In all the conversations taking place in the Pacific region today, there is one that is often ignored simply because it is under a “long white cloud” – Aotearoa. Kalafi Moala argues why Pacific islanders in Aotearoa should be given special attention

What is worse? Turning government planning and implementation over to consultants who drop in for a few weeks at a time, putting it in the hands of people without the tools or inclination to do it, or engaging competent locally based people to provide advice and then ignoring it?

South Pacific states need to heed the words of Fiji’s Prime Minister, for it will help shift the thinking from others determining our future to self-determination. Kalafi Moala writes that maybe there is a lesson or two to be learnt from Fiji when it comes to home grown solutions.

Remote islands in the Pacific are littered with the detritus of renewable energy projects gone wrong. People need to look beyond the ribbon cutting after installation to the details of operations and maintenance to know if these substantial aid projects will still be providing benefits one or more years down the track.