Solomon Islands-based Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency [FFA] is today hosting the Prime Minister of the Cook Islands, Hon Jim Marurai, who is on three-day familiarization tour of the region’s premier fisheries organization.
Prime Minister Marurai began his first formal engagement at a lunch with FFA staff, hosted by the Director General Mr. Dan Su’a this afternoon with. He later watched presentations by staff on the work of the organization, which was established in 1979 in an effort to help member countries maximize benefits from their tuna stocks and other fisheries as well as to manage the resources.
FFA, the region’s premier fisheries organization, is the first regional organization to host a FFA Member country Prime Minister under an initiative designed to encourage Leaders of Pacific Islands member governments to see for themselves what the organization does.
Hon Marurai and his delegation arrived in Honiara from Brisbane yesterday. He was met at Honiara’s Henderson Airport by Solomon Islands Foreign Minister, William Haomae, Director General of FFA, Mr. Dan Su’a and senior government officials.
In a round of courtesy calls this morning, Prime Minister Marurai called on the Governor General, Sir Nathaniel Waena, Prime Minister Dr Derek Sikua and Foreign Minister William Haomae.
Solomon Islands Prime Minister, Dr Derek Sikua last night hosted a dinner in honor of Mr. Marurai and his delegation which comprised the Director, Pacific Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration, Carl Hunter and the Secretary, Ministry of Marine Resources, Ian Bertram.
The Cook Islands Prime Minister told guests, mainly Government Ministers and representatives of the diplomatic corps that his visit was at the invitation of the Director General.
“I believe that this invitation is a new and exciting initiative from Mr. Su’a that basically seeks to invite the Leaders of the FFA member countries to visit the region’s premier fisheries agency.
"An opportunity whereby we leaders can see for ourselves and experience firsthand the infrastructure and valuable work undertaken by the region’s most important fisheries organization", Prime Minister Marurai said.
He said apart from gaining greater insights of and appreciation for what the FFA does, he hoped the visit would highlight the great importance that the Cook Islands and all the Pacific Island countries and territories attached to the very survival of the tuna species of the western and central Pacific.
Prime Minister Marurai warned that as a result of continued over-fishing.. “there is every chance that this shared renewable resource that we Pacific Islanders have taken for granted over thousands of years may in fact be seriously threatened in the next few years”.
“As most of you present this evening will be aware, in recent years our region has witnessed unprecedented levels of increasing fishing activity undertaken by Distant Water Fishing Nations.
“At this point in time, we believe that such over-fishing is now threatening the very existence of both the big-eye and yellow-fin tuna species,” he said.
He called for “fresh approaches so that we can establish conservation and management measures that really do prevent our tuna species from being threatened”.
This, he said, would allow us Pacific Islanders rather than Distant Waters Fishing Nations, as currently appear to be the case, to determine the future destiny of the tuna stocks in our region.
Earlier, Prime Minister Derek Sikua acknowledged that Prime Minister Marurai was the first Forum Leader to visit the Solomon Islands this year.
“Hon Prime Minister, your visit to the FFA headquarters is significant as it reflects the importance our region has for this very important institution,” Dr. Sikua said.
He said fish and other marine stocks are the sovereign resource of Pacific nations and they are the only ones who could decide their future.
“It is an important, shared renewable resource that must be conserved and managed from depletion,” the Solomon Islands Prime Minister said.
Dr. Sikua also acknowledged the Cook Islands contribution to the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands [RAMSI].
“Since the inception of RAMSI to Solomon Islands, your officers have served with great dignity and pride and I salute them for this. Please convey our gratitude to the government and people of Cook Islands for your valuable assistance and contribution,” he said.
Prime Minister Sikua said he looked forward to working closely with the Cook Islands on issues of concern to the region. As we both know, we are working in a new era within our region and I suppose we will continue to benefit from opportunities available so as facing new challenges. But I am confident we can overcome these challenges with our concerted efforts of regional cooperation,” he said.
Source: Alfred Sasako, FFA |
