45th SESSION of the APO GOVERNING BODY MEETING
3-5 September 2003, Korolevu, Fiji
Statement by New APO Chairman
by A.F.M. Sarwar Kamal
Secretary, Ministry of Industries and APO
Director for Bangladesh
APO Directors and Delegates
Mr. Secretary-General
Distinguished Observers and Advisers
Ladies and Gentlemen
Thank you very much for according me the office of
the APO Chairman for 2003-2004. This is the first
time for the chairmanship of the APO to be assigned
on a rotational basis by country, beginning with Bangladesh.
Therefore my appointment as the APO Chairman is not
by choice or by selection from among the more senior
members of the Governing Body. It is now a matter
of duty for us to take over the helm in turn. I readily
accept this responsibility. Indeed, I count it an
honor to be able to serve the APO as its Chairman.
However, as the newly appointed APO Director for Bangladesh
and as this is my first close association with the
APO, I take on the role of Chairman with some trepidation.
I will endeavor to serve to the best of my abilities,
but I will need your advice and guidance, particular
those of my predecessor, Mr. Manu Leopairote, and
the APO Secretary-General, Mr. Takashi Tajima.
As my first duty as the APO Chairman and on behalf
of all my fellow APO Directors, I would like to express
our gratitude to Mr. Manu Leopairote, and the two
immediate past APO Vice Chairmen, Mr. Bhanu Prasad
Acharya and Mr. Seyyed Ahmad Eshagh Husseini, for
their very able leadership of the APO in the past
year.
I would also like to congratulate the two new Vice
Chairmen on their appointment, Mr. Shen-Hsiung Hsu,
APO Director for the Republic of China, and Mr. Brian
Singh, APO Director for Fiji. In the absence of Mr.
Hsu, Mr. Yung-Hsiang Chen, the APO Alternate Director
for the Republic of China, will serve as Acting Vice
Chairman. I look forward to working closely with them
and with the APO Secretary-General on matters concerning
the APO.
Mr. Manu Leopairote, in his opening statement earlier
this morning, rightly pointed out that it is us, the
members of the Governing Body, who will make a difference
in this meeting in particular and in the APO in general.
On all our shoulders must rest the responsibility
of ensuring that this important and unique regional
intergovernmental organization remains relevant and
useful to member countries. The APO is all of us represented
as a collective whole and strengthened by mutual support
and cooperation. This implies that we have a duty
as members to support and nurture it. The more developed
member countries should endeavor to do more and the
less developed ones should endeavor to do what they
can. One of the core objectives of the APO must be
for the stronger members to help the weaker ones develop
and grow so that eventually they too can do more,
not just for the APO but for the development and well-being
of the Asia-Pacific region as a whole. In the end,
everyone will be better off because of this development.
Having said all this, it must be recognized that
how individual countries will fare and achieve in
the socio-economic and productivity arenas must depend
ultimately on our own resolve, efforts, and resourcefulness.
The more successful countries will serve as an inspiration
to others. They have shown what is possible. Others
must help themselves if they want to reach the same
level of success.
It is quite obvious that the stakeholders in some
member countries must do much more to support the
work and mission of their NPOs if they are to have
a dynamic and effective national productivity movement.
The NPOs can only do as much as the resources they
have allow them. Quite a few are inadequately funded
and understaffed. This is a matter in which the APO
can do little to help. The stakeholders concerned,
particularly governments, will have to do more. I
believe that one of our responsibilities as APO Directors
is to persuade and motivate the productivity stakeholders
in our respective countries to give more to the movement,
not only in terms of resource contributions but also
in setting examples by implementing productivity improvement
programs themselves. As the saying goes, nothing succeeds
like success. For this reason, we will always need
successful role models, and the more the better. This
must be one of our basic strategies in promoting productivity.
Distinguished Directors, observers, and advisers,
I seek your active participation and contributions
in the deliberations that we will have over the next
three days. Together we can make a difference in this
meeting.
Thank you.
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