New Tuvalu government committed to the people - PM

Transcript

The prime minister of Tuvalu, Enele Sopoaga, says his new government is committed to doing the best it can for the people of Tuvalu.

Mr Sopoaga, who came to power after a successful vote of no confidence two weeks ago, says they are still to determine where the country is in terms of its budget and national strategies.

But he told Don Wiseman his team is enjoying the job.

ENELE SOPOAGA: It's fun. My time and I are enjoying it. We take things as they come and we have to provide a service to our people. We find it extremely exciting and we are very ambitious to push on and work with our people in Tuvalu and outside Tuvalu and our friends in the region and from afar to deliver something, to make a difference.

DON WISEMAN: And you're going to try and make a difference in what ways specifically?

ENELE SOPOAGA: Several ways, many ways. In whatever ways that can ensure the security, livelihood and improvement of living standards for the people of Tuvalu. We want to continue to look positively at it, optimistically at things in Tuvalu and yeah, we didn't walk in with a silver plateror silver spoon in front of us. Of course, it's not a perfect world but we are determined to do the best we can and we know we can, and we're going to move on from here. But like any other new house, you've got to understand where we are and where we are going in order for us to know and to be able to design what to do and how to do it. We cannot just rush into the thick forest in front of us without trying to know where we are and where we want to go.

DON WISEMAN: You'd have that information, wouldn't you? It's a small country, you're a bunch of politicians who have been around a while. Everyone's got their finger on the pulse, haven't they?

ENELE SOPOAGA: Oh yes, no problem. The team is endowed with very experienced people in their various fields and professions, and we need to harness this experience and deliver. And that's the challenge. Therefore, we want to stick together and work as a team. There are so many aspirations and demands like any other country but we need to sort out the priorities. We need to know exactly where we are in terms of our various national strategies and national budget and the law. We need to know exactly then what the top priorities for the people of Tuvalu are, their living standards and so on... only then can we move on. I think the delivery of service to the people is paramount - on shipping, on transportation, especially to the outer islands because we have eight isolated smaller islands quite far from the capital. You've got to also take into account service for their needs, so yes it's exciting. This is fun for us, we've got to work before we go fishing in the evening and then maybe do the dancing in the night. But we've got to work and work as a team.