Freedom Of Movement

Islanders Need Greater Freedom Of Movement

By an Optimistic Native New Guinean

Now that the South Pacific Commission review conference is to be held in New Zealand soon, what will the member nations discuss? Will they decide whether or not this is an era of great expansion and progress in economics, education, social, cultural and political development amongst the peoples of the South Pacific Islands?

[TILL they make any recommenda » tions for free movement between e different island groups, and for e development of indigenous iding enterprises, and personnel changes among us, the Pacific landers?

I am loath to say it—but in the st a great dishonour has been done us by refusing to recognise our brts to build our own businesses d to develop our political aspira ins by allowing us to move freely peoples of one great ocean.

I do not deny that efforts have en made by the governments of s Pacific nations, since the South icific Commission came into opera m, to bring us together in organ id conferences. But we have never en encouraged to move about out le these official arrangements.

Radical Changes Needed Now I think is the time to make me radical changes and to encour e our movement. The first step >uld be for the Governments to :ruit Islanders to executive staff, ichers, medical personnel and sinessmen into other islands, wher er there is need for them.

In Papua-New Guinea, for ample, there are no other Pacific anders doing any executive jobs, idling or social work, except for handful of Samoans who are now ling some exceptionally good work the L.M.S. mission field. But sre are no Papuans or New Liineans doing the same work in moa or in any other Pacific island.

I do not blame my own people r their inability. In the past 50 ;ars or so, education has been nied to us, and this is our real tback today.

Not until after the Second World ar were we able to receive some lucation —most of it of a primary mdard. With this primary educa )n we are now capable of running

"Optimistic New Guinean", who contributes this article unsolicited, is a student at the Papuan Medical College, Port Moresby. Although he supplies his correct name, he points out that he "does not want to be seriously involved in poli tical aspects of things at the present stage of my career, yet I feel it is urgent that the opinions of Pacific Islanders should be made known". He adds that his piece is "not written with the intention of hurting the morale of any Ad ministration or public ser vant", but he feels his sugges tions are worth consideration by the South Pacific Commis sion.

our local affairs, able to cultivate our political aspirations and organise our businesses, perhaps only under the pressure of necessity. But these can collapse any time if no adequate education is provided for us, and we are able to have free movement and experience outside our own secluded area.

How disconcerting it is to hear, year in and year out, the same old remark that Papuans and New Guineans are completely ignorant, incapable, ineffective and altogether lacking in the ability to manage their own affairs. No sensible person should make such inhuman remarks without realising how badly we had been ignored in the past, I am not the only one who takes such a stand in the wilderness.

There are many conscientious Pacific

nders who feel the same and Ratu i Vuiyasawa is doubtlessly one of n. In his article in December, 2. PIM he suggested a Colombo I for Fiji and the Pacific Islands, may say that such remarks as e (that we are ignorant and pable) are often deliberately e to save the colonialists their [ faces, and at the same time )urage potential leaders among communities.

"Ought to be Exploited"

iese go as far as to show the nial administration’s unspoken ition to oppress and exploit us, ad of promoting us to respon positions. They consider that the backward peoples, are the source of labour, that we ought ie oppressed and exploited, and what limited resources we have Id be exhausted before we have to see where we are. The nialist must maintain his mono and the prestige of colonialism, bygone years, to ensure the ex ce of the colonial power and security of the colonial admin tion, grants were made from the ler countries, more wages were out to expatriate officers instead raining available indigenous per el, who could easily fill some ions at less salary. If there were 001 s , hospitals, scholarship mes and other public amenities, were provided not for the best ests of our people, but to the ests of most expatriates.

Papua-New Guinea there are j potential leaders, at present, are really efficient and deter :d organisers in various fields; rtheless, they are always ob :ted by the Administration be e of some mysterious fear, do not know on what account Id we be kept down—for fear of petition, rivalry, racial prejudice narchism?

Education Overlooked astralia and New Zealand, as our ibouring colonial countries, have ie past lived up to the wishes of Parliaments, have fulfilled some heir own ambitions and, above have brought us towards semi rnment. But in their frenzy to 1 about these goals and to fulfil : ambitions they have overlooked Essential step in promoting us self-government: An adequate ation for us. would be a gratifying and Eying move, both for us and for i, if they would make an all effort now to provide educa for us at all levels.

They could also hand over the present Australian School of Pacific Administration to the S.P.C. for the training of Islanders, so that the Islands people could be taught there about the administration of their own countries.

Ihe S.P.C could also grant scholarships to all Islands territories, whose best student could obtain secondary and university education.

Secondly, an Inter-Pacific Travel Bureau should be set up by the Commission, with the head office at the headquarters of the Commission.

Agents can be represented at ali travel centres, and provision be made for setting up new agencies on other islands. The agencies should be manned by the indigenous personnel, in co-operation with the main shipping and travel service companics, along lines agreed upon between the Commission and these companies.

Thirdly, technical staff, social, ad ministrative and medical personnel could be recruited among Islanders on an exchange system. This would do much to reduce some of the most grievous financial setbacks encoun tered b y paying higher salaries to expatriate officers. This would leave more capital available to the Ad ministrations and to private enter prise to develop the Islands soundly. , Fourthly, if the above could be some solution to the present difficult problems, it would also be sound as an initial step forward towards *h e h°P e of Pacific Federation. A further step could be taken to weld a Federal Government through the Islands representation in the S.P.C. with the Islands administra tions as States. The final creation of the Pacific Federal Government would result in the gradual take-over of responsibilities from the S.P.C.