MSG eyes own secretariat

HONIARA, Solomon Islands (PINA Nius) — The proposal to establish a Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat has been welcomed by former senior Solomon Islands Foreign Affairs official Bernard Bata‘anisia.

Now senior adviser on political issues at the Fiji-based Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Mr. Bata‘anisia said it is important that the Melanesian Spearhead Group has a secretariat.

He said a number of decisions agreed on by Melanesian leaders and officials in the past have not been acted upon or implemented.

In some cases, he added, these same issues and decisions kept reappearing on the agenda. This, he said, was due to the lack of a follow-up mechanism.

“That is why it is important that a secretariat is established, to follow up on decisions made by the MSG leaders,” Mr. Bata‘anisia said.

The Melanesian Spearhead Group was formed in 1986. At that time the group consisted of Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu and the Solomon Islands. Since then Fiji has become a member, along with the main pro-independence Kanak group of New Caledonia, the FLNKS.

Trade and economic issues have become a focus of Melanesian Spearhead Group activities. This led to the starting of a Melanesian Spearhead Group economic and trade officials meeting, which has concentrated on developing trade and transport links among the Melanesian countries.