of the GEIC

Ellice votes the 'E' out of the GEIC

The die is cast in the Ellice Islands. By an overwhelming majority, the islanders have voted for separation from the Gilbertese who will now march alone into independence.

The referendum, organised by Britain and held from June to October, resulted in 3,799 voting for separation and continuance of British rule and 293 for remaining with the Gilbertese. There were 40 spoilt papers.

They didn’t really know what they were voting for and what is in store for them under the con ditions to be imposed by Britain, says Isakala Paeniu, Minister for Natural Resources in the GEIC and the only Ellice leader to oppose separation.

He told PIM; “I’m sorry to find there are only 200-odd sensible Ellice Islanders. They are, per haps, the only people who voted with full knowledge of the tough implications of the whole issue.

“This is where both the British Government and the Tarawa re gime have failed badly. Although attempts were made to explain the

implications, they were not exten sive. The issue was never for mally, let alone extensively, de bated in the House of Assembly or in previous Houses.

“I’m sorry to say that the Ellice leaders, who advocate separation, have not come to grips with the real problems facing small, almost unknown communities in the world today.

“While the tendency today is for bigger groupings to withstand the economic and political forces of the day and the future, the Ellice, which is already far too small with practically no resources, chooses to take a different course.

“Britain is shedding her colonies as fast as she can. Australia doesn’t want to be a colonial power and New Zealand has got enough island groups to look after.

“Creating a state for the Ellice is fine but who’ll foot the bill— certainly not the Ellice people.”

Mr Paeniu added that, when the time comes, he will take his family to the Ellice.

Chief Minister Gilbertese

Naboua Ratieta believes that separation, so far as the Gilbert ese are concerned, is a question between the Ellice people and the British Government.

“We tried to persuade them at the outset not to take the course they have decided on but we can’t force them to do anything they don’t want to do,” he said.

“Personally, I am sorry they have decided to separate from us. After all, we have been friends for a long time, and, so far as my ad ministration is concerned, there would have been no question whatever of any political domina tion of the Ellice people by the Gilbertese.”

When the Ellice people sep arate, they will have little of value. Britain has already told them they will receive no share of the income from Ocean Island phosphates and no part of the Revenue Equalisation Reserve Fund of the present GEIC; will have no claim to any assets be longing to the GEIC which are outside the Ellice Group, except for one ship and the new colony will have no right to any islands outside the group.

The next move is expected to be a meeting in London between the British Government and the Gilbertese and Ellice representa tives to agree on details of separa tion.