Vanuatu after the ‘Pandemonium’

Press, 22 October 1980, Page 23

Vanuatu after the ‘Pandemonium’

By

DES CASEY

The ludicrous system of dual British and French administration of the New Hebrides ended with the birth, on July 30 this year, of the independent state of Vanuatu. The administration was known as the Anglo-French Condominium, but was derisively referred to by the indigenous Melanesian people as “Pandemonium.” William Edgell, chief co-ordinator of the Vanuaaku Pati, and deputy for the Prime Minister in parliament, visited Christchurch recently and stressed urgency for Vanuatu on two major issues — unity and economic development. He said that the two political systems had protected British and French citizens but had made the Melanesian people stateless in their own country and mere onlookers. In fact, ' “we had three bureaucracies to contend with — the French National Administration, the British National Administration, and the Joint

Administration for when the French and the British acted jointly.” Division of families, villages, and islands was now a major social problem caused by the condominium. That is why “unifying the people and the administration is crucial for our future development.” Also, a sense of geographical unity among the 80-odd islands that make up Vanuatu must be achieved.

Administration problems for the new government are immense. “The French and British left no infrastructure behind because of their separate systems of government, education, health, law, language, and even religion,” Mr Edgell said.

Consequently, development will be a progressive effort. “For example, we will have to continue education in separate languages for eight years so that those who are in the education system now will be able to finish in

their own language. There will be compulsory teaching in both languages in two years.” It will be easier with the police: “We will write in different languages but, at last, we will administer the same law.”

William Edgell has been a member of the Vanuaaku Pati, formerly the New Hebrides National Party, since 1971. When the party changed its name in 1975 he became its business manager; he is also responsible for the drafting of the budget.

He hoped that his New Zealand tour would mean greater support for his country. “We want to develop a strong economy with the Pacific, and to establish close ties with New Zealand and Australia rather than with Europe.”

Vanuatu needs financial and technical aid immediately. He said that Australia is giving $l2 million over three years to develop small programmes. Al-

though the French eventually handed over constitutional rights, