Economic

boost for Banabans

BANABAN islanders have been largely overlooked by the Kiribati central government since phos phate mining ceased on the island in 1979, but at last their appeals for some economic development have been heard in Tarawa. A team from the ministry of natural resources development has been on the Island (also known as Ocean Island) and will now try to help the 400 remaining Banabans lift themselves above a merely subsistence way of life.

Most of the islanders left Banaba after World War 11, during which they had experienced a horrific three years under Japanese occupation, and the royalties earned were used to buy Rabi Island in the Fiji group for them. The possibility had been raised two years ago that phosphate mining could be resumed, given that the deposits had not been completely worked out. But the interest of the Australian company which inves tigated the idea evaporated when it was found the equipment was far beyond

repair.

Last year another Australian company proposed that Banaba be used as a dump for industrial waste shipped from Eur ope. The Kiribati Government was reported to have shown interest in the suggestion but there has been no further word on the scheme.

Banaba is about 10km in circumfer ence and lies 400 km west of the main Gilbert group. Phosphate was discovered there in 1900.

The persistence of the parliamentary member for Banaba finally stirred the government to send a team to the island in the first weeks of 1991, and they will be recommending ways to stimulate

fisheries and agricultural activity.

The waters around Banaba are a largely untapped resource and the area is rich in skipjack tuna. The remaining islanders have done little fishing and when the ministry team arrived they found a shortage of even lines and hooks they ended up selling AS7OO (USSSSO) worth of these basic fishing items. The Ministry of Natural Re sources Development believes that an export fishing industry could eventually be established on Banaba, although the immediate task will be to get the islanders catching enough for their own needs.

Providing food for the local people will be the first priority but the long term view is that Banaba could eventually export pork, poultry, fruit and vegetables to Tarawa. □