IB2017/6 Choosing Our Leaders: Western Electoral Systems versus Traditional Leadership Selection in the Pacific Islands — A Personal Perspective
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Commentaries in various internet sites and social media Facebook pages have been increasingly critical of the quality of political leadership across the Pacific islands region. The Facebook page ‘Forum Solomon Islands International’, the ‘Sharp Talk’ blog (devoted to Papua New Guinea), and the ‘Yumi Tok Stret’ website and ‘Yumi Tok Sense’ Facebook page of Vanuatu are inundated with commentaries about the quality of political leadership and the shenanigans of political leaders. Social media has facilitated a level of discourse never seen before in the Pacific islands region. I have referred to only a few Facebook pages and websites but I am sure that every country has one devoted to critiquing national developments in their countries, not to mention their national leaders. Social media is truly transformative and is giving a voice to many who would otherwise remain silent. If applied effectively, it could be an important agent for change.
