Giant political

New Hebrides: Giant political leap sideways

By a staff writer

There can be little doubt that the visit made by British Minister, Mr.

Anthony Kershaw, to the New Hebrides in January was tied directly to the growing frustration in the condominium over lack of constitu tional progress.

During recent years, appeal after appeal has been made in the ter ritory’s Advisory Council for even the most modest constitutional steps to be taken, particularly towards a Legislative Council. The only result so far has been a “Joint Statement” made by the Resident Commissioners at the conclusion of the 22nd Session of the Advisory Council in mid- December which can only be de scribed as a giant step sideways.

The statement began: “The Metro politan Governments are willing to see a progressive extension of the competence of Advisory Council to enable it to participate more actively in the affairs of the territory. . .

This was a promising start, and Adco members must have been all ears, as it continued: “To this end they have recently agreed: (i) to the amendment of Joint Regulation No. 6 of 1957 to make it mandatory for the Resident Commissioners to consult the Ad visory Council on the following matters: the condominium budget; condominium taxes and duties; and town planning.”

But hasn’t that been the situation already for some years?

As we understand it, it certainly has but, as has been made clear by more than one Adco member, although the de facto obligation to consult has existed, there has never been any obligation on the part of the Resident Commissioners to pay any attention to what was said. There is certainly no intimation here that they should start doing so now, so the net effect of this statement is that there is no change.

And that marks the entire “pro gressive extension of competence of Advisory Council” which the French and British governments are willing to see!

A little more hope was held out in the remainder of the statement, since it involves two amendments to the 1914 Protocol, the document

Political leap?

which, said New Hebridean priest Father Leymang in his widely pub licised speech in the Advisory Council a year ago, “oozes from every pore the stench of an anti quated colonial policy”. (PIM, Jan.. 1971).

The several attempts made by the British in the past to get the French to agree to significant amendments to the Protocol have invariably been unsuccessful. The recent Joint State

ment is no exception but it may be the thin end of the wedge. Its text continues; “(ii) in a similar spirit to amend the Protocol to provide for the establishment of municipal councils.

The two governments will also be considering together the method of election by universal suffrage and the nature of these councils; (iii) to amend the Protocol to provide for the appointment of native assessors to the Courts of First Instance; (iv) to accept in principle to pro

vide a right of appeal by New Hebrideans in all criminal cases.”

A right of appeal by New Hebri deans? What will they think of next!

The fact that these moves should apparently be considered by the two governing powers to be significantly progressive needs no comment. The implications are obvious and the dangers apparent.

Political consciousness is growing rapidly in the New Hebrides, on all sides, and the frustration caused by the mercifully unique condominium administration is increasing equally fast.

Unless France and Britain, and particularly France, recognise this fact soon, the population may turn to other than constitutional methods to achieve its ends.

Mr. Kershaw, who is an Under secretary of State at Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, pre sumably went to the territory in order to decide for himself whether this is so.

In five days he spoke to a lot of people but, even if he draws the same conclusions, is the British Government willing to make a fuss about it in the present state of euphoria following Britain’s accep tance into the Common Market?

Will a “don’t rock the boat” policy overwhelm the moral obligations which British officials in the New Hebrides have recognised for years?

It shouldn’t be long before we find out.

Meanwhile, in a spirit of pessimism, we quote the final paragraph of the Joint Statement made in December.

It must rank among the first order of meaningless pronouncements made by politicians.

“The two Resident Commissioners express the will of the two govern ments to attach a very particular interest to the questions concerning the development of the condominium and to continue their consultations on this subject.”

Don’t try reading it again; it doesn’t get any clearer.