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Pacific leaders arrive in Honolulu
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Posted on Jan 30 2001
HONOLULU (PIDP/CPIS) — Presidents, prime ministers, governors and other leaders from throughout the Pacific region have begun arriving in Honolulu for the start of the 6th Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders PICL summit.
On Jan. 30-31, the leaders will meet to consider the overall conference theme, “In an Era of Globalization: How Do We Care For and Share with Others?”
Specific sessions, chaired by the government heads, will deal with matters as governance, managing tensions between global and local cultural values, economic development and use of new information technologies.
Guest speaker Admiral Dennis Blair, Commander in Chief of the Honolulu-based US Pacific Command, will make a presentation Wednesday on “US Interests in the Pacific.”
Dr. Sitiveni Halapua, Director of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center, said former Fiji Prime Minister Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara will convene the PICL meeting Tuesday morning.
“During the two-day session, the leaders will choose a new chairman,” Dr. Halapua said, “to succeed former Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka.”
Government heads already in Honolulu, or expected to arrive shortly are Dr. Terepai Maoate, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands; FSM President Leo Falcam, Fiji Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, Marshall Islands President Kessai Note, Niue Premier Sani Lakatani, and Tonga Prime Minister ‘Ulukalala Lavaka Ata.
Other delegates include American Samoa Governor Tauese Sunia; Congressman Eni Faleomavaega, US House of Representatives from American Samoa; Hawaii Governor Benjamin Cayatano; and high-ranking legislators and officials from French Polynesia, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
This week’s meeting marks the 20th anniversary of the founding of PICL, which meets every three years. Its membership is made up of the 22 heads of government in the Pacific Islands region.
The leaders are also expected to determine research and training priorities for PIDP, which is housed within the East-West Center and also serves as PICL secretariat, conclude work on a draft PIDP strategic plan and make formal a PICL-East-West Center operational memorandum of understanding. (Al Hulsen)
