Polynesia in Review: Issues and Events, 1 July 2000 to 30 June 2001

Reviews of American Sämoa, Cook include a general hospital, psychiatric Islands, Hawai‘i, Niue, Tokelau, and ward, blood transfusion center, and Tuvalu are not included in this issue. accommodations for families. First flagged in 1996 at an estimated cost French Poly n e s i a of fcfp 10 billion, it was not until Familiar themes are revisited in the July 2000 that a company was chosen year under review. The Tahitian gov- to build the hospital at a revised cost ernment proceeded with costly public of fcfp 22 billion. By October the works that are arguably out of pro- budget had grown to fcfp 32 billion portion to the small territory’s means (fr 1.76 billion). President Flosse and needs. While critics may view then asked the minister for Overseas these as pork-barrel projects in antici- France, Christian Paul, for a financial pation of the forthcoming elections, contribution of 65 percent from the they have long been a feature of a state. Paul agreed, but on the condi- territorial economy driven by public tion the territory demonstrate the expenditure. President Gaston Flosse means to maintain a hospital of this was once again subject to, but for the size. time being survived, new and continu- The French state was not alone ing investigations into his alleged in voicing concerns. An opposition involvement in corruption. Notwith- leader, Boris Léontieff, considered the standing the bad public relations gen- cost exorbitant for a small territory, erated by corruption charges coupled especially compared to the mere with a law redistributing seats in favor fcfp 5 billion required to renovate of the urban constituencies, the Tah o e - the existing hospital. Léontieff cited raa party’s cast-iron grip on power a French specialist who estimated the was confirmed in both municipal and normal cost for a hospital of this kind territorial elections. Emboldened by would be at most fcfp 18 billion. his party’s unprecedented victory at Moreover, maintenance costs would the polls, President Flosse continued be in the order of 10 percent of the to chafe at the limits imposed on his capital outlay, which in the case of the power by the French state. territory’s proposal would be 3 billion Public works have been a motor per year. Léontieff believed that not of growth, especially since France only the initial outlay but also the has provided funds to facilitate a maintenance costs would exceed the post–nuclear testing conversion of the territory’s financial means. The other territorial economy. This year was no opposition leader, Oscar Temaru, exception. A major new development decried the hospital initiative as a is the construction of a territorial hos- public relations stunt in the lead-up pital center at Taaone to replace the to the 2001 elections. aging facility at Mamao. It will Meanwhile, the state refused to

213 214 the contemporary pacific • spring 2002 participate until it had fully explored year 2005. The difficulties of a French the financial implications of the pro- airline, ao m , which could no longer posal. Flosse was furious at the delay continue flights between Paris and and issued an ultimatum that, if the Papeete, opened the way for Air state was not prepared to contribute Tahiti Nui to mount an ambitious and honor its commitments, the terri- expansion of its operations, including tory would finance the entire project a flight to France in addition to its alone. In January Flosse’s majority in existing routes to Japan and the the assembly went ahead and voted United States. After months of negoti- for the territory to fund the hospital ations with the French state, Flosse 100 percent, thereby allowing the announced in June that Air Tahiti Nui president to sign contracts and pro- would rent another Airbus and com- ceed with a ceremony to lay the first mence flights to Paris no later than stone (TP, Feb 2001, 27–29). September 2001. It is unclear how The territorial government has also this costly expansion will be funded, invested significant monies in improv- but the state has been called on to ing infrastructure throughout the contribute (TP, July 2001, 9). outer islands by way of building new The year under review was a mixed roads, ports, and airports. The jewel blessing in terms of Gaston Flosse’s in the crown of this plan is the com- continuing travails at the hands of plete renovation of the port town of French justice. To his dismay, in Uturoa on Raiatea in the Leeward November investigations began into Islands. The first phase of this scheme several new cases of alleged corrup- has been completed with a new port tion concerning not only the president costing f c fp 7.3 billion (fr 400 mil- but also his family. In one case Flosse lion). This includes a reception area and his son Reginald came under sus- for luxury cruise ships, extension of picion in relation to major loans made the docks, an artisan village, a public by the Socredo Bank to the Flosse park, and administrative headquarters family. Allegedly, loans amounting to for the port authority (TP, Feb 2001, billions of French Pacific francs had 33–35). been made without the proper proce- The territory’s fledgling interna- dures being followed and had not tional airline, Air Tahiti Nui found been repaid in the normal manner. itself in dire financial straits after Another affair concerned the alleged losses of f c f p 3 billion in its first two impropriety of Flosse’s wife, Tonita, years of operation. The key factors in making use of government person- cited for its troubles were the rise of nel and equipment for major construc - the US dollar and a parallel increase tion works at her private property in in fuel costs. In November 2000 the Opoa on the island of Raiatea. These territory was obliged, once again, to works, which included terracing land, engage in a financial bailout to the rerouting a road, and building a mas- tune of fc f p 1.4 billion to prevent the sive wall, implicated the president in airline’s collapse. Flosse went still fur- illegal use of public goods for personal ther by guaranteeing that the territory gain and his wife for receipt of such would meet any unforeseen shortfalls goods (TP, Dec 2000, 38–40). that the company might face up to the Flosse was in strife on another p olitical reviews • p o lyne sia 215 front in late January as the correc- fr 15,000 and, more important, the tional tribunal in Paris began investi- suspended prison sentence and ineligi- gating his personal wealth. This pro- bility for public office were dropped cess relates to a 1988 French law (TP, July 2001, 10). (modified in 1995) requiring national In a long-awaited decision, on 10 deputies and senators to provide a January 2001 the French Constitu- detailed account of their wealth when tional Council confirmed new elec- they assume office and again when toral laws pertaining to the territorial they leave office. Such audits are assembly to allow more equitable rep- meant to deter or, failing that, detect resentation between the five archipela- and prosecute cases of corruption. In goes. A final major amendment to the Flosse’s case, the court detected dis- law compared to the one outlined in crepancies between the declarations the previous review increased the total made by Flosse in 1991 when he was number of seats in the assembly from reelected deputy, and in 19 95 when he 41 to 49 (von Strokirch 2001). The completed this term of office. In par- outcome therefore implemented the ticular the enquiry focused on Flosse’s model prescribed by the Tahoeraa failure to declare paintings in his party. As a result, the populous Wind- personal art collection worth several ward Islands were allocated 10 addi- million French francs as well as two tional seats for a total of 32, whereas apartments in Paris occupied by his the Leeward Islands and the Tua m o t u - children. For the time being, the judi- Gambiers each lost a seat, leaving cial enquiry is restricted to ascertain- them with 7 and 4 respectively. The ing whether Flosse made an initial Australs and Marquesas each retained false declaration, rather than inves- their existing 3 seats. In recognition tigating the means by which he of their isolation and limited influence obtained his remarkable wealth. The in territorial affairs, the outer islands trial will be held in September 2001 still exercise an advantage in requiring (TP, Mar 2001, 10–11). fewer votes to obtain a seat, but the Un d e r th e ci rc u m s t a n c e s , Fl o s s e wa s gap has narrowed. enormously relieved by the final out- The opposition in French Polynesia come of his protracted trial relating to campaigned to have the municipal and the Hombo Affair (see von Strokirch territorial elections held simultane- 2001). After his conviction in Novem- ously in 2001, for two reasons. First, ber 1999, Flosse succeeded in having they pointed to the enormous cost both the conviction and the sentence associated with organizing territory- revised in his favor by the French wide polls and logically concluded appeals court in June 2001. His con- that it would be more cost effective to viction stands for allowing the opera- hold them at the same time. Second, tion of an illegal casino in Pirae when they argued on the basis of past expe- he was mayor during the early 1990s. rience that the territorial elections However, his conviction for corrup- would be unduly influenced by the tion with regard to the casino owner’s outcome of the municipal poll if it funding of Flosse’s political party as a we r e held just two months earlier. The quid pro quo was overturned. Flosse’s latter argument has merit, as mayors penalty was thus reduced to a fine of are susceptible to persuasion by the 216 the contemporary pacific • spring 2002 territorial government, while the may- 49 percent, up from 39 percent in the ors in turn hold great sway over the 1996 election. The pro-independence voting behavior of their constituents. Tavini party won 13 seats but did not However, the opposition was unsuc- increase its overall share from the 25 cessful, and the elections went ahead percent recorded in 1996. The Fetia in March and May respectively. Api party of Boris Léontieff polled The two rounds of municipal remarkably well in winning 7 seats, elections held on 11 and 18 March having previously held only 2. One yielded no great surprises. The leaders independent, Chantal Flores, was of the main political parties retained elected from the Australs. The big control of the key urban fiefdoms: loser at this election was Emile Ver- Boris Léontieff in Arue, Oscar Tem a r u naudon and his Ai‘a Api party, which in Faaa, and Emile Vernaudon in gained no representation as it failed Mahina. Gaston Flosse’s son-in-law to reach the 5 percent minimum vote and vice president of the government, threshold in the Windward Islands. Edouard Fritch, survived his recently This outcome points to an anomaly organized succession to Flosse as in the electoral system, which militates mayor of Pirae. Another leading light against small parties and undermines of Tahoeraa, Deputy Michel Buillard, the democratic nature of the results. was reelected mayor of Papeete. A Pa r ty lists that gain less than 5 pe rc e n t Tavini party candidate, Raymond of the vote in any of the five archipel- Van Bastolaer, succeeded in wresting agoes are automatically eliminated. control of Haapiti on Moorea, but Consequently, in 2001 the following another pro-independence candidate, voters gained no representation: 11.6 Jacqui Drollet, lost his office as mayor percent in the Windward Islands, 18.7 of Hitiaa. Ecologist Jacky Bryant percent in the Tuamotus, and 24 per- posed a serious challenge to the cent in the Marquesas. This factor, incumbent Tahoeraa minister and combined with the bias in favor of the mayor of Bora Bora by winning 47 outer islands where Tahoeraa polls percent of the vote in the second strongest, allowed the conservative round. Overall the