Oti Appointed High Commissioner to Fiji

Cabinet has appointed its Special Envoy to the Melanesian Spearhead Group, Patteson Oti as the country's new High Commissioner to Fiji.

The former Temotu-Nende MP had previously served as Foreign Minister on a number of occasions and was also a foreign affairs officer prior to his political career.

Mr Oti made headlines this year after he withdrew his nomination for the Parliamentary Speaker's position without explanation, when both the Government and Opposition publicly declared their support for his nomination.

Local media reports say Mr Oti's appointment was based on NCRA's political preference and he would be the government's third politically appointed Head of Missions to date.

There are only four career diplomats currently deployed to Solomon Islands Overseas Missions namely United States of America, Brussels and Canberra, Australia.

Another career diplomat was deployed to the Solomon Islands-Papua New Guinea Mission Office after the High Commissioner to PNG was suspended.