’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Rimbink Pato says the appointment of the  Director General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) should not be made by an individual country but by a collective decision of the Leaders.

MSG Chair and Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare earlier this month announced that Fijian diplomat Amena Yauvoli has been appointed Director General of MSG and signed his contract in Honiara.

Vanuatu, the host government of the MSG Secretariat said it did not recognise Ambassador Yauvoli’s appointment.

The Charlot Salwai Government had endorsed Brussels based Ambassador Roy Mickey Joy as their preferred candidate for the position.

Speaking to PACNEWS in Dakar, Minister Pato said as far as PNG is concerned the appointment of Ambassador Yauvoli did not follow the due process of the law that governs the operation of the MSG Secretariat.

“The position of the PNG Government is that when the MSG Group was established and the practices which has arisen as a consequence of the establishment of that structure requires us to adhere to those processes and procedures in respect of the appointment of individuals who come and work in the MSG Secretariat.

“As far as we are concerned those process have not been complied with. When it comes to the decision of the Director General as to who should or who should not be appointed, that’s is not a matter of an individual country, it’s not a matter for the MSG Foreign Ministers.

“The Leaders will make the final decision and I’m not sure that the Leaders of the MSG have made a decision as to who the candidate should be appointed to the position of Director General,” Pato told PACNEWS

The MSG Leaders are expected to discuss the issue at their next meeting in Vanuatu in early May.

Pato has assured however, the MSG is still intact and the solidarity of the sub regional grouping has not been compromised.

Meanwhile, Pato has defended the decision of the MSG leaders to make Indonesia an associate member of the MSG.

“Indonesia is a very important partner of PNG. Indonesia is a reliable and trusted friend of my country.

“Indonesia applied to be a member of MSG – It has 12 million plus Melanesians living in that country. They followed due process, the application came, the leaders entertained it and leaders made the determination that they will become associate members of the MSG.

And that is a decision rest solely in the hands of the Leaders to make a decision,” said Pato.


SOURCE: PACNEWS