Tahoeraa party party to gain 57 percent of the seats dominated the municipal elections, despite having only 49 percent of the with the exception of a major setback votes. The electorate is gradually in the Marquesas. As a result of long- learning the lesson, as far fewer peo- standing regional disaffection with ple voted for small parties in 2001 central government and its failure to than they did in previous elections provide a secure water supply, Tahoe- (TP, May 2001, 10–11). raa secured only one of the six inhab- The extent of Tahoeraa’s win at the ited islands. territorial elections confounded pre- The territorial election, held on 6 dictions that, even if the opposition May, produced an unprecedented vic- did not take government, it would at tory for the incumbent Tahoeraa gov- least increase its representation. Such ernment as it won an absolute major- a shift was anticipated in view of the ity with 28 of the 49 seats. Tahoeraa new law adding seats to the urban increased its share of the total vote to constituencies, and the bad publicity p olitical reviews • p o lyne sia 217 associated with the president’s inter- corruption. Not surprisingly, all three minable battle against corruption parties have similar programs for charges. The opposition did not get as economic development. In view of the high a proportion of seats attributed territory’s limited resources they can to the urban areas as it would have but focus on its strengths—namely liked. Yet no matter what weighting tourism, black pearls, and other was given to constituencies, Tahoeraa marine resources. would still have won as it obtained A significant outcome of the half of all the votes territory-wide. 2001 election was the huge increase With regard to the second factor, cor- in women’s representation, thanks to ruption has never figured strongly in a new French “parity” law requiring the decisions of voters in the past, and gender alternation of electoral candi- the 2001 elections demonstrate that dates on party lists (see background nothing has changed. Moreo v e r , as the in von Strokirch 2001). The new ter- incumbent governing party in charge ritorial assembly includes no fewer of distributing financial largesse from than twenty-two women, compared to France in the post-nuclear era, Tahoe- only five before. In another milestone, raa exercised an enormous advantage on 17 May the assembly elected a over the opposition. Finally, Flosse’s Tahoeraa member, Lucette Taero, as strategy of wooing leading lights from its first woman president (the equiva- the opposition with the promise of lent of a Speaker in parliament). The ministerial portfolios has been instru- following day Gaston Flosse was mental in the demise of two long- reelected president of the government. standing parties, Here Ai‘a and Ai‘a He then announced a new cabinet Api. lineup that included six women out The political landscape has become of the total of seventeen ministers. more clear-cut, with only three parties The war of words between Flosse, left to spar in the assembly. Tahoeraa who is aligned with the metropolitan stands for continuing inclusion in the conservative party, and the Socialist French Republic while also seeking an government in Paris continued expansion of the territory’s powers. unabated in the year under review. In Tavini advocates sovereign indepen- addition to the dispute over the state’s dence but recognizes that the reality delay in funding for the new hospital, of economic dependence dictates a further points of tension include the close association with France in the alleged partiality of the state-funded long term. Regardless of political sta- television service, r f o; the role of tus, both parties demand that France the president’s Polynesia Intervention continue to underwrite the territory’s Group; and the extent and timeliness economic development by way of of other state financial transfers. compensation for thirty years of Gaston Flosse is notorious for his nuclear testing. The other opposition intolerance of criticism and his unend- party, Fetia Api, is against indepen- ing conflicts with elements of the ter- dence yet diffe r entiates itself by engag- ritorial media. In the past the presi- ing in fierce critiques of the Tahoeraa dent’s public attacks, boycotts, and government’s policies and alleged litigation have been directed toward 218 the contemporary pacific • spring 2002 the pro-independence radio station Agency. January also saw the inaugu- Reo Tefana, the nonpartisan magazine ration of a new government service for Tahiti Pacifique, and the private tele- “i n t e r national relations,” replacing the vision network, Telefenua. However, former “external relations” service this year the French state television advising the president. The title and network, r f o, has also displeased him function of this service have since been because it occasionally issues unfavor- questioned by the state as exceeding able reports on aspects of territorial territorial powers of autonomy. government. One r f o -tv journalist A continuing source of tension provoked the president to such an between the territorial government extent that Flosse took concrete mea- and the French state has been the sures to sabotage r f o -tv. First he ambiguous and ever-expanding role of issued a threat in April that the post the Polynesia Intervention Group. In and telecommunications office would the wake of the destructive 1995 riots deny r f o -tv access to the satellite the president set up this force, initially necessary for its transmission to the as an extension of the presidential outer islands. (This threat was later security guard. In mid-1996 the state acted on in July 2001 for the space of overruled a proposal that the presi- a week.) The president then denied dential security forces be armed. Not r f o -tv the right to film July’s Heiva until May 1998 did the territorial festivities, the single most important assembly officially approve the estab- cultural event of the year. Instead the lishment of the group. At the time, monopoly on filming Heiva was its principal missions were defined as granted to the territory’s own fledg- assisting the population in the event ling tntv, a network that is not yet of natural disasters, ensuring essential accessible to all viewers (TP, July maritime traffic, reinforcing the provi- 2001, 26–27). sion of public works and services, and The territorial government has also maintaining the security of public been developing its own media source s places. This provoked a prompt inter- to counteract the media elements it vention from the French high commis- perceives as partial to the opposition. sioner, who emphasized that under no The previous review analyzed the pur- circumstances should the force sup- pose of the hastily inaugurated tntv plant the role of the national police in service, an operation financed 80 per- the provision of law and order, as this cent by the territory (von Strokirch was an exclusive power of the state. 2001). In addition, the presidential The force has since earned credit for information service began publishing its role in disaster relief following its own Te Fenua newsletter, distrib- cyclones and floods in 1997 and uted free locally, to give its spin on 1998. However, it has caused some current events and highlight achieve- concern as its extensive public works ments of the government. In order to have circumvented planning regula- better reach and influence an interna- tions. In July 2000 the high commis- tional audience, in January the terri- sioner issued a warning that the Poly- tory launched the Tahitian Press nesia Intervention Group must respect p olitical reviews • p o lyne sia 219 existing laws and not exceed its pow- legion, adapted military service, dis- ers with respect to public security. mantling of the test center, and radio- The opposition is also alarmed at the logical surveillance of Moruroa are potential scope for abuse given that cases in point. this militia-type force of several hun- To a casual observer it may appear dred is under the direct control of the counterintuitive for the president to president (TP, Aug 2000, 28–29). persist in biting the hand that sustains President Flosse has continued his not only his government, but also the long-standing practice of deriding the territory’s economy and high standard state for its perceived failings, includ- of living. Nevertheless, this practice ing tardiness in delivering financial has been tried and proven to good transfers already committed under effect in the past. Antistate rhetoric long-term funding schemes. On one works well for local consumption occasion in the territorial assembly, insofar as it diverts attention from the buoyed by his recent election victory territorial government’s own policies in June, Flosse launched into a tirade and lays responsibility for delayed against the socialist government. development projects squarely at the Flosse charged that “state officials, in door of the state. But no evidence perfect harmony with the administra- exists that socialist governments in the tive tribunal, work on a daily basis to past have been less generous in the void our autonomy of all substance.” scale of financial transfers to French He went further, asserting, “It is not Polynesia. Rather, it could be argued acceptable that the socialist govern- that left-leaning governments are ment and its local representatives more susceptible to arguments about exercise their political pressure and the territory’s right to compensation attempt to influence the result of the for a legacy of French colonialism and elections in pursuit of their partisan nuclear testing. Flosse is well aware of interests” (TP, June 2001, 10, my this bargaining chip and is systemati- translation). Evidently Flosse gained cally playing it in anticipation of no joy from the new state minister for negotiations for renewed state funding Overseas France, Christian Paul, who when the grant for reconverting the stated in no uncertain terms that post-testing economy expires in 2005. France was a partner in development karin von stro k i rc h but had no intention of issuing blank checks to French Polynesia. The state is well within its rights to monitor the Re f e re n c e s use of funds to ensure they are spent Pacific Islands Report. productively in the way intended in original agreements. Conversely, there is merit in Flosse’s critique of the TP, Tahiti Pacifique. Monthly. Papeete. state’s financing diverse military- Von Strokirch, Karin. 2001. Political related operations with funds ostensi- Review of French Polynesia. The Contem- bly designated for the territory’s eco- porary Pacific 13:225–235. nomic development. The foreign 220 the contemporary pacific • spring 2002

