[PDF-fullMembers] Response to Setareki Macanawai

Mon Jul 21 20:24:45 +12 2025

Mr. Latoatama Halatau-Talagi MNZM

Co-Chairperson

Pacific Disability Forum

Your email below is hereby acknowledged. I have decided to respond to it
sooner rather than later drawing on your idea of ". principled response to
correct several assumptions and ensure clarity and collective responsibility
are upheld.. " as there are wrong assumptions, unfounded allegations,
ill-informed statements and character assassination in your email as you
decided to focus on me as a person rather than addressing the principles and
issues raised in my email addressed to the Board. As Co-Chairperson of the
PDF Board, you have clearly focused your response on my action as an
individual in sending that email rather than its noble intention to call for
the Board's timely attention and prompt response on matters that concern the
good governance and proper management of PDF. I wish to point out here that
being the President of FDPF and voting delegate of a Full Member, I have
every right to send that email to the Board if I as the representative of a
Full Member believe that the Board through its Co-Chairpersons are not
fulfilling their duties, lest you forget that that PDF is a democratic and
membership-based organisation. I'm also surprised to read in your email your
reference to ".. your continued interventions in governance matters ." as
this was my first email to the Board on such issue. 

1.	I appreciate the time taken to respond to my email as by doing so,
you on behalf of the Board has provided particularly the members of PDF
relevant information regarding the 2025 Board election, the much -awaited
regional conference and additional information on the Board's plans for the
current transition period and governance. One can only guess if such
information would have been provided by the Board through the Co-Chairs if I
haven't sent that email? 
2.	My email to the Co-Chairpersons and Board was only cc'd to the CEO,
Senior Management Team and members of the PDF as in my view, they need to be
made aware of the concerns I have raised as some of the members in
particular have been raising them but not taking them to the right place,
i.e. the Board. Therefore, your allegation of my mass-mailing my criticisms
to lists viewable to donors, funding partners, and other observers is both
unfounded and absurd. I just cannot see myself doing something to destroy
the work of PDF and in turn the disability movement in the Pacific that I
and others who have gone ahead of us toiled hard with blood, sweat and tears
to build since the 1990s, well before PDF came to being. I did my time
serving PDF for 17 and half years and respected the Board's decision to
appoint Ms. Sainimili Tawake as the new CEO. What good will I get out of
undermining her role? Instead, you should ask the staff what I requested of
them to do to support Sai when I left PDF.  
3.	The purpose and reason behind my taking up my current role with FDPF
as its President since October last year were best known and understood by
the FDPF members that were present that day. I suggest that you refrain from
commenting on this matter and should be apologizing for the ill-informed and
unfounded allegations made in your email such as conflict of interest and
that I have not been able to step away and allow space for growth and
independent governance within both FDPF or PDF as you were not present at
the FDPF biennial meeting last October to know the facts and truth behind
this matter you commented on. Half-baked truth is baseless, misleading,
deceiving  and untrue! Maybe the Board should check itself first on conflict
of interest before casting the first stone? 
4.	In my humble view, our legacy reveals our priorities and how we want
to be remembered. The focus of our legacy is on the benefits for the
generations coming after us rather than for ourselves. a LEGACY is created
when a person puts his organization into the position to do great things
without him. I believe this is the kind of legacy I left for PDF when I
ended my term in June last year and will endeavour to do the same for FDPF
when I complete my term next year! The question I want to ask is what kind
of legacy are the Co-Chairs leaving behind as they are about to complete
their term as board Members of PDF? 
5.	Finally and with due respect, the Co-Chairpersons should swallow
their pride and not be defensive, do not allow their egos to diminish their
ability to listen, accept criticisms, show genuine leadership by responding
positively to the challenges behind those issues raised in my initial email
and do the right thing for the betterment of PDF moving forward. All I asked
was for information to be provided by the Board through the Co-Chairs on
those key events I sought some update on for the benefit of the PDF members.
As long as I'm a member of PDF and in whatever capacity, I will continue to
stand for what is right, fight for the truth and call out any wrong for the
sake of PDF and its members!

I wish the Board a successful meeting at its meeting this week.  

Vinaka vakalevu.

Seta

Setareki S. Macanawai

President

Fiji Disabled Peoples Federation

3 Brown Street, Suva, Fiji

Tel: +679 331 1203

Mob: +679 992 1486

Email: <mailto:macanawai.setareki at gmail.com> macanawai.setareki at gmail.com

WhatsApp: +679 992 1486

Pronoun: he/him

The information contained in this email message is intended only for the
addressee(s). If you are not the intended recipient, you must not use,
disclose, copy or distribute this message or the information in it,
including any attachments. If you receive this email in error please notify
the sender immediately.

