Tuvalu Keith-Reid, Robert
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276 the contemporary pacific • 19:1 (2007) Government of Tonga Reform Informa- Taimi ‘o Tonga. Tonga Times. Biweekly. tion Office Web site <http://Tonga Auckland. <http://www.taimiotonga -Now.to> .com>. Islands Business. Monthly. Suva and Taumu‘a Lelei. Roman Catholic monthly. Auckland. <http://www.islandsbusiness Nuku‘alofa. .com> Kalonikali, The Tonga Chronicle. Govern- ment weekly. Nuku‘alofa. Tuvalu Keith-Reid, Robert. 2005a. Burst of Unrest in the Kingdom. Islands Business. The World Summit on Sustainable August. Development held in Johannesburg in 2002 provided the impetus for ———. 2005b. Civil Service Revolution Tuvalu’s first-ever National Summit Turns Ugly. Islands Business. September. on Sustainable Development, which Magick, Samantha. 2004. Continued took place from late June through Turbulence Ahead: Many Pacific Airlines early July 2004. Invited participants Struggle in a Fast-Changing Market. included several from each island Pacific Magazine. October. <http://www (chiefs, elected councilors or kaupule, .pacificislands.cc> women, and youth delegates), repre- Matangi Tonga. Quarterly. Nuku‘alofa. sentatives from each of the eight <http://www.matangitonga.to> island communities on Funafuti, Namoa.com. Nongovernmental Web site senior officials, ministers, politicians, operated from Tonga. <http://www and representatives from youth .namoa.com> groups, faith-based organizations, New Zealand Herald. Daily. Auckland. women’s associations, regional bodies <http://www.nzherald.co.nz> (South Pacific Applied Geoscience Pacific Islands Report. Daily. Pacific Commission, Forum Secretariat, Islands Development Program, East-West Pacific Regional Environment Pro- Center. Honolulu. <http://pidp gramme, University of the South .eastwestcenter.org/pireport>. Pacific), and business houses. Four Pacific Magazine. Monthly. Honolulu. or five expatriate Tuvaluans working <http://www.pacificislands.cc>. abroad (including myself) were also invited by the government to act as Pareti, Samisoni. 2005. People’s Power: Writing on the Wall for Royals. Islands resource people at the summit. The Business October. purpose of the summit was to consult widely and map out strategies for Planet Tonga. <http://www.planet-tonga Tuvalu’s development over the next .com> ten years (2005–2015). An estimated Radio Australia. 2006. Tonga Farewells four hundred people gathered in Prince Tu‘ipelehake. <http://www.abc.net Funafuti at the Tausoa Lima Falekau- .au/am /content/2006/s1692913.htm>. pule (Council of Elders Meeting Hall) Radio New Zealand International. Gov- for the summit. ernment daily. Auckland. <http://www In an attempt to demonstrate polit- .rnzi.com /index.php> ical neutrality, the government agreed Radio Tonga. Daily broadcasts in Tonga. that Minister of Finance Bikeni Pae- political reviews • polynesia 277 niu and Leader of the Opposition ment for Tuvalu. However, the qual- Kamuta Latasi would cochair the ity of what transpired proved that summit. The two of them skillfully such assumptions are no longer valid. steered the meeting through difficult Eight main thematic areas were and sensitive issues, kept the interest agreed to and formed the substantive of the participants alive through good agenda: strengthening macroeconomic humor, prompted the discussion when stability; improving the provision of there might have been a stalemate, social services; improving develop- and tactfully managed the more vocal ment of the islands and Falekaupule participants to ensure that everyone (Council of Elders); creating employ- had a chance to express his or her ment opportunities and enhancing views. private sector development; improving The entire summit was therefore capacity and human resources devel- characterized by the rich quality of opment; developing Tuvalu’s natural consultation and expressions of gen- resources; improving the provision of uine concern over the country’s devel- support services; mainstreaming of opment needs—specific to each island women in development; and good and also common to all. The diversity governance. of participants and the different and After each plenary session, the rich cultural and traditional nuances large gathering usually split up into they brought to the summit added four groups to discuss the items in flavor to a fully consultative and par- more depth and to come up with find- ticipatory meeting. The combined con- ings. Both the plenary and group dis- tributions of all the delegates, their cussions were considered to be of very active participation and keen interest, high quality. Visits to the islands and and the support of various island com- the different island communities by munities who provided abundant task groups from the Ministry of refreshments, all made for a