News of the Former Director-General of FFA
by Lina
The Former Director-General of the Forum Fisheries Agency (FFA) based in the Solomon Islands had finally returned to Tuvalu with his family early this month.
Mr Feleti Penitala Teo, a Tuvalu national was appointed to head this regional fisheries organisation in May, 2000 but commenced work later that year in November. He was at the helm of this regional organization for 6 years, and ended his second and final term in November, of last year.
Mr Teo told Tuvalu News that at the time he took up his regional position as head of FFA, they were very interesting and challenging times for the FFA and its members. At the time, the forum members and other territories in the region and the fishing nations had just adopted a regional convention that established another and new regional fisheries organization, the western and central pacific fisheries commission, now based in Pohnpei, Federated States of Micronesia.
The FFA under the leadership of Mr Teo undertook two strategic planning exercises to redefine the role of the FFA in light of the new regional fisheries organization whose membership include not only FFA members but all the countries that fish in the region. Under the FFA Strategic Plan 2020 and other FFA reforms adopted in 2005; the FFA has increased its number of staff from 50 staff to over 80 staff now. Its operating budget also increased from around USD$4 million in 2001 to over $12 million for 2006 and 2007.
Mr Teo added that he would look back at his times at the FFA with a great sense of satisfaction. The FFA has now become a very refocused organization with clear strategic directions and is also well resourced for the challenges ahead in managing the regional fisheries resources in a sustainable manner.
The other significant challenge during Mr Teo’s six years term at the FFA was trying to manage a regional organization under very difficult operational environment because of the ethnic and social disruptions in the Solomon Islands during the last several years. Mr Teo added that he was glad to complete his term under those difficult times and grateful with the arrival of RAMSI in the Solomon Islands that brought some stability and security to the country.
Mr Feleti Penitala Teo was formerly Tuvalu’s Attorney-General from 1991 to 2000 before he took up his regional posting. He was replaced as FFA Director-General by a national Samoa; Mr Tanielu Sua who worked with Mr Teo as one of his divisional directors at FFA and previously Director of Fisheries for Samoa.
Mr Teo is now taking some leave in Tuvalu and has already been engaged as consultant in a couple of consultancy work for the Tuvalu government with funding support from the FFA. He would also be involved in an Ausaid regional project that will look into fisheries governance issues designed to strengthen regional and national institutions in their efforts to sustainably managed their fisheries resources.
