A Solomon Islands academic with the University of Hawai'i has withdrawn from the Government delegation to the upcoming United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Dr Tarcisius Tara Kabutaulaka, in an e-mail to the Special Secretary to the Prime Minister last week withdrew from the highly criticized Government delegation.He clearly stated that the decision was made after carefully considering his reasons and the consequences largely due to personal principles, rather than anything to do with the Prime Minister's Office or the Government.
He says in order to attend the UN General Assembly and contribute constructively and productively, he needed to know exactly what the government aims to gain out of the meeting, the delegation's strategies to achieve this, what he required to do and how his participation would enhance the government's objectives.
Dr Kabutaulaka says he needed a Terms of Reference that describes the nature of his participation and outlines what is expected of him and to enable him to prepare for the two weeks meeting. Otherwise, it would be a waste of government resources and tax payers money for him to attend.
Dr Kabutaulaka also says he needed a clear instruction from the Prime minister's Office on what he is required to do in order to apply for leave from the University of Hawai'i where he is employed.
Dr Kabutaulaka says thirdly the list of the proposed delegation to the UN meeting is big and must be quite expensive and that other members of the delegation are capable of a doing a good job in New York without him.