Atoll Dwellers Need Aid

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30803, 15 July 1965, Page 15

Atoll Dwellers Need Aid

(N.Z. P.A.-Reuter —Copyright)

LAE, July 14. The South Pacific Commission was urged today to take special interest in the problems of people living on coral atolls.

The request came from delegates to the South Pacific Conference during discussion on the commission’s health programme. Dr. Guy Loison, the commission’s executive officer for health, said atoll dwellers were drifting to bigger islands because of the serious problems they were facing. Soil on atolls was not fertile and food was hard to grow. Fish were often scarce in lagoons, and cyclones regularly destroyed plantations, he said. Dr. Loison added that people were largely dependent on rain water, which was often polluted during storage. He said copra and mother of pearl shells were still the atolls’ main resources.

The pearl industry had recently developed in some groups, but agriculture was being neglected. “When money is plentiful due to good sales, the inhabitants import foods that are pleasing to the taste, but often of little nutritional value,” he said.

“When copra prices drop

and purchasing power decreases, people turn to coconuts for food and thus eat up a considerable part of their source of income.” Dr. Loison said atoll dwellers had urgent problems requiring solution, such as refuse disposal, sewerage, insect control, family planning and mental health.