PORT MORESBY – The Papua New Guinea Government on Wednesday was forced to defend the selection process that resulted in the election of Dame Meg Taylor as the Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat.
Foreign Affairs Minister Rimbink Pato said the appointment of Dame Meg was done in a transparent manner after the Suva-based Fiji Sun newspaper published a scathing editorial and article criticising PNG for using its financial might to woo support from the other Pacific Island states to secure the votes.
According to the newspaper, PNG had “reneged” on its decision to support former Fiji foreign minister Kaliopate Tavola for the top regional job despite agreeing in unison with Fiji, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu in a show of Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) solidarity.
The newspaper alleged that PNG secured the votes to install Dame Meg by offering “a K500 million ($F377m) inducement” to the region’s small island states in the lead-up to the PIF Leaders Summit in Koror, Palau.
But Mr Pato said Dame Meg’s nomination was done with the full knowledge of all PIF nations, including MSG members, and relevant discussions were held between leaders and ministers. While Fiji had put forward its own candidate, Mr Pato said there were technical irregularities with the application as Fiji remained suspended from the PIF.
