Up Front
pp. 5-107 · Read in the full issue
with the Publisher
The Cook Islands longtime Premier Sir Albert Henry, was in expansive mood for a group of us who interviewed him on Rarotonga the other day.
Air New Zealand, which operates the fast jet services which link the Cook Is lands with several important centres, in cluding now Honolulu, got together a small group of New Zealand and Australian editors for a look at develop ments in the Cook Islands, so naturally it was important that the pressmen should ask Sir Albert for a rundown. He made available the whole morning and dis cussed every kind of subject from tour ism (“everybody wants to come here”), the state of the economy (“healthy”) and the operations in the Cooks of cancer man Milan Brych (“doing a fine job here and it’s irrelevant what the New Zealand medical people feel about his formal
qualifications”).
During the interview, which was more in the nature of a friendly discussion, somebody brought up the matter of American entrepreneur Finbar Kenny and Cook Islands postage stamps. For more than 10 years Mr Kenny has had with the Cook Islands Government the sole contract to design the Cooks postage stamps, print them and dis tribute them.
The financial details of this ar rangement have never been clear. Sir Albert didn’t make them any clearer when it came to the small print, but he said that the Cook Islands’ share of the profits from the arrangement was “like a blessing from heaven, it just drops down”. The Cook Islands, he said, got 50 per cent of the takings, but he didn’t know what Mr Kenny’s expenses were in the operation and the government didn’t ask to see them. What was especially a financial boon to the Cook Islands, said Sir Albert, was that Finbar Kenny made interest-free cash available from his own profits to developing Cook Islands busi ness ventures. Mr Kenny in return now had a number of financial investments in the islands, as he sometimes took equity in business ventures that his money sup ported.
I remarked to Sir Albert at this easy going press conference that Mr Kenny would in all these circumstances no doubt hope that Sir Albert and his government would remain in power for ever. Sir Albert replied frankly that Mr Kenny no doubt could feel this, especially as “some people” would like to see some of the stamp money diverted to something else.
Lucky Finbar Kenny! Having the monopoly to print and distribute a coun try’s postage stamps is like having a monopoly to print your own money.
After 10 good years, are the Cook Islan ders satisfied they are getting every cent the country can get from Mr Kenny’s stamp operation? It reminds me of the time when Papua New Guinea thought it was doing very well from its share of the Bougainville copper mine until some
pushy people decided it really wasn’t
enough and won a lot more from the operating company on behalf of Papua New Guinea.
Sir Albert mentioned that Mr Kenny would shortly be visiting the Cook Is lands for discussions on future stamp ar rangements. Now may be the time for the Cook Islanders to decide that charity begins at home, and if need be put the stamp contract out for tender.
Three leading members of the Norfolk Island Council who officially visited Canberra in October to see the minister in charge of that Australian territory.
Senator R. G. Withers, returned home with a flea in their ear. The Senator wouldn’t see them. The councillors had wanted to ask the Senator just what Australia's plans are towards Norfolk Is land. Would it adopt the main pro visions of the Nimmo Royal Commission report that the island be integrated into Australia?
Senator Withers’ inexplicable behaviour got him some bad publicity.
The councillors have now employed a Sydney public relations firm to get Nor folk’s views directly to what is so far a poorly informed Australian public, and before the councillors left, they were able to stress publicly that (1) the Australian Government must make no decisions affecting the people of Norfolk Island without full prior consultation; (2) That it was the wish of the great ma jority of the Norfolk Island people that Norfolk Island should have internal self government including control of finance, but with continuing association with Australia; and (3) That it is the right of the people of Norfolk Island to determine their own political future by referendum.
I think Canberra has misjudged the strength of Norfolk Island’s opposition to integration. The Nimmo Report
Continued on p 107
Up Front - from p 5
touched a raw nerve among the Pitcairn descended section of the population, whose views have to be listened to because they are the "belongers”.
They suddenly saw that they were about to lose their identity— to be kill ed off as a people. Their fierce opposi tion to integration is a nationalistic fer vour, no less deep than the nationalism of the Nauruans and Papua New Gui neans when they, in their turn, made it clear to Australia that their national
identity was precious.
To integrate Norfolk Island with Australia without the agreement of the Norfolk Island population would be for Australia to undertake an exercise in gunboat diplomacy as immoral and as dishonest as Indonesia's takeover of Irian Jaya. Australia has sovereignty over Norfolk Island as a trustee, not as an owner.