Cover Story
25 To Watch
Regional Leaders Making A Difference
Contributors: Giff Johnson, Alison Ofotalau, Ben Bohane, Frank Whitman, Fili Sagapolutele, Peter Rees, Floyd K. Takeuchi, Ricardo Morris, Alex Rheeney, Jacqueline Hernandez, Frank S. Rosario and Samantha Magick.
Shamima Ali
Coordinator, Fiji Women’s Crisis Center
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Ali and the center not only deal with abused women and children but also engages men to get them to change their ingrained attitudes about women. They especially target the uniformed forces and have carried out several workshops with soldiers and policemen. Her work in this field has taken her across the Pacific. In Vanuatu, she remembers the tension in the air at beginning of a workshop for men. At the end of the workshop, she says, the men had begun to change their outlook on women. Expect to see that development replicated across the Pacific as Ali and the FCC continue their regional programs.
Sebastian Anefal
Governor, Yap State
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As the Secretary of External Affairs, Anefal spent the last four years as FSM President Joseph Urusemal’s closest advisor, and played a significant role in attempting to smooth the often-bumpy implementation of the new Compact of Free Association. Anefal appreciates the wisdom of the betel nut bag—and his meetings and discussions with associates are regularly punctuated by a chew. But while the Yapese custom of taking one’s time to consider a decision may be embedded in Anefal, he stands out for his willingness, when the situation demands directness, to speak his mind. He inherits a relatively financially sound state, but one that has experienced erratic leadership in the recent past and should benefit from a steady hand.
Joe Ayuyu
Business Executive
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Ayuyu believes the economic downturn presents an opportunity to become more efficient in running his businesses, something the local government with its bloated bureaucracy should be doing.
Ayuyu doesn’t rule out running for public office in the near future, and has been vocal over the many issues that brought the Northern Marianas from being the envy of its neighbors during the Japanese economic bubble in the 1980s and early 1990s to its current state of fiscal crisis. He blames the decline on weak government leadership and lack of vision and planning. Ayuyu still thinks that tourism, particularly from Japan, is the answer to many of the Northern
Marianas economic woes.
Noreo Beangke
Chairman, Bank South Pacific
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The bank also increased its total assets from K2.95 billion (US$935.15 million) to K4.64 billion (US$1.47 billion), continued to experience growth in its loans and receivable products, and now has a 54 percent market share of the PNG banking industry.
BSP already maintains its presence in Niue when it took over Westpac Banking Corporation’s assets and liabilities in September 2004. It now also operates in Fiji, after acquiring the interests of Habib Bank last September, and is expected to complete its acquisition of the National Bank of the Solomon Islands soon. Beangke is confident 2007 will also be positive for the bank, saying “an increasingly profitable presence in Fiji will be developed.”
Beangke, who was a PNG government finance secretary in the early 1980s and a director of successful PNG finance company Credit Corporation and various other PNG companies, believes high global mineral prices will continue to boost the PNG economy and contribute to his company’s profitability.
“The relatively broad agricultural tree crop export base, together with the upsurge in mineral oil and gas developments augurs well for another year of significant performance,” Beangke predicts.
Afu Billy
Regional Director, Commonwealth Youth Program
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“The Commonwealth believes very much in values like good governance, equality, justice, democracy and peace and one of our major tasks is to try and talk to governments of the region to encompass or incorporate these values in their policies and to elevate the status and interests of young people in those policies and to also encourage the youth population to be self-reliant,” Billy says.
Solomons Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare has already challenged the center to show what real benefit it can bring to young people of his country and the region more broadly.
Billy believes she can help regional governments take on the daunting issues that face young people today. With the youth population of most of the region’s nations large and growing, that task is immense, and immensely important.
Mahendra Chaudhry
Interim Finance Minister, Fiji Government
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In what Chaudhry himself calls “a strange twist of destiny” following Fiji’s fourth putsch in December 2006, Chaudhry now finds himself in a key position as finance minister in Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama’s interim government – and perhaps it is a chance to realize the vision he had for Fiji in 2000.
