The Banabans Get Some Action

PI M’s recent disclosures that the 1,900 Banaban people of Rabi Island, in the Fiji Group, are desperately angry at being ignored by Britain in their requests for higher royalties for Ocean Island phosphate have brought action. The Banabans are not likely in future to be over looked when Ocean Island royalties are discussed.

Since PlM’s main story was published in October (p. 32), the Banabans have had a flood of newspaper and magazine publicity and have been visited by an Australian TV team, which will shortly present a documentary on their problems. A Sydney firm of economic advisers, Philip Shrapnel and Co., has become involved with their case.

Details and full discussion of the GEIC Budget have had to be held up while the Colonial Office has investigated aspects of the Rabi case, and in December the head of the Colonial Office Economic Depart ment, Mr. K. C. Christofas, made a flying visit to Rabi from London.

He later went on to the GEIC, including Ocean Island, and to Nauru.

It is expected the Colonial Office will try to arrange an increase in the royalty rate for the Banabans, to take effect at the same time as the increase to be paid to the GEIC Government.

An official announcement is expected in January.