Pacific Repost

Turmoil In New Hebrides

The New Hebrides’ much-awaited elections on November 29 had one main result: they will have to be held again if the country is to have anything like a democratic transition to independence, promised by Britain and France, the administering powers, for 1980.

Due to the boycott of the elections by the majority of Vanuaaku Party, the Representative Assembly as it emerged from November 29 is “representative” mainly cf minority francophone groups, and is seriously lacking in moral and political authority. The Vanuaaku Party, which marked election day by declaring a “People’s Provisional Government’’ claims its “Government” flag was successfully raised on the day in 47 out of 50 of its party centres. Opposition from pro-French groups apparently prevented the ceremony from taking place in the remaining three. In Vila, according to the Vanuaaku Party’s account, the British District Agent, Mr Osborne, was struck on the head by a stone thrown by an anti- Vanuaaku demonstrator, one of a crowd of about 300 who had come to prevent the VP’s flag-raising ceremony. After this incident, the chief of the British police, Mr Dumper, ordered his men to fire OS tear gas grenades into the crowd. According to the French/Bislama newspaper, Nabanga, five people were injured in the attack, two of them seriously. Following protests from the anti-Vanuaaku demonstrators, the British Residency later announced that Messrs Osborne and Dumper had temporarily left the condominium. British Resident Commissioner, Mr John Champion, promised a full investigation into the tear gas incidents. Nabanga also reported that a journalist working for the British Information Service, Mr Alick Kalmelu. had been stoned and slightly wounded

Nauru’S Mixture As Before!

Challenged by ex-President Hammer Deßoburtto prove it had a people’s mandate to remove him from the presidency and govern, the Nauru Government in November went to the polls and did just that. The election, on November 12, produced a parliamentary mixture exactly as before: nine seats for members of the ruling Nauru party, with one Independent supporting them, against eight held by Head Chief Deßoburt and his allies.

When Parliament met on November 15, Bernard Dowiyogo was re-elected President, surviving another challenge from the Head Chief who was also nominated for the Republic’s top job. (full report p 31)

Coleman For Governor

American Samoa’s first elected governor in history will be Mr Peter T. Coleman, who won office in a run-off election on November 22 from Mr A. P. Lutali. Mr Coleman’s election ends 77 years of leadership appointed by the US Government. (Full report, p 30.) agreement over ocean island The vexed question of the future of Ocean Island is to be decided by referendum, according to an agreement reached between Gilbertese representatives and leaders of Fiji’s Banaban community in Tarawa in November.

Voting is expected to take place by mid-1978. The United Nations will supervise the referendum, and Britain will be asked to meet the costs. In a dispute which has simmered

for years between the two sides, the Banabans have demanded that Ocean Island, their ancestral homeland, be separated from the Gilberts. The problem assumed new urgency with the expected accession of the Gilberts to independence in June this year, at about the same time as the planned referendum.

Marking Time On Norfolk

The Australian Government had yet to consider most of the recommendations of the Nimmo Report on Norfolk Island, Senator Withers, Australian Minister for Administrative Services, said in parliament in November just before the pre-election dissolution. Senator Withers had been closely questioned by a Labor senator on his failure to meet the delegation of three Norfolk Island councillors which had sought to meet him in Canberra in October. Senator Withers said the only Nimmo recommendations which had been dealt with by the government were (1) that it intended to continue to accept responsibility for the island as a territory of Australia, and (2) that Qantas be relieved of the air service connecting the island and Australia. The service is now operated by the NSW-based East-West Airlines.

Heavies At Fisheries Talks

International heavies were present in strength when the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Co-operation (SPEC) held a conference on regional fisheries in Suva in November. The USA and France sent large delegations.

Observers crowded in from Japan, Canada, Chile and the United Nations. The reason? SPEC was addressing the problem of how to operate and protect 200-nautical mile fishing zones around the coasts of member countries.

Fiji’s Minister of Agriculture, Mr Charles Walker, told the meeting that fish with a retail value of $1 000 million were caught every year in the South Pacific. But at least 75% of the total was caught processed and sold by countries outside the area. Fiji has enacted a bill for its own 200 nautical mile fishing zone. If other independent Pacific nations follow this lead, foreign fishing fleets will be barred from millions of square kilometres of ocean or will be accepted only on terms laid down by the country concerned. At present fishing fleets from Japan, Korea, Taiwan, the US and Russia range freely in the, as yet, undeclared economic zones.

Dr Fox Goes Home To Solomons

The South Seas most celebrated Anglican priest, Charles Elliot Fox, CBE, MA, Litt D, was buried in his beloved Solomon Islands on November 3. He .was 99. Dr Fox’s remains were flown from New Zealand, where he had died on October 28, for burial. He lived for 70 years in the Solomons, only leaving for New Zealand when, at the age of 94, he retired from active work in the Church of Melanesia. Dr Fox was a noted scholar, sportsman, anthropologist, writer and missionary. A full obituary tribute will appear in PIM, February.

The Hermit Of Suwarrow Died

Tom Neale, the famed hermit of Suwarrow Island in the Cooks, died in Rarotonga Hospital on December 1. He was 74. Tom had been under treatment at the hospital for some months for stomach cancer. He was taken to

Rarotonga earlier this year after the crew of a yacht which visited Suwarrow in March had found him doubled up in pain. The last of his several solitary sojourns on Suwarrow had lasted nearly 10 years. A full obituary tribute will appear in RIM, February.

