Micronesia Capable Of

Self-Rule: Norwood

Micronesia’s 92,000 islanders are now capable of governing themselves, but because they have no major industry they are far from being economically self sufficient. This is the thinking of the territory’s High Commissioner for the past three years, Mr. William R. Norwood, who told a PIM staff writer in Sydney in October that Micronesia’s biggest problem remained econo mic development.

Mr. Norwood said Micronesians had made good political progress since their two-house Congress had started nearly four years ago. And he believed that if a referendum on the political future of the territory were to be held this year “a con servative 70 per cent.” of Micro nes'ians would vote for “some form” of a continuing relationship with the US.

The question was, when should such a referendum be held? “I also think almost 90 per cent, of the educated islanders of the Marianas would favour affiliation with Guam, which is already US-owned terri tory”, he said. “Guam’s prosperity and its similar ethnic and cultural ties appeal to these islanders.

“I personally feel that the improved travel developments among our islands, particularly with our new air services and our coming shipping changes, will improve con tact and help to mould Micronesia into more of a nation than a group of scattered islands.

“Hopefully, then, Micronesians may come to think of themselves as part of a distinct race and stick together rather than some split up and go to Guam and the rest eventually become independent.

Nationhood

“Congress has already, and is con tinuing to, contribute to this feeling of nationhood.”

Mr. Norwood, who is a former journalist and public relations con sultant, said the biggest industry on the horizon for Micronesia was tourism. Improved air services had begun this year and the new airline operator, Continental Airlines, was committed to build six hotels.

Work on two—at Truk and Palau —was expected to start by the end of this year.

Mr. Norwood said he welcomed the current Fiji Airways proposal to fly its HS74B prop-jet from Nauru to Majuro, Marshall Islands, and to establish a link with the South

Pacific. He understood Air Micro nesia would also fly this run.

“Tourism could be a big future employer of Micronesians, not just as bell-hops and tour guides, but as employees in the other industries like dry-cleaning, bakeries and stores which follow tourist developments.”

Developments delayed

He said US tariffs—which were payable on goods produced in Micro nesia—were delaying developments in two possible other major industries —fishing and handicrafts.

“I realise Micronesians, like American Samoans, won’t go fishing for weeks on end away from their homes. But I am sure technological breakthroughs Will come which will eliminate the need for fishermen to do this.

“Currently we have at least one big fish cannery which has operations in Pago Pago wanting to set up a cannery here. But all our exports to the US would have to pay tariffs while in American Samoa canners don’t have to pay these tariffs be cause the fish is produced in a US owned territory.

“The same applies to handicrafts —we have US manufacturers willing to invest only if they can get around the tariffs which don’t make big operations economic. However, 1 remain hopeful the tariffs can be waived and these two industries can get going.”

Mr. Norwood said Micronesia had no known mineral resources but an agreement had recently been signed with a subsidiary of Continental Oil for a prospect to look at phosphate deposits in the Palau group.

Mr. Norwood said there could be a “population crisis” ahead because of the limited land area available.

He was hopeful Micronesians could be absorbed into the US, Guam or Hawaii or that people from certain over-populated districts could be persuaded to move to less-populated areas.