Pacific Meteorological Council comes of age

By Sini Latu, Tonga Broadcasting Commission

2 July 2013, Nadi, Fiji - Pacific meteorological directors have met regularly over the past 20 years but it was only in 2011 that the Pacific Meteorological Council was established.

The PMC, which has convened for its second meeting in Nadi from July 1-5, originated out of the 2011 Pacific Regional Meteorological Services forum (PRMSD).  The PRMSD first met 20 years ago in 1993 in Port Vila, Vanuatu to discuss how the National Met services can be best supported to effectively contribute to strengthening the resilience and security of Pacific communities.

In 2011 three key milestones took place – the establishment of the Pacific Meteorological Council; the endorsement of the Pacific Islands Meteorology Strategy and; the establishment of the Pacific Meteorological Desk Partnership.
The World Meteorological Organization’s Representative for the Pacific, Henry Taiki says the change in name was necessary to give the PRMSD forum a more formal arrangement.

Taiki says the change in name not only improved met services but it has also brought about a new sense of confidence. 

For Regional Met directors, the changeover to the PMC has meant different things.

“It brings a sense of togetherness amongst Pacific Nation countries in terms of meteorology, not only that we’re looking into the more high level stuff, it also brings how things impact on the ground – from the forecasting side of things into some of the presentations on the tropical cyclone effects. It’s in this kind of forums that we have the expertise and it’s a very good idea. It is a meeting that brings about the various elements that are involved in the pacific”. - Misaeli Funak   Fiji, Manager Forecasting Services

“At first RMSD which was the regional met service director meeting was just a meeting. PMC is a subsidiary body of SPREP so it’s got a more decent meetings”. - Reginald White  Director – Marshall Islands National Weather Service Office