fiji talanoa

With Sue Wendt, In Suva

A VISITOR once remarked to me that everyone he'd met in Fiji exhibited signs of what he called "that mad troppo disease—maiua".

He meant, I gather, the admittedly prevalent local philosophy of never doing today what might reasonably be put off until tomorrow —or better still, next week.

It's a tropical malaise with which Islanders are born and which sooner or later infects almost everyone who comes here to live.

Mostly, it's too darn HOT to hurry.

Newcomers might be forgiven for think ing that nothing ever disturbs Island somnolence, even matters of world shattering importance—but, in fact, Fiji fairly seethes with change. There's no room for tropical torpor in an independent country and things do get done. Eventu ally. Sometimes sooner than one expects.

At the moment however, the govern ment is particularly sensitive to criticism of its policies by people "with little knowledge of the facts". Sometimes they are high-powered, transient businessmen seeking to finalise deals within two or three days—virtually an impossibility in Fiji—and frequently they are people with no real interest in Fiji's future. But there are some too who've had to wait month after frustrating month for some decision on policy, usually relating to land.

Recently, Minister for Communications, Works and Tourism, Mr. Charles Stinson, attacked critics who "come here and within five minutes are shouting that this or that is wrong; that things are done differently in some other country; and that Fiji, over night, should change policies which have evolved from long and practical ex perience of the local scene". He conceded respect for critics who knew the facts and, genuinely believing that a policy was wrong, made no bones about it. How ever, while policies should be flexible enough to change with changing circum stances, they could not be continually altered every time a critic appeared.

Predictably enough, when summing up Fiji's post-independence progress, govern ment ministers have all declared them selves well-pleased with development— and, although the country is beset with spiralling domestic costs and growing in

fiation, they speak with confidence of the "sound overall financial position".

Finance Minister Mr. W. M. Barrett is "most impressed" by Fiji's international credit-worthiness and has announced that firm arrangements have been made for acquiring the $75 million needed to ac complish Fiji's current five-year develop ment plan. Even the prophets of doom, strangely silent of late, have to admit that the fledgling dominion has done better than they expected.

While Fiji's impact on the international newspaper scene is hardly spectacular, the low-key nature of most reports is indicative in itself of the country's stability.

During a recent sojourn I made in London (having been rocketed into the cooler climes, troppo disease and all, via Air India's Boeing 747 inaugural from Bombay to New York) it was interesting to see the "Sunday Times" devote part of its weekly colour supplement to countries of the South Pacific. Sadly, Fiji warranted about four inches—enough for the writer to note that Indians outnumber Fijians and that Americans, succumbing to the lure of "romantic Fijian legends", are investing enthusiastically in land. A far from-probing look at Fiji, but as Tourism Minister Stinson commented recently: "Most visiting journalists have not re turned to Fiji since independence because steady peaceful progress makes few head lines . . ."

Incidentally, Tonga also got two inches and a photograph of "the planet's heaviest head of state, King Tupou IV".

The king was described as having a "forthright attitude" towards visitors and quoted as saying, "If too much tourism happens, we will be like Hawaii where there are no more Hawaiians".

For Fiji people returning home after even brief trips away, it's astonishing to discover afresh just how much DOES

happen in these deceptively sleepy

islands.

Take the six weeks from late October

to early December for instance ... a virtual hurricane of activity!

Suva City Council announced that muni* cipal land rate values would increase by nearly four times to $51,725,270 —and landlords, by way of reply, predicted big increases in rents for flats, shops and houses. Tenants in cheaper accommoda tion, around $3O a month, looked like suffering the most. Suva fair rents officer Mr. Alfred Yaya was preparing for a flood of appeals against rent increases, some of them up to 100 per cent. One landlord, owner of 60 flats, claimed that he would now have to pay $5OO in rates for one of his properties, compared with $BO previously. Landlords were planning to appeal against the revaluations.

Motorists were informed that because of the steep increase in road accident claims, insurance companies would in crease premiums from January 1. Third party premiums for private cars would rise from $4 to $B, light goods vehicles from $6 to $2O and buses from $35 to $6O. Rates for business cars and heavy goods vehicles would double and the premium for taxi and hire cars would jump from $5 to $3O. insurance com panies explained that while rates had not changed in the past 17 years, third party claims had risen last year by 173 per cent.

A new awareness of drug-trafficking in Fiji was seen, with Police Commissioner R. T. M. Henry announcing that the police would take a tough line on the matter.

Although it hadn't been a serious problem to date, he said, the use of drugs, particu larly marihuana, appeared to be on the increase. Police knew that "hard" drugs, including LSD, had been used locally.

