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Government of Tonga Reform Informa- Taimi ‘o Tonga. Tonga Times. Biweekly. tion Office Web site
Travel through these areas proved ilies migrated to Niue under an infor- difficult, as debris, stones, and boul- mal scheme agreed to by then Tuvalu ders from the ocean side of the south- Prime Minister Kamuta Latasi and ern part of the island had been swept Niue Premier Frank Lui. These fami- into the middle of the island by giant lies have now established themselves waves. Most alarming was the fact in Niue and are without doubt con- that seawater was rapidly oozing out tributing to the cultural, social, and of the countless potholes along the economic life of Niue in many ways. sides of the airport runway, prompt- For instance, a few Tuvaluans played ing a cnn reporter to remark that for Niue’s national teams for soccer Tuvalu was bleeding or eroding from and the Rugby Sevens, and their within. These high tides and the dam- skills in fishing supplied the domestic age that they caused were widely demand in stores, restaurants, and reported by various media sources hotels. However, the Niue govern- in the Pacific. ment is still considering Tuvalu’s In February 2006, during a climate request and is treading cautiously on refuge forum (organized by Friends of the issue. Some in Niue feel that the the Earth as part of the Sustainable Tuvaluans are only using Niue as a Living Festival), a Tuvaluan living in doorway to further migration to New Melbourne commented that Tuvalu- Zealand. ans should be moved to Kioa Island The stranding of about 400 Tuval- in Fiji. Kioa, a volcanic island much uan and perhaps 1,300 I-Kiribati higher in altitude than Tuvalu, is pop- workers and their families on Nauru ulated by Tuvaluans who were moved dominated the Tuvalu news agenda there in the 1950s. The argument that throughout the year. They had been relocating Tuvaluan citizens to Kioa recruited to work in the phosphate would ensure the survival of the mines by the Nauru Phosphate Cor- Tuvaluan culture did not find favor poration, a company that is totally with the Tuvalu government. It was owned by the Government of Nauru. seen as a retreat, a surrender of the The company experienced severe government’s basic premise that financial problems and failed to either Tuvalu’s demise is being caused by pay the workers’ wages or repatriate the lifestyle and behavior of the more them to their home islands. It is hard industrialized countries, which must to imagine how these people have sur- accept the obligation to find a suitable vived for so long; no doubt they have remedy. Relocation of the population been depending on what little gardens was therefore not a priority, although they can grow around their houses, at the same time the government was fishing, and help from their families seriously looking at investing in the abroad. purchase of land overseas—Australia In August 2005, Tuvalu’s former and New Zealand were mentioned. governor-general, the Honorable Related to the issue of relocation Faimalaga Luka, passed away in Fiji. was the current government’s request Since his appointment in 2002, Gov- to resettle more Tuvaluans in Niue. ernor-General Luka spent a good part Some years ago several Tuvaluan fam- of his time traveling to Fiji for med- 282 the contemporary pacific • 19:1 (2007) ical assistance, often with a relatively of health and education, while the large entourage. Prior to his appoint- incumbent went overseas for long- ment, he served briefly as prime term medical treatment. In a 15-seat minister in 2001. His tenure in that Parliament, the government holds 10 position ended abruptly when he was seats, while the opposition has 5 seats. voted out as a result of a political con- The position of the current gov- spiracy from within his own caucus, ernment seems assured, providing the contrived by his close associates. possibility of a renewed political A by-election in the electoral dis- landscape. Tuvalu has seen ten prime trict of Nanumaga, caused by the ministers in the twenty-eight years resignation of one of its members of since independence—no doubt a Parliament, the Honorable Namoto record in the region. The problem Kelisiano, saw former Cooperative with the parliamentary system is that Society Purchasing Officer Halo Tua- the prime minister does not have any- vai voted in. Kelisiano was previously thing to fall back on in the event of a on the opposition benches, and Tua- no-confidence vote. He cannot call for vai’s choice to side with the govern- general elections in order to secure ment ensured the latter of a thin the majority he needs to carry out majority in the House of Parliament. his mandate, because the constitution The reason given for Tuavai’s alliance does not provide for this. Neither with the