New Look Soon For

Fiji Government

By Stuart Inder

With Fiji on the threshold of a new political step which will give it a Chief Minister and a cabinet with executive authority over departmental heads, there appears to be a new harmony in the British colony.

RATU MARA, Leader of Govern ment Business since the success of his Alliance group in the elections of last October, has risen to the responsibilities of leadership in the way that Fiame Mata’afa did when he became Prime Minister of independent Western Samoa. Ratu Mara’s growing stature is a topic of conversation in Fiji.

Relations between him and Mr.

A. D. Patel, the Leader of the Opposi tion, are much better than one might expect considering their opposing political views. Mr. Patel wants a revision of the constitution, to give one-man one-vote. Ratu Mara be lieves that Fiji’s racial problems can be worked out harmoniously under the present system of racial and cross-voting.

It will work

Ratu Mara believes that if multi racialism won’t work in Fiji it won’t work anywhere—and he is confident that, with care and goodwill, it can be successful in Fiji.

Certainly there is a feeling in some quarters that the present harmony is on the surface. If it is true at all, it is only partly true. My observations tell me that things are better, and only the degree might be subject of debate. It is easy to exaggerate the effect of such imponderables as Mr.

Andrew Deoki’s plans to found a new party with a membership of Fiji born Indians.

This move in July was at a delicate stage and it was impossible then to say what affiliations any new party might have, or even whether a party might be formed at all, and until negotiations take some sort of form there is not much point in making predictions.

Meanwhile the ministerial system is occupying attention. No date has been announced for its advent, although September 1 is a popular choice. I think it likely the system will be introduced earlier.

Fiji’s embyro cabinet at present carry the title of “members”. When they become ministers there will probably be only minor changes in

their responsibilities. Although cabinet will have executive authority, power of veto will, of course, still be in the hands of the Governor, Sir Derek Jakeway.

International outlook

I expect Ratu Mara will take an even more international view when he assumes full leadership, and will continue at an accelerated rate his current activities in drawing the South Pacific territories together.

He has family connections with the leaders of Western Samoa and Tonga, and he is a strong believer in unity being strength.

He wants the strength so that he can more firmly put Fiji’s views to Australia and New Zealand. Ratu Mara has been frankly critical of Australia’s role in the area —he be lieves she does not do enough—and in this, and his internationalism, he certainly has the support of Mr. Patel.

Australia thus can expect more pressures on her following the new political changes.

There has been some talk in both Fiji and Australia of the possibility of establishing for the South Pacific a Business Co-operation Committee of the same type successfuly operat ing between Australia and Japan. This would allow the South Pacific terri tories to discuss their trade problems directly with Australia and NZ, and be extremely valuable, Ratu Mara would undoubtedly support such a move.

Nor is it likely that Ratu Mara will relax his campaign for a more efficient re-organisation of the South Pacific Commission, aimed at get ting the territory governments them selves to make the decisions rather than the metropolitan powers.

There are independent reports that his work is already bearing fruit. A revolutionary proposal (not Ratu Mara’s) is at present in the hands of some metropolitan governments that the SPC in its present form be replaced by an international aid body, operated by the United Nations, and designed as a kind of South Pacific Colombo plan.