The Tongan Minister for Lands, Survey, Natural Resources and Environment, Tuita has called on the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission's (SOPAC) Governing Council to consider the decision made by the Forum Leaders to rationalize SOPAC's function in a constructive way.

Speaking at the Official opening of the SOPAC Governing Council Annual Session in Nuku'alofa Tonga on Monday Nov. 26 Tuita said that "council must decide on a correct way forward based on the value it places on scientific and technical advice and information".

"SOPAC is, of course, an independent body, but I believe we must consider the decision by the forum leaders, and do so in a constructive and positive way."

"Council must decide on the correct way this can continue to be delivered, and if change is to come how best to ensure that the worthwhile programs of SOPAC carry on without a gap, or hindrance such that we in the pacific can address issues relevant to sustainable development of our natural resources and that we do develop resilience to disasters, natural or human-induced."

In the recent 2007 leaders...’ forum also held in Tonga, the leaders in relation to SOPAC, agreed to "the need to rationalize the functions of the Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission (SOPAC) with the work programmes of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) with the view to absorbing those functions of SOPAC into SPC and SPREP."

Tuita said that "Perhaps the critical issue is how to make all three of them even more effective, rather than creating two bigger organizations. Perhaps the need is for CROP to be more effective even though it has in many ways failed."

He said that the issue of staff morale as well as their future needs to be considered.

"Changeovers, redundancies and interim arrangements are part of organizational culture these days. But I believe that whichever course the council will take this is a critical period of at least three years where work programs, including advisory work, needs to be completed or reach a stage where they could be moved, if that is indeed the decision, without impact on service delivery."

Meanwhile, Minister for Foreign Affairs and External Trade, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau said that it was "very surprising to see the outcome in relation to SOPAC of the recent 2007 leader...’s forum held in Tonga".

"An acceptable way forward is not good enough. It must be a correct approach which council has ownership of and that is most important. Furthermore, if time is needed for this to happen, then time must be allowed." SOPAC, 27/11/07.