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People People

Tuvalu’s Ambassador to the United Arab Administrative Hub and has 16 years’ experience
Emirates, Aunese Makoi Simati, has presented in executive management roles.
his credentials. Meanwhile Fiji’s High Samoa has been re-elected to Chair the
Commissioner to India, Kamlesh Shashi Prakash Pacific Aviation Safety Office (PASO). Magele
has presented his credentials in a virtual Hoe J. Viali, the Secretary of Transport, Chief
ceremony. Prakash is the sixth resident Fiji High Executive Officer and Director General of Civil
Commissioner of India.
Aviation will continue as the PASO Chairperson.
Samoa’s new Ombudsman, Luamanuvao Niue was appointed unopposed as the Deputy
Katalaina Sapolu has been sworn in as the first Chair of the Council and Chair of the Technical
woman to ever hold the post. She replaces Sub-Committee by the PASO Council. Bill
Maiava Iulai Toma and was previously the MacGregor, Director of Niue Civil Aviation, and
barrister and law director of PL Strategy a long-serving member of the PASO Council will
Consulting. perform the role on behalf of Niue. Cook Islands
was re-appointed unopposed as the Deputy Ricky Fuo’o
Toutai Kefu has been re-appointed as coach Chair of the Council and Chair of the Finance
of the Tongan ‘Ikale Tahi until the Rugby World Sub-Committee. John Hosking, Secretary of
Cup in France. He had an earlier stint in the Transport for the Ministry of Transport will stay
role 2016-2019.
in the role on behalf of the Cook Islands.
The first president of the Guam National Kontiki Finance Ltd has appointed Chirk Yam
Olympic Committee, Michael Reidy, has died in as an Independent Director. Yam has 37 years
the United States. A former Senator of Guam, in the Accounting profession, and retired as a
Reidy lived in Guam for 40 years. Senior Partner of PricewaterhouseCoopers in
Caren Rangi has been appointed as the December 2015.
new Chair the Arts Council of New Zealand Toi Toyota Tsusho (South Sea) Limited has
Aotearoa for three years. She is the first Pacific appointed Hendra Joewono to its board,
Chair and third woman to hold this role in the replacing Akio Ogawa. Joewono has held various
Council’s 55-year history. Rangi is a qualified senior executive positions in the various Toyota
Chartered Accountant with extensive experience Tsusho Corporation group of companies.
as a public sector governance practitioner. She Toutai Kefu
sits on a number of boards, including the Cook The Reserve Bank of Fiji has two new board
Islands Investment Corporation in Rarotonga. members, Vinod Patel and Company Group GM
Finance, Nikita Patel, and Energy Fiji Chief
In American Samoa, Chief Procurement Financial Officer, Bobby Naimawi.
Officer Ti’alemasunu Dr Mikaele Etuale has
been appointed to the Board of the American University of the South Pacific PhD student
Samoa Economic Development Authority. Rufino Varea has been selected as part of
the Commonwealth Futures Climate Research
Former Eastern Highlands governor and Papua Cohort, where 26 rising-star researchers will
New Guinea businessman, Malcolm ‘Kela’ bring local knowledge to a global stage in the
Smith has died in Australia from COVID-19 lead-up to the 26th United Nations Climate
complications. He was a key figure in PNG’s Change Conference (COP26).Varea hopes that
aviation industry and the founder of the Kela by establishing a biomonitoring approach to
Foundation to help underprivileged children and assess pollution effects in seafood, finfish and
their communities. shellfish in Fiji, his research will enable Fijians
The Managing Partner of Cersèi Partner, to strive towards a clean and blue economy. Rufino Varea
Olufemi Badejo has been appointed as Trade Meanwhile Dr Ravita Prasad from the Fiji
and Investment Commissioner of Vanuatu to National University has also been invited to join
Nigeria. He is the founder of a Citizenship by the Cohort.
Investment company in Nigeria, which assists The reigning Miss Solomon Islands Gladys
high net-worth to acquire dual citizenship in Habu has received a Commonwealth Points
countries including Vanuatu.
of Light award in honour of her exceptional
Wilfred Leon Guerrero has joined the board voluntary service raising awareness of climate
of Asia Pacific Association for Fiduciary Studies. change. As an environmental activist, Habu is
Guerrero is chairman of the Government of working with other young people from across
Guam Retirement Fund. the world ahead of the UN Climate Change
Conference (COP26) to drive forward greater
In Fiji, Kalpana Lal is the new chairperson awareness of the effects of climate change for
at Amalgamated Telecom Holdings. She heads Pacific Island countries.
German International Cooperation (GIZ’s) Pacific
Gladys Habu

Islands Business, April 2021 45