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Melanesia in Review: Issues and Events, I998

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Melanesia in Review: Issues and Events, I998 Melanesia in Review: Issues and Events, I998 Reviews of Irian Jaya and Vanuatu dollar was to be expected. Investment are not included in this issue. was sluggish, consumer spending was low, and there was moderate infla­ tion. The Fiji dollar had also strength­ FIJI ened against those of its major trad­ Sociopolitical and economic conse­ ing partners, Australia and New quences of the 1987 coups in Fiji Zealand (Review, Feb 1998, 2). A were still unfolding by January 1998. local economist argued, with refer­ The year began with a 20 percent ence to a popular international rugby devaluation of the Fiji dollar by event, that devaluation is a short-term Finance Minister James Ah Koy. solution to an economic crisis and Apart from the external negative that "even the 20 per cent devalua­ impact of the economic turmoil in tion is too low. Someone has to pay Southeast Asia, there have been major for things like the Hong Kong 7S holi­ internal contributions to the down­ day" (Review, Feb 1998), let alone turn of Fiji's economy since the coups. the National Bank's F$220 million in Politico-economic instability after bad debts and the regular overseas the coups has been compounded by trips of members of Parliament. deliberate economic disasters such as The governor of the Reserve Bank the F$220 million loss by the of Fiji stated that the devaluation National Bank of Fiji due to bad would, among other things, increase debts. Furthermore, there is still the competitiveness of Fiji's exports, uncertainty surrounding the renewal make locally produced goods cheaper, of leases under the Agriculture encourage overseas investment in Fiji, Landlords and Tenants Act and the increase demand for locally produced relocation of tenants whose leases goods, and prop up employment and have not and will not be renewed. At income (Times, 21 Jan 1998). Now, a the constitutional level, the effects of year after the 20 percent devaluation the reviewed 1990 constitution of the Fiji dollar, most families are remain to be seen. There have also still struggling to make ends meet, been uncertainties and insecurities and those most affected have been the regarding the move toward public sec­ economically disadvantaged groups tor reforms within the larger frame­ such as low-income single mothers; work of structural adjustment. low earners such as garment-factory Allegations emerged in early workers, and subsistence and semi­ January 1998 that some members of subsistence rural dwellers. The Parliament attempted to suppress or Review explained that for some fami­ tamper with evidence regarding Fiji's lies, "trying to make ends meet on a National Bank scandal. Corruption F$ 50 weekly income is like climbing has also been a force to be reckoned Mount Everest" (Sept 1998, 21). with (Times, I, 3 Jan 1998). Various social problems have Given both internal and external emerged or increased, perhaps as a factors, the devaluation of the Fiji direct result of the weak economy. THE CONTEMPORARY PACIFIC· FALL 1999 Crime has been on the rise, especially additional F$5.8 million to the F$36.4 burglary, which has increased by 40 million police budget for 1999 to percent. Housebreaking increased by cater for anticorruption efforts that, 13 percent. The Fiji Times reported when studied carefully, mostly involve that "the increasing incidence of bur­ the upper and middle classes. An glary and break-ins may well be a additional F$450,000 annually was function of the national economy, allocated for the operation of the which remains sluggish in most sec­ Prisons Department for the next three tors" (18 Feb, 18). By December, years. However, despite this increase law-and-order problems were still in budget, Finance Minister James Ah increasing. Large supermarkets, Koy declared that the problem of law service stations, business payrolls, and order is not going to be solved by and even banks have been victims money alone (Review, Dec 1998, 31). (Review, Dec 1998). A common fea­ He fell short of explaining the other ture of robberies in Fiji since 1987 means of maintaining law and order. has been the wearing of balaclavas by If an improvement in the economy armed men-possibly the only out­ is directly linked to issues of law and standing contribution of Rabuka's order, then the future may not be very coups to the ordinary grassroots bright if one relies on the predictions Fijian people. of the country's economic gurus. Other forms of protest have While Fiji government economists emerged in 1998 to threaten the basis predict an economic recovery within of both Fijian and Soqosoqo ni the next two to three years, Professor Vakavulewa ni Taukei (SVT) leader­ in Economics at the University of the ship. Within Fijian society itself, South Pacific David Forsyth has landowners have blocked roads or argued that prediction is difficult in demanded money for the use of their a small economy like