most Finance to familiarize people with the creative and enriching experience. agenda preceded the actual summit. This was the first time that such The submissions from the islands and an extensive consultation had taken island communities were therefore place at the national level regarding very well prepared and clearly articu- the country’s development. National lated. This led to focused, engaged, development strategies have hitherto and stimulating general discussions. been widely understood as the sole Such extensive consultation, especially preserve of the government. A few in a fragmented place like Tuvalu years before, only the planning where transportation and movement office—mostly staffed by expatriate of people is difficult and requires con- officers—was assumed to possess the siderable effort to coordinate, does skills and knowledge to write devel- not come cheap. However, many opment policies and strategies for delegates applauded support for the Tuvalu. In fact, an expatriate officer process and the inclusion of a large from one regional organization said number of people; many also felt his special mission at the summit was excited at actually being part of mak- to develop and write the vision state- ing the country’s development plans 278 the contemporary pacific • 19:1 (2007) and policies. For a great number of emerged from the summit. The first participants, the summit presented a stressed that sustainable development fertile arena to learn from and share was dependent on good governance ideas with one another. A traditional and recommended strengthening the high chief described the summit as the oversight of the functions of public most important historical gathering institutions to improve accountability ever held in Tuvalu since its indepen- and transparency. Economic growth dence in 1978. was needed for improving standards However, two things appeared of living, and the summit called for a to mar the summit. The first issue review of the public service, state- involved the absence of most of the owned enterprises, and improvement permanent secretaries in many of the in budget management including pro- discussions. When questioned about viding a stable macroeconomic envi- this, the secretary to government ronment. Recognizing the fluidity of surprised everyone by saying that the the political leadership in the country, permanent secretaries were too busy the summit also resolved that the with their work and attendance would sustainable development strategies mean no one would be “on watch.” agreed on at the summit would Since permanent secretaries are known remain operational and effective to be away often on overseas trips, despite any changes in government the explanation did not make much during the planning period. After the sense. The fact that the chiefs, tradi- summit, the government met with tional leaders, and cabinet ministers, development partners to discuss how as well as the overseas participants the plan might be funded and imple- had all taken time off to attend the mented. summit made the absence of perma- The summit also produced a histor- nent secretaries culturally and profes- ical document called the Malefatuga sionally unacceptable. Declaration, after the traditional name Second, the manner in which one of the area where the summit was held or two of the ministers asked ques- (the old meaning of malefatuga is tions and directed their concerns to “challenge,” the place where conflicts the government during the debates are resolved. Its modern usage is had the mark of betrayal. It is one “place of identity and confidence, thing to offer personal insights on where good deeds are recorded”). how things might be undertaken or The Malefatuga Declaration was improved, but it is another for indi- signed by the two cochairs, all the viduals to openly criticize government island head chiefs, and representatives policies as though they were not part of the private sector, women’s council, of the decision-making process. In and national youth association, all fact, the openly critical comments pledging their commitment “to the foreshadowed a political coup. A full implementation of the strategic month later, Saufatu Sopoanga was priorities and key actions as adopted dethroned as prime minister by a through [the various] resolutions.” motion of no confidence. The Malefatuga Declaration also A number of major resolutions affirmed a commitment to ensuring political reviews • polynesia 279 effective monitoring and assessing the an obstacle to the push toward ban- impact of the agreed strategies and ning commercial whaling. While action plans. The resolutions and Sopoanga’s government was trying to conclusions of the summit, and the fend off potential threats to Tuvalu’s Malefatuga Declaration, provided the iwc membership, domestic politics