10 Oct 2018

Tukuitonga misses out on WHO post

9:18 am on 10 October 2018

The director general of the Pacific Community, Colin Tukuitonga, has failed in his bid for a senior post at the World Health Organisation.

Colin Tukuitonga

Photo: Twitter/ Colin Tukuitonga

Dr Tukuitonga, a prominent Niuean New Zealander, had campaigned to become the regional director of the WHO for the Western Pacific.

Japan's candidate, Takeshi Kasai, has been elected to the role by member countries.

Dr Tukuitonga, who had the unanimous backing of Pacific health ministers and New Zealand's government, came second out of four candidates vying for the role.

In a post on Twitter, Dr Tukuitonga said he gave it his best shot but it was not his day.