Png Combats Tribal Fighters

The traditional British legal principle that the accused is innocent until proved guilty took a body blow in Papua New Guinea in November when PNG’s National Parliament adopted tough new laws to curb tribal fighting.

For some offences tribesmen will have to prove that they are innocent, instead of the State having to prove them guilty, as in the past. A December report by PNG police said that one recent outbreak of fighting in the Western Highlands had cost the tribes concerned almost SIOO 000. The report said that on an annual basis several million dollars is being lost to tribes because of the

fighting.

No Gaol For Dock Strikers

Eight leaders of the Fiji Waterside Workers’ and Seamen's Union won Supreme Court appeals against sentences of six months imprisonment imposed on them following a July, 1977, dock strike. Mr Justice Kermode quashed the convictions on technical grounds: the order declaring the strike unlawful was invalid because it purported to operate retrospectively, and there were errors in framing the charges. However, one of the unionists, Taniela Veitata, had to go back to gaol to complete a nine months term imposed for breaching the Trade Disputes Act during a second strike in August.

Solicitor ‘Named' Over Migrants

A member of the Australian Parliament has claimed that a Sydney solicitor conducted “an immigration fee racket”, extorting money from Pacific Islanders who wanted to become permanent residents of Australia, and then doing absolutely nothing for them. The MP, Mr V. J. Martin, named the solicitor as Mr D. P. Khoury, of the firm of Benjamin and Khoury. Following an original complaint to the Law Society of New South Wales, the society said the information provided did not warrant action. But Mr R. A.

Kearsley, a former Fiji magistrate and now secretary of the Law Society, confirmed later that the matter remained under investigation. A number of Fiji Indians were among those whose complaints formed the basis of Mr Martin’s charges.

A New Drug Ring In Islands!

Six Pacific nations are to join Papua New Guinea in making use of an agency retained by PNG, in Sydney for the bulk-buying of pharmaceuticals. They are Western Samoa, Fiji, the Gilbert Islands, the Solomon Islands, Tonga and Tuvalu. The scheme, sponsored by the South Pacific Bureau for Economic Co-operation, aims to provide the countries concerned with easier access to cheaper and safer pharmaceutical supplies.

Innocent Mapping Of Irian Jaya

The Chief of the Australian Defence Force Staff, General A. L. Macdonald, denied in December that his country’s aid to Indonesia in mapping operations in Irian Jaya amounted to “military intervention”. Arriving in Papua New Guinea on an official visit, General Macdonald

rejected suggestions that the mapping aid was part of ar anti-rebel military operation. “Maps themselves don’t fine rebels,” he said. Another December visitor to Papua Nev Guinea was Mr R. Sampatkumar, special representative ir South-east Asia and the Pacific of the United Nations Higl Commission for Refugees. Mr Sampatkumar toured th( border area between PNG and Irian Jaya to collec information on border crossings by Irianese into PNC territory.

Movement Control On Bougainville

Bougainville island may get a special law preventing it! people from moving freely. The North Solomons Provincia Government is seriously considering the introduction o the restrictions in the interests of development anc employment stability. The North Solomons Premier, D Alexis Sarei, said in December that a provincia government act was now being drafted. He said th( proposed act would vest movement control in loca communities. People who wanted to leave thei communities to visit towns or urban settlements woul( have to obtain written permission. The scheme was in th< overall interests of the people and their economy. He saic “We don’t want to stop people with special skills going t< an area where they can get good jobs, but as a principli we want to stop people with lesser skills from moving around. We want to keep them on their land where the are of most value to the community in general, and when no special certificate of trade is necessary”.

Fijian Mr’S Sudden Death

Ratu Julian Toganivalu, 45, a Federation member of th( Fiji House of Representatives, died suddenly ir December. Ratu Julian was also chief executive officer o the Nauru Local Government Council. Earlier, he ha( been a soldier and then a civil servant. Fellow MP Mr K. C Ramrakha suggested Ratu Julian had died of a broker heart because of the divisions in the National Federatior Party.

Forum Line Shaping Up

The Pacific Forum Line is taking a more definite shapr with the appointment of Mr Gordon R. Dewsnapp a; general manager, moves by Western Samoa to buy i modern ro-ro ship to charter to the line, and the lodging with the head office at Apia of Australia’s contribution c SIOO 000 to the line’s working capital. Mr Dewsnapp, 4£ is an experienced shipping man, with an extensivi background both at sea and as a shore-based shipping executive. Western Samoa’s contract ro-ro vessel is to b< purchased with a combined grant/loan from Wes Germany, whose Columbus Line will partner Wester Samoa in the charter venture. Despite its substantic financial contribution, Australia will not take part in the lin as a shareholder.

From Marshalls To Ralik Ratak

Ralik Ratak will be the new name of the Marsha Islands if the people approve it at public hearings run b the Marshall Islands constitutional convention. Th' convention’s president, Congressman Ruben Zachrask says that an “independent” Ralik Ratak is outlined in thi constitution, which has been drawn up as part of th Marshallese effort to negotiate separate political statu with the USA.