With a flurry of preparations for the visitors for the South Pacific Forum, the Cook Islanders have managed to obtain some fine vehicles to get the delegates around, but it looks like the meet will be overloaded with representatives from the powerful nations rather than the Islanders themselves.
Every forum needs a motorcade, even on tiny Rarotonga
IT HELPS that the island is shaped like a squashed baked bean, with the only major road a ring that runs around the coast.
Any scooter-straddling tourists who happen to miss a stop can just keep going and half an hour later find it again.
But with Cook Islands about to host a Pacific-wide summit of world leaders - with a celebrity appearance by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton - the tiny nation of barely 12,000 people is gearing for a new challenge: traffic.
Not a hire car has been left idle on the main island Rarotonga so the 15 leaders, including Prime Minister Julia Gillard, and their minders can be swept back and forth.
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Generous locals have even surrendered their vehicles ahead of the week-long Pacific Islands Forum. People have been warned to get out of the way whenever a diplomatic convoy led by a flashing police bike rounds one of the island's four bends.
But there are limits.
The Americans had wanted 10 large SUVs to transport Mrs Clinton's entourage across the island during their 24-hour stay. That left the forum's logistics co-ordinator, Jaewynn McKay, somewhat flabbergasted.
''I said to them, 'have you seen any of those here'?'' she told The Age.
It's not only cars. The forum clashes with the peak tourist season, making accommodation the biggest headache.
About 600 officials, media and politicians are attending, not only Pacific countries, but delegations from 60 countries, including far-flung Kosovo.
The problem is doubly complicated by the decision to decamp leaders, officials and media tomorrow and fly them to the distant island of Aitutaki, to get a photo against what is regularly dubbed the most beautiful lagoon in the world.
But the attention is worth it to promote Cook Islands and help the economy. ''Where we can, we've tried to keep everything local,'' said Ms McKay.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/world/every-forum-needs-a-motorcade-even-on-tiny-rarotonga-20120827-24wlb.html#ixzz24n2gS18
Hillary Clinton to attend
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been confirmed to attend the Pacific Islands Forum in the Cook Islands this week.
Speculation about her attendance has swirled for weeks, ahead of confirmation by her spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on Wednesday morning. Mrs Clinton will attend the post-forum dialogue on August 31, "as part of our intensive engagement and ongoing collaboration with the Pacific Islands", Ms Nuland said. "Her visit will emphasise the depth and breadth of American engagement across economic, people to people, strategic, environmental, and security interests.
"The visit also represents a concerted effort to strengthen regional multilateral institutions, develop bilateral partnerships, and build on alliances - three core elements of US strategy toward the Asia-Pacific."
Mrs Clinton will lead the highest-level US delegation in the forum's history, accompanied by senior officials from the Departments of State, Defence, and Interior. Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and New Zealand's Prime Minister John Key both fly to Rarotonga for the forum on Wednesday. Both leaders are expected to have bilateral talks with Mrs Clinton.
Mrs Clinton's attendance at the forum comes as part of a wider trip to Indonesia, China, East Timor, Brunei, and Russia.
------------- The photo is not of Hiliary, but of Julie, the Australian Prime Minister and she certainly seemed to enjoy the welcoming to Raratonga!
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