“Of course it is somewhat emotional,” he said on his swearing in, “but there’s a bit of work that needs to be done.” There’s a big “to do” list. Topmost is stabilizing the national treasury and reviving the economy, which he accuses the deposed Qarase government of almost running into the ground. His other major task is to oversee the rescue of the ailing sugar industry and the problems associated with it such as securing funding promised by the European Union that’s now in jeopardy because of the coup. And he is confronted by public sector unions threatening to strike action over a 5 percent pay cut for civil servants announced in his austerity budget in March.
That budget, praised by some economists as brave, slashed spending by F$200m from the ousted government’s F$1.7b allocation introduced in November last year. Chaudhry has asked the people of Fiji to bear with the interim regime while they try to salvage the country.
Ian Clarke
President, Australia-Papua New Guinea Business Council
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northern neighbor.
National Chairman at Gaden’s law firm, Clarke was elected to the presidency in March. He has previously held the role, but this time around the environment is different, with PNG experiencing a mining and petroleum-driven boom and economic growth rate of 3.7 percent in 2006. For Clarke that provides a different set of opportunities and challenges— particularly how to encourage small and medium-scale enterprises.“We need to build the middle…One of the things I feel quite strongly about is that the private sector and the development agencies need to work a lot more closely together,” he says.
Also on the Council’s agenda for the next few years: support for the police force; accelerated reform and liberalization of infrastructure; investment of the current surplus into areas that provide “sustainable growth and investment,” temporary labor migration programs in Australia from PNG and other island nations, and more resources for agricultural development.
The Business Council has played an increasingly influential role in helping form Australian policy and attitudes to PNG—the attendance of Foreign Minister Alexander Downer at this year’s forum attests to its status. Under Clarke’s leadership it is likely to build on this foundation at a critical time
Joshua Kalinoe
Chief Executive, Petromin
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Until recently Kalinoe was chief secretary to government where he was at the forefront of sometimes tense negotiations with the World Bank and Australian government. Still, there are several clouds over him. Kalinoe was briefly suspended over the “Moti affair”—the investigation into how an Australian lawyer appointed as Solomon Islands Attorney General was able to leave PNG, despite being wanted by Australia on child sex allegations. Kalinoe was reinstated only after challenging his suspension in the courts but that inquiry report was still to be publicly released at press time.
And there are many questions around Petromin itself—whether it is duplicating the work of existing organizations, whether it will add value or just expenses to management of the industry, and how vulnerable it is to being compromised by politicians keen to get a cut from the booming industry. Kalinoe brings credibility to the organization. The challenge now is whether he can bring the tight management that Petromin and by extension, Papua New Guinea and the broader regional economy, sorely needs.
Kieren Keke
Minister for Health and Transport, Nauru
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As minister for transport he keeps watch on Our Airline, which rose from the ashes of Air Nauru but is still struggling to truly find its niche. Keke says the key to Our Airline’s longevity is regional ownership. “What they (regional countries) can bring to the table is their commitment to the airline and their sovereign air rights,” he said prior to the airline’s official launch. “We’re willing to give shares (in Our Airline) for virtually nothing because we believe the longer term future of Our Airline is difficult just being owned by Nauru.” But lukewarm support from Honiara and Suva, motivated by the desire to protect national airlines Air Solomon Islands and Air Pacific respectively are making this a difficult task.
As health minister, Keke has some responsibilities relating to the 82 Sri Lankan asylum seekers Australia sent to its “offshore processing center” in Nauru in March. Former detainees at the center have placed strain on Nauru’s medical system, with Keke appealing to the Australian government previously for more assistance.
The task facing Keke and his colleagues is immense. And with the review of Nauru’s constitution gathering momentum and a Representative Constitutional Convention likely to be convened shortly, they may well be at the center of profound change in the way Nauru is governed into the future.
Alson Kelen
President, Marshall Islands Council of NGOs
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Many NGOs in the Marshall Islands scrape by on bootstrap budgets, but Kelen says it’s the commitment that people bring to NGOs that is key to their success. And for him, the “payoff is seeing the kids
out paddling and sailing canoes; seeing things happen at a grassroots level.”
