Pacific Parliamentary Group Formed

 "The collective Pacific island population is expected to double by the year 2026 from its present level of 6.7million to 13.5million people. Th at projected population level would undoubtedly put a strain on Pacific island countries development efforts. Pacific Parliamentarians need to safeguard and promote population and development programmes for the well-being of the Pacific people". The se remarks were made by Dr. Apenisa Kurisaqila, Speaker of the Fiji Parliament, House of Representatives as he welcomed the delegates to the Pacific Parliamentarians Consultative Meeting on Population and Development, held in Nadi, Fiji, 27-28 October, 19 97.

Participating countries

Twenty-six parliamentarians from 11 Pacific Island countries - Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu - attended the 2-day meeting.

Importance of population issues

The Honourable Ms. Taufa Vakatale, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Education and Technology, in her keynote address noted the importance of population issues in maintaining sustainable social and economic development in the region. The image of Pacific Islanders as largely dispersed rural people is changing rapidly. The rural to urban drift will continue and the reality is that people seek better education, cash employment and a better standard of living. This internal migration h as led to a decrease in the agricultural labour force and thus to a reduction in the subsistence food production. It has also led to an increase in food imports to make up for the short supply of local food products. A solution is needed to ensure the har monious co-existence between the people, the security of their food supply and the environment they lived in, the Deputy Prime Minister stated.

The meeting emanated from a proposal at the Pacific Meeting of Parliamentarians on Food Security, Population and Development held in Fiji in August 1996. In that Meeting, the parliamentarians pledged to ‘...take measures to establish a Pacific Parl iamentary Assembly for Population and Development’. To help give the idea the needed push, the Fiji Parliament generously agreed to host the follow-up meeting, with sponsorship of the UNFPA.

Pacific Parliamentarians photo2

Pacific Parliamentarians' Consultative Meeting on Population and
Development, in Nadi, Fiji

Formation of Assembly

It was unanimously agreed that a Pacific Parliamentary Assembly for Population and Development (PPAPD) should be formed. Delegates debated on the structure and functions of such an Assembly. The draft Constitution and By-Laws were debated and adopted . A formal Resolution to establish the Assembly was unanimously adopted and signed by all delegates. Dr. Apenisa Kurusaqila was elected Pro-tem Chairman of the PPAPD.

During the Consultative Meeting, the UNFPA Field Office and the CST provided necessary support services, including assistance in drafting documents to accord with the wishes of the Meeting and preparing the official report. ‘