government was to lend sup- does it provide for a limit to the num- port to his colleague from the same ber of votes of no confidence that can electorate, Speaker of Parliament be made against an incumbent prime Otinielu Tausi. The Honorable Kelisi- minister. ano, a ship’s engineer, resigned in In an apparent case of tit-for-tat order to run the island’s power plant politics, the Honorable Otinielu at the request of his home community. Tausi, Speaker of Parliament, declared Prior to this, two by-elections in vacant one of the seats for the Funa- the country had resulted in further futi electoral district, which was held enhancing and cementing Prime Min- by the Honorable Kamuta Latasi. The ister Toafa’s majority position. The vacancy was declared due to Latasi’s Honorable Sio Patiale, a member of continual absence from sessions, as Parliament from Nanumea Island, required under parliamentary rules of resigned on medical grounds, and was procedure. The Honorable Latasi, a replaced by a former Speaker of Par- former diplomat, veteran politician, liament, the Honorable Kokea Malua, and former prime minister, was who returned as a government sup- undergoing medical treatment in Fiji porter. In May 2005 another by-elec- under the government’s own scheme. tion was held, following the sudden Patients undergoing overseas medical death of one of the members from treatment under the auspices of the Nui Island who had been leader of the scheme do so only with the approval opposition group. His replacement, of the minister of health. The govern- the Honorable Taom Tanukale, joined ment was therefore clearly aware of the government ranks and was sub- the reason for the member’s absences. sequently made the acting minister It is believed that the Speaker acted political reviews • polynesia 283 contrary to legal advice, and govern- the first in three years, and the distrib- ment members did not attempt to ution available for the 2006 budget deal with his unusual actions within represents the largest single-year their own caucus. The chief justice payment from the fund (the largest upheld an application by the member payout previously was a$11 million and ruled that the dismissal was for the 1988 budget). The fund is unconstitutional, noting that the invested in diversified portfolios man- whole matter would not have arisen aged by international fund managers if the former prime minister had fol- based in Australia. lowed the rules of procedure. More- The success of the Tuvalu Trust over, from a political perspective, the Fund led to the establishment of the Speaker’s decision to sack the member Falekaupule Trust Funds (ftf) for only served to strengthen the latter’s each of the eight main islands in the position within his own electorate. country. These were designed to The Funafuti community was deter- underwrite the costs and projects of mined to simply field him back should island local governments, encourage there be a by-election, and community decentralization, enhance capacity, pressure meant that the possibility of and achieve a significant level of other candidates wanting to contest development finance for island com- and win would be very slim. munities. Since 2004 the Falekaupule In mid-2005 Tuvalu hosted the Trust Funds adopted an investment annual Forum Economic Ministers structure almost identical to that of Meeting on Funafuti Island. More the Tuvalu Trust Fund. In September than ninety overseas visitors filled up 2005, it also announced a payment, what limited accommodation was the first in four years, of almost a$2 available on the island, including a million. This ftf distribution will be guesthouse owned by Minister of made available to the island com- Finance Hon Bikeni Paeniu. The cost munities in 2006 to support island for Tuvalu’s hosting the meeting was development and community projects. conservatively estimated at a$10,000, An unattributed report claims that but it would be useful to know the distribution formula was reached whether the actual cost outweighed after immense political rumblings the revenue generated. and internal fighting. The eight island When the market value of the communities would share 75 percent Tuvalu Trust Fund (ttf) exceeds its of the monies equally, and the remain- calculated maintained value, the dif- ing 25 percent would be distributed ference is a distribution to Tuvalu’s based on the size of the resident pop- treasure chest. As of 30 September ulation of each island. 