Kelen is program manager for the Waan Aelon in Majel (Canoes of These Islands) program, and has stepped into the leadership of the NGO Council at a critical time. Large-scale European Union funding through the Marshall Islands government to the NGO Council is soon to start flowing. The EU aid is aimed at boosting the programs and services of numerous NGOs in the country. “NGOs are what will change the Marshall Islands for the better,” he says. A major challenge facing NGOs here is to get the “government to realize that a lot what it does—women’s, youth and other programs—can be done by NGOs,” he says.
Alicia Garrido Limtiaco
Attorney General of Guam
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Born and raised in Guam, Limtiaco spent the first half of her 15-year legal career as a prosecutor in the Attorney General’s office where she focused primarily on sex crimes and family violence cases. She has spent the last seven years in private civil practice. She campaigned on a platform of aggressive, successful criminal prosecution; cooperation with all government and non-government entities involved in the legal process (including law enforcement and victims’ advocate groups); and professional, open relations with other government entities. She has no apparent political allegiances and has consistently said that her decisions will be based on legal principles and professional responsibilities as opposed to personal considerations.
Acknowledging the AG’s responsibility to give opinions, as needed, on civil and fiscal matters within the government—previously an occasion for adversity—she offers a different approach. “We’ve made it very clear that we are not looking at being the financial managers of any department,” she said. “[We offer] strictly a legal analysis of an issue that has been brought before us...There are public policy decisions that have to be made, but they have to be made by the appropriate entities.”
Ham Lini
Prime Minister, Vanuatu
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And it is increasingly a regional player. Vanuatu will host the Melanesian Spearhead Group’s secretariat from September, with some MSG officials saying this suggests that Port Vila is now the “political capital” of Melanesia and that regional policies will be formulated here and then presented to regional and international bodies. Certainly problems in Fiji, the traditional home of regional institutions and policy making, create opportunities for Vanuatu to step into the breach.
There are still some issues to be dealt with. High population growth means economic growth isn’t being maintained on a per capita basis. Land management and sales are being scrutinized. Management of some agricultural sectors, particularly the kava and copra trade, needs improvement. And there are continued threats of political instability. As Vanuatu goes to the polls next year, the former carpenter has a finite time to build on the foundations his government has set, both nationally and regionally.
Phillip And Lelani Reklai
Founders, PRA Inc. and other businesses
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That change is due in part to the tragedy of the unexpected death of Phil’s older brother, Johnny Reklai, in March. Johnny Reklai was a successful business executive and a powerful senator in Palau’s national congress.
While he was alive, Johnny Reklai’s long shadow often kept attention away from Phil’s growing business acumen and successes. But his death in a fishing accident has put the spotlight on Phil and Lelani. Theirs is an unusual marriage in that unlike many Pacific Island men, Phil is comfortable with his wife taking not only the public spotlight but playing a key and recognized operational role in their main company, PRA Inc., and their many other firms.
Phil provides the entrepreneurial drive and creative vision. Lelani is detail oriented and has a highly regarded “can do” spirit and track record of management success. Both are grounded in reality—both the literal bottom line as well as the heavy demands that Palauan custom can place on successful business executives.
Unlike some Palauan executives, who drive flashy cars and live high-profile public lives, Phil and Lelani are low key players who shun the personal spotlight. But they’ve built success upon success, and are in the recognized first-tier of Palau’s entrepreneurial elite.
David Robinson
President, American Samoa Chamber of Commerce
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Since taking over the Chamber’s leadership post last year, Robinson has mapped out a strategy to help boost the territory’s economy, focusing on agriculture, fisheries, light manufacturing and tourism. Chamber subcommittees now tackle government relations, chamber membership, tax reform, the beverage industry and tourism. Consultation with Governor Togiola Tulafono, the Fono, U.S. Interior Department and territorial government departments is more frequent.
On behalf of the Chamber, Robinson has been vocal on the potential impact of a federal minimum wage if imposed on American Samoa. And when the territorial Senate moved to pass a bill imposing a tax on imported bottled water, Robinson was there campaigning against such a move. It’s a role he is likely to continue to play.
Tina Sablan
Beautify CNMI!