From: la at visionpacific.org.nz <la at visionpacific.org.nz> 
Sent: Monday, 21 July 2025 1:19 pm
To: macanawai.setareki at gmail.com; 'Sainimili Tawake'
<Sainimili.Tawake at pacificdisability.org>;
pdf-fullmembers at lists.pacificdisability.org
Cc: PDFBoardMembers at groups.io
Subject: Response to Setareki Macanawai

Bula vinaka Seta,

This is to acknowledge receipt of your email sent to PDF Board members, the
CEO, senior Secretariat staff, and all PDF members' lists, stating your
concerns regarding governance and strategic events for 2025.

Your deep connection to this movement is profound and recognised. However,
the content, tone, and broadcasting of your criticisms requires a principled
response to correct several assumptions and ensure clarity and collective
responsibility are upheld..

A Time of Leadership Transition and Renewal

You formally resigned from the role of PDF CEO in 2024 after 17 years of
service. Since then, PDF is in a phase of strategic reform and renewal,
under a new generation of leadership. The current Board and Secretariat are
fully engaged in reforming PDF's governance and strategic direction. We are
in the final year of the current Strategic Plan, and work is actively
underway-collaboratively with members and partners-to develop a new strategy
that meets the evolving needs of our region. Transitions, by nature, involve
complexity and recalibration.

The Board through its constitutional authority appointed a new Chief
Executive Officer, a highly capable vision-impaired woman, to lead PDF
forward. Her appointment is not symbolic, but deliberate. It reflects our
commitment to elevating emerging leadership, including women with
disabilities, and broadening regional ownership of our movement.

To that end, your continued interventions in governance matters, especially
from your new role as President of the Fiji Disabled Peoples Federation
(FDPF), raise significant concerns about conflict of interest. By stepping
into that presidency within months of leaving your CEO role at the
Secretariat, the optics-and the reality-suggest that you have not been able
to step away and allow space for growth and independent governance within
both FDPF or PDF. This sends a message, intentional or not, that no one else
is capable without you, even with your support. This is not leadership
development; it is inhibition.

Undermining Trust and Governance Through Public Criticism

Your choice to mass-mail your criticisms to lists viewable to donors,
funding partners, and other observers is especially troubling. Whatever the
intention, the effect is corrosive, undermining confidence in the new CEO
and her staff who are  working diligently to ensure continuity, reform and
service delivery under considerable constraint. This approach creates an
atmosphere where fear of appearing disloyal to your legacy outweighs honest
discussion. Many will hesitate to challenge your assertions directly, not
because they agree with them, but because they are wary of the polarisation
your interventions may cause. Your influence casts a long shadow, one that
is difficult to speak against, and that stifles rather than nurtures new
leadership.

Governance Processes Are Underway 

*	The 2025 election timeline is aligned with last year's. The only
shift has been a few weeks, caused by member delays in confirming Voting
Delegates, a constitutional requirement for an eligible election process. 
*	Repeated reminders have been issued by Secretariat staff (on 4 and
23 June, and 18 July). This has been transparent and in line with the
constitution.
*	The Board is meeting this week to approve the election policy,
appoint the Returning Officer, and initiate the formal voting process.
*	Planning for the 2025 Pacific Regional Conference and General Forum
is progressing. Confirmation is pending finalisation of funding agreements.
Until that is secured, we must proceed responsibly and manage costs
cautiously.
*	Regarding constitutional amendments, the Board will ensure the
proper advance notice is met once the General Forum date is confirmed.

The Board and CEO are very mindful to act carefully and constitutionally to
ensure the 2025 governance processes are credible, participatory, and
robust.

The Question of Legacy and the Way Forward

You have served the region and this movement with distinction. That
contribution is appreciated and a legacy to be proud of. However, legacy is
not measured by one's ability to remain central, but by the strength of
those who follow. True leadership, especially after stepping down, includes
the grace to support successors without overshadowing them.

The two-year term you now hold as President of FDPF begs the question: What
happens then? Who will be ready to step up, if your presence now has
overshadowed and inhibited current FDPF leaders? These are the patterns our
movement seeks to change.

This Pacific Disability Forum was not built by one person. It was built
collectively-by leaders across the Pacific, in all their diversity. Today,
that leadership is coming through: in younger voices, in women, in people
with psychosocial, intellectual, and multiple disabilities, and in the
evolving structures of OPDs throughout the region.

Let us not repeat the turmoil experienced by our global partners, including
the International Disability Alliance, where transitions became points of
fracture rather than strength. We have seen how crucial it is to protect new
leadership from the destabilising effects of overreach, no matter how
well-intentioned.

This year marks the end of tenure for both Co-chairs after two full terms
who will be stepping down in full respect of the term limits and governance
structures by which we abide. This is the example we must all set. If there
were genuine concerns, a phone call or direct outreach to the Co-chairs
would have been a more respectful and appropriate approach in the first
instance.

All Voting Delegates and Full Members are asked to remain focused on
collective progress and not be drawn into personal allegiances. Our movement
must stand on principle-not personalities.

Vinaka vaka levu,

Co-chairs Jacqueline Garoau and 

Latoa Halatau-Talagi MNZM

For the Board

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