2005, the difference came to some No distribution from the Tuvalu a$12.5 million, of which nearly a$1 Trust Fund was paid out in the previ- million was made available to support ous four years (2000–2004), and the the 2005 budget, and the balance of last significant distribution was in more than a$11 million was to be 1988. If budget planning assumes made available for the 2006 budget. more payouts, there is a real possibil- The payment for the 2005 budget was ity of Tuvalu’s ending up with unman- 284 the contemporary pacific • 19:1 (2007) ageably large budget deficits. For officials who accompanied the minis- 2005, the government had to draw ter to various talks declared that the considerably from its consolidated details of the proposal were very trust fund (Account b) in order to unclear. Observers speculated that the bring the budget deficit down to an outside financiers might be interested acceptable level. Incorrect revenue in the ttf investments, or in using forecasts and excessive government Tuvalu to lend credibility for obtain- expenditure were the main causes ing letters of credit or bank loans. for the large 2005 deficit. An Asian Investors might also be trying to Development Bank economic survey evade or avoid taxation in their home pointed out that the Tuvalu civil ser- countries. Fortunately, pressure from vice is one of the largest by regional other countries, particularly the devel- standards, and current indications are opment partners, may have persuaded that it is still growing at an alarming Tuvalu policymakers to drop the idea. rate. In 2004, the anz Bank was close Excessive expenditures on travel, to signing an agreement to take over especially by ministers, have often the operations and management of caused tensions in the civil service. the National Bank of Tuvalu (nbt). The level of subsistence allowances While this was a move I was strongly for Tuvalu’s traveling officials may be opposed to, the anz Bank did prom- the most generous in the world, and ise a greater variety of banking ser- the situation has received attention in vices not previously available under several audit reports. The problem is the nbt management. However, the exacerbated when ministers change emergence of the Berlin tax scheme their travel itineraries, usually while and the obvious ambiguities sur- overseas, to suit their personal prefer- rounding it forced the anz Bank to ences, for example, to add stopovers shelve its proposal. The Bank of in destinations like Auckland and South Pacific (Papua New Guinea), Brisbane where relatives may reside. which had just acquired the Westpac Islands Business magazine ran a Bank Branch in Niue, was reportedly feature article in late August 2005 also interested in expanding its opera- on a moneymaking scheme devised by tions to Tuvalu, but postponed the some individuals from Lessing Univer- initiative because of the proposed sity in Berlin headed by a Dr Ronald scheme. Bauermeister. The scheme involved Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian’s the establishment of a Bank of Com- visit to a number of Pacific Island merce of Tuvalu, and a register of states in early 2006, including a tran- international companies. A further sit visit through Fiji and a day’s visit proposal was the opening of Tuvalu to Tuvalu, caused some consternation diplomatic missions in Europe, pre- in the region. Six countries in the sumably to be staffed by members of Pacific—Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, this group. It was generally under- and the republics of Nauru, Palau, stood that Treasurer Bikeni Paeniu, Kiribati, and the Marshall Islands— as the minister of finance, was firmly recognize Taiwan, and the ongoing behind the proposal. However, senior rivalry between China and Taiwan for political reviews • polynesia 285 recognition by Pacific countries has number of ways. For example, Tai- concerned policy makers in both Can- wan agreed to rescue the Tuvaluans berra and Wellington for some time. and I-Kiribati stranded in Nauru; On 10 December 2005, PacNews bailed the government out of severe reported a Taiwanese diplomat’s accu- budgetary deficits; paid for the newly sations that New Zealand (and Aus- built office complex in Funafuti; and tralia) were treating the Pacific as if paid for many government ministers’ they owned it, adding that New Zea- travels abroad. However, there is land enjoys trade with Taiwan and skepticism about the transparency, should respect Taiwan’s right to estab- accountability, and propriety of Tai- lish diplomatic links with other coun- wan’s assistance, and the repercus- tries. A regional academic from the sions for good economic governance University of the South Pacific also and prudent financial management. commented that New Zealand was as Many believe that the more liberal guilty of ideological bribery as China the donor assistance is, the more and Taiwan. These comments came opportunity there is for the recipient in response to former New Zealand country to become corrupt in the use Minister of Foreign Affairs Phil Goff’s of aid donations. It is important that criticisms of the Taiwan president’s Taiwan (as well