Ma¯ori Issues how ‘home invasions’ [elicit] such out- pourings of concern for the victims As more high-profile cases of Mäori and an intense despising of the invad- not coping in New Zealand society ers while the invasion of the ‘home have been brought to the nation’s lands’ of Mäori does not engender the attention, Mäori leaders have started same level of emotion and concern for to make a much more concerted effo r t the Mäori victims.” to steer debate toward consideration However the section of the speech of not only the underlying causes but that riveted the media for weeks after- also the acceptance of Mäori-defined ward was the minister’s reference to remedies and solutions. Several Mäori the holocaust that indigenous people, parents and caregivers have been con- including Mäori, had suffered as a victed in the past year for the severe result of colonial contact and behav- abuse and murder of young children. io r . “I understand that much of the Th r ee more children and then an adult research done in this area focussed lost their lives in house fires in the Far on the trauma suffered by Jewish sur- North in April and June 2001. These vivors of the holocaust of World War fires, like those that claimed the lives II,” she said. “I understand that the of three children in a fire in the same same has been done with Vietnam region in 1997, were a direct result veterans. . . . The Treaty of Waitangi of continuing poverty. Young Mäori Tribunal . . . made a reference [to the offenders are increasingly being con- holocaust suffered by Mäori] in its victed for brutal rapes, murders, and Taranaki Report of 1996”(Turia “home invasions.” And the rate of 2000). Mäori youth suicide is one of the Overnight the media declared that highest in the world and increasing the word holocaust was the sole pre- at an alarming rate. serve of Jewish people, misquoted In a hard-hitting speech to the New Turia, and launched an attack on her Zealand Psychological Society Confer- that in its viciousness surpassed even ence in August, Tariana Turia, the the attacks on Tuku Morgan in 1997. associate minister of corrections, The prime minister attempted to cen- health, housing, Mäori affairs, social sure Turia by issuing an edict banning services, and employment, confronted the use of the word holocaust. The these issues directly. Predictably, the edict had to be toned down to advice speech brought down the wrath of in the face of a massive backlash from mainstream New Zealand media on Mäoridom, including other Mäori her head. In asking New Zealand psy- members of parliament, in support of chologists to consider, analyze, and Turia. In turn, Turia apologized to the find remedies for the effects of post- Jewish community if her comments colonial traumatic stress disorder on had caused them offense. She drew Mäori, she pointed out that she saw unexpected support from some non- the connections between “home inva- Mäori quarters including a retiring sions” and the invasion of the “home member of the conservative National lands” of indigenous people by a peo- party who commented “New Zea- ple from another land. “What I have landers who react with horror that difficulty in reconciling,” she said, “is p olitical reviews • p o lyne sia 221 she should have described it as a holo- at the next election (2002). She was caust are being a bit precious—or also severely criticized for refusing to indulging in collective amnesia” attend Waitangi Day celebrations at (Upton 2001). Waitangi and for ordering the gover- Following the sustained attack on nor general not to attend. Tariana Tariana Turia, other Mäori members Turia and Minister of Mäori Affairs of parliament have kept a low profile. Parekura Horomia defied her and The two exceptions were Dover attended. Samuels, who sought media attention In an attempt to dampen Mäori in his fight against the prime minister criticism, the “closing-the-gaps” policy for forcing his resignation, and San- was replaced by a “capacity-building” dra Lee, whose lack of understanding policy that allows funding to be given of Mäori politics and protocol finally to grassroots Mäori groups and orga- led her own party, Mana Motuhake, nizations to develop their own pro- to dump her as its leader. grams. However, given the scarcity Tariana Turia has long championed of administrative expertise in many the strengthening and provision of of these groups, unless the Ministry of resources for the basic social group- Mäori Development provides a lot of ings within Mäori society—the wha- personnel on the ground to assist and nau, the hapü, and the iwi. The previ- train people on the job, and to help ous conservative National government contract the appropriate expertise, had developed a policy that aimed at this policy will also fail. closing the gaps between Mäori and It is becoming increasingly obvious non-Mäori. The present government that the lack of administrative experi- carried the policy on until it came ence and expertise in Mäori commu- under fire from right-wing politicians nities, particularly in commercial mat- demanding that the government stop ters, is a matter of serious concern. In providing special funding targeted many cases progress in development is specifically for Mäori. Bowing to that severely hampered where communities pressure, the prime minister aban- are not able to accept outside advice. doned the policy in December, noting The beneficiaries of many Mä o r i tru s t s the advice of her Mäori caucus mem- (including the Crown Forestry Rental bers that Mäori do not wish to close Trust, which receives millions of dol- the gaps between themselves and lars every year on behalf of Mäori) Päkehä if it means becoming the same have repeatedly accused their boards as Päkehä. For many years Mäori of corruption and mismanagement. have called for control of their own Most of those organizations have destinies along with the necessary received less media attention than is resources. The prime minister came perhaps warranted, given the extent under fire from the traditionally sup- of Mäori anger about them, but the portive Ratana church when she made same cannot be said of Tainui, which her annual visit late in January. They has been subjected to intense media put her on notice that unless her gov- scrutiny and criticism over the past ernment performed and delivered to year. Mäori it would lose Mäori support As a result of some unwise invest- 222 the contemporary pacific • spring 2002 ments, Tainui has sustained losses ments have fared better. Many refuse totaling approximately n z $35 million to discuss their progress with main- of their Treaty of Waitangi settlement stream media, and although a couple of n z $170 million, which they have been prep a r ed to talk about their received in 1995. For over a year now, achievements they receive only fleeting the country’s largest daily newspaper mention. Ngai Tahu, for example, has has been conducting a campaign continued to invest its settlement con- against Tainui, attacking them for the servatively and wisely. The n z$170 handling of their settlement, naming million settlement received in 1998 is individual members of the governing now valued at over n z$366 million, body, and openly fueling animosity and Ngai Tahu is once again the and disputes between members. The largest landowner in its ancestral New Zealand Herald website lists homeland, the South Island. In Roto- more than eighty articles attacking rua, Ngati Whakaue’s settlement of Tainui, prominently published in the n z$5.2 million is now valued at news sections in the past year, despite n z$17 million. In Auckland, Ngati the fact that the compensation money Whatua of Orakei has received a total is not public money but private money of n z$8 million plus some housing belonging to the tribe. Even the death since 1987. Their assets are now val- of the chief negotiator, who had bat- ued at more than n z$60 million. tled first the government and then his In terms of profit margins and own people over Tainui’s losses, did growing the asset, by far the most not stop the newspaper’s onslaught. successful settlement has been the By comparison, attempts to locate n z$170 million Sealords fisheries set- critical comment on that same news- tlement reached in 1992. The Treaty paper’s website about the n z$600 of Waitangi Fisheries Commission million losses of Air New Zealand, now owns nearly half of the country’s the nz$54 million debt of e n z a (who fishing quota and has assets valued at took over from the New Zealand almost one billion dollars. However, Apple and Pear Marketing Board), the assets and funds that made up the Qantas New Zealand debts of n z$88 settlement were not given to Mäori million, Brierley losses of n z$4.5 bil- but to a Crown-appointed commission lion over the past ten years, and the whose task was to allocate the assets collapses of many publicly listed com- and funding to recognised iwi. It has panies with far higher losses and debts yet to make any allocation, having than Tainui produce only passing been dogged by litigation, which has mentions in the business pages. On seen many millions of dollars of the rare occasions the chairman of the commission’s (and hence iwi) money board may be named, but the ano- spent on lawyers. Essentially the nymity and personal privacy of the Crown still controls the proceeds of rest of the directors is carefully pro- the settlement. Iwi are now demand- tected and respected. ing that parliament legislate the allo- Tainui may have publicly faltered cation as they watch the benefits from in the handling of its settlements, but profits that should be theirs being other iwi who have received settle- spent on ridiculously high fees for p olitical reviews • p o lyne sia 223 commissioners and an ever-increasing tribunal’s ability to deliver the justice cadre of lawyers. Regular press they so desperately seek. releases are issued by the Treaty Settlements rep o r ted in the last year Tribes Coalition, which represents have included the high profile Päkai- more than thirty iwi in the allocation tore or Moutoa Gardens area in Wan- debate, detailing the extent of the ganui. Mäori from throughout the losses calculated for each iwi’s region country had poured into Wanganui in while the proceeds remain tied up in 1995 in support of the iwi of the area the commission. who had taken back a small area of Almost all settlements have come their traditional lands. After a long about as a result of claims presented standoff, the iwi eventually withdrew to the Waitangi Tribunal. In October in the hope of settling the matter some 2000 the tribunal celebrated its other way. Tariana Turia was a very twenty-fifth birthday. Despite ever- prominent member of that protest. In decreasing funding to keep it operat- February 2001 she also featured ing, it had registered 869 claims, and prominently as the Wanganui District published 37 major reports and a fur- Council finally gave up its “owner- ther 31 minor reports. Many of these ship” of the gardens. Although the reports deal with several claims at land was not returned to Wanganui once, and 140 claims have been dealt Mäori, a committee made up of with fully or in part. Yet fewer than themselves plus representatives of the 20 of these claims have been settled, Crown and the District Council now and no claimant group has received administers it. all the land and compensation they Other settlements were reported: are entitled to. While the tribunal has Pouakani in the central North Island, built an impressive record and rewrit- achieved the return of 100 hectares of ten the history of the country, its conservation land, a 1922 hectare work counts for little unless there is farm, joint management of their the political will to implement its rec- sacred mountain, and payment of ommendations. Although Mäori lead- n z$2.65 million to the descendants ers have pointed out repeatedly that of the original owners of a 49,514 the settlement of these claims is funda- hectare block. Ngati Ruanui in north mental to the treatment of the crip- Taranaki received n z$41 million, 10 pling postcolonial traumatic stress hectares of land, and recognition of disorder being suffered in those com- their fishing rights—a settlement that munities, in far too many cases gov- generated strong protests. The settle- ernments have refused to accept the ment of the claims of Te Uri o Hau of tribunal’s recommendations. As a Northland was particularly alarming: result, along with the length of time it it covered 15 claims, 14 marae, and takes to process a claim through the the loss of several hundred thousand tr i b u n a l (u s u a l l y ma n y ye a r s ) an d so m e hectares of land, but returned only recent questionable appointments to n z$8.5 million, some commercial the tribunal of members who are properties valued at n z$7.1 million, openly antagonistic to claimants, less than 30 hectares of land, and Mäori are starting to lose faith in the recognition of their fishing rights. 224 the contemporary pacific • spring 2002

