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The Fiji-based secretariat of the Pacific Islands Forum, from which the host country remains suspended over its election timetable, accepts the environment of its work says Forum secretary general Tuiloma Neroni Slade.
In an interview with Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat, Slade responded to questions on whether Fiji’s suspension from the Forum was affecting the work of the secretariat.
Said Slade: “We are a secretariat. It is not the first time that we encounter difficulties. It is inherent in the life of any secretariat that we accept the environment of our work as it comes. It is part of the professionalism of the secretariat that it is able to function and I do believe that we are functioning as normally as we can.”
Slade also said he did not think the role of the Forum was undermined by developments such as the Fiji-hosted Engaging the Pacific summit endorsing the Pacific Conference of Churches’ 'Rethinking Oceania' project.
“I doubt it very much. I cannot see how it can be. No,” he said.
Source: Radio Australia
