Small Island Developing States(SIDS) have been told that there is no time to waste sitting back and wait but to focus and press forward to make their voices heard in addressing their issues in the UNSIDS conference next week.
Speaking before Pacific journalists in Apia this week, the Director General of Secretariat to the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) David Sheppard said it’s time the Pacific focuses on the positives and possible solutions to Pacific issues and move on.
Mr Sheppard said despite a lot of focus was always on challenges, the negatives and insoluble of climate change, there’s also the positives that the Pacific needs to dwell on.
He added although the Pacific has faced its problems on climate change issues, these issues can also be solved and addressed in the Pacific way.
He added much has been done and by working with CROP and regional agencies such as SPREP and SPC with the information and expertise, it is important to utilise the technical expertise these agencies provided.
He stressed that this third SIDS conference underlies the urgency to unite and bring forward to the attention of UN, other world organisations and world leaders throughout the Pacific and world representatives to know of Pacific issues and push it forward to be considered and take active actions to address.
Mr Sheppard encouraged regional journalists to make the most of this meeting to advocate the importance of the meeting and get the views of leaders and experts and let the region know of what is happening.
He said people throughout the Pacific deserved the right to know and understand the importance of issues raised and discussed during the SIDS.
“Journalists carry the responsibility to get the message across to their people in the most simple and precise way for everyone to understand, digest and act upon.”
By DANIEL NAMOSUAIA
in Apia, Samoa