In the battle being fought by Mäori Re f e re n c e s on many fronts to protect the coun- Turia, Tariana. 2000. Speech to New Zea- try’s natural resources, the fight land Psychological Society Conference. against the use of human genes in Mäori Law Review (August), 9–10. animals has been particularly bitter. Wellington: Esoteric Publications. An application by the New Zealand Pastoral Agricultural Research Insti- Upton, Simon. 2001. Extracts from Simon Upton’s Valedictory Speech. Mäori Law tute to the Environmental Risk Man- Review (Dec 2000–Jan 2001), 11. agement Authority for permission to carry out this genetic engineering was strongly opposed by Mäori. The Sa¯moa authority decided to override Mäori concerns and gave permission for the The major event in the year under work to be carried out on the ances- review was the general election on 2 tral lands of Ngati Wairere in the March 2001. The present review is Waikato district, rejecting the advice confined to that event because of its of their own Mäori expert and their significance and its possible effects on own Mä o r i ad v i s o r y body. When both current and future political develop- of those joined Ng a t i Wai re r e in taking ments in Sämoa. a case against it to the high court, the The 2001 general election chose authority threatened to disestablish representatives for Sämoa’s thirteenth the advisory committee. The chair- parliament since independence in man of the committee subsequently 1962. A total of 153 candidates con- resigned, and the committee withdrew tested the 49 parliamentary seats. from the case. Nine were women, of whom 4 stood Although Mäori have a strong leg- for the Human Rights Protection islative mandate through the Resource Party (h r p p) and 5 stood as indepen- Management Act for the protection of dents. Overall, 55 candidates stood their lands, culture, and resources at a for the hrpp, 33 for the Samoan local level, enforcing those provisions National Development Party (s n d p), has proved extremely difficult when 5 for the newly established Sämoa there are few or no Mäori elected to United People’s Party (s u p p), 1 for local government. In the Bay of Plenty, the Sämoa All People’s Party (sa p p), Mäori have lobbied successfully to 58 as independents, and 1 was elected have their own representation in local unopposed (Office of the Legislative government. A bill before parliament Assembly). The successful candidates provides for the creation of a Mäori included 23 h r p p, 13 s n d p, 1 s u p p, constituency in that region and will and 12 independents. Of this number allow Mäori to vote for their own only 3 were women—1 hrpp candi- representative on the Bay of Plenty date and 2 independents—which is an Regional Council. If the bill passes improvement from 2 in the last par- into law it will set an important liament. Of the 2 sitting female mem- precedent for the rest of the country. bers of parliament, only Fiamë Naomi margaret mutu Matä‘afa regained her seat. Fiamë has not only been a cabinet minister since p olitical reviews • p o lyne sia 225

1991 but was the first woman to be dents who contested their seats. Three appointed to cabinet. Only 24 mem- of the independents claimed that they bers in the last parliament retained had always been supporters of the their seats, of whom 16 are h r p p h r p p and had intended to join the members, including the Speaker, 6 party if elected. The seats they won cabinet ministers, and the prime min- were occupied by h r p p members in ister. Of the 25 new members, 4 were the last parliament. The party has a elected from constituencies whose standing policy whereby the sitting members in the last parliament member becomes the party’s first- decided not to run in these elections, choice candidate. Furthermore, the and 6 were members in previous par- “new” candidate(s) could not contest liaments, including 2 cabinet ministers the seat on the h r p p ticket without and the Speaker of the House. Thus, the approval of the sitting member. of the 49 seats in the new parliament, Perhaps this is why these three candi- 30 are occupied by members with dates stood as independents even previous parliamentary experience though their hearts were with the ( S G, 2001). h r p p. The fourth independent who Of the 92,788 people who regis- joined the h r p p told his electorate tered for the general election, about during his campaign that he would 62,312 turned out to vote, or 67.2 join the political party that won the percent ( S G, 2001; Records of Regis- most seats. trar of Voters). This is an estimated In the first session of parliament, figure because in most of the two- Tuila‘epa Sa‘ilele Malielegaoi, the member constituencies, voters or incumbent prime minister and h r p p electors do not always cast their two leader, was reelected for another five votes. Some cast only one vote for the years, as was the Speaker in the last candidate they prefer, thereby increas- parliament, Tole‘afoa Fa‘afisi. Tuila- ing that candidate’s chance of win- ‘epa’s new cabinet, announced on 19 ning, to the disadvantage of rival can- March 2001, included 4 ministers didates. This is called “bloc-voting,” from the previous government and 8 a common strategy in the two-seat new members, of whom 5 were h r p p constituencies. members from the last parliament and Compared to the 1996 general 3 are newcomers to politics. With this election, the h r p p lost 1 seat, ending victory, the h r p p holds the record as up with 23, the s n d p gained 1 (13), the party in power the longest in and independent seats dropped from Sämoa and in the Pacific. 13 to 12. When parliament convened Many problems in the 2001 gen- on 15 March to elect a new govern- eral election provide lessons for future ment, the h r p p had 28 supporters elections in Sämoa. One was the last- (down from 36 in the last parliament) minute rush to register voters. The and the coalition of s n d p, s u p p, and Report of the Commission of Inquiry the United Independents had 21 (S O, on Further Amendments to the Elec- 16 Mar 2001). The 5 additions to toral Act 1963 (C I R), presented to h r p p included the only candidate to cabinet on 24 May 2000, recom- be elected unopposed and 4 indepen- mended the establishment of a sepa- 226 the contemporary pacific • spring 2002 rate unit for the registration of voters ary, and electoral officers worked for the general election, under the through the night until about six in direction of the secretary for justice. the morning to process the registra- Just six months before the general tions ( S O, 21 Jan 2001). A total of election, in late August 2000, a new 92,788 voters registered, compared to office of the registrar of voters was about 75,000 in 1996 ( S O, 14 Feb established as a unit separate from the 2001). office of the legislative assembly, and Because of the “fiasco and the state began registering voters in October of chaos that existed before the close (C I R; S O, 3 Sep 2000). Compulsory of registration,” Minister of Health registration was also introduced for Misa Telefoni called for the postpone- the first time and the newly appointed ment of the election “until we clean registrar of voters faced an enormous up the rolls. Where in the world do task (S O, 3 Sep 2000). you have a general election in three The situation where registration weeks time, and nobody has a final took place at Mulinu‘u on Upolu and roll yet?” he asked ( S O, 11 Feb 20 0 1 ). Tuasivi on Savai‘i was not pretty. At Misa took his concern to cabinet. Mulinu‘u, the fale Sämoa (Samoan The attorney general’s office was house) used for voter registration was summoned to report on whether the small, and people had to wait outside elections could be postponed. The for several hours. The few lucky ones registrar of voters was also sent for. found shade in marquees put up by Registration successfully purged over some candidates. Others “resorted to 10,000 voters from the rolls. The roll finding what shade they could and of Misa’s constituency was reduced elderly ladies were sleeping in an to 2,800, although his committee felt upright position along the outside there were still 300 too many ( S O, 17 walls of the fale Sämoa”( S O, 11 Jan Feb 2001). An independent candidate 2001). While awaiting his turn, one in another constituency complained fifty-nine-year-old man collapsed and publicly that “illegal voters [were] died ( S O, 10 Jan 2001). “Voters and registered in his constituency” ( S O, 4 campaigners alike were crowding in Feb 2001). According to him, 1,000 and around the Mulinu‘u Electoral new voters had been registered in the Offices. This has been the regular roll and “some of these new votes scene every weekday for the last two have no connection at all to my con- months” ( S O, 16 Jan 2001). From the stituency” (S O, 25 Feb 2001). electoral office an officer reported cus- Despite complaints about the rolls, tomer complaints but said, “little can the leader of the opposition sndp be done when you’ve got hundreds of insisted on proceeding with the elec- people wanting instant service and tion “as req u i r ed by the Constitution.” only a handful of dedicated but over- He believed that the h r p p, s n d p, and worked staff” ( S O, 16 Jan 2001). In the other political parties and inde- th e fin a l weeks a few fists were t h ro w n pendents had been given equal access in frustration. The months-long pro- to the electoral rolls to examine cess of registering voters and updating Misa’s claim of “fiasco and chaos” in identification cards ended on 19 Janu- the registration of voters. However, p olitical reviews • p o lyne sia 227 the s n d p leader pointed out that residents of the constituency, the Misa’s call to postpone the general prime minister clarified his opposition election reflected badly “not only on to overseas Samoans voting and run- the process of registration but on the ning in the general elections. “They Electoral Law [and] the problem was don’t understand and they don’t feel anticipated by the Electoral Commis- the pain serving Sämoa day in and sion” ( S O, 13 Feb 2001). day out.” He feared that outsiders The common concern was not only would end up electing members of that several new voters were added to parliament if overseas Samoans were the rolls, but that most if not all of allowed to vote: “There are more the additional names were unknown Samoans residing overseas than those to candidates and members of their residing here. So if they get to vote, campaign committees. A number of our MPs will be elected by outsiders voters had transferred residence, and and the worst is that Parliament might their names were unrecognized or lit- as well be moved from Mulinu‘u to tle known in their new constituency. Canberra” (S O, 20 Feb 2001). The Postelection analysis of the general leader of the opposition disagreed, election data shows that in one con- saying, “Samoans residing overseas stituency 43.1 percent of those who have contributed a lot to the economy cast votes had transferred into the of Sämoa through remittances. But co n s t i t u e n c y . Interes t i n g l y , the member now the government has denied these of parliament for that constituency people’s right to have their say heard had been elected unopposed in the in the country” ( S O, 20 Feb 2001). last two general elections. A Although Misa did not succeed in significant number of voters had convincing cabinet, his concern was probably transferred to other con- an indication of the general public’s stituencies than those where they feeling on the issue he and other can- voted in the 1991 and 1996 general didates had raised. Interestingly, his elections. When the constituency’s constituency ranked only eleventh in seat was contested, those voters trans- the number of transfer voters. Happily ferred back to their “usual” con- for the minister, he regained his seat stituency where they reside perma- by 1,256 votes against his rival’s 791 nently. Figures in other constituencies ( S G, 2001). However, it is not known illustrate the same problem. The com- how many of Misa’s votes were from plaint by Misa and some other