Ocean Island talks continue

Although they will present a united front to Australia, Britain and New vealand when it comes to talking about compensation over phosphate, the Gilbert Islands and the Banabans are no nearer to a solution of their future constitutional relationship.

That became clear from resolutions carried at a recent meeting at Tarawa, when the Fiji Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, was mediator at talks between the Gilbert Islands Government and the Rabi Island Council of Leaders.

The talks centred on the future of Ocean Island after the phosphate deposits are worked out, and the Banabans ’ claim for independence from the Gilbert Islands. Most of the Banabans now live at Rabi Island, Fiji. They went there from Ocean Island soon after World War 11. Britain, Australia and New Zealand are the main partners in the British Phosphate Commission, which mines the Ocean phosphate.

The meeting carried a resolution that the two parties felt the partner governments had a deep moral obligation to both for their future economic survival as a people. Therefore, there should be immediate negotiations on a government to government basis aimed at a solution under which the partners could discharge their responsibilities to the GI Government and the Banabans.

The second resolution was that the GI Council of Ministers and the Rabi Island Council of Leaders should continue discussions about their con stitutional relationship pending the settlement of financial provision for the future. The form and type of that relationship would depend on finance available from the remaining phosphate resources “and any contribution that may be forthcoming from countries that have benefited from the exploit ation of the phosphate resources over the last 75 years”.