Letters
pp. 6-9 · Read in the full issue
Reply to Grynberg
Dr Roman Grynberg’s analysis of the PNG crisis (PIM, September 95) fails in one important aspect: he (both in his for mer capacity as “economic adviser” and as journalist) and his ilk are part and parcel of the malaise he so well describes.
Economic advisers in particular are 10 a penny in the Pacific - every island has a few, never paid less than a hundred grand (in comparison to the average “local” wages being less than ‘ten grand’), invari ably recruited from the metropolitan coun tries where they were minor, but eager, bureaucrats in the service of aggressive
market capitalism.
Propelled into ‘top jobs’ advising min isters (even prime ministers) they taste ‘high life’ and ‘high society’ as they never have before. Invariably they have to travel with ‘their’ minister around the world, stay in top hotels and meet the movers and shakers of this world.
Once they finish their contracts (they weren’t clever enough to extend the good life permanently) and move back to minor positions in their home countries, they become ardent critics of the Island economies (especially of ministers who denied them another contract extension).
In a recent deposition at the ‘Wine Box’ inquiry in New Zealand, a former expatri ate Secretary of Finance of the Cook Islands noted that he and his family were threatened with regard to his courageous upholding of ‘financial ethics’ by minister so-and-so, and that the Prime Minister had a slush fund for his travel that was linked via a multiplier formula to one of the most expensive hotels in Paris.
To prove who knows what point, the former secretary added that his ‘own’ mul tiplier for such travel was just a notch below that of the prime mister’s. I have yet to meet an economic adviser who would recommend cutting his own outrageous
salary package.
Dr Grynberg’s contention that colonial ist Australia is to blame for the first histor ical phase of PNG’s woes gives way to blaming PNG for her second (and current) economic crisis.
This is simply to deny history; the neo colonial politics (not only by Australia) of the metropolitan governments drive relent lessly towards a neo-feudalistic economic system dominated by multinational oli
garchies.
Economic advisers are sent to PNG to assist in that effort. And what a fine job they are doing. The common people of PNG don’t stand a chance.
Dr Grynberg in his article dismisses
Marxist economic analysis - how can he when he just demonstrated one of the great Marxist theses (the first time round history is a tragedy, the second time round it is a farce)? When the critics themselves are collaborators with and beneficiaries of the status quo, what could be more farcical?
Dr Wolfgang Sperlich
PO Box 103
Alofi
Niue Island.
Japan; not foe
but friend
Lately, I read and heard in the media that three of our war veterans, mostly from Guadalcanal* were invited to attend a high -level function in London to commemorate the end of World War II in Europe.
Interestingly, a group of students from St Joseph’s were also invited to Australia to attend the 50th anniversary of the victo ry of Allied Forces in the Pacific.
Even our police and national security minister was invited to attend the 50th anniversary of the end of war held in Hawaii.
What is the use of attending these anniversaries? We all know that World War II is long gone and the Allied Forces were in fact the winners.
We are now in a new era and we must bear in mind that past is past. Besides, was the 50th Anniversary held here on our own soil in 1992 to commemorate the Allied victory over Guadalcanal not enough?
The point that I would like to raise here is that Japan, whose defeat is now being celebrated, is now Solomon Islands No. 1 friend and aid donor.
Economically, therefore, Japan has done a lot more for our young nation than any other country.
It is thus, an insult to our best and No. 1 friend to accept such invitations.
Wake up, Solomon Islanders, these invitations are obviously part and parcel of pure propaganda by western countries to uphold the perception that they are superi or.
To us, Solomon Islanders, now, Japan is in fact superior to any other nation, espe cially in this new era. Bear this is mind.
Long live Japan.
Koito Kwasi
Aenageo Village Solomon Islands
Open letter to
Chirac
We strongly protest the decision by French President Jacques Chirac to carry out further nuclear weapon tests at Mururoa Atoll.
Norfolk Island, in the South Pacific, has a population of 1800 dependent on tourism. As citizens with a special historic, ethnic and cultural connection with the people of Tahiti and Pitcairn Island, we believe that the interests of France and her people would be better served if you pur
sued peaceful, environmentally-friendly
policies.
There is no guarantee that at least some of the radioactive isotopes which the tests will release into the sub-marine structure of Mururoa Atoll will not escape into the biosphere and thus the food chain upon which we and other species in the Pacific depend. Those highly dangerous isotopes will remain radioactive for thousands of years and could affect the survival of many species of marine flora and fauna. It is likely that, having been adversely affected by radio isotopes, some species of birds which breed on Norfolk Island, such as the Wedge-tailed Shearwater Puffinus Pacificus, could end up dying in their breeding burrows on this or other Pacific islands.
In addition to the obvious potentially catastrophic environmental consequences of your decision, your case for undertaking further nuclear tests at Mururoa appears to lack both logic and common sense. If
nuclear testing were environmentally
harmless you would no doubt conduct them in France.
We support the citizens of France who are concerned over the harm the decision is doing to the world environment and France’s image, especially in the Pacific.
Cancel the tests and make France and the French people friends rather than enemies of the environment and peoples of the world.
Angela Guymer
President Norfolk Island Flora and Fauna Society
Ambassador to Earth
The desire of all people for peace can no longer be ignored! As the Ambassador to Earth for SIRIUS affairs my mission here can no longer be hidden. Hitherto the
existent mismanagement of EARTH affairs has been benignly tolerated.
