KIRIBATI: Tong urged to ‘balance’ his local-global climate change campaign

AUCKLAND (Pacific Scoop / Pacific Media Watch): An editorial in the Kiribati Independent has urged Kiribati President Anote Tong to balance his climate change campaign to show the world that his country is committed to playing its part locally as well as globally.

The call came amid a new project, which involves the development of reclaimed land in Bairiki by the people of Maiana island on South Tarawa, home island of President Anote.

According to chairman of Te Nati ni Maiana Association, Takabea Teken, the Maiana people have chosen the new location because there is nowhere else on the capital island to build their maneaba (meeting place).

Environmental officials have also given them a green light to dig sand, shovels, stones to crush rocks for their new land for three months.

Each Maiana island household has contributed NZ$129 towards the new project.

Takabea says they have not determined the total cost of the project.

President Anote Tong last week told the Fiji Times that his government was considering purchasing land in Fiji.

The story was picked up by international news media such as BBC in London.

Later, the President’s Office issued a statement saying the message had been misinterpreted.

It said the purchase was for investment only as the country’s development was being hindered by the impact of climate change.

The Kiribati newspaper republished and translated the Fiji Times article under a new heading, ‘”Nna kakaea abami itinaniku’”– I am looking for your new land overseas – as the country is expected to disappear in the next 50 years.

University of the South Pacific academic Dr Teweiariki Teaero was quoted in the Kiribati Independent as saying Tong’s growing focus on the unknown future would distract him from doing what was important for the more pressing issues facing his people today.

Taberannang Korauaba is climate change and media researcher. He is also contributing editor of Kiribati Independent.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 New Zealand Licence.