candi- transfer voters. Among the reasons for dates about the “explosion” of names the transfers and the additions to the on their rolls had foundation. As the rolls of “suspect” voters was that transfer voters reside permanently candidates were overzealous in their outside the constituency, the concern attempts to win the support of as was that the elected member would many voters as possible, and the “not feel any allegiance to the [con- voters were keen to sell to candidates stituency], if outsiders won the seat their worth as voters. Despite the pro- for that MP” ( S O, 17 Feb 2001). vision in the Electoral Act 1963 for Stressing the issue that outsiders could compulsory registration, in most cases determine the elected members for the candidates met the costs for the regis- 228 the contemporary pacific • spring 2002 tration of “their” voters, including and tv Sämoa. The announcement bus fares to and from the registration came after A‘e‘au Peniamina Leavai, office, and food and drinks for the parliament’s Speaker from 1988 to voters. On the other hand voters 1991, refused to accept his constit- made the most of the opportunity to uency’s advice not to run in order to squeeze to the bone what resources allow the incumbent member, Mafa- the candidates had to offer. For some solia Papu Va‘ai (who was minister of the voters this was the only time of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries), the candidates would see them or be to return unopposed. For his refusal, physically close to them. One local A‘e‘au was banned from the constit- newspaper was not far from the truth uency for life, along with his children when it stated that “candidates should and others of his family. According to be prepared to pay big to win [the] A‘e‘au, the public announcement was elections. Start with say $200,000, invalid as there was no document and and have another $50,000 ready for no signatures to verify it. Moreover, the final show [on the night before he said, “It’s illegal to make such an election day]. . . It’s a costly business” intimidating announcement pertaining ( S O, 5 Dec 2000). to the general elections. It’s against A common perception among the law. This is just part of those Samoans is that a constituency from intimidating tactics” (quoted in S O, which a candidate has been elected 19 Jan 2001). The Faleälupo matai unopposed is steeped in tradition and (chiefs) followed through their dictates therefore to be admired. In the 1957 to A‘e‘au by filing in the Land and elections for the Legislative Assembly Titles Court an application to prevent of Sämoa, 31 of the 47 members were A‘e‘au from running in the election. elected unopposed. Villages making The court turned down the applica- up a constituency would meet and tion, allowing A‘e‘au to contest his agree on their parliamentary represen- constituency’s seat ( S O, 11 Feb 2001). tative without having to enter the elec- With this legal battle won, A‘e‘au was ti o n . Besides being an admirable tradi- more determined than ever to contest tional practice, this was also highly the seat “because of my love for my desirable for the successful candidate, village” and to “break up the [Faleä- who would not have to campaign or lupo chiefly] hierarchy” (quoted in go through the election process. S O,15 Feb 2001). Echoes of th i s tr a d i t i o n a l pr a c t i c e we r e Fearing for his safety and that of heard in the last elections. However, his family, A‘e‘au filed in the supreme except for one constituency, candi- court an interim injunction to restrain dates who tried the “traditional prac- the sixty-eight matai of Faleälupo tice” of unopposed election not only from “interfering with [A‘e‘au’s] right failed to obtain unanimity but ended to run as a candidate for the Electoral up losing in the election. Constituency in the forthcoming par- Two constituencies provide exam- liamentary elections and further ples. Before the general election, Faleä- restraining the Respondents, their lupo constituency publicly broadcast agents, workmen, servants or whoever the candidate for their seat on radio from in any way interfering with the p olitical reviews • p o lyne sia 229 applicant’s rights as well as the rights day, he wrote a letter to the village of any of the applicant’s family, agents council indicating that he also wanted or anyone claiming under him to enter to compete in the election. Even and leave the district of Faleälupo at though the village council did not con- any time and from time to time as sider receiving a letter from Taimale- they so wish until further order of the lagi (or anyone for that matter) as Court” (quoted in S O, 23 Feb 2001). proper custom, his name was consid- After the court’s ruling was handed ered, together with that of the candi- down on 21 February, A‘e‘au told a date whose name the village council newspaper reporter: “I apologise to eventually endorsed. A letter was later my constituency because it’s never delivered to Taimalelagi informing been my intention to take this matter him of the village’s decision. At to court. But for the interest of peace another meeting on 30 December, at and safety, I decided to ask the court which Taimalelagi was present, he for legal protection” (quoted in S O, was again informed of the village’s 23 Feb 2001). A‘e‘au decided not to decision. Taimalelagi did not say any- go to his constituency on the day of thing (lt c 10303/lt c 10303 p1). the elections. “I don’t think it’s a good The purpose of the decision was to thing to do. I respect my constituency give the sitting member a better enough to know that my going there chance to win in a four-member con- would not be seen as a good thing test against candidates from the other to do. So I’ve taken the advice from villages of the constituency ( S O, 8 some well-meaning people not to go” Mar 2001). Taimalelagi ignored his (quoted in S O, 1 Mar 2001). When village council’s decision and con- the results of the elections were read tested the seat (lt c 10303). He and out late Friday evening, A‘e‘au had the sitting member both lost to a can- pulled an upset by defeating the sitting didate from another village. After the member of parliament, 579 to 576 results were known, Mulifanua village votes ( S O, 4 Mar 2001). After the met on 5 March 2001 and banned official recounts, A‘e‘au’s win was Taimalelagi and one of his supporters consolidated, 613 votes to his rival’s from the village. They were given 601 ( S G, 2001). twenty-one days to pack up and leave The village of Mulifanua in the ( S O, 6 Feb 2001). Thereafter, Taima- constituency of Aiga-i-le-tai is another lelagi filed an application with the example of an attempt to have unani- Land and Titles Court ordering the mous agreement on one candidate to matai of Mulifanua to stop the ban the disadvantage of another. Matai of against him and keep the peace in the the village council held a meeting on village until the court had finished its 4 De c e m b e r 20 0 0 in wh i c h th e y ag re e d investigation ( S O, 1 May 2001). On 9 to endorse the sitting h r p p member April 2001, the court handed down as their candidate for the upcoming its decision in favor of Taimalelagi. elections. One implication of the deci- The verdict was based on the Electoral sion was that no other candidate Act 1963,Village Fono Act 1990, should run. As Taimalelagi Na‘otala Crimes Act 1961, and the Land and knew he would be overseas on that Titles Court Act 1981. The court 230 the contemporary pacific • spring 2002 made it abundantly clear in the rea- encies. Theoretically the voters of sons for its verdict that the decision Faleata East voted twice: first when of the village council could never be they decided their candidate, and sec- divorced from the elections (lt c ond when they voted in their newly 10303). adopted constituencies, where their Families in other constituencies votes helped elect the winning candi- were also banned from their respec- dates. After the election they returned tive villages because of village council to the constituency of permanent resi- rulings relating to the elections. dence, leaving in their “adopted” con- Unlike Taimalelagi, however, these stituency a winning candidate whom families did not pursue the matter in its residents would have to put up court. More than ten families in one with for the next five years. village in Lefaga and Falese‘elä con- Generally, the whole idea of con- stituency were banned from the vil- stituency unanimity and unopposed lage by the village council when they elections is problematic. In every case, did not vote for the candidate the the matai—who constitute a minority council had endorsed ( S O, 11 Mar of the village or constituency popula- 2001). In the constituency of Falelätai tion—make the decision. In most and Sämatau, the rival candidate was cases, the majority of the voters must banished even though he lost to the abide by their chiefs’ ruling. As the constituency’s choice by 1,256 to 791 Faleälupo and Mulifanua cases clearly votes because of his refusal to take the show, unanimity can sometimes be a constituency’s advice not to run ( S G, fabrication of a few influential matai. 2001; S O, 14 May 2001). A family In the reasons for its decisions in Tai- member relayed the constituency’s malelagi Na‘otala’s case, the Land decision to the banished candidate, and Titles Court confirmed that Muli- who resides permanently in Apia, and fanua village’s decision was not unan- he was also informed that he would imous but a decision of the majority be allowed back only if he repented. of the matai present (lt c 10303). The banished candidate’s response Referring to Faleata East constituency, was that “I don’t know what I should one disgruntled citizen wrote, “What repent from” (quoted in S O, 14 Mar about the untitled registered voters 2001). 21 years of age and over who wasted While Faleälupo constituency time to register then found out that and Mulifanua village had problems the village council of chiefs [had] obtaining unanimity, the constituency connived to have only one person of Faleata East, whose candidate was run unopposed in the constituency?” elected unopposed, faced a different (quoted in S O, 6 Apr 2001). sort of problem. When it was con- Election petitions after general firmed that the constituency would elections in Sämoa are not new. The have no elections, the eligible voters nature of petitions and decisions of either “emigrated” to other constitu- the court relating to them highlight encies to vote in the general election some of the problems in this general or were “taken” by candidates to be election. Section 105 of the Electoral registered in their respective constitu- Act 1963 specifies that candidates can p olitical reviews • p o lyne sia 231 only lodge election petitions if the agreed to withdraw their petitions, votes they won are not less than 50 thereby allowing Fagafagamanuali‘i percent of those polled by the winner. to hold her seat. The reasons given Under this provision, all except four for the reconciliation were that it was seats in the 2001 general election good for the constituency and good could be contested ( S G, 2001). How- for the United Independents of which ever, only ten election petitions were they are both members ( S O, 6 Apr filed. 2001). One of the successful independent By mid-June, the leader of the members of parliament was Fagafaga- newly formed Sämoa United Indepen- manuali‘i Therese McCarthy, who dents Party (s u i p), Asiata Dr Sale‘i- polled 525 votes against her nearest moa Va‘ai, commented, “There’s now rival, Afamasaga Fa‘amatala Tole- a question mark in my mind concern- ‘afoa, with 484. Afamasaga, the sit- ing [Fagafagamanuali‘i’s] future with ting h r p p member, resigned from the us, but I would not make any conclu- party on 12 February to contest his sions until Fagafagamanuali‘i and I constituency’s seat as an independent. [have] a chance to talk the matter Among his reasons for leaving was through” (quoted in S O, 16 June dissatisfaction with party leadership. 