Pacific Forum head rejects allegations of Australian domination
Updated
Claims that Australia and New Zealand dominate the 16-nation Pacific Islands Forum have been angrily rejected by the region's chief public servant, with
former Samoan Ambassador to the United Nations, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, saying the Forum has a track record of significant achievements.
Presenter Jemima Garrett
Speaker: Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Tuiloma Neroni Slade
- Listen:
- Windows Media
GARRETT: The Pacific Islands Forum has been under fire from the inside. As he left the region, Former Director of Economic Governance, Dr Roman Grynberg delivered a scathing assessment. He claimed the region's peak political body is too dominated by Australia and New Zealand, that the Pacific Plan, the region's blueprint for increased regional co-operation and integration, has been derailed by bureaucrats, and that his own contract with the Forum had not been renewed as a direct result of pressure from Australia and New Zealand. Dr Grynberg's boss, Forum Secretary-General Tuiloma Neroni Slade rejects the allegations. He says the regions agenda is set by leaders of all 16 member nations at their Annual summit and by ministers and officials at the host special meetings that take place in the lead up to that summit.
SLADE: It's to simplistic to say that Australia and New Zealand are controlling or dominating whatever. What I am saying is it's a complicated process that is filtered right up to the leader's meeting.
GARRETT: The Forum Secretary General says rather than domination he is seeing more engagement by Australia and New Zealand and a deeper sense of understanding, which is very welcome. Overall, Mr Slade says the Forum has delivered benefits to the citizens of the region, including through the Pacific Plan, which he says is closely supervised by the region's leaders.
SLADE: Right now, the Pacific Plan has done its first three years, we have started on an in depth assessment of the first three years of performance. We certainly need to await the results of that assessment before we can come to such a stark verdict that has apparently been pronounced.
GARRETT: Another issue raised by Dr Grynberg relates to RAMSI, the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands, now he says it was a great idea to begin with, but that it's been taken over by what he calls Australian baby-crats, basically highly paid young bureaucrats who don't have a deep understanding of the Solomons, and that they are creating a Government within a Government. Do you see that as a problem for RAMSI?
SLADE: Look, again these assertions have been made and these sort of contexts that makes any fair response very difficult. In large measure, you probably need to get a perspective from Australia itself. All I can say in my own position as Secretary General, is that the RAMSI initiative is most unique, undoubtedly not without enormous challenge. It's entirely new ground for all countries of the region, most certainly for the Solomon Islands. But I think history will tell us all that on the whole, it has been a unique and a successful experiment. Work is now ongoing to look at a broader framework and undoubtedly on how best taking into account, not only the regional perspective, but most certainly the position of the Solomon Islands itself, and on how best to move ahead with this program.
GARRETT: Dr Grynberg says that his contract was not renewed, partly because of pressure from Australia and New Zealand. I guess at this point I do have to ask you, did either of those countries play a role in the non-renewal of that contract?
SLADE: Well, let me say first of all that matters relating to Forum Secretariat staff would need to be respected in their privacy and in their confidentiality. Grynberg is no different, and I regret that I would not find it appropriate to discuss in this media format matters relating to his contract.
GARRETT: So you cannot tell me why his contract was not renewed?
SLADE: Let me say this, if he asserted to me what you have just said, which he did not, I would have had to say that I would find any implications of improper influence and it's imputed effect on me to be offensive and I would have said so in clear terms.