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Last summer Sablan and other likeminded locals formed Beautify CNMI!, which is based on the belief that a comprehensive environmental campaign would be most effective if it brought together the resources of government agencies, private businesses, non-profit organizations and volunteers in the community. The group started with planting of hundreds of coconut seedlings and trees along Saipan’s famous beach road. It expanded the program to include trash collection at Saipan’s public spaces almost every weekend. But Sablan, 25, didn’t stop there. With the local economy at its worst ebb in recent memory, Sablan decided it was time to rally the community and let their voices be heard by the powers that be. She started with a nine-page letter called “Saipan Manifesto” that was printed in the local media outlining all kinds of issues that government officials should be addressing but don’t. Sablan organized a public forum and invited local residents to discuss them. She appeared before civic organizations and schools to explain the goals of the public form held every two weeks. The information gathered is being documented and shared with the community through the media and online.
Sablan is now focusing on working with other partners to develop and implement recycling and solid waste projects, and on being an active citizen and encouraging others to make their voices heard. She won’t rule out running for public office in the future.
Mike Sala
Acting Interim Director, Territorial Office of Homeland Security
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DHS includes four government offices: Office of Vital Statistics, Territorial Office of Homeland Security (TOHS), Territorial Emergency Management Coordinating Office(TEMCO) and Office of Territorial and International Criminal Intelligence and Drug Enforcement (OTICIDE).In his long career, Sala helped establish of the South Pacific Islands Criminal Intelligence Network (SPICIN), which became the intelligence arm of the South Pacific Chiefs of Police organization at the time, the United States INTERPOL Pacific Sub-Bureau comprising of American Samoa, Guam and Saipan and OTICIDE.
Sala says in the last three years, OTICIDE handled over 1,200 inquiries and requests for assistance related to drug trafficking, missing and wanted persons, vessel locators, fraud, theft, human trafficking and other related criminal matters. With that scope of work, the Department of Homeland Security with Sala at its head will continue to work on vital security issues throughout the Pacific Islands region.
Vanessa Slowey
Chief Executive, Digicel Pacific
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A new player, albeit one with solid experience in other parts of the world, Digicel is making a major play in a variety of Pacific Island nations to introduce “cutting edge” wireless technology and mobile phone services. Digicel Group Ltd is a privately owned company incorporated in Bermuda.
Digicel Pacific is now providing mobile telephone services in Samoa and is looking to move into Fiji, Solomon Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guinea and possibly, Tonga, Vanuatu and Kiribati. It has an in-principle license from the Fiji government, an experimental license in the Solomon Islands, and a letter of intent from Nauru.
But as is almost always the case in this sector in our region, it continues to be a tumultuous time for Slowey and her team. Rollout in Fiji following the December coup is uncertain. Solomon Telekom is attempting to block their entry, compelling Slowey to say, “Solomon Telekom is sending a clear signal that they fear competition and will do everything in their means to prevent the development of a healthy competitive and vibrant telecommunications industry in the Solomon Islands.”
And in Papua New Guinea, which has mobile penetration of just 1 percent, Telecommunication Minister Arthur Somare moved to block Digicel and another Indonesian operator from offering services from April 1, as had been previously announced. Somare is questioning the process that saw the operators selected, and is recommending to the government that competition in the mobile phone market be delayed until March 2008.
Prior to heading Digicel Pacific, Slowey was instrumental in the roll out of Digicel operations in the Caribbean islands of Anguilla, Barbados, Cayman Islands, Trinidad & Tobago and Haiti. As such, she is familiar with the challenges of operating in widely spread, small and politically complicated markets, experience she will need in large amounts if she is to deliver on Digicel Pacific’s vision.
Su’a William Sio
Politician, New Zealand
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Su’a is seen by many as the heir apparent to the disgraced Taito Phillip Field, who left the Labour Party this year after a drawn out standoff stemming from allegations into his conduct as a Member of Parliament. Since last year, he, not Taito, has often been seen at Prime Minister Helen Clark’s side at party rallies and community events in South Auckland, where Labour’s political influence is near impregnable because of the region’s substantial Pacific Island community. Next year’s general elections will likely see Su’a running against Taito, who will either stand as an independent or form his own party. While Taito has many supporters, they are unlikely to ditch Labour and support an Independent MP without direct influence
in government.
