Study tour desitinations for Emerging Pacific Leaders' Dialogue 2010 finalised

Following the finalisation of Emerging Pacific Leaders' Dialogue (EPLD) conference place acceptances and Group Leader appointments last week, and the near completion of the Liaison Officer appointments, study tour destinations to which participants have been allocated has been finalised.

For selected Solomon Islanders, below are the CONFIRMED study tour destinations:

- Ms Joyce Maetoloa (Business Sector): AUSTRALIA
- Mr Fred Patison (Government Sector): FIJI
- Mr Hugo Hebala (Government Sector): KIRIBATI
- Ms Nanette Tutua (Business Sector): PAPUA NEW GUINEA
- Mr George Pitakoe (NGO/Service Sector): SAMOA
- Ms Julian Chonigolo (Government Sector): TONGA
- Mr Exsley Taloiburi (Education Sector): VANUATU
- Mr Ronney Kenitahana (NGO/Service Sector): VANUATU

The process of study tour places allocations was quite complex as organisors had to take into account a number of conditions/variables including:

• allocations are deliberately made to destination country/territories other than the participant's home country/territory. The exception is that Liaison Officers appointed to each study tour group are residents of the respective study tour destination countries/territories.

• allocations are made on the basis that a maximum of 2 participants from the same country/territory are allocated to the same study tour.

• allocations are made to ensure that an employment sector balance across business, government, education, NGO, trade union etc. is achieved in each study tour so as to reflect the employment sector balance represented by the total conference participation.

• allocations also aim to ensure that a gender and age balance is achieved in each study tour so as to reflect the gender and age balance represented by the total conference participation.

For these reasons, conference organisors are not in a position to consider participant requests for re-allocation to another study tour destination.

Participants are now required to determine whether they need a Visa to enter Samoa for the Opening Ceremony, to enter Tonga for the Closing Ceremony, and the study tour destination to which they have been allocated.