Page 45 - IB Dec 2020

People People

for the BSP Group, overseeing the Bank’s retail Commissioner of Police while the position is
banking businesses. Faunt has over 20 years being advertised. The substantive appointment
of banking experience in PNG, Australia and is expected next year. Matapo, who was the
the Pacific. Meanwhile Kili Tambua has been deputy Police Commissioner, has almost 40 years
appointed to the role of General Manager of service in the Cook Islands Police after joining
Offshore Branches and will oversee operations the service in 1982.
in Fiji, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa The Cook Islands Ambassador to UNESCO,
and Cook Islands. He joined BSP in 1991. Nathalie Rossette-Cazel, has been elected by
The Pacific Tourism Organisation (SPTO) has Smaller Islands Developing States (SIDS) UNESCO
appointed Fiji Airways and the South Pacific members as President of the SIDS group. The
Cruise Alliance (SPCA) to sit on its board. Fiji SIDS President role requires sustained and
Airways has replaced Air Niugini as the Board’s comprehensive advocacy of SIDS priorities and Pravinesh Singh
airline representative whilst SPCA has replaced issues across all sectors of UNESCO.
Tahiti Nui Travel as a niche specialist operator.
New Caledonia’s Rassemblement anti-
So’oalo Kuresa So’oalo has been reappointed independence party has confirmed Thierry
as CEO of the Samoa Ports Authority. During his Santa as its new party president, succeeding
first term in office, So’oalo played a leading Pierre Frogier. Santa is a former Congress
role in securing funding of USD$26.2 million to president and the current president of New
finance the Enhancing of Safety, Security and Caledonia’s collegial government.
Sustainability of the Apia Port Project. Nanaia Mahuta is New Zealand’s new
Julienne Leka-Maliaki has been appointed Foreign Affairs Minister. Meanwhile the Green’s
as Director of the Board of Nasfund and Marama Davidson will serve as Minister for the
Doris Gedare is now Board Secretary for the Prevention of Family and Sexual Violence and
PNG superannuation fund. Leka-Maliaki has Associate Minister of Housing (Homelessness).
more than 26 years of experience in policy Aupito William Sio remains as Minister for Nanaia Mahuta
development, trade investment facilitation, Pacific Peoples.
economic governance, private sector In Fiji, Dr James Fong has been confirmed
development and development cooperation. as the Permanent Secretary for Health and
Pravinesh Singh is the new President of the Medical Services, with the government saying,
Fiji Institute of Accountants. Singh intends to “both before and during his acting appointment,
focus efforts on COVID-19. “There is a need to Dr Fong’s leadership has been instrumental to
look beyond the pandemic and our pathway to Fiji’s COVID-Containment success.” Meanwhile
recovery. We can do this by recognising the key Roveroto Nayacalevu is the new Permanent
challenges faced by our members and we need Secretary for Youth and Sports. A lifelong
to explore avenues on how best we can address sportsman, he has worked in finance, operations
these challenges and build our resilience as an and supply chain management.
institute to support our members better during Two new co-chairs Virisila Buadromo and
such trying times.”
Danielle Heinecke have been welcomed by
Eric Mossman is back at the PNG Tourism the Advisory Board for Pacific Women Shaping Steven Ratuva
Promotion Authority as CEO. He is a former Pacific Development (Pacific Women). The
director corporate affair at the Authority and Australian-funded program connects more than
says he will be focussed on legislative changes 170 gender equality initiatives supported by
to better align PNG TPA with global tourism Australia and implemented by over 160 partners
trends and developments. across 14 Pacific Island countries.
The new Regional Representative for the In memorium
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner Coastal ecologist, Tonga’s Dr Netatua
for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Suva is Heike Pelesikoti has died. Dr. Neta was the first Pacific
Alefsen. She has served in human rights, legal woman to be lead author on a chapter of an
and political functions for almost 30 years with Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
the United Nations, the Council for Europe and report, and she was a member of the World
civil society. Meteorological Organization (WMO) Scientific
Superintendent Akatauira (Aka) Matapo Advisory Panel.
has been appointed the Cook Islands acting Dr Neta Pelisikoti

Islands Business, December 2020 45