Su’a, who like Taito is Samoan and has strong links to the trade union movement, has endeared himself to a younger generation of Pacific Islanders by pushing strongly on youth issues and community initiatives. Politically he is thought to be conservative because of his strong church links. But he has also embraced the achievements of Pacific peoples in the arts, sports and music, and sharing a vision of a future where the impact of Pacific peoples in the wider communities will be felt at all levels, especially in business.
“Pacific people are on this wonderful journey, where we have left the islands, conquered the oceans and are now an integral part of society today. Love us or hate us, Pacific people are here to stay and we will not be moved,” he says.
Mannasseh Sogavare
Prime Minister, Solomon Islands
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mid-2006 were similar. In 2000 it was a defacto coup, whilst last year he rose to power amidst a riot which strangled the Chinese business community in Honiara and cost his predecessor the prime ministership.
All these were the hallmarks of a controversial leader who since becoming prime minister had spent been at loggerheads with Australia over the sovereignty of Solomon Islands and over how the Regional Assistance Mission to Solomon Islands should carry out its role. On his watch, Solomon Islands–Australia diplomatic relationship have plummeted to an all time low as he declared former Australian High Commissioner to Solomon Islands Patrick Cole persona non grata, appointed an alleged sex offender as Attorney General, sacked Police Commissioner, Australian Shane Castles; and kept Australian High Commissioner Peter Hooton waiting for two months before accepting his credentials.
The Solomon Islands-Australia relationship dominated broader regional politics for much of 2006 because of the regional (albeit Australian-dominated) nature of RAMSI. However, the tragedy wrought by the April tsunami may have one consequence, relations between Australia and Solomon Islands and their leaders may thaw long enough to deliver much needed emergency assistance to affected communities.
Rev Mua Strickson-Pua
Community Leader, Auckland
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An accomplished poet, writer, multi-media artist, musician, social worker and political commentator, the 49 year-old New Zealand born Samoan—who is equally proud of Chinese ancestry—is never far from events and projects involving his peoples. As a first generation Samoan born from the first wave of Pacific migrants to New Zealand in the 1950s, he grew up experiencing the difficult transition that the Pacific community faced trying to assimilate into New Zealand society. And he has been at the forefront of initiatives designed to shape a more positive future for his peoples.
Rev. Mua is the current chairman of the Pacific Music Awards. As a musician and pastor he has delivered his message through rap and hip-hop in an effort to reach young people. And he has called on churches to do more about addressing the issues affecting Pacific communities, including violence and gangs.
He ran in the last general election campaigning under the Green Party banner for the Mangere, South Auckland electorate. “For me...sustainability means sustainable communities. While many people are doing very well indeed under the current economic and social support models, it is simply not good enough for whole cities and towns to be left behind,” he says.
Rev. Mua is still undecided about running in the 2008 elections but regardless of the outcome, he is happy to put his name forward if it means creating more awareness in the fight against the current social ills which plague the Pacific communities.
Kaliopate Tavola
Consultant
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Tavola is also working at the Pacific Islands Forum as a consultant, and has been seconded to the Nauruan government to examine the foreign affairs department there. Forum Secretary General Greg Urwin says they would be keen to use someone of his expertise on an ongoing basis.
Ironically, Tavola had to defend Fiji on the international stage following the 2000 coup arguing the country’s case before the United Nations, the Commonwealth and a series of national partners and multi lateral donor agencies. As foreign minister, he was astute in managing the China-Taiwan question; maintaining Fiji’s relationship with China despite attempts from others within Cabinet to cultivate closer ties with Taiwan. It is these talents and experience which will continue to be in demand in
the region.
Reynald Temarii
President, Oceania Football Confederation
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His success thus far in shaking up the foundations of a sport, for many years deeply rooted in internal politics and factionalism, has been attributed to his willingness to marry soccer programmes and events with regional government and non-government initiatives aimed at combating common social ills such as illiteracy, the spread of HIV/AIDS, unemployment, and poverty. Temarii’s belief is that football will only thrive and realize its true potential when young people are healthy and educated.