2001). In parliament, Le Mämea Furthermore, as Afamasaga himself Röpati, the s n d p leader, said that the stated, “I have had a great deal of Civil List bill then being debated in difficulty remaining in h r p p because parliament, which would increase of their policies and style of govern- salaries of parliamentary undersecre- ment” (quoted in S O, 13 Feb 2001). taries, had influenced one opposition Before the election, Fagafagamanuali‘i woman member to change allegiance and other candidates who intended to to the h r p p. The s n d p leader stand as independents were reported described the Civil List Act as a politi- to have signed an agreement to stick cal move to lure opposition members together after the general election over to the government ( S O, 16 June ( S O, 11 Mar 2001). 2001). One of the election petitions was When the official recounts were lodged by Afamasaga against Faga- completed, it was rumored that Faga- fagamanuali‘i. According to Afama- fagamanuali‘i would join the h r p p. sa g a , Fa g a f a g a m a n u a l i ‘ i an d he r ag e n t , This was probably the real reason why Vä‘ili Mimita, gave their village, Säta- Afamasaga lodged an election petition puala, $5,000 to influence the voters against her. However, when Fagafaga- present to vote for them. Another manuali‘i confirmed she would stay allegation was that they withheld cer- with the independents, the petition tificates of identity to induce voters to against her was withdrawn. Once the favor Fagafagamanuali‘i ( S O, 22 Mar seat was confirmed, Fagafagamanu- 2001). Fagafagamanuali‘i responded ali‘i—whose hotel in town was occu- to Afamasaga’s petition on 1 April by pied by the independents as their filing a counterpetition against him headquarters—would switch alle- for basically the same illegal practices. giance. Despite Fagafagamanuali‘i’s However, on 5 April both petitioners announcement in parliament and on 232 the contemporary pacific • spring 2002 tv Sämoa that she had switched to tions of treating under sections 96 an d h r p p, to date there has been no con- 97 of the Electoral Act against Mau- firmation about which party she lolo, and one allegation of bribery belongs to. The Speaker of the House against Muagututagata. Accordingly, commented in a public statement that Maulolo lost his seat under sections he would not accept any member 112 and 113 of the Electoral Act. switching party allegiance until prop e r Maulolo and Muagututagata are both procedures were adhered to, such as disqualified from contesting the seat writing a formal letter to inform him in the by-election. about the reasons for leaving. This decision is an important land- Attempts to switch to the opposi- mark in the history of elections in tion s n d p by two independent mem- Sämoa because of the way the court bers of the last parliament were has differentiated custom from an denied by the Speaker. They declared intention to influence voters. The their allegiance to the s n d p before the decision states that “an election can- 2001 general election in which both didate must try to win support with regained their seats. They maintain ideas. That is how political campaign- that, in line with the Speaker’s resolu- ing should be done” ( E P, 10 May tion on their cases in the last parlia- 2001, 7). Custom that is practiced ment, if Fagafagamanuali‘i could with the intention of influencing vot- switch sides, a by-election should be ers amounts to bribery and treating. called to decide a new member for As the court put it: “Compliance with her constituency ( S O, 21 June 2001). Samoan custom is not a defense if the Asiata, leader of s u i p, is now talking real purpose or one of the purposes about taking Fagafagamanuali‘i to behind the giving of money, food or court if she makes her switch official, drink is to induce or influence an elec- because she had signed a legal docu- tor to vote for a particular candidate” ment to stay with the s u i p. Fagafaga- (20). The court has also dismissed the manuali‘i insists that she has to switch current belief that, with the exception to h r p p “for the sake of my constitu- of funerals, custom (which amounts ency for the next five years” (quoted to presentation of food and gifts such in S O, 22 June 2001). She is also as money) is legal if practiced one reported to have commented that “the month before polling day. “There is s u i p was never a political party any- no particular time period when brib- way” ( S O, 21 June 2001). ery or treating is allowed. Bribery and The second election petition and treating for election purposes are pro- counterpetition were lodged by Mau- hibited at all times” (21). lo l o Tävi t a Ämosa and Muagututagata The election petition filed by Leilua Peter Ah Him, respectively. They were Fa‘ali‘i Aloaina on 19 March against two of the four candidates for the Tapua‘ï To‘ese (one of the two suc- co n s t i t u e n c y of Säga g a - l e - U s o g a . Ma u - cessful candidates in the two-member lolo won by 814 votes to Muagututa- constituency of Sälega) and the chief ga t a ’ s 80 2 . Handed down on 10 May electoral officer and the registrar of 2001, the court’s decision proved four voters related to the eligibility of allegations of bribery and two allega- Tapua‘ï to run. When the electoral p olitical reviews • p o lyne sia 233 roll closed on 19 January, he was election day,Välasi Täfito had won. registered as To‘ese Ah Sam, a non- When the official count was com- matai name. Section 5 of the Electoral pleted the following day (Saturday, 3 Act 1963 states that a candidate for March) Lesäisä‘ea Reupena had won the elections must be the holder of by 367 votes to Väla s i ’ s 365. The third a matai title. To‘ese’s matai title, candidate’s votes remained unchanged Tapua‘ï, was not registered at the at 118. After a recount on Sunday, Land and Titles Court until 5 Febru- 4 March, victory switched again to ary. Leilua filed an election petition Välasi with 368 votes to Lesäisä‘ea’s seeking to void Tapua‘ï’s election on 365. For this reason Lesäisä‘ea lodged the grounds that he was not qualified an election petition against Välasi and to run. He also claimed that the chief the chief electoral officer. The petition electoral officer and the registrar of essentially alleged that the anomalies voters should not have allowed in the various counts for this constitu- Tapua‘ï to run. ency were caused by foul play, in that On 2 April, Tapua‘ï filed a coun- unknown persons tampered with the terpetition against Leilua alleging ba l l o t pa p e r s , an d by ne g l i g e n c e on th e electoral bribery by someone said to part of the chief electoral officer and have been acting as an election agent her staff in failing to properly se c u r e for Leilua and for whose actions an d sa f e g u a r d the ballot papers. Lesäi- Tapua‘ï should not be held vicariously sä‘ea also believed that the chief elec- liable. Leilua responded by denying toral officer or her staff failed to prop - those allegations and by making alle- erly assess the validity of the ballot gations of electoral bribery against papers that were declared by the pre- Tapua‘ï himself. In the proceedings, siding officers of booths 184 and 245 counsel for both Leilua and Tapua‘ï to be “informal” and “spoilt” votes. agreed to drop their electoral bribery It was revealed in court that the allegations. On the remaining question chief electoral officer on the Saturday of whether Tapua‘ï was qualified to co u n t , 3 Ma r ch, had attended a poten- run, the court ruled that he was not; tially contentious count for another his election was therefore void. Lei- constituency, so that the count for lua’s application to be declared elected Vaisigano No 2 had been delegated to was not pursued and was denied. The one of her senior staff and five assis- court’s decision has not prevented tant officers. When the chief electoral Tapua‘ï from running again in a of fi c e r ret u rn e d , sh e im m e d i a t e l y no t e d by-election to be held for the Sälega the disparities between the prel i m i n a r y constituency, provided that by the count and the Saturday count and time the electoral roll is closed for took steps to summon the scrutineers such a by-election, he is already regis- for all the candidates in order to per- tered on the roll under his matai title, sonally conduct a further count. This Tapua‘ï (e p, 14 May 2001). count was carried out on the Sunday, Th r ee candidates contested the elec- as it was not possible to convene a tion in the constituency of Vai s i g a n o count on Saturday night. The court No 2. When the preliminary results carried out another count and handed were announced on the evening of down its decision on 16 May 2001, 234 the contemporary pacific • spring 2002 confirming Välasi’s victory by 366 candidates and the other h r p p (e p, votes to Lesäisä‘ea’s 363. Six votes 31 May 2001). were declared “informal,” five were One of the sitting members who “disqualified,” and two were “spoilt lost his seat in the elections was Feo votes.” The court further ruled that it Nemaia. His election petition against had not found any evidence of foul the successful candidate, Säfu n e i t u ‘ u g a play or negligence on the part of the Neri, alleged that the latter had not chief electoral officer. Lesäisä‘ea’s peti- met the three-year-residency require- tion was dismissed (e p, 16 May ment for candidates, and included 2001). other allegations relating to bribery Two parliamentary seats are occu- and treating. During court proceed- pied by voters whose names are regis- ings, all of the allegations were struck tered on the Individual Voters Roll. out except two, the residency require- They are Samoan citizens whose ment and one of treating. On 8 June descent could be traced to foreigners. 2001, the court ruled that Säfunei- Of the seven candidates who contested tu‘uga had gone to Fiji on a job- the two seats, Joachim Keil and Vang related leave from the National Uni- Su n g Ch a n Ch u i po l l e d th e mo s t vo t e s , versity of Sämoa where she taught and with 485 and 426 respectively. All five was therefore qualified for exemption unsuccessful candidates filed election under Section 5(8) of the Electoral petitions seeking that Chan Chui be Act 1963. The allegation of treating declared guilty of corrupt practices of could not be proven beyond reason- bribery and treating and that his elec- able doubt and was therefore dis- tion be declared void. However, at the missed. Accordingly, Säfuneitu‘uga beginning of proceedings the two can- retains the seat of Gagaifomauga No didates who had contested the seats 2 constituency (e p, 8 June 2001). as independents (Chan Chui being the Three candidates contested the seat third one) sought leave to withdraw of Palauli constituency. Leituala Tu‘u- their petitions. One of them, Tautulu aga Tone, cabinet minister in the last Robeck, was the only petitioning can- h r p p government, won with 527 didate against whom Chan Chui filed votes. His nearest rival, Laga‘aia a counterpetition. Roebeck’s with- Kuinisë, polled 519 votes, and the drawal therefore confined the court to third candidate, Leleisi‘uao Palemene, the consideration of seven allegations gained 479. Laga‘aia lodged a petition of bribery and treating against Chan against the winner, seeking that his Chui. The court’s decision, handed election be declared void, and setting down on 31 May 2001, stated that out four allegations of bribery or four allegations of bribery and one treating or both. Three allegations allegation of treating against Chan were proven by the court, which on Chui were proven beyond reasonable 27 July 2001 declared Leituala’s elec- doubt. His seat was declared void tion void (e p, 27 July 2001). under Section 112 of the Electoral Act Four candidates contested the seat 1963. He was also ordered to pay of Palauli-le-fälefa constituency. Fau- costs of $500 to each of the three muinä Lïuga, a newcomer to politics petitioners, two of whom were s n d p and incumbent minister of Public p olitical reviews • p o lyne sia 235