Fiji's: "Govern­ resources. Due to the promises of the ment probably does not know what coups to the indigenous Fijians, the policies are in detail. Progress is various vanua have demanded just not monitored carefully and people compensation for the use of their do not know what is happening resources. By October 1998, the gov­ because it is not publicised" (Review, ernment had partly yielded to the Sept 1998, 20). monetary demand of the Monasavu Perhaps the economy is a direct people for the use of their land, on reflection of the unstable political which the Monasavu Hydroelectric climate. This has become even more plant is built. Conflict between the of a challenge to the ruling SVT gov­ landowners and the Fiji Electricity ernment after new electoral bound­ Authority resulted in the deployment aries were drawn up following the of the Fiji Police special task force to amendment of the 1990 constitution. guard the premises for more than a While the constituencies have become month. larger, there has been a reduction in As a consequence of the increase in the number of communal seats, which crime and other unforeseen forms of have long been the political power protest, the government allocated an base of the Fijian ruling elites. POLITICAL REVIEWS. MELANESIA On the other hand, open seats have boundaries implies security for some been reintroduced and once again and insecurity for others. In the enable cross-voting among the ethnic province of Lau for instance, two of groups, as was stipulated in the 1970 the current members in communal constitution. The allocation of seats seats will become redundant, as the for the different rolls are l7 Fijian number of communal seats has been communal (based on provincial reduced from three to one. However, demarcation); 6 Fijian urban; 19 one of them might consider contesting Indian communal; 3 General commu­ the Lau-Taveuni-Rotuma open seat. nal; I Rotuman; and 25 open. With a boundary as open as this, where The House of Representatives con­ three provinces and more than three sists of 7 I members who are elected ethnic groups are involved, the "multi­ by voters registered in one of the four ethnic appeal" of the candidate becomes separate racially based electoral rolls a need. Furthermore, a candidate who (Fijian, Indian, Rotuman, and General is elected on an open ticket can claim [Other]). Voters from all of these wider representation than one who is communities will elect 25 members to elected on a communal ticket. the open seats, giving a "multiracial For large provincial communal look" to Fiji's electoral system. constituencies such as Tailevu, which Drawing up electoral boundaries has now been divided into Tailevu has not been an easy task for the South Communal and Tailevu North Constituency Boundaries Commission, Communal, a number of things are considering that there are four sepa­ implied. First, the dominance of one rate electoral rolls plus an open elec­ or two vanua within the old con­ toral roll. Thus the Fiji Islands have stituency will be put to the test', as been demarcated five times to define each division may prefer to field its the five major constituency bound­ own local candidate. It is highly aries-the Fijian Provincial Constitu­ unlikely that a chief of Bau in the encies, the Indian Communal Con­ Tailevu South Constituency would stituencies, the General Communal want to contest the Tailevu North Constituencies, the Fijian Urban Communal seat, if there are eligible Constituencies, and the Open Constit­ local candidates. In the long run, this uencies. Voters in Fiji will cast their division may alter the nature of votes twice: once for one of the ethnic patron-client politics, which have categories, and once for the open consolidated within Fijian society category, where they can exercise free since the days of colonialism and the choice irrespective of the ethnicity establishment of the Native (Fijian) of the candidate. Perhaps, for those Administration (now Fijian Affairs) running for election in May 1999, and the Council of Chiefs. candidates for the open seats will Second, the division of such large have a tougher battle because they provinces may enable voters to have must really have multiethnic appeal better representation in Parliament. In to be voted into Parliament. the 1990 constitution, where the For the current members of Par­ province of Tailevu for instance was liament, the redrawing of electoral just one communal district with three 430 THE CONTEMPORARY PACIFIC· FALL 1999 candidates for Parliament, promises to Nationalist Party and the newly voters were not well delivered because formed Vanua Tako-Lavo Party, both the three represented everyone in the of which represent nationalist Fijian province. With the new electoral interests. The Vanua Tako-Lavo Party boundaries voters will demand that has a seat in Parliament that was won promises be kept, as they know when Kavekini Navuso thrashed the specifically who is representing them candidate who was jointly fielded by in Parliament.
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