“We want the best man/woman for the job, and we believe should come from Micronesia. There is still time for review, time to ask more questions from Nauru about this candidate,” stated President Surangel Whipps Jr. regarding the concerns raised about former President of Nauru Baron Waga whom the Micronesian Presidents nominated to be the next Secretary General of the Pacific Island Forum.
The appointment of Baron Waga has been accepted by the Forum, said Whipps, but he will not assume the position until April of 2024.
Concerns have been raised around the Pacific about Waga’s track record, such as his treatment of the opposition in their parliament, which led to some members of the parliament getting jailed or forced out of the country. Also, his alleged mistreatment of asylum seekers that were placed in Nauru.
President Whipps said that the response from Nauru was these were just smear campaigns against the former President of Nauru Waga.
“There’s still time for review and for us to ask more questions of Nauru’s candidate, but we believe the candidate must come from Micronesia,” asserted Whipps.