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The Spc

Changes are expected in fact, they’re overdue in the organisation and func tions of the South Pacific Commission.

The SP Conference will decide at the an nual meeting in Noumea in October what those changes shall be. PlM’s editor, John Carter, gave his views of what the future might hold for both the Commission and the South Pacific Forum in a recent broad cast over the Australian national radio network. Here is what he said: A very attractive complex of buildings is now nearing completion in a Suva suburb. The buildings, in a tree fringed area, unobtrusive and designed in the Fijian style of architecture are themselves destined to become an arena. They will play an important part in the political and social development of the South Pacific island territories.

The complex is the new headquarters of the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Co-operation, called SPEC for short, an organisation created by the South Pacific Forum. SPEC is its economic arm, a kind of trouble-shooter and secretariat rolled into one. Housing such an important body the complex has to be an efficient centre which is perhaps why so much money is being spent on it. The construction bill, a few hundred dollars short of a million, is being footed by the New Zealand Govern ment. Australia will furnish it.

It occurred to me, however, that SPEC could operate quite comfortably on a couple of floors in an office block of which there are quite a few in Suva. So why a headquarters which contains a large con ference room with instant translation facilities, a press gallery, a big suite of of fices as well as ancillary buildings and a large chunk of land it and when extensions are needed?

It’s my guess that SPEC headquarters are destined to become something more; in fact the headquarters of a United Nations of the South Pacific. We’ve got two organisations catering for the political and economic needs and desires and plans of the Island territories the South Pacific Forum and the South Pacific Com mission. The former was born five years ago out of a desire by the Island peoples to talk politics, whenever they met, which they couldn't do at the meetings of the South Pacific Commission founded in 1947 by the colonial powers to help the Island peoples.

SPEC was created about three years ago and now is heavily engaged with blue

prints for a regional shipping line and a regional airline. It’s obvious that there is going to be duplication of effort by the SPC and the Forum. South Pacific Com mission delegates will meet on that chunk of phosphate called the Republic of Nauru to review the future role of the Com mission. A report has been prepared by two experts who have been touring the Islands seeking the views of the various governments on the SPC’s future. Many believe it’s outdated and ineffectual. It has always operated on a shoestring with Australia contributing the largest sum but the money, never more than S2 l /2 million in any one year, has been swallowed up by administration expenses and the fees of ex perts who have prepared pilot projects like fishfarming, and agricultural schemes which somehow have very rarely got off Jhe ground.

To be fair, however, 1 must stress that it has done some good work in health and education But as times and countries change, the SPC must change. Wha will it be? A conduit and clearing house for funds flowing to the Islands and an economic advisory body? But SPEC, given the facilities, could do the same job. The review committee’s report will be con sidered at the 16th South Pacific Con ference which will be held in Noumea in October. But before that meeting there will be the annual meeting of the Forum in Nauru.

So there’s a fine political broth brewing.

It could boil over. Students of Island af fairs have seen in the last 10 years great changes in the Islands. Seven Island territories have become independent or self-governing and in the next two or three years all the former commonwealth colonies with the exception of Pitcairn Island, population 70, will be self governing.

Which leaves the New Hebrides, the Condominium, sometimes called the Pan demonium, governed by France and Britain and there are also France’s over seas territories of New Caledonia, French Polynesia. Wallis and Futuna. There’s political ferment in them all.

Change is likely in the New Hebrides with Britain longing to get out but France holding on because the withdrawal there would increase pressures for political change in her other territories. So we have this position. All the ex-Commonwealth colonies which include Papua New Guinea will be independent and the majority of these see the South Pacific Forum as their main organisation in the future.

On the other side are the French-held territories and the Condominium. Mem bership of the Forum is only open to in

dependent or self-governing countries

which rules out the French territories and.

for the moment, the New Hebrides.

All the Islands are eager for a closer co operation with each other and this can be achieved through the Forum and SPEC.

For several years there has been a feeling in those Islands that the South Pacific Commission headquarters should be transferred from Noumea in New Caledonia to a more central position. Not for nothing has Fiji been called the hub of the South Pacific. It’s no secret that some are planning for a shift to Suva but France which has always been a strong member of the South Pacific Commission will oppose this that is if, in a few years time, France is in a position to oppose. Nuclear tests haven’t endeared her to the Islands and pressure is growing for independence or self-government in the French territories. Something has got to give

which is why the political broth might boil over Whatever happens, I’m sure there will be moves to dovetail the Forum and the Commission and that’s why 1 think such an elaborate complex of buildings is being readied in Suva.

If France transforms her overseas territories into departments of France and moves for independence in those territories fail, those territories could become isolated but there is a strong feeling of togetherness in all the Islands. If the Commission headquarters were moved from Noumea, France’s position could be weakened and the Forum countries would be encouraged to work harder for political

change for their French-speaking

Polynesian and Melanesian brethren.