Pacific Islands Monthly

Rata Mara: 'No Bloody War'

When Uk Leaves Fiji

After two weeks of debate on subjects ranging far and wide, Fiji’s Legislative Council in December approved the 1970 budget of more than $47 million.

Issues touched on during the two week talkathon varied considerably, from an attack on the Fiji Develop ment Bank for allegedly neglecting the small man, to wrangling over the government’s decision to hire its own computer: from the problems facing Fiji when Britain enters the Common Market, to the “devastating effect” of a New Zealand magazine’s article on the political and racial situation in Fiji.

The ever-loquacious Opposition Whip, Mr. K. C. Ramrakha, delivered a marathon effort—a speech lasting seven hours. (For other references to his speech see ‘Peacock Spenders’, p. 41).

It was he who introduced the offending magazine article in LegCo because, “what is raised in this article is so serious in my view that a government-to-government approach is warranted.”

Desire 'to kill"

The article, headed “Trouble in Fiji?” was the first of a three-part series in the New Zealand Weekly News. It was written by Mr. Tony Reid, with photographs by Mr. Barry Sharp, both of whom spent three weeks in Fiji.

Mr. Ramrakha. one of the person alities interviewed and photographed for the article, protested in particular about the opening section, which concerned statements attributed to unidentified Fijians, in which the de sire to kill Indians or drive them from Fiji is expressed.

Unidentified Indians are quoted as saying that they live in fear of eventual nation-wide bloodshed. Mr.

Ramrakha said he did not dispute the freedom of the Press or the right of overseas journalists to describe what was happening in Fiji. But it

, . , , , was not fair to publish the distorted conversations of unidentified peonle.

“Is it fair to write in these terns when relations here are good and we are working together to build a nation?” he asked ' Chief Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, also attacked the article, calling it the “worst example of irresponsible journalism I have seen.”

He said the article would have a “devastating effect” on the government’s efforts to attract overseas investment, particularly in New Zealand. “How dare they suggest that we will collapse into internecine and bloody war because a handful of

UK civil servants are going to leave our shores?” he demanded.

He agreed with the Chief Secretary, Mr. G. P. Lloyd, who said that a government-to-government approach on the article would be inappropri ate because Fiji could only be told that the New Zealand Government did not censor its Press. “But I do not think we should leave it there,” he added. “I think that we should, by whatever means we have, reply to this article and point out the facts.”

During his seven-hour speech the Opposition Whip declared that in creasing bankruptcy and crime, the flood of valueless cheques, increasing prostitution and venereal disease, in creased liquor drinking and a slacken ing of morals were the real index of Fiji’s prosperity. He blamed them on mis-government.

He also attacked government use of electronic computers, government policy on the recognition of medical practitioners, insurance requirements for Housing Authority tenants, taxi meters, an advisory committee‘s re port on the relief of destitutes, over seas construction companies (who brought nothing new to Fiji but took a lot of money out) and alleged dis crimination in New Zealand against arrivals from Fiji.

Leader of the House, Mr. J. N.

Falvey, said Mr. Ramrakha could have fitted his seven-hour speech into

one hour and 15 minutes—adding that much of the speech consisted of “personal and venemous invective, the like of which has never been heard before in this House,”

Criticism of the Fiji Development Bank came from the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. S. M. Koya, who claimed it was not geared to help agriculture. Replying to this outside the House, the bank’s manager, Mr.

J. D. Ward, stated that farmers re ceived 93.7 per cent, of all the loans made by the bank during the last financial year.

Mr. Ward said the average loan received by farmers in the financial year to June 30 had been $660. “The smallness of the loans is not relative to our unwillingness to lend more— it is simply the amount that the farmers want to borrow,” he said.

The average size of industrial loans had been $15,170, but the machinery and buildings needed by a manu facturer would obviously be much more costly than the needs of a small farmer.

He said that overseas applicants received a very small proportion of loans made by the bank.

Work for school leavers

Speaking during the budget debate on the matter of employment, the Chief Minister said it was his hope to see the establishment of a re afforestation scheme, giving school leavers immediate employment.

He said he had not been able to get the support of other ministers on the scheme, but he was con cerned because in the Western Division alone 15,000 cane farmers were carrying the burden of sustain ing, feeding and clothing the re mainder of the 300,000 people who lived in the region.

He wanted the government to de vise a scheme to attract a portion of this pool of unemployed into such productive fields as reafforestation.

Following final approval of the budget, other matters, including amendments to the Sugar Industry Ordinance, the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance and the Pure Foods Ord inance were dealt with in the Legis lative Council.

Opposition members said they were concerned over a racket being t'JIuL °, n bV . Aus . t u alian a . nd *£* ea and tourists with regard to Fiji pills ernment ' SUbSldlSed cordrace P tlve \/fw /'■' a cu u , x . C. A. Shah said tourists were HE the m E IJI and T thCI m at Li bome E° r a sub ‘ profit - He quoted cine case . t a aHJH 11 M °[ d j re ? 1,000 packets. Although he had been refused, he had been able to buy ofher quantities elsewhere. w, . . 4 , Mr. Ramrakha said that packets of pi s available m Fiji at a subsidised cost of 20 cents were being resold Aii;^E Stra a u d Ne J Zealand.

Alliance member, Mrs. B. C.

Livingston, remarked that it seemed as if the pills had become a dutyfree tourist attraction.

Localisation problems

Should Fijians be given preferential treatment in the localisation process in multi-racial Fiji? ~. , , Ihere are many who think they the Fd qUeS :: on -. n f ...

Educational standards of Fijians, he said, were generally below those of other races in Fiji. , 1 Because of this, I urge the government and particularly the Director of Localisation to see that a quota

system is adopted in the award of scholarships,” he said.

He wanted 50 per cent, of funds allocated for training to be ear marked for Fijians.

Mr. Sikivou praised the extent of localisation in the Department of Agriculture, but complained that “ local boys” who had the .mentality and qualifications had yet to reach the tO P two P os ts in the police force, u r re . fer , red f to , 4 a ... remark by Mr A t? du . V (Alliance, Central) who had warned that localisation must not be allowed to proceed at the expense of decreased efficiency, He called for a government state ment on t h e progress of localisation. i.- «w- • * , - , , . Tbe Chief Minister left no doubt ? bis attltude . towards the localisation process—it was not pro ceeding fast enough, he said in the House.

“I am not satisfied myself that the pac £ is ade ff uate > the advice ftw en fr ° m and locally, that we can slash the pace of localisation, Ratu Sir Kamisese said t r F d !ii aching Dominion l a e US .o an r d ece^r t r e ‘‘ g C ;jin Ser h V anT shake”, there would be about 200 posts in Fiji to fill overnight, , . , , . 4 , We shall not be able to do so on the present basis,” he said. Over seas officials would have to be re cruited on contract.