SPC-A historic perspective

The South Pacific Commission is the oldest

and largest regional

organisation.

It was established in 1947 under the Canberra agreement, which first set it up as a South Seas commission, signed by Australia, New Zealand, France, the United States, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Its aim was to promote eco nomic development and social stability in Pacific Islands territories under the colo nial administration. It quickly became committed to encourage some island par ticipation through a South Pacific confer ence which would provide advice to the Commission, but as Fiji President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara reminded in his opening address, the discussion of politics was very firmly banned.

The first conference was held in 1950, with 14 Island countries and territories par ticipating. Two conferences have been of particular importance. In 1965, in Lae (PNG), the island nations were asked to contribute to the SPC’s budget. “When we have paid our entry fee to the club, I hope the member governments will invite us to sit with them as equals,” Ratu Mara com mented at the time. From there on territo ries shared more of the decision making process, even though most were only tak ing part to the conference, which was always followed by the meeting of the commissioners. By then, what was formal ly accepted as paternalism began to be interpreted as arrogant and even autocratic.

And the continued ban on political discus sion (mainly French testing at the time) which exhausted out patience eventually provoked the creation of the South Pacific Forum.

In 1983, all previous associate members of SPC became full participating and con tributing members and the conference itself became the supreme governing body of the SPC. Today, 26 countries, territories or associated states have a seat at the Pacific Community conference, with every member having an equal vote whether it is Tokelau or the United States.

The SPC has dedicated a lot of time and energy to fighting mosquito-borne dis eases, promoting welfare of mothers and children, nutritional and dietary issues, and to eradicate agricultural pests and diseases such as the rhinoceros beetle, fruit fly and taro leaf blight. ■