The chairman of the Melanesian Spearhead Grouping, Gabriel Pepson, says respective national governments of the MSG member countries are solely responsible for the successful implementation of decisions made by the group.
Speaking at the end of a four-day MSG Trade and Senior Officials meeting at Buala, in the Solomon Islands, Mr Pepson -- who is also Papua New Guinea's Foreign Affairs and Trade Secretary -- said the group can only be meaningful if MSG initiatives are adopted into government policies at the national government level.
Mr. Pepson said in order for the MSG decisions to be practical and realistic to its citizens those decisions have to be translated into the government framework otherwise things will be futile.
He said rural dwellers of the MSG member countries make up a vast majority of its citizens and one way of making citizens aware of the existence of this sub-regional organization is by bringing its forum to the grass-root level.
Mr. Pepson said the Buala Trade and Senior Officials meeting was the first of its in the 20-year history to be held in a semi-town or village setting with the local community providing the catering, entertaining and accommodation.
Previously all MSG meetings have been held in hotels