Temarii facilitated an historic signing of an agreement between the OFC and the European Union last November, and plans for more partnerships with organizations outside football are already in the pipeline.
This year also sees a revolutionary new long-term development program, to be rolled out over 12 years, and focused on lifting footballing standards in the region.
The list of accomplishments on the Tahitian’s CV is as impressive as they come.
Currently he sits on the powerful FIFA executive committee as a vice president making him one of world soccer’s most powerful figures. He was re-elected president of the OFC this year, after becoming the first Pacific Islander to ascend to the post in 2004. From 1998-2004, he was Tahiti’s Minister of Youth, Sports and Community Life, one of the youngest Cabinet ministers in world politics. At that time, he was also the president of the Tahiti Football Federation.
He was also a champion athlete, a top soccer player who played professionally in France for FC Nantes. For 11 years he represented Tahiti and his greatest moment came in 1995 when playing in front of his home fans in Papeete he led Tahiti to the South Pacific Games gold medal.
Intelligent, pragmatic and a visionary, Temarii will continue wield influence on the football fields and boardrooms of the region.
Gaston Tong Sang
President, French Polynesia
 Photo: Associated Press |
His appointment signals a move back to closer relations with France.Tahoeraa Huiraatira is affiliated to France’s ruling party UMP, whose head, current French Home Affairs minister NicolasSarkozy, is contesting the French presidential elections in May. The shape of French Polynesia’s relations with France depends on those elections, and whether Sarkozy, those elections, and whether Sarkozy,French Socialist candidate Ségolène Royal or another will prevail. But Tong Sang has already quickly moved to strengthen ties with Paris, meeting French President Jacques Chirac to lobby for electoral reform, discuss the possible introduction of the Euro, and signing a “partnership memorandum of agreement” to strengthen cooperation on education, health, housing and infrastructure. He has also taken a “new broom” to spending in the territory, particularly at Air Tahiti Nui and Tahiti Nui Television, by moving to eliminate a tax on the military and increasing spending on welfare housing. The success and longeivity of Tong Sang’s leadership will depend on his ability to manage the ruling coalition, which is now composed of three parties and four outer island Assembly Members. Stability in the territory has implications for the Pacific, particularly its francophone neighbors, and they will be watching Tong Sang’s leadership closely.
Hayato Yoshino
President, Premier Hotels and Resorts Ken Assets Management Inc.
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Hayato “Jack” Yoshino, the new president of Premier Hotels and Resorts Ken Assets Management Inc., (the Guam subsidiary of Ken Real Estate Lease, a sister company of Ken Corporation Ltd.) moved to Guam in December to see to it that the company’s investments bear fruit. Yoshino spent the past five years at Ken Corp’s Tokyo headquarters dealing with the acquisition and asset management of hotels in Japan. Prior to that, he was involved with the U.S. real estate investments of another Japanese company for 20 years, eight of which he spent living in the mainland U.S.
Yoshino acknowledged that Ken Corp. is hoping to acquire other Guam properties, but was unable to disclose specifics. “We are very bullish on Guam,” he said. “We believe there is upside potentiality here.” In addition to hotels, the company is considering residential and commercial real estate investments in Guam. Ken Corp. is a real estate company whose core business is providing high-end accommodations for foreign residents in Tokyo. It also owns stakes in hotels in Hawaii and California.
Ken Corp. is committed to focusing on high-income customers, including clients of its residential business in Japan. It is completing a $40 million renovation of the Sheraton Laguna Guam Resort (formerly the Palace Hotel) and has announced plans for a $10 million upgrade to the Hyatt Regency Guam. As Guam’s largest hotelier, the company’s success is very much tied to the success of the island as a destination and it has hired Dentsu, Japan’s largest advertising firm, to market Guam.
“It’s not difficult to bring budget-type guests just to increase the (hotel) occupancy,” Yoshino said. “But it’s not good for Guam. If you continue to do that, it will do damage to the image of Guam as a destination...Don’t sell Guam cheap.”