A short time later, two Suva men were gaoled for nine months for buying \ lb marihuana for $6O from a Ba farmer. The farmer was later fined $3OO for trading in the drug. Shortly afterwards a Suva market vendor was fined $lOO for possess ing five tubes of semi-liquid opium.

From drugs to drink—the government upheld a previous decision to allow a

second brewery in Fiji, despite protests from Lautoka citizens, but pressed the long-established Carlton Brewery (Fiji) Ltd. to reduce the strength of Fiji beer. The local product has about the same alcoholic content as Australian beer, but is stronger —and cheaper—than imported British, New Zealand and European varieties.

Carlton Brewery revealed that six months of tests had not produced anything which "would be to the taste of the local drinkers" but added that experiments would continue.

And sex! Fiji's campaigning senators called for a curb on "sex films", with lively lady Senator Anaseini Qionibaravi speaking out against films depicting deviation from normal, healthy behaviour and those portraying bloodshed and violence. The recently-screened "Killing of Sister George", "No man's Island" and "My Lover, My Son" came in for special mention. The Ministry of Social Services said it was preparing a new set of censor ship directions for the Film Control Board —and "The Fiji Times" announced a new film advertising policy. Illustrations or text which conveyed the impression that violence, sex deviations, racial antagonisms or strife were desirable natural or accept able forms of behaviour would not be

accepted. Descriptions like "the greatest ever" and the "most exciting film of all time" would also be rejected.

What one senator called the "devil of inflation" had increased its rampage and schoolteachers, hotel and catering em ployees, shop assistants, and municipal and airport workers were all seeking pay increases. Housewives found they could afford only the cheapest cuts of meat and one doctor's wife commented in private that her husband would have to increase his fees, because she'd been charged $1 a pound for fillet steak!

In an effort to combat inflation, the Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, launched a programme designed to open up direct channels of communication be tween employers, workers and the govern ment. He held two meetings, one attended by top businessmen and the other by about 20 of Fiji's most powerful trade unionists. Because there was more scope for building up personal under standing between the parties, the PM said, a small country like Fiji might succeed in formulating a policy for beat ing rising costs where bigger countries have failed.

On the industrial scene, a New Zealand firm, Cubitt-Wells, won the million contract to rebuild the Nadi Airport terminal building; a dozen or so inter national firms had tendered for construc tion of the proposed Nadi-Suva highway, due to start in March or April; two big British companies were jointly investing $400,000 to make bed mattresses and foam packing materials in Fiji; a Japanese business consortium of 32 big companies was conducting an investment survey and plans for several new hotel projects had been announced.

Fiji experienced its fair share of sensa tion too. "The Fiji Times" gave us these headlines: "Youth Says He Was Punched By Police"; "Mother and Daughter Hacked to Death"; and "Husband Told Mother To Have Sex With Her Sons". They all appeared on the one day!

Who says nothing ever happens in these islands?

A free trip is a free trip in anybody's language, and that helps smooth the way on even the bumpiest, problem-prone inaugural flight. I recently took the Air- India Boeing 747 inaugural from Bombay to New York, and churlish though it seems, most journalists feel duty-bound in these instances to point out anything that's less than perfect. Only fair to the paying passengers!

Too much free champagne had first class invitees queuing for the toilets. The movie was awful. The curry didn't sear

the throat as a self-respecting curry should.

Having said that, let me add that during its Boeing 747 inaugural from Bombay to New York, the "airline that loves you" spared no effort to prove it.

Like most first-timers to the Jumbo, I had reservations. Too big, too many people, too impersonal . , . the usual.

I was pleasantly surprised. One's mental concept of how an aircraft should be expands somehow, along with one's leg room—and, after the Jumbo, even the 707 seems cramped.

Air India's decor "Inspired by the Lyrics of Love" —is something special, Mogul arch decorations adorning the windows, jewel-coloured seats blending with pastel wall panels, on which legends of Lord Krishna are depicted. Even the name of the aircraft, the Emperor Ashoka, adds atmosphere.

Up a spiral staircase in the sumptuously appointed Maharaja Lounge, a young woman (Indian hostesses never SEEM like hostesses) dispenses champagne or what ever with enigmatic grace, unruffled by the gauche approaches some Western males seem obliged to make. She's gloriously swathed, Rajasthani-style, in shimmering silk.

The service was good as was the choice of both Indian and Western music for individual listening; the male stewards were handsome and friendly; the sari-clad hostesses enchantingly self-possessed. The curry was probably hot enough for average tourist taste—and if everybody didn't proceed lemming-like to the toilets at the same time, there'd be no problem at all!

Mr. Charles Stinson ... hit at critics who know what's wrong with Fiji after five minutes.

Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara . . . chatting up industry.