The government has appointed its special envoy to the Melanesian Spearhead Group, Patteson Oti as its new High Commissioner to Fiji.
The former Temotu-Nende MP had previously served as a Foreign Minister on a number of occasions and was a long time civil servant prior to his political career.
Oti
made headlines this year after he withdrew his nomination for the Parliamentary
Speaker's position without explanation, when both the Government and Opposition
publicly declared their support for his nomination.
National broadcaster, SIBC said the appointment
is another demoralising blow to trained career diplomats within the Foreign
Affairs Ministry.
Local media reports said
Oti's appointment is in line with the ruling government’s political preference.
Mr Oti will be
the third political appointee to head a Solomon Islands diplomatic mission
overseas.
Only
four career diplomats are currently deployed at Solomon Islands Overseas
Missions in New York, Brussels and Canberra.
Another career diplomat was deployed to the Papua New Guinea Mission after the
High Commissioner to PNG was suspended.
- SIBC
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