However at this juncture the Cosmic Director of Intergalactic Affairs has deigned that all discord must now come to an end. The existing powers that be must either bring themselves into alignment with SIRIUS ’ intentions or face the regret table consequences.
No longer will petty tyrants and war ring politicos be allowed to carry on in a destructive manner.
The mass of humanity in its suffering and despair is crying out for PEACE.
The call has been heard. SIRIUS has answered.
Embassy of the star system SIRIUS Ambassador to Earth for SIRIUS Affairs
Martin Leo
Stamps wanted
I occasionally read Pacific Islands Monthly borrowed from the library; it’s good, up to date, and very interesting when you read about the tiny states in the Pacific, their progress, problems, etc.
Also, I collect stamps and I swap them with two people from Ukraine and Slovenia. We’re interested in Pacific stamps, of (1980-1995) New Zealand, and
Png.
I can’t afford to buy them all the time, it will bust my pension.
I would be happy with fine, used stamps, not mint/unused ones as they are too expensive? I’ll swap them for Australian, Indonesian, etc, ones. I would prefer commemorative ones.
Els Hear man
11 A Younger St Coburg, 3058, Vic. Australia
Tokelau bucket
Some years back, as a resident of Hawaii, I had in my possession a Tokelau bucket. Dry rot and termites have long since claimed it but I often recall that it was a very graceful example of primitive Oceania art vis-a-vis form following func tion. Data on the Tokelauans is quite sketchy hereabouts. I’d like to obtain a new bucket but do realise this is a long shot. Worth a try. It’s made either of drift wood or breadfruit wood.
F J Henry
10247 Pineaire Dr Sun City, AZ 85351, USA
Vanuatu diocese
THE Church of Melanesia in Vanuatu will inaugurate a new diocese in the Banks and Torres Islands on May 12 next year.
And Banks and Torres Islander, Reverend Father Charles Welchman Ling has been named bishop of the diocese.
Fr Ling comes from Motalava and he will be consecrated and installed bishop also on May 12. He was ordained a priest in 1969 and has since held a variety of postings in the Church of Melanesia, which covers Vanuatu and Solomon Islands. He was honoured for his work in translating the Bible.
Logging income drops
REVENUE from Solomon Islands’ export of logs dropped in the second quar ter of this year. The Central Bank of Solomon Islands said that was so because too many second-grade logs were export ed. The bank said overall, export receipts grew by 17 per cent in the June quarter, 12 per cent higher than in the same period last year.
Export increased for all major com modities except logs.
Import payments also increased by nearly 14 per cent, and were 24 per cent higher than a year ago.
Pacific’s new ship
BLUE Star Line has added a new ship, the 1308-container Melbourne Star, to its North American West Coast trade which serves New Zealand and Australia with eight to nine day frequency.
Blue Star Line and Columbus Line now operate six vessels off the US/Pacific Coast. Each ship holds a'minimum of 1000 containers which assures level capacity on every berth and for every sailing to Australia and New Zealand.
The Melbourne Star carries 680 refrig erated containers and has breakbulk capac ity of 168,000 cubic feet.
Nauru’s $230-million
clean-up campaign
NAURU, whose landscape has been ruined by years of phosphate mining, is to spend the next 23 years cleaning up the mess and rehabilitating the land. It will cost $230 million.
Phosphate on Nauru is expected to run out before 2000. It, however, has made the 7000 people of Nauru some of the wealth iest in the world with the country itself having invested in real estate and hotels in major centres worldwide.
The 21-square-kilometre island has been stripped of dense forest with four fifths of it looking like “a desert of jagged coral pinnacles - uninhabitable, unusable, a ghostly array of tombstones”, said Kinza Clodumar, the special adviser to President
Bernard Dowiyogo.
W Samoa wins millions
THE Government of Western Samoa has won a big legal and financial battle in California against an insurance company which refused to fully pay out on a claim following Hurricane Val in 1991.
The government was insured at the time with Affiliated FM Insurance for damages of up to SUS4S million in the event of a hurricane. After Val, the Government of Western Samoa claimed damages worth SUS6O million and claimed payment on the full insurance cover. But Affiliated paid only two install ments totalling SUS6.I million.
Western Samoa sued the insurance company. But the company disputed the amount claimed and counter-sued.
Western Samoa won the case and the court has ordered the insurance company to pay the full cover. The company is expected to appeal.
Don’t bank on them
FEDERAL authorities have issued for mal warnings about the following Nauru licensed banks, noting in each case “this entity may be operating a banking business in the United States without authoriza tion”: Allied Bank Corporation, New York, N.Y., Paragon Bank and Trust, Coral Gables, Florida, Wellington Bank of Commerce, Hollywood, California.
In addition, the State Banking
Department in California has warned Wellington in writing “to cease and desist from doing business in California without a licence from the Superintendent of Banks”.
US officials point out that Nauru’s Allied Bank is not to be confused with a legitimate bank with a similar name that operates in Ireland.
Who caused
diarrhoea?
SOLOMON Islands health and water authorities are at loggerheads over the cause of a serious outbreak of diarrhoea in the capital, Honiara.
The water authority says the water is free of contamination, and the outbreak could be airborne.
But the health ministry says that conta mination of the water supply is caused by faeces.
The Permanent Secretary of Health, Ngaiere Fineaganofo, says their tests prove the city’s water supply contains harmful bacteria from human and animal wastes.
She said instead of denying it, the water authority should come clean and inform the public that the water supply is contain inated.She said human lives were at risk and they needed to know the truth.