Works, Electric Power Corporation, majority of 26 seats and the opposi- and Water Authority, won with 523 tion coalition has 19. If both h r p p votes to Laupua Sili’s 503. Laupua members’ petitions are unsuccessful, lodged a petition against Faumuinä the party’s majority will be reduced to for treating and bribery; it was later 24 seats, one seat short of the major- withdrawn following traditional dis- ity of 25 in parliament’s 49 seats. cussions and presentation of food and Because of the recurrent problems gifts between Faumuinä’s and Lau- in the electoral system—such as the pua’s villages. At this point the third ease with which voters transfer from candidate, Le Tagaloa Pita, asked the one constituency to another; the last- court if he could continue Laupua’s minute rush in the registration of petition. His application was accepted voters; allegations of bribery, treating, on the condition that the only allega- and undue influence; the ease with tion against Faumuinä to be heard which some voters could obtain more was one relating to the three-year-resi- than one certificate of identification dency requirement, which Le Tagaloa (i d card); the uncertain status of suc- argued Faumuinä did not meet. The cessful independent candidates; and court ruled that even though Fau- the status of the Individual Voters muinä had worked for the United Roll—the government has set up a Nations Development Program in the Commission of Inquiry into the Elec- three years before the general election, toral Act 1963 and Its Amendments. he had the support of the government The commission is empowered to look as required by Section 6(c) of the at all practices and issues associated Electoral Act 1963. Faumuinä retains with the electoral system and any his seat. other matter it considers relevant. The Two more election petitions are commission met for the first time on still to be decided. In one, Leanapapa 28 March 2001. The period of three Laki of Fa‘asaleleaga No 2 constitu- months in which it was to carry out ency alleged bribery and treating its investigations has been extended against the successful candidate, Letoa another three months to early Octo- Sefo Pa‘u. In the other, Tupuola Sola ber 2001, when its report will be Siaosi alleged the corrupt practices of submitted to cabinet. The extension treating and bribery against Tu‘u‘u reflects both the magnitude of the task Anasi‘i, the successful candidate in the before the commission and the impor- Si‘umu constituency. tance of the work the government and Of the nine election petitions the the public have entrusted to them. As court has heard, six were lodged one of the seven members of the com- against h r p p members of parliament, mission, I find that the information and three against the s n d p-indepen- obtained from the public so far has dents coalition. Of the six petitions been interesting and helpful. The against the h r p p, two failed, two suc- commission’s recommendations, if ceeded, and the last two are yet to be accepted by cabinet and parliament, decided. Of the three petitions against will guide the electoral process in the the coalition, two succeeded and one near future and for many years to failed. As it stands, hr p p still has a come. 236 the contemporary pacific • spring 2002

Another interesting development in 14 May 2001: Leilua Fa‘ali‘i Aloaina this general election is the number of (Petitioner) vs Tapua‘ï To‘ese Ah Sam former members of parliament who (First Respondent), The Chief Electoral switched parties. Of the former h r p p Officer (Second Respondent) and the members who contested the seats of Registrar of Votes (Third Respondent) their constituencies this time around 16 May 2001: Lesäisä‘ea Reupena Mata- as s n d p candidates, one was success- feo (Petitioner) vs The Chief Electoral ful and one unsuccessful. The success- Officer (First Respondent) and Välasi ful one, A‘e‘au Peniamina Leavai, was Täfito (Second Respondent) the Speaker of the House in the 31 May 2001: Jacob John Olaf Jack Net- 1988–1991 parliament. Another two zler, Nicholas Levy, and Tautai Lei Sam former h r p p members successfully (Petitioners) vs Vang Sung Chan Chui contested the seats of their constituen- (Respondent) cies as independents. On the other 8 June 2001: Feo Nemaia Esau (Peti- hand, two former s n d p candidates tioner) vs Säfuneitu‘uga Pä‘aga Neri (First are now cabinet ministers in the h r p p Respondent) and Mase Dr To‘ia Alama government, although they were first (Second Respondent) elected to parliament as h r p p mem- 27 July 20 0 1 : Laga‘aia Kuinisë (Pe t i t i o n e r ) bers when they won by-elections in vs Leituala Tu‘uaga Tone (Respondent) their respective constituencies. One lt c , Land and Titles Court decision won following the death of the late lt c 10303/lt c 10303 p1 – Taimalelagi prime minister, Tofilau Eti Alesana. Na‘otala vs Representatives of Mulifanua The second won following the sen- Village tence to life imprisonment of one of the two hrpp members who instigated Office of the Legislative Assembly the assassination of Luagalau Records of Registrar of Voters Leva‘ula Kamu, the late minister of Sämoa Electoral Act 1963 Public Works, Electric Power Corpo- ration, and Water Authority. The S G, Sämoa Gazette, Vol 38, No 9, 12 March 2001. Apia: Government Printer. switching between political parties Irregular. points to the persisting personality- driven nature of Samoan political S O, Sämoa Observer. Weekly. Apia. parties. asofou so‘o Tonga Re f e re n c e s Following the appointment of the king’s youngest son, HRH Lavaka C I R, Report of the Commission of Inquiry Ata ‘Ulukälala, as prime minister at on Further Amendments to the Electoral the beginning of 1999, several more Act 1963, 24 May 2000 changes have occurred in the cabinet ep, Court Rulings on Election Petitions in lineup as the old guard makes way for the General Election 2001 the new. At the end of 2000, Dr Langi 10 May 2001: Muagututagata Peter Ah Hu‘akavameiliku retired for reasons Him (Petitioner) vs Maulolo Tävita of health. The first Tongan to gain a Ämosa (Respondent) doctorate, he had been appointed p olitical reviews • p o lyne sia 237 minister of education in 1966 by the highest level since the early 1990s. present king. At the time of his retire- The minister predicted that the gross ment, Langi Kavaliku was also minis- foreign reserve would remain low, ter of civil aviation and deputy prime enough for only 2.1 months of minister. Taking over Ton g a ’ s educa- imports, at $23.3 million, and sug- tion system, perhaps now the most gested that the slowdown in the global impressive in the region, is the Honor- economy put at risk the continuance able K T Fakafanua, heir to a noble of previous high levels of remittances title, who was previously minister of fr om families living overseas. The gov- finance. The new minister of finance is ern m e n t ’ s financial position is likely to So s i u a ‘Utoikamanu, previously gov- be difficult also due to high expendi- ernor of the Reserve Bank of Tonga. tu r e commitments estimated at $12 8 .6 The deputy prime minister is now the million, an increase of 32.6 percent Honorable Tevita Tupou, attorney from last year’s figure. Three new general and minister of justice. He units—a Department of Communica- and Fakafanua (who was appointed tions, a Department of the Environ- a scant ten years ago at the age of ment, and a Commissioner of Public twenty-nine) and the minister of Re l a t i o n s—ha v e be e n es t a b l i s h e d , an d , police, the Honorable Clive Edwards in addition, expenditure has risen for (appointed more recently), now find all existing departments, especially themselves in descending order the those of education, health, and for- three most senior members of cabinet. eign affairs. Other changes saw the Honorable The long-term outlook, however, Fialakepa move from the governo r s h i p is not expected to be so bleak because of Ha‘apai to replace noble Tu‘i‘afitu of improvements in telecommunica- as minister of lands. The new gover- tions, fisheries, and tourism. A multi- nor of Ha‘apai is the noble Malupö. million-dollar project will shortly The young noble Fialakepa holds begin to renovate and expand Nuku- degrees in law and on the advice of ‘alofa’s International Dateline Hotel Cr own Prince Tupouto‘a has also been to three-star and four-star level, with appointed lord chamberlain to help two new restaurants and a beachfron t . run the affairs of the royal household. Under new company ownership (Peo- In further moves, marine and ports ple’s Republic of China, 51 percent; has moved to the Ministry of Works, Tonga, 49 pe r cent), the hotel will have and civil aviation has gone to the a Chinese managing director. Fishing prime minister, who already looks is now the second highest export after agriculture, forestry, fisheries, ea r ner next to pumpkin squash, which foreign affairs, and defense. last year did not do as well as in pre- The new minister of finance pre- vious record years. Tuna accounts sented his budget statement to parlia- for about half of the fisheries exports. ment in June. It reported a sluggish Manufacturing industries continue to economy in which the growth of gros s contribute less than 5 percent of gross domestic product had dropped slightly domestic product to the economy. from 4.4 percent to 3.2 percent, while The most exciting news is the inflation remained at 8 percent, its growth expected in telecommunica- 238 the contemporary pacific • spring 2002 tions. The government has established Tongan culture, support the rights of the Tonga Communications Corpora- all Tongans, and protect the indepen- tion, in place of the previous compa- dence of the kingdom. These moves, nies (Cable and Wireless and Tonga together with the introduction of a Telecom), to run both international high-speed wireless service and fiber- and domestic telephone services. The optic cable to link the central business new corporation’s immediate plans are area of Nuku‘alofa—which, the to establish a 2.5g gsm cellular tele- Crown Prince avers, will liberate the phone service with email and tele- common man more than the auto- phone capacity, and to increase Inter- mobile—demonstrate again the fre- net accessibility. The government has quently startling juxtaposition of also issued a license to a second tele- complementary ideas that characterize communications carrier, Tonfön, a Tonga. At the very least, they promise fully owned subsidiary of Shoreline interesting future developments on Communications, a company headed several fronts. by the Crown Prince that already pro- duces most of the power for Tonga’s k e r ry ja m e s electricity supply which is then dis- tributed by the Tonga Electricity Power Board. Through Tonfön, the Wallis and Futuna prince aims to introduce wireless technology whereby, “the customer The main subject of political discus- should be able to buy a computer, sion remains the special agreement, plug it in, pull out an aerial and make yet to be signed, between the French a phone call . . . swipe a card on the Overseas Territory of Wallis and computer, establish an account, and Futuna and the French Overseas switch to his favorite tv channel Country of New Caledonia. The while he is on the phone” (Matangi Wallis and Futuna representatives, Tonga, June 2001, 16). aware that Caledonian representatives The Tonga Human Rights and want all possible measures taken to Democracy Movement, which decrease Polynesian immigration, are replaced the former Pro-democracy asking the French state for accom- Movement, maintains a low profile panying measures to facilitate local and has announced that it will not development. At the same time, they formally mount candidates in the elec- are pushing young people to emigrate tions scheduled for 2002. It recently to metropolitan