Comments

This article is clearly articulated and addresses the real issues of external influence, particularly the alliance between these two states in the Pacific and how it could undermine regional solidarity in the Pacific.

Thank you Mike. Congratulations to you and team in Vanuatu Govt for leading the case. Indeed, the outcome of this case affirms the agency of Pacific states and their independent leadership.

Thanks, Stephen and team for the artful work into this book. As a development practitioner engaging extensively in the donors' programs in PNG, I would like to share few thoughts and observations. I had seen the unfolding nature of development in the country with different leaders in the political and bureaucratic institutions of this country, as a child in the 80s, as a schooler in the 90s, as a development practitioner in the 2000 and current. The category would be this; the early leaders – the makers of this nation, the developers, the reformers, the users and invaders using systems to legitimize illegitimate public goods. Whilst observing the turnover of times, there is the population boom, the urban migration, the deterioration of infrastructures and the increase development of the resource industries and emergence of social insecurity - limited and weak law enforcement institutions and increase in law-and-order issues and the reminiscence of regionalism among diversity. With the above features, more money from donors, resource sectors and public tax poured into development, but it continues to sink in deep pockets, and it seems will not end. Everything the current systems and players are doing is extensively exposed through the availability of technology – provides both facts and fake to the public domain. The development in ARoG into self-determination will create a major shift in the regionalism of diversity across the country. Not a majority political party government will sustain stable government while all development will take on reactive approach to emerging situations and not a long-term solution. The call now for PNG is – what were the thoughts and minds of the makers of this nation? This should be the evaluation question of the PNG 50th Anniversary (apply basic principle of project design- objective vs outcome evaluation). At least many of the forefathers are not around to provide this evaluation feedback, but what we still have are the foundational institutions, constitution and the enabling legislations which still provides the conner stone of the thoughts and minds of the nation makers. The risks are that users and invaders (politicians) of today are trying to continuously attack the very foundations, (amendments to laws and duplications of institutions) with selfishness. This is a bad trend for PNG. The old terms like political patronage and clientelism would fade and new jargons will emerge like – systemic and systematic action, legitimizing the illegitimate, selective warranting and weaponizing legislation and allocation. Thanks

Good one.

Thank you for sharing your perspective, Jane Smith. The words you used in your comment, in many ways, already addressed the very questions you raised. But let me be more specific for the wider readership. I do not know you, so my apologies if I am mistaken, but I presumed from your name and your opinion that you may not have a deep connection to one of these islands. If so, your reaction to this blog is both understandable and unsurprising. The ontological and epistemological standpoint from which you formed your opinion shapes how you interpret the piece, and this is reflected in your emphasis on “classification…helps us identify geographical locations and similarities.” Yes, such categories simplify things — but for whom, and to whose benefit? These simplifications are not harmless. They amount to a kind of generational conditioning, and their consequences are profound. The ongoing power struggles over these very labels are clear, for example, in debates about leadership within the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). Some member states have even threatened to leave, arguing that being labeled as “Micronesia” marks them as micro, less important, and excluded from broader Pacific conversations. For those of us who grew up in outer islands, away from urban capitals, and were raised with the wisdom and practices of our ancestors, the philosophical foundation is quite different. That is why our interpretations may diverge. In that sense, both your comment and the blog stand on their own and reflect the positions from which they were written. Have a good one.

Congratulations on this important work. People with disabilities in developing countries remain the poorest of the poor. Their voice needs to be heard in every forum, including parliament. remain the

This post exposes a real experience of disability equity case in local election participation in SI, a similar situation would be seen in education and health care access. The less to no participation or limited access by disabled persons in development is inevitable across developing economies- why? It depends on the nation's political and socio-economic development that may or may not focus on inclusive development. How nations like Australia see and read disability equity in Australia may not be the same as local SI see disability equity and access or participation in development activities - the same across other Pacific Island nations. Also note that, there are other enabling environment or development segments have to be in place for a disabled person/s to effectively participate and different forms of disability require different forms of enabling environments for him/her to fully participate and develop oneself. The first thing in a disability program is to undertake a data collection and needs assessment to develop a meaningful program for disability and gender equity mainstreaming activity. Then trial out a pilot project and use the evidence to advocate for greater integration. With the recent launch of Australia's IDEARS, it will be interesting to integrate a disability pilot program and share the outcome.

Thank you for the information. As the country celebrates its 50 years, there is much to reflect upon and a reminder of our journey. The countribution of many in both countries is acknowledged and much appreciated in this space.

I support your idea on name tags. For PNG, we should probably rename Port Moresby to Somare City or etc. and also probably change the name Papua New Guinea to other local names like Hanua etc..

What is a Pacific islander? I think defining 'unity' under the chapeau of "Pacific Islander" is misleading and oversimplifying an incredibly complex context. I think the article is over fixated on colonization without considering day to day complexities in the individual Pacific countries. The Pacific is not the European Union where there is binding unity in matters of day to day life. The Pacific is a region comprised of individual countries, some independent. some still remain territories with diverse cultures, identities, social, economic and political making. Let's be more clear and practical, yes Fiji Veikoso is a Pacific Islander with Fijian descent (I believe he's a naturalized US citizen also). The Pacific pageant is unique in demonstrating the cultures of different countries. The classification of Polynesia, Melanesia and Micronesia helps us identify geographical locations and similarities amongst countries. The negative connotones about this classification is not really that relevant.

Yes, it's about time! Thank you.

Amota, thank you for the enlightenment. Never knew Kiribati was the local pronunciation of Gilbert. Totally agree. Remove colonial conventions and return to the true Pasifika way. However, didn't Ferdinand Magellan who described the waters west of the the Straits of Magellan (whoops) as "pasifico" inadvertently name the home of all Pacific people. Can't win here.