Atoll Politics: the Republic Ofkiri- Bati, Edited by Howard Van Trease

226 THE CONTEMPORARY PACIFIC· SPRING 1995 Atoll Politics: The Republic ofKiri and the pursuit of self-reliance (chap bati, edited by Howard Van Trease. ter 29). Christchurch: Macmillan Brown The book generally does not grap Centre for Pacific Studies, University ple with the conflicts between culture, of Canterbury and Suva: Institute of politics, economics, and the environ Pacific Studies, University of the South ment. The relatively large volumes of Pacific, 1993. ISBN 982-02-0081-4, international assistance have helped XX + 392 pages, tables, maps, figures, the government to postpone many photographs, appendixes, glossary, painful compromises and have helped notes, bibliography, index. Cloth to perpetuate certain contemporary NZ$34.90; paper Nz$29.25. development myths. Given these cir cumstances, the country's achieve- Written primarily by I-Kiribati, Atoll ments are all the more noteworthy. Politics assembles wide-ranging and A major issue-one that urgently forthright views that focus on the 1991 warrants attention but is largely over- elections and related development looked by the book-is the conflict issues. This period was crucial for between the economic force of the tra- Kiribati politics and encompassed ditional maneaba system and that of the transformation from the succes- the emerging private sector. A new sive governments of the popular economic system obviously has to first president, Ieremia Tabai, to a evolve-a system that will both new government under Teatao advance the commitment to self-reli- Teannaki. ance, based not only on atoll subsis- The thirty-four chapters of Atoll tence but also on trade, and minimize Politics cover the history of Kiribati social costs. "In the minds of the Kiri- pollticS;-theper-sonal viewsoHne -- -bati people;economicano social- country's leading politicians, the 1991 equality are supposed to be contribu- elections, and an extensive review of tions of the gods" (27). Again, "there development and social issues. The are no concentrations of great wealth book also documents the emerging and, while individual achievement is sophistication of the country's political admired, the flaunting of personal system. Many other important issues superiority or promotion of oneself in are discussed including the I-Kiribati public is usually not well received" commitment to their maneaba (com- (83). These traditions stand in stark munity meetinghouse) system of gov- contrast to the increasingly vibrant ernment, the struggle of the govern- indigenous private sector based in ment to expand the economy, and the South Tarawa. With the exception of mounting social, environmental, and the comments of the current president welfare concerns. Notable achieve- in chapter 28, the book virtually ments discussed include the prudent ignores this particular entrepreneurial management of both the Revenue activity, but given its existence, the ref- Equalization Reserve Fund and the erence to a "scarcity of entrepreneur- budget (chapter 14), the fortitude to ship" (161) is not justified. reject imperfect aid (chapter 20), Nevertheless, the maneaba ethic BOOK REVIEWS 227 combined with public service control ceeded in its expensive and protracted has not encouraged private entrepre efforts to develop an indigenous com neurship to date. Regarding control of mercial fishery. The country's exclusive the public service, the chapter on economic zone may contain the restraints to business (chapter 19) resource, but Kiribati is situated far could have been far more critical of the from the markets. Moreover, the coun policies of previous governments that try does not possess the required tech favored state capitalism. Although nology, skills, and billion-dollar risk recent governments have endorsed the capital. A comparative resource advan vogue for greater commitment to the tage may be a comparative economic private sector, and for commercializing disadvantage when it comes to devel and privatizing some government oping a domestic commercial fishery. holdings, the manner in which this In addition, describing government new policy will be implemented has yet run fisheries and other ventures as to unfold. For example, to what extent "commercial" (170) not only uses a will the government continue to view misleading term but is also unsound the use of public funds to finance the economic policy. purchase of ships that compete with Although the government cannot private shipping as "normal commer claim many resource development suc cial practice" (59)? cesses, its welfare programs have fared Much modern construction and better. Regarding education it is unfair other investment has degraded the to state that "there has been little atoll environment, which is nowhere effort to re-examine the old model" more apparent than on South Tarawa. (249). The early community vocational Chapters II and 27 reference this clas schools and Tarawa Technical Institute sic-conflIct bur-ofTer-iIC; guidance~foi--- ~ntroduced new-e(r~cational initiati~e~, new policy. There is little evidence that and the Asian Development Bank's the national government can protect vocational training review of 1986, the urban environment in the way in and studies by the Australian Interna which the unimane 'respected old men' tional Development Assistance Bureau, have traditionally conserved the island proposed steps toward more effective environment. The authors' failure to education. address these conflicting interests and Although the economic overview in to comment on likely alternative poli chapter 12 suggests otherwise, the cies is frustrating. Kiribati economic situation is not com The traditional myths and legends parable to that of other economies that of Kiribati have been augmented by invest and trade on the basis of their modern myths of development. For own foreign exchange reserves, cur example, repeated optimistic refer rency, and goodwill. The national ences to a vast marine resource over investment and trade deficits are gener look the fact that, except for the ated by aid-not a justification for it. fishing license fees that are restricted to Is aid dependency therefore desirable a nominal rent, Kiribati, like nearly all or undesirable? Former President countries in the Pacific, has not suc- Tabai comments that the partial clo- fi44';·;ii&PUSUUSi!Qb&J¥¥iYiji.WWi.....·'·,.'MiPi.4IMY.mDMM dlM'4'&AM .. ;4 "4"@ 228 THE CONTEMPORARY PACIFIC· SPRING 1995 sure of the heavily aid-funded Te Mau Planning the Future: Melanesian Cities tari (the national "commercial" fishing in 2010, by John Connell and John P company) may have been a blessing in Lea. Pacific 2010 series. Pacific Policy disguise in that its workers subse Paper II. Canberra: National Centre quently became more committed to for Development Studies, Australian working for the company. What if National University, 1993. ISBN more aid were to be withheld or 0-73 I 5-1694-X; ISSN 0817-0444. rejected? Paper, A$25' The book's comments regarding dis tributions of the earnings of the Reve This book is the second in a series, nue Equalization Reserve Fund should edited by Rodney Cole of the Devel take account of the nature of this asset, opment Studies Centre at the Austra- where the country has few other lian National University, of "dooms "earners," as well as the nature of the day" forewarnings about the Pacific I-Kiribati commitment to forgoing Islands. The series is funded by the consumption. As the president states, Australian International Development "the Reserve Fund is seen as an insur Assistance Bureau, a government ance which should not be squandered. agency. With luck, many of us will It is a sort of security which the coun still be around to see whether the try has built up over several years with forewarnings come true. The prime great sacrifice" (306). The real issue focus of the series, as indicated by the then is when, and for which invest editorial note, "highlights the conse ments, can the fund feasibly finance a quences of failing to recognize and direct investment in the domestic econ plan for the effects of population omy? For example, while social wel- growth." The target audiences are - -Iare-c-an-5e-illiprov-ed, tfiefunacannot- lsland-Ieaders-and-"tnos-eln -metropoli---- provide US standards of health and tan countries responsible for the design education. and delivery of Overseas Development Policy compromises may be post Assistance." poned and development myths may With the publication of this policy prevail, but it is encouraging to read related series, Australia seems poised the candid overviews by two of the to join Hawai'i, including the Pacific longest-serving cabinet members, Pres Islands Development Program at the ident Teannaki and Vice President Iuta. East-West Center, as a second major Overall the book makes a substantial source of advice for Pacific Island lead contribution toward a more complete ers who may, of course (and this is understanding of the vulnerability and sometimes not fully recognized), also strengths, trials and achievements of defer to their own departmental Kiribati politics and development. advice, their own consultants, and STEPHEN J POLLARD their own regional bodies and universi East-West Center ties. The insider-outsider research field is spiked with mines that may prevent ~:- the Australian National University.

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