France. The president hosted a workshop to educate the of the territorial assembly, Soane general public, particularly youth, Uhila, declared on 4 August 2000: regarding human rights, good gover- “T raining must be made a priority and nance, and citizens’ rights. A second our Wallisians and Futunians heading human rights movement, the Tonga elsewhere must be told the truth. If Kotoa Movement, formed in May they have the opportunity to find a 2001. Its five main objectives are to way of making a home for themselves uphold the divine rights of man, somewhere else, I advise them to go support His Majesty who has been ahead.” In October 2000, during the appointed by God, preserve the anticipated visit of a three-member p olitical reviews • p o lyne sia 239 delegation from the Caledonian gov- tant economic policy issue. The ferry- ernment, access to employment for building project of the semi-public the immigrants of tomorrow and con- company Société d’Exploitation du ditions for granting them Caledonian Ferry Wallis et Futuna, supported by citizenship were discussed. The two the two constituencies of Futuna, was Caledonian parties that signed the finally adopted. Noumea Accord—Front de Libéra- In local politics, the surprise elec- tion Nationale Kanak Socialiste, or tion of the sitting vice president of the flnks (for political reasons) and territorial assembly, Patalione Kani- Rassemblement Pour La Calédonie moa (independent), as president, led dans la République, or rpcr (for to a reconstruction of political forces. reasons related to qualification The outgoing president, Soane Uhila levels)—agreed that future Wallisian (independent), had decided to run and Futunian immigrants should no again, with a new vice president and longer enjoy the same advantages as with the help of the upfw. The before, even though New Caledonian administrative staff of the Rassemble- law provides only for positive dis- ment Pour la République (r p r) was crimination. More radical still, the unable to accept the disappearance of Union for Wallis and Futuna party its majority (14 out of 20), P Kani- (upfw), related to the Socialist party moa and Deputy V Brial set up a new in France, insists that planning for the alliance between the majority of the return of the expatriates must be done former r pr-independents alliance (8 now. For party president Pesamino of 14 elected representatives) and the Fihipalai, the equation is simple: majority of the elected representatives “The massive arrival of several thou- of the upfw (4 of 6). The new com- sand people in the archipelago will mittee now includes as its president force the State and its political leaders P Kanimoa (independent, 12 votes), to take immediate measures to accel- as its vice president Pascal Niutoua erate economic development.” (Te (independent), first secretary Vetelino Fenua Fo‘ou, 20 Oct 2000). French Nau (u p w f), and second secretary Overseas Minister Christian Paul, Michel Lataiuvea (r p r). Soane Uhila who came for a short visit, declared and five other council members thus on 23 October that it was necessary created a new party: The Voice of the “that we determine the activities People of Wallis and Futuna—Union likely to create jobs; the State cannot of Democrats, le‘o Uvea mo Futuna. take the place of local decision- The new majority, made up of two makers.” At the same time, he parties in opposition in metropolitan specified that the Research Institute France, was consoled by the election for Development had been authorized of the new permanent commission on by the state to study “all proposals 16 February, with president Apeleto for a true course of action in view of Likuvalu (u p w f) and secretary Berna- the creation of activities generating dette Papilio (r p r) each obtaining employment.” 16 votes. Four projects were proposed to As usual, political and adminis- address the problem of the interisland trative relations between Wallis and sea service, the second most impor- Futuna are not very good, leading the 240 the contemporary pacific • spring 2002

Tiafoi to declare to the prefect on 23 was a territorial councillor from 1987 August 2000: “Bearing in mind the to 1992 and chief of the village of geographical distance between the Vailala for five years. His arrival at two islands, we request the transfer of the great chefferie signified royal will- jurisdiction to those in charge of sub- ingness to renew this ancient institu- sidiary services of Futuna so that they tion. The nomination on 23 De c e m b e r can manage loans directly.” During of Tisimasi (Dismas) Heafala as ki v a l u this meeting, the delays concerning (prime minister) confirmed this trend. the tar-sealing of roads in Futuna and Meanwhile, customary-political the problems of sea and air transport relationships became increasingly services were discussed at length. problematic. Tino Manuohalalo, a The referendum on the five-year Caledonian politician of Wallisian ori- presidential term of the French repub- gins, declared on 20 October 2000: lic mobilized more voters in Wallis “We cannot ask for evolution and at and Futuna (54.7 percent) than in the same time maintain an outdated, France (30 percent), and the number obsolete system. . . . Wallis and Fu t u n a who voted yes was likewise higher must have the courage to review the (83 to 73 percent). The explanation problem completely, to think collec- is that only the large national parties tively about political power, custom- (who are all in favor of the proposal) ary practices, religion and the admin- are represented in Wallis and Futuna, istration.” At this time Po‘oi Fotofili, which does not have a culture of a member of one of the royal families, opposition minority parties. applied for permission to examine the Customary politics continues in its accounts of the Uvea constituency own fashion. Because of various relating to the villages of his district undercurrents between the two king- (Hihifo). His association, Defense of doms of Futuna, the king of Sigave Citizens, gave the prefect a sixty-page and most of his subjects did not par- audit implicating a customary minis- ticipate in the territorial festival held ter and the chief of the Hihifo district on 29 July 2000 in the kingdom of for use of forged documents and Alo. As happens every year, a number misuse of public funds. If the total of customary chiefs resigned or were expenses corresponded to the planning deposed, leading to healthy competi- budget, their allocation left something tion between the aliki families. On 23 to be desired, as gift vouchers were October, during the French overseas allegedly exchanged, in whole or in minister’s visit, the new minister of part, for cash. health and justice (fotuatamai) was The administration remained in s t a l l e d by th e ki n g . Tis i m a s i He a f a l a , important to the economy. The new a former priest returned to civilian prefect, Alain Waquet, was nominated life, became educational adviser in to the cabinet in Paris on 12 July charge of local languages and head 2000. Research showed that at the of Catholic education. In November, end of 2000 Wallis had nineteen thou- Kusitino Toa became the new minister sand adult pigs divided among 1,380 of the sea (ulimonua). Aged 46, father non-trading family farms, which of five children, and a store owner, he increasingly use commercial feed. p olitical reviews • p o lyne sia 241

Pollution of the environment by unknown number of expatriates, now liquid manure aroused concern. retired. All available statistics on the The French National Navy patrol te rr i t o r y can be consulted on the inter- boat La Moqueuse participated in the net via a website created by the head 14 July 2000 ceremonies in Futuna. of the statistics department, Gaston On this occasion, a sponsorship char- Lutui . The ter was signed between the two king- proposed territorial budget for 2001 doms and the ship’s captain in charge includes fcfp 2.63 billion for opera- of monitoring the exclusive economic tions and fcfp 644 million for invest- zone of the territory. Of the sixteen ment. Revenue is essentially derived Wallisian “woodcutters” sent to met- from indirect taxes (f c f p 1.3 billion), ropolitan France in May 2000 by the the post office (f c f p 409 million), the National Agency for the Integration state tobacco industry (f c f p 205 mil- of Overseas Workers and their Fami- lion), and the tax on electricity (f c f p lies to assist in cutting up the trees 54 million). blown down around Paris during the Since October 2000, a metallic Ja n u a r y storms, only three came home one-million-liter capacity tank of after two months of training. More- diesel oil has provided a three-month over, the elected representatives hope statutory strategic reserve. The econ- to use the agency in the future to omy of the territory remains linked to allow young people lacking qualifica- subsistence farming and the creation tions to enter the employment market of an offshore fishing business; Patita of metropolitan France. To date, Wal- Ulutuipaletai has fitted out a fourteen- lisians and Futunians who have emi- meter long-lining vessel that catches grated to France primarily join the on average 500 kilograms per week. arm y , sports teams, and security firms . On 5 January 2001 the licensing As in other French Overseas Terri- schedule for registration was set at a tories, a rep r esentative of the mediator price range f c f p 1.8–54 million. In of the republic is appointed to settle addition, shipowners will have to pay disputes between the state and the an annual French registration fee of citizens. After thirty-five years spent 5 percent of the initial amount. in public accounts, Malia Feleu was Education has of course played a appointed to this volunteer post in decisive role in the development August 2000, for a nonrenewable potential of the two archipelagoes. six-year period. Her settling in was Regarding study grants (f c f p 133 slightly disturbed, as the le v e l u a (ki n g) million in 2001), Head of Department of Wallis made his reluctance known. Soane Vehika reinforced testing and Although the budget of the terri t o r y continued to favor destinations such remained roughly the same between as France (81, including 22 in sec- 1995 and 2000, the share devoted to ondary school) and French Polynesia investment decreased by 28 percent. (33, including 23 in secondary school). However, the private sector continued Another 301 student grant-holders to gro w sl o w l y , paralleling the increa s e went to New Caledonia, including in transfers from the state to the terri- more than 250 in senior high schools. tory, and reflecting the return of an After attempts failed to classify 242 the contemporary pacific • spring 2002 as a historic monument the military settled according to the percentage twin-engined plane (Neptune) kept at of population rep r esented by Wal l i s the Hihifo aerodrome since 1984, it (60 pe r cent) and Futuna. At the same was dynamited and sunk at sea in July time, a magnificent exhibition entitled 2000. The weekly Te Fenua Fo‘ou has Uvea-Wallis: An Island Fished Up By a new owner and a new editorial staff. the Gods was held for four months at As of March 2001, it had published a the Museum of Fine Arts in Chartres. Caledonian version including specific Finally, in Ma r ch 20 0 1 , the Friends of in f o r mation about the expatriate com- Wallis and Futuna association pub- mu n i t y . In June 2001, the great chef- lished the first local annual scientific ferie of Wallis threatened to close the journal: the Cahiers de Wallis et weekly because of a photo (illustrat- Futuna (Post Box 13, Futuna). ing an article on the budgetary prob- frédéric angleviel lems of the Wallis constituency) whose interpretation could give rise to con- fusion. In Octobser 2000, the terri- Re f e re n c e tory participated in the Arts Festival Te Fenua Fo‘ou. Weekly. of the Pacific, after a problem con- ce r ning the size of delegations was