What does your job entail?
At the onset my two programme managers and I have been heavily involved in ‘fact finding’, ‘stock taking’ exercises through literature research, meeting and networking with potential and current partners, development partners, donors, young people and young people’s organisations, governments, etc. It also involves a lot of travelling for my two programme managers to attend workshops, conferences and seminars that implicate on young people in the Pacific. When we have collected sufficient information and identified partners we will be able to plan for the regional and country programmes in the Pacific. It is hoped that by October when we hold the Regional Advisory Board meeting in the Cook Islands, the CYP South Pacific Centre professional staff will be able to submit a draft strategic plan for the Pacific for the next years which will contain what we consider are well thought-about programmes and activities for Pacific youth that have resulted from wide consultation with policy makers and young people themselves; and which we will endeavour to ensure will be ‘steered’ by young people themselves.

What encouraged you apply for the post as Regional Director of the Pacific Centre?
My cousin who is a former Parliamentarian and a great believer in my abilities encouraged me to apply for the post. At the professional level I have worked in regional and international organisations in management, policy and advocacy positions and am used to the core expectation of the requirement of the post which in my view is leading a team of two programme managers and developing a strategic plan for the South Pacific region that will be regionally focussed but also tailored to country specifics. My interaction with people at all levels gives me the confidence to network and forge partnerships. On a more ‘young people’ level my simple and friendly nature is non threatening to many young people who usually feel very comfortable discussing with me. I am a feminist and a human rights defender and hence believe strongly in justice and non discrimination and that all human beings are equal regardless of their background and should be treated with respect.

What challenges do you envisage in your new job?
The challenges are many but the following are probably the major ones:
a) developing with my two programme managers a CYP South Pacific Strategic Plan that strikes the right balance between regional programmes and country specifics; involves programmes that are realistic and appropriate to the individual country needs that are results based and sustainable for young people as well as programmes that could be run at the regional level but will still benefit these individual countries through their regional representation;
b) establishing sound partnerships with the government’s of the South Pacific countries that the CYP is responsible for as well as managing regional CYP bodies such as the Regional Youth Caucus and the Regional Advisory Board especially on facilitating a two way interaction between them and us at the Centre so that we are able to advice each other as well as support each other and be able to listen to each other even if what is being said may not be the expected;
c) to properly manage our finances so that funds allocated are spent effectively on real needs of young people to meet to bring about sustainable positive results for them.

How do you find your team?
I cannot ask for a better team. Paul Peteru and Sushil Ram my programme managers and my Solomon Islands support staff have proved during our short time together that we are a team. We have our own management styles but we support each other and constantly communicate with ourselves and try to use our differences to enhance our work. The recent visit of Mr. Matthew Neuhaus and Mr. Albert Mariner from the Political Division of the Commonwealth Secretariat brought out the team work when all CYP staff cooperated to provide the two visitors from London an enjoyable and informative hour with the staff at the CYP Centre in Honiara.
The team work is again being displayed by everyone’s efforts to organise the Commonwealth Day celebrations.

Following the brief ceremony, the two countries held bilateral discussions on possible areas of cooperation and agreed to work towards putting in place cooperative arrangements in two areas: Fisheries and Energy.

Iceland has one of the world’s most efficient Fisheries sectors and a lead nation in producing geothermal energy for its 309,000 population.
The two countries agreed to look at having Solomon Islanders joining international students studying in Iceland doing Fisheries and Geothermal Programmes respectively.

The two Ambassadors also agreed to have Icelandic geothermal experts to examine geothermal potential on some of the country’s volcanic islands.
Iceland has become 48th country to establish relations with Solomon Islands since independence and the third Scandinavian country and the eleventh European States that shares diplomatic ties with the country.