Drama In Apia As Islanders Query

Role Of South Pacific Commission

From PlM’s staff correspondent in Apia

Are the countries that form the South Pacific Commission at the part ing of the ways? It certainly looked like it during the first two days of high drama here at the South Pacific Conference in Apia.

Criticism was flung at the com mission and some of its agencies, France refused to increase her con tribution to the budget, Fiji’s Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara challenged America and France to accede to the wishes of the Pacific territories or withdraw, and many speakers urged the commission to change its ways.

In the first dramatic move, after a two-hour wrangle in private with fellow commissioners, France’s Henri Nettre announced a refusal to increase France’s contribution to the SPC budget. Australia, Fiji, Western Samoa had promised a 20 per cent, increase each, Nauru, New Zealand and the UK 15 per cent, each, and America “not beyond eight”.

Mr Nettre charged that there were unacceptable delays in programmes, excessive spending on seminars, con ferences and travel and on projects of little value, and yet $lOO,OOO was unspent at year’s end.

France’s refusal means there will be no increase in the budget, which is estimated at $A1,210,298, as the rule of unanimity on finance applies.

But PIM was told that Australia will consider making a voluntary con tribution later.

Many speakers called for a re organisation of the commission.

Western Samoa’s Prime Minister Tamasese, urging a hard, critical look at the SPC’s relationship with international and other bodies, said it was an urgent challenge to ensure the commission was not forced into extinction by other factors. lone Naisara, session chairman, criticised the small budget, which he said must be increased regularly if the commission was to fulfil its role.

Mr Albert Henry, Premier of the Cooks, warned that the commission could not retain its members’ faith in its usefulness unless it produced fewer but bigger and more worth while projects instead of many small ones.

Bitterly, Ratu Mara complained the commission responded inadequately to people’s aspirations.

The commissioners couldn’t come

together and make decisions because of the difficulties of constitutions in America and France. This situation was completely outdated and not in accord with the basic principles of the SPC.

“Why should gentlemen who sit in Paris or Washington be the deciders of the pace of development of people in this region?” he asked.

“I think if these countries can’t accede to the wishes of the people of the territories they might as well with draw from this organisation.”

France made a savage attack on the UNDP, alleging it was developing an increasingly rigid attitude. It was en forcing its authoritarian, centralistic ideas, “first insidiously, then uncom promisingly” in joint projects. The UNDP was blamed for what was de scribed as the failure of SPIFDA, jeopardising the future of this “most needed, urgent project” of fishing de velopment for the Islands. Its delibe rate failure to abide by the terms of multilateral agreements had “shocked and disappointed the French govern ment”, Mr Nettre said.

The whole air of the conference was one of unrest. There was sarcasm and

complaint about the budget almost on every occasion when a territory pre sented its problems. There was com plaint about one budgetary item of $30,000 to cover salary increases for SPC officers.

One of the more important matters to be decided during the course of the conference, which will continue until the end of September, is a report on possibility of establishing a South Pacific Regional Development Bank.

A' report on the bank says that its establishment is feasible and it could effectively build up a high volume of business in view of the likely demand for loans in the area.

Ratu Mara, not for the first time the stirrer on South Pacific Commis sion matters, signalled his intentions before the conference even met—in Fiij before his departure. He was given wide publicity for his view that because of lack of money the SPC could become “a dying institution”.

He said even if the SPC were given a 50 per cent, budget increase the amount would be “farcical”. He indi cated that he would “take an interest in SPC operations during the next three years”.