As Niue prepares to host the Pacific Islands Forum summit this week, one of the island's opposition MPs says such annual meetings are a waste of money.
Terry Coe says it's a costly exercise and most of the work could be achieved using digital technology.
He has previously criticised Niue for hosting an event when it struggles to meet other commitments
While this Forum meeting is largely funded by New Zealand and other aid donors, Mr Coe says such money would be better applied to projects to help the people of the island.
And he goes further saying instead of the talkfest being held annually it could be staged once every three or five years.
"To allow for those urgent things and things that need the group to get together but the majority of the work done by delegates and all that can be done through the latest technology and it would be far cheaper and the money can be better put that's funding these organisations can be put into projects that will help the countries."
Terry Coe
