Pacific Islands Monthly

The Solomons has 'its own thing'— but it's not 'Goodbye Britain'

From DAVID KEATING, in Honiara Outside stood a small crowd, mostly Solomon Islanders, watching the police parade; inside, public servants and their wives, members’ wives, and local dignatories tried to find somewhere to sit in the small public gallery—some in the end had to sit on the floor. They were all waiting for the High Commissioner to arrive at the High Court to open the first meeting of the new Governing Council; and at 9 a.m., July 15, the Solomon Islands took a significant step forward.

The significant step is the fact that the Governing Council has 17 elected members, 6 Public Service members and 3 ex-officio Public Service mem bers and, therefore, for the first time the elected members have a majority.

After the members had been sworn in, the High Commissioner, Sir Michael Gass, addressed the House.

His speech reviewed existing aspects of life in the Solomons and the changes there had been. He referred to the shift of power from Public Service members to elected members and stressed the new responsibility of elected members.

Reference was also made to the financial position of the Solomons.

In 1970 grant in aid from Britain will amount to $2.3 million and capital aid will amount to $2.6 million. On this point Sir Michael said. “I am sure, however, that it will be agreed that we should aim to match our political development with the eventual eradication of the grant in aid, and eventually of capital aid.

“There can be no true political self government without financial indepen dence, and I would hope that by the time the country comes of age politically, it will be meeting the full costs of the recurrent budget from its own revenue, even if this should require a retrenchment in some services.” He added that the answer lay in increased productivity and that the greatest effort must be made in the field of economic development.

While everyone will agree that economic development is the priority, not everyone will accept the concept that economic viability is a pre requisite of self-goverment or inde pendence, and certainly any sug

gestion that any service should be cut back will not be accepted by Solomon Islanders. Indeed it’s hard to imagine what service could be held back, let alone cut back.

The idea of financial independence being established before political independence may have been the aim of the British Government in the past with its former territories, but while financial independence is, of course, desirable, the trend with developing countries now seems to follow the American idea of achieving political independence with the continuance of financial aid if necessary.

Although Sir Michael said that Britain could not be expected to go on paying for ever, the Solomons occupy too important a position in the Pacific for Britain or more likely, Australia, to run the risk of losing its influence over these islands for a mere $5 million a year.

The Governing Council is now in existence, but what do the local people think of this new constitutional step? What is the Governing Council going to do? Will it just create plenty of discussion and little action? or will it live up to the faith and hope that everyone is putting into it?

In his speech Sir Michael said it was an opportunity for the growth of a true national identity. Will this particular opportunity be taken? Or will island rivalries continue or even become exaggerated?

Quite clearly the ordinary Solomon Islanders realise the significant factor of the new Governing Council, namely a majority of the elected members over the official members.

So far as Malaita is concerned, they consider that at last they have got what they wanted in the Marching Rule days.

It’s early yet to say what effect the Governing Council will have. No doubt to begin with there will be a few teething troubles as everyone learns to adjust to this new system.

If, however, the Governing Council does not have any practical effect, the High Commissioner has power to pass or veto any legislation without it. This power can also be applied if the council goes against the advice of the High Commissioner. If this power were to be exercised it might well be the end of the Governing Council and some other form of government would have to be sought.

Presumably, therefore, it will only be used in an emergency, if at all.

At the moment everyone has great hopes that it will be a real success and the Public Service is obviously

doing all it can to help. The Public Service appears to have accepted that it will be working for Governing Council, not with it or against it.

One fear is that as the local councils have little authority, small administrative local matters will have to be dealt with by the Governing Council and that this will increase insular attitudes, so that members will be more concerned with their own constituencies than the Solomons as a whole.

The criticism has already been made that there is no formulated policy for the take-over of admin istrative work from the district offices by the local councils. Ultimately the president of the local council should be a more important figure than the district commissioner and while this may be the declared intention of the government, no definite steps have been decided upon towards achieving it.

In other developing countries tribal rivalries have increased as self-gov ernment progressed. While one can not expect tribal or island rivalries to vanish overnight in the Solomons, it would be a decided benefit if small local issues could be kept local. At the present moment the local councils have so little power and finance that decisions on many minor matters, have to be referred to the government through the district offices. Perhaps the Governing Council will see to it that the local councils have a part to play in dealing with local issues.

The success of the Governing Council will to a great extent depend on the personalites in it. More than normal interest has been shown in the election of members. Registered voters increased from 39,101 to 51,904 and the number of persons voting increased from 17,689 to 26,136 making a 3 per cent, increase in the vote to 55.40 per cent, of the electorate.

Only one, European was elected, Archdeacon Peter Thompson for North Central Malaita, who got in with a handsome majority of nearly 75 per cent, of the vote. He was very much the exception; elsewhere the /ote tended to be against Europeans 3r part-Europeans, although Joseph Bryan, a candidate for East Guadal canal, a European planter, only lost by some 20 votes. The successful, candidate there was Leone Laku.

On the whole there were few elec ion surprises. Some were surprised Jiat Archdeacon Kiva for Savo, the Rmssells, and Gela was elected, because of the small part he played when a member of the former Legislative Council, and some were surprised that Jack Campbell, the

former member for Makira, in the Legislative Council did not stand.

The fact that his cousin Albert Kuper stood, may have influenced him, for fear of a split vote.

The membership of the council is not settled yet. Joseph Bryan has lodged an election petition alleging that the votes of two polling stations were rejected because they had been marked either by the presiding officer or the polling assistant. He is seeking a new election. The petition is due to be heard in August after the present session of the council, which will leave sufficient time for a fresh election if necessary before the next session.

One member who is the subject of much speculation is Peter Salaka, no doubt because he is the member for Honiara. At the moment he seems a

lone wolf and is very much an un known quantity. One of his promises to the electorate was to double the wages of unclassified workers. Un classified workers receive between $l4 to $lB per month and, while other elected members might not accept a 100 per cent, increase, they would probably back a 30 per cent, increase.

At the moment it is up to Peter Salaka to start this particular ball rolling.

Other issues in the offing are: a motion to revoke the charges for medical attention and hospital treat ment of public patients. New rules creating charges for these services came into force on July 1. It looks as though this motion will be success ful; and a bill amending the Mining Ordinance to provide for up to 5

per cent, of royalties to be paid too landowners instead of local councils..* Other likely topics will no doubt!' be living conditions, health, timben royalties, resettlement schemes, legislation relating to native landb definition of tribal areas and educa-j tion.

The three elected members whoo have been chosen chairmen of three oft the five committees (David Kausimaea —Natural Resources, Gordon Siamas —Communications and Works, and) William Betu—Education and Social* Welfare) are considered to be welll chosen, and with these men, thea general good calibre of the elected) members and the support of thoi Public Service, the new Governing Council has every opportunity to work well and live up to the hopes? of everyone.