Bsip's Biggest
p. 43 · Read in the full issue
Problem Is
Uncertainty
• The author, a prominent business nan of Honiara and a member of the BSIP Legislative Council, says that he Solomons “have been good to Mm”. He has, however, some other houghts about the Protectorate and \e summed these up in this article ifter a recent visit to Sydney.
By E. V. Lawson
The BSIP, as the Pacific War
roved conclusively, is important
) Australia and this is probably hy many Australians ask me hat, in my opinion, the future 3lds for this area. j ''HIS, of course, is almost im - possible to answer because of e outside pressures to which all de ndent countries are subjected these ys. I firmly believe, however, that e British Government’s expressed ilicy of gradually educating the lomon Islanders towards self-gov ament is sincere.
I also believe that the Government implementing its policies much too >wly and that there is not sufficient ae for it to carry out its aims at 5 slow pace it is at present taking.
With the present uncertainty, Euro in investors have no inducement atever to invest their money in the lomons. This is readily under ndable because the Government f given no guarantees whatever t it is prepared to go so far as fight to retain the Solomons as a )tectorate and for the benefit of Solomon Islanders and other al residents.
Phe ever-present fear in the minds residents such as myself is that may be abandoned and betrayed, I believe the people of West New nea were. Who knows but that lerica may suddenly decide, for ie political purpose of its own, - the Solomons should be handed r to some Asiatic power? This is it happened in West New Guinea it is what could happen in Aus ian New Guinea and the British )mons. eople like myself would feel * h happier if the British Govern it gave the Solomon Islanders and Jr local people an assurance that
it would not allow anybody else to take over the Solomons until the Solomon Islanders themselves are ready for the task.
If such an assurance were given then overseas investors would not be frightened of doing business in the Solomons. At the present time, howf ver ’ onJ y people who seem to be willing to risk investing money m the BSIP are Asians—particularly Japanese and Chinese interests. It makes one wonder whether the future of the Melanesian islands really rests with the West or whether their future is more likely to be interwoven with Asia.
To further explain my contention that the British Government is not acting quickly enough in educating the Solomon Islanders towards self government I have only to cite its consistent refusal to have any elected members on the Legislative Council, its policy of employing the wives of ex-patriate officers when, very often the job could be done by the Solomon Islander.
It was thought that the Legislative Council, when it came into being about two years ago, would be a step in the right direction of political advancement. In fact, it has turned out to be nothing more than the old Advisory Council under the guise of a more high-sounding name.
It is time that a further step was taken by allowing the European members of the community the right to have at least one elected member.
I moved to this effect in Legislative Council and was supported by every unofficial member of the Council.
However, the move was vetoed by the Chief Secretary. The Solomon Islanders themselves were keen on the idea as they regarded the pro cess of electing one European mem ber as something from which they could learn about elections and politics generally.
I strongly believe that it is time that the authorities started to take more notice of the views of per manent residents and indigenes of the Solomons, even if it means spending a lot more money, more quickly than was anticipated. If action is not taken now, it will be too late.
My criticism is not levelled at His Excellency, the High Commissioner or some of his senior government servants in Honiara who, I believe, are sincere in their expressed desire to help the Solomon Islanders. It is the people in the Colonial Office in London who should wake up and do something before it is too late—as it has always been too late in almost every territory they have governed.