POLITICAL REVIEW. MELANESIA 159 September, the group warned that tralian media for suggesting that Ted national government responses to its Diro, sacked army chief Tony Huai, demands were unacceptable and and other disgruntled Papuans were threatened further action against the plotting a coup (TPNG, 4-10 Feb 1988, mine (TPNG, 4-10 Aug 1988, 5). The 3). Early in June there was a brief threat was realized in late November standoffof another sort between and December when buildings were Wingti's ailing government and the burned, personnel and equipment army, when two planeloads of armed stoned, and facilities bombed with soldiers took over the Lae airport stolen explosives. Squads ofpolice ordered closed by the civil aviation were flown in and issued with shoot­ minister, Hugo Berghuser (TPNG, 9­ to-kill orders as the violence escalated 15 June 1988, 3). Meanwhile, the coop­ (PR, 8 Dec 1988, I). Production erative arrangement negotiated with resumed later in the month after the the us military in 1987 moved into protagonists agreed to negotiate, but a high gear in 1988. Officials and mili­ long-term settlement was not in sight tary officers met several times during as 1988 drew to a close. the year to exchange information and The year was generally good for discuss training requirements. In Papua New Guinea's foreign relations. November, American army engineers The Matignon Accord took some of arrived to start the first of several the steam out ofthe New Caledonia planned civic construction projects in decolonization issue, allowing rela­ North Solomons Province (TPNG, 1-7 tions with France to improve. There Dec 1988, 4). The Australians did their were indications that the Namaliu gov­ part for regional security by earmark­ ernment would place less emphasis on ing one million kina to upgrade the the Melanesian Spearhead grouping naval facilities on Manus Island, sup­ than had its predecessors, and a deci­ plying additional patrol boats, and sion was made to allow the Soviets to agreeing to support the development of open their first resident mission in the a helicopter capability for border Pacific Islands. However, relations patrol work (Backgrounder, 9 Nov with Indonesia were soured by a series 1988, iv). ofincidents on the Irian Jaya border, TERENCE WESLEY-SMITH including one in July when Papua New Guinea and Indonesian soldiers SOLOMON ISLANDS exchanged fire. Nevertheless, Foreign Minister Somare returned from a brief The year 1988, marking the tenth anni­ trip to Jakarta in early November versary ofSolomon Islands indepen­ apparently reassured that good rela­ dence, was simultaneously exciting and tions had been restored. difficult. Among the events that ItWas a iJatticularly busy year for . reflected political and social change in the Defence Force, which got involved the islands were the retirement of Sir in hostile encounters with both Indone­ Baddeley Devesi as governor general, sian security forces and the Papua New and the inauguration of his successor, Guinea government. In February, For­ Sir George Lepping. The Americans eign Mininster Doi lambasted the Aus- upgraded their consulate in Honiara to 160 THE CONTEMPORARY PACIFIC· SPRING/FALL 1989 an embassy, and several new institu­ National Teachers' Assocation (SINTA), tions, including the National Agricul­ which insisted on the inquiry, many of tural Training Institute at Fote, Malai­ the classrooms were never built or ta, and the Japanese-funded Malaria shoddily built; textbooks were pur­ Training and Research Centre in Ho­ chased overseas instead oflocally; niara, were opened in the service of expatriates were hired to prepare cur­ economic development. The year was riculum materials rather than to train difficult largely because of concerns for local curriculum writers; school mate­ the state ofthe economy-especially rials were purchased at several times the growing deficit in the government's their normal price from Honiara Sta­ recurrent budget-and its effects; tionery Supplies through the interven­ debates over whether the form of gov­ tion ofthen Minister of Education ernment should be changed; and Danny Philip; and about A$3.4 million charges ofcorruption leveled against ofthe funds were unaccounted for. the government of Ezekiel Alebua. Large consulting fees were paid to Aus­ The weak economy and budget con­ tralians, particularly to a Dr Rod Trey­ straints have resulted in the general vaud, who has been implicated in simi­ deterioration of public facilities, lar scandals elsewhere. His company, including schools, in recent years, a sit­ South Pacific Development Associates uation made more poignant by the rev­ (SPDA), whose directors included Sir elation in late 1987 of a major scandal Peter and several other government involving the misuse of millions of dol­ officials, had been awarded the con­ lars ofeducational development funds. tract to administer the funds. Among the top-ranking government The inquiry panel eventually pro­ and business officials implicated in the duced a III-page report that was pre­ affair were former Prime Minister Sir sented to Cabinet in October 1988 (SN, Peter Kenilorea (in 1988 deputy prime 10 Oct 1988, I). However, this and minister and foreign affairs minister), other alleged scandals, together with and then Minister ofEducation Danny mounting dissatisfaction over prevail­ Philip (TPNG, 10-16 March 1988, 1­ ing economic and social conditions, 2). Despite attempts by the Alebua gov­ prompted charges ofgovernment inef­ ernment to stall the proceedings fectiveness. Indeed, the Alebua govern­ because oftheir likely impact on the ment was obliged to deal with two pro­ national elections scheduled for late test demonstrations as well as a motion 1988, an official inquiry into the matter ofno confidence in Parliament during headed by Michael Lodge finally got 1988 . underway in early March. On 22 March, between six hundred The affair centered on a 1981 low­ and fifteen hundred people (newspaper interest loan ofA$9.8 million provided accounts varied) led by Alvin Wako, by the World Bank to fund a five-year member ofthe Honiara Town Council project designed to dramatically for Vura Ward, marched down Men­ upgrade curriculum, buildings, and dana Avenue to Parliament. The group equipment in primary schools. How­ presented a petition to Alebua that ever, according to the Solomon Islands alleged government corruption and POLITICAL REVIEW. MELANESIA 161 secret French aid. It also criticized the mon Mamaloni stood ready to form a government for its financial practices caretaker government (SN, 8 April and handling of certain development 1988 ,1-2). projects (SN, 25 March 1988, I). Ale­ One victim ofthe challenge to the bua denied the allegations in the gov­ government was Minister of Natural ernment-owned newspaper, but not Resources Danny Philip, who was until May (SN, 13 May 1988 , 4-5). sacked by Alebua after he failed to Two days later, another peaceful dem­ show up for the parliamentary vote onstration by an estimated one thou­ (SS, 8 April 1988, I). In his press state­ sand Guadalcanal people and theiI ment of5 April, Alebua said that he supporters was held outside the high was under "considerable pressure from court building. Concerned about his Constituency and his Party" to dis­ recent brutal murders of Guadalcanal miss Philip, who had been implicated people by in-migrants, the demonstra­ in the World Bank loan scandal (SN, 15 tors petitioned the government to repa­ April 1988, I). triate unemployed persons from other Reviews ofthe Constitution and sys­ provinces living illegally on Guadal­ tem ofgovernment were among the canal. They wanted all alienated lands most important tasks undertaken by on Guadalcanal, including Honiara, the Solomons government during the taken over by the Guadalcanal Provin­ year. A variety ofissues prompted cial Government, squatters removed these investigations. First, there is from traditional land, and customary strong support in some areas for split­ land registered to prevent individual ting up existing provinces into two or sale. The group also insisted that the more smaller provinces. For example, government abolish the present system Choiseulleaders have for some time ofprovincial government in favor of a wished to break away from Western federal system that would give each Province to form their own province province autonomy to run its own (see Rilifia 1988, 9). Second, most pro­ affairs (SN, 31 March 1988, 3). vincialleaders favor further decentral­ The government withstood several ization ofpolitical power to provincial calls for the dissolution ofParliament governments, although they disagree during the year and survived a vote of strongly about the appropriate distri­ no confidence by one vote on 31 bution ofother government-controlled March. Allan Qurusu, MP for North resources. Third, traditional chiefs and Choiseul and parliamentary leader of elders have periodically argued for the the Solomon Ano Sasafenua party "restoration and recognition ofthe (SAS), authored the motion, charging roles once held by traditional leaders" corruption, lack of control over the (SN, 27 May 1988, 3). The difficulties Public Service, investment policies associated with this quest for recogni­ favoring foreigners, low morale among tion became apparent in August when cabinet ministers, and economic poli­ traditional leaders were not invited to cies that hurt domestic consumers. attend the Provincial Government Had the no-confidence motion suc­ Conference (SS, 9 Sept 1988 , 3)· ceeded, former Prime Minister Solo- At that conference the Provincial THE CONTEMPORARY PACIFIC· SPRING/FALL 1989 Government Review White Paper 1988, challenges, including a rapidly growing which had been endorsed by Parlia­ population, a sluggish economy, the ment in April, was presented and dis­ lowest educational levels in the Pacific cussed by provincial premiers and area Islands (Crocombe 1988, 12), pressure council presidents. This was one of to restructure national and local gov­ two reports recommending changes to ernments, and the need for local devel­ the structure ofgovernment that the opment. The urgency ofthese prob­ Solomons government had before it in lems was more widely recognized in 1988.