PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, March 27) –

Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Sir Michael Somare paid tribute to the founding fathers of Melanesia, when signing the historic Melanesia Spearhead Group constitution last Friday.
[PIR editor’s note: The Melanesian Spearhead Group comprises the four Melanesian states of Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Fiji. The Group signed the region’s Preferential Trade Agreement in 1994 - a sub-regional trade treaty established to foster and accelerate economic development through trade relations.]
Sir Michael, who is also the chairman of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, signed the constitution along with the prime ministers of Solomon Islands and Vanuatu Manasseh Sogovare and Hami Lini respectively, Fiji’s interim foreign minister and representatives of FLNKS (New Caledonia) in Port Vila last Friday.
In his speech after the signing ceremony, Sir Michael paid tribute to the founding fathers of Melanesian Spearhead Group, who included the former prime minister of Solomon Islands, the late Solomon Mamaloni, and the former prime minister of Vanuatu, the late Fr Walter Lini.
"I pay tribute to the founding fathers of Melanesia for their foresight in setting up the foundation for the people of Melanesia to collectively help each other," Sir Michael said. "The foundation has set up our people as we share the same customs and traditions that have been carried on for thousand of years and the signing of this constitution marks that special relationship that we people in Melanesia share. Melanesian Spearhead Group is the promoter of our cultures and tradition through this constitution that will guide us. The constitution also agrees for our countries in Melanesia to work together as team for the promotion of our economic and trade activities, which would go a long way in assisting our people’s way of life in Melanesia."
Sir Michael and other Melanesian leaders signed the constitution at Port Vila witnessed by the head of State of Vanuatu Kalkot Matas Kelekele.

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