as China) appreciates tour, saying that checkbook diplo- the need for donor harmonization macy employed by both China and and coordination, transparency, and Taiwan undermines work to address accountability, and that it provides serious issues such as poverty. While funding assistance in line with the the majority of the countries of the government’s stated strategic objec- world follow the One-China policy, tives and priorities. Tuvalu, like other Pacific states, main- Public suspicions of misuse of tains its prerogative to establish links funds loomed large after allegations with any country it chooses. surfaced in an Internet chat room President Chen Shui-bian was popular with Tuvaluans that a former accorded a traditional welcome on Telecom supervisor had misused com- his arrival at the Funafuti Inter- pany funds by investing them in real national Airport. As he and his estate in Wainuioumata, Wellington, entourage descended from the small New Zealand. Investigations are now plane, a group of primary school being carried out by the Tuvalu Trust children serenaded the president with Fund Advisory Committee, as well as Taiwanese songs. They sang: “Tai- by the police. wan’s scenery is really beautiful. Meanwhile, disgruntled members Taiwanese friends are really cute. of the Tuvalu Chamber of Commerce Taiwanese A-bian [Chen’s nickname] and their supporters marched to Par- is really brave. Taiwan, Taiwan, go liament House in Funafuti on 7 April go go. A-bian, A-bian, go go go.” 2006, the final day of the session. Taiwan is probably the second They were angry that Minister of largest donor to Tuvalu after the Finance Bikeni Paeniu was withhold- European Union, and has come to ing an aid package of us$400,000 Tuvalu’s financial assistance in a designated for the private sector. The 286 the contemporary pacific • 19:1 (2007) marchers wanted Parliament to direct efforts to crown a new Lavelua (para- the minister to have those funds paid mount chief, or king, of Wallis), directly to small businesses through thereby allowing Lavelua Tomasi the Development Bank. The marchers Kulimoetoke to regain his throne. Pro- held placards and signs saying to the cedures for dismissing a Lavelua do minister, “Give us our money, exist, but they have always involved, $400,000. Do not speak about God to a greater or lesser extent, both dis- for you are a liar” (my translation). cussion among the families with titles As a result of this protest, the minister and the use of violence. This is the reluctantly released a$100,000 to the first time in the history of Wallis that Development Bank to provide busi- a Lavelua has held the title continu- nesspeople with loans. It was a ges- ously for 46 years. The average length ture intended to ensure silence. The of reign from 1869–1959 was 5.6 Chamber of Commerce members years. were far from happy, as they saw no This exceptional longevity is pri- reason why the minister should with- marily due to the political adroitness hold any portion of the funds. of the current Lavelua, who has been For some, the future of Tuvalu able to keep his throne despite the looks bleak. Many hearken back to existence of other candidates from the days when Tuvalu was able to various royal families, and has also secure its independence, repeal its first been able to maintain the important constitution drafted by the colonial role of customary law while adminis- office in London, produce a new con- trative and political power increased. stitution more relevant to its needs His longevity has also been favored and changing conditions, and estab- by higher-level administrators, who lish a trust fund that became a model would like to see a strong power for other small nations. emerge. Members of the Lavelua’s tauaasa taafaki close family, the people actually run- ning the Grande Chefferie (the custom- ary government), have also encour- This review covers a two-year aged his continuation in office, as the period from mid-2004 to mid-2006. eighty-six-year-old Lavelua has not It benefited enormously from the expressed himself in public for several comments of an external reviewer years. It would seem that the Kulimoe- who remains anonymous. However, toke family cannot imagine the idea the views expressed here are my own of abandoning all the material advan- and any errors or omissions are tages associated with ruling, even entirely my responsibility. though the position has never been hereditary (Angleviel 2005, 2006). During a television news broadcast on rfo-Wallis on 14 June 2005, the Wallis and Futuna Lavelua’s prime minister called for a The “non-event” of the year was the demonstration of support for the for- follow-up to the customary law crisis, mer Grande Chefferie in front of the as reformers have decided to abandon royal palace. One hundred fifty peo-