Kiribati President says Fiji land investment for future

Transcript

The President of Kiribati says the Government's purchase of land in Fiji is a valuable investment for the people of Kiribati that should reap benefits if Fiji maintains political stability.

The Kiribati Government has purchased a 2210 hectare property at Natoavatu Estate on Vanua Levu in a bid to enhance its economic and social resilience in the face of climate change.

Anote Tong has been attending the Pacific Islands Leaders Forum in Palau this week, which focussed on Palau's chosen theme of protecting the ocean.

Amelia Langford spoke to Mr Tong about his plans for the land in Fiji but first put a question to him about whether the Forum has maintained its relevance.

ANOTE TONG: The Forum has always been powerful. In any region there has to be something like the Forum and at this point and time it is the political club, if you can call it that, where the leaders are making the decisions. The theme has been selected for this year only goes to emphasise the importance of the ocean and the need for attention as early as possible. I can see that there's a lot of support for the theme being selected simply because we share the resource. We need to pay a lot of attention to the resources of our oceans, that they don't get overfished as others have.

AMELIA LANGFORD: Do you think Australia, New Zealand should be doing more to help that?

AT: Well I think they are already doing it, I think it's got to be more focussed, we've got to share in the management and taking care of this ocean, yes I think Australia and New Zealand can and have been doing quite a bit.

AL: Kiribati has bought some real estate in Fiji. Now just to clarify, is that to move people over eventually?

AT: At this point in time it is an investment. We did lose a lot of money in the financial market in 2008, and the 1988 crisis. We lost hundreds of millions of dollars. And so, given the financial markets are just playing a lot of uncertainties and you hear such a lot of scandal about fund managers doing a lot of silly things. So investing in real estate like that is not a bad idea. There is no doubt in my mind the value will go up in a time, in a very short time, with stability, political stability in Fiji, everything will improve.

AL: And as a last resort, people could move there?

AT: I suppose I will not be around to make that decision, but I can leave that decision to whoever will be making that decision. Most probably what we have done here is provide another option, so that option be needed in time.

AL: Thank you very much for that, anything else you wanted to add?

AT: Not at all, but thank you very much for giving me the opportunity. But we must keep doing what we must do, doing the right thing. Looking after the planet, looking after the oceans, and in fact looking after the future of our future generations. Because it means the survival of our people. I've got dozens of grandchildren, and I want to see them well provided for in the future.