Source: PacNews
The Director of the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA) has challenged member’s countries to change their mindset about being wealthy custodians of a billion resources and pursue alternative models of development other than access arrangements with donors.
PNA is an agreement for the management of fisheries of common interest amongst member’s countries: Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Tuvalu.
Dr. Transform Aqorau says regional and national officials need a change in thinking and attitude so that the region can capture a greater proportion of the wealth from their own resources.
He cited a recent presentation he made to the Micronesian Presidential Summit where he showed them how since the establishment of the PNA Office in Majuro the gross value of the raw material of tuna has doubled from USD 1.5 billion in early 2010 to USD 3 billion in 2012 through the scarcity under the Vessel Day Scheme.
But Dr. Aqorau said the island countries are not getting the benefit of the increase in the gross value of the resource because the economic outcomes from rental arrangements are subject to negotiations.
He said development dependency weakens, not strengthens Pacific Islands.