Political Reviews • Polynesia 211 Wilkie Olaf Patua Rasmussen References

political reviews • polynesia 211 voting in Dr Terepai Maoate as leader with one proposing as few as seven. by a 4–2 vote. My model called for the northern George successfully fought an appli- group islands to be independent from cation for a High Court injunction by the rest of the Cooks (CIN, 4 July the Maoate faction to prevent him 1998). The government has set aside from holding a dap conference. The nz$100,000 for a commission of conference went ahead, with George inquiry into political reform. Fearing confirmed as leader. The conference that the commission might take a appointed a new executive, leaving the decade to complete its work, Director old executive who stayed with the of the Rarotonga campus of the Uni- Maoate faction to claim that they still versity of the South Pacific John constituted the legitimate Democratic Herrmann, the main protagonist of Alliance Party. After several months of political reform, has called for a refer- tit for tat in the newspapers and the endum on the issue before the next courts, Chief Justice Quilliam found general election. in favor of the Maoate faction on 3 wilkie olaf patua rasmussen April. Almost immediately, Norman George launched the New Alliance Party, and the Democratic Alliance References Party proceeded to hold its “proper” CIN, Cook Islands News. Rarotonga. Daily. conference. The opposition remains dogged by CIP, Cook Islands Press. Rarotonga. fragmentation. The Democratic Alli- Weekly. ance Party claims the support of the CIS, Cook Islands Star. Auckland. Fort- majority of successful candidates in nightly. local council and mayoral elections in Parliament of the Cook Islands. 1998. May 1998. However, the government PERCA (Public Expenditure Review Com- hopes that its devolution program, mittee and Audit) Report. Parliamentary which gives local authorities consider- Paper 36. Rarotonga. able autonomy, will sway the outer- island vote during the next general election. French Polynesia In recent years, all politicians regardless of party affiliation have In the year under review, sparring been called on to prove their worth. between the territorial president, The crisis has made voters more criti- Gaston Flosse, and the socialist gov- cal and demanding and more willing to ernment in Paris continued over such get involved. Economic reform has led issues as territorial autonomy, regional to increased talk of sweeping political diplomacy, and relations with Europe. reforms. So far, six different models Economic trends were largely positive, have been proposed by members of the which worked to the advantage of the public (including myself). Most advo- territorial government, yet some poli- cate a reduction in the number of cies, such as those on tax and waste members of Parliament to fourteen, disposal, were not well received by the 212 the contemporary pacific • spring 1999 public. The government retained most, dialogue session following the annual but not all, of its seats in the elector- South Pacific Forum held in Rarotonga ates that were recontested because of in September. Gaston Flosse has had irregularities in the 1996 poll. A considerable latitude to pursue number of important reports were regional diplomacy on behalf of both published on the legacy of nuclear test- the territory and the French republic, ing. While present and future radiation first when Jacques Chirac was prime risks to the territory appear to be mini- minister in the late 1980s, and later mal, the issues of past exposure of when Chirac’s presidency coincided Islanders to the atmospheric tests and with the rule of a conservative govern- their right to compensation remain ment in Paris from 1995 to 1997. unresolved. This review concludes Since its victory in the 1997 national with a tribute to the scholar Bengt elections the new left-wing coalition Danielsson, who died during the year. has made it clear that Flosse’s diplo- New French Secretary of State for matic initiatives in the name of France Overseas Territories Jean-Jack are no longer considered appropriate Queyranne paid a visit to Tahiti in or welcome. Flosse was not invited to August 1997. During the visit, Presi- join the French delegation to Raro- dent Flosse held forth on the merits of tonga in 1997 but, undeterred, made an expansion in the territorial govern- his own arrangements. ment’s political autonomy, and played If Flosse could not represent France on an old theme, “We are waiting for in Rarotonga, then he would represent the State . to help us pursue the French Polynesia. This he did in the development of our autonomy because capacity of observer at the meeting of it is the sole bulwark against indepen- Small Island States held before the dence” (TP, Sept 1997, 9). Queyranne forum proper. In a pointed nationalis- responded negatively to these sugges- tic gesture, he bestowed a gift of tions, emphasizing instead that the $30,000 to the Small Islands fund in state would exercise tight control over the name of Tahiti Nui (not France), the expenditure of national funds, and the Tahitian flag alone flew at the adding that oversight had been lacking opening ceremony, and Flosse made in recent years. A new convention his speech in Tahitian. In a further signed on 14 July 1997 established attempt to impress, Flosse made six clearly defined processes and a com- luxury cars available to transport mittee to oversee the expenditure of regional heads of government around state funds. Flosse has expressed con- the tiny capital of the Cook Islands. cern that this new enthusiasm for state Flosse could not participate in the control might act as a brake on devel- forum’s deliberations. Nevertheless, he opment or provide a pretext for undue and pro-independence leader Oscar interference in territorial affairs. Temaru were both invited by host Sir Relations between Paris and the Geoffrey Henry to attend the opening Tahitian president cooled considerably ceremony. due to differences over the composi- French Minister for Cooperation tion of the French delegation to the Charles Josselin, who led the French political reviews • polynesia 213 delegation, noted that Gaston Flosse Europeans to freely reside or work could represent the territory in anywhere in the European Union was restricted areas such as regional fish- applied in French Polynesia. In 1995, eries, and transport and communica- EU authorities issued a further warn- tions, but that he had no authority to ing to France that its territories must represent France at the forum. His comply. Queyranne felt it was pre- sentiments were in accordance with sumptuous of Gaston Flosse to ask 1996 amendments to the territory’s that this principle be “frozen” in rela- statute of autonomy, which stipulate tion to Tahiti while the territory sought that the territory can engage in to continue receiving European devel- regional negotiations on broader opment assistance funds. Queyranne issues, but only with the agreement of concluded that until such a time as the the French state. Evidently this line of Treaty of Rome was revised, European logic was not well received in the laws would continue to apply in Tahiti. Tahitian corridors of power, so when Moreover, he felt that the threat of a Josselin passed through Pape‘ete on European “invasion” of the territory his way back to France not a single did not appear very great (TP, Jan member of the territorial govern- 1998, 16). ment was present to greet him (TP, Oct The “immigration” debate took 1997, 7–10). another twist after an in-depth report Concerns about the territory’s vul- on the subject was published by the nerability to unchecked immigration Economic, Social and Cultural Com- by metropolitan French and other mittee (cesc) in February. The most Europeans continued to be expressed controversial recommendation, made in no uncertain terms. The territory unanimously by the forty participants had requested that France seek an in the committee’s inquiry, was that appropriate modification of the Treaty not only should immigration from of Rome and, failing that, is consider- Europe be strictly controlled, but the ing the option of having French same controls should be applied to the Polynesia removed from the list of influx of metropolitan French. Accord- Europe’s overseas territories alto- ing to the 1996 census, citizens from gether, although this would mean los- metropolitan France or from other ing some economic benefits. The French overseas possessions accounted treaty’s dispositions relating to associ- for 26,619 people or 12 percent of the ated territories will be reviewed and population in French Polynesia. Dur- finalized in the year 2000 (TP, Aug ing the past decade the number of 1997, 36). metropolitan French residing in the In response to questions from terri- territory has not increased greatly, but torial Senator Daniel Millaud, Secre- their composition has changed in tary of State for Overseas Territories important ways. Jack Queyranne explained that France In the past a large proportion of had been condemned by the European metropolitan French residents were Court of Justice in 1990 for failing to with the military and made a substan- ensure that the principle allowing tial contribution to the local economy 214 the contemporary pacific • spring 1999 as consumers. Now, the military com- land remains in the hands of the terri- ponent has been replaced by people tory’s permanent residents. competing for work with locals. The Although the committee’s report situation has been exacerbated by the doubtless reflected a legitimate and current government’s adoption of a widespread public concern, it pro- statute for the territorial public service voked heated responses from official that fails to include an affirmative quarters. Gaston Flosse supports the action clause in favor of employing idea of restricting European immigra- Tahitians. As a consequence, more and tion, but he believes that metropolitan more metropolitan French are taking French have every right to make them- over the plum positions in the public selves at home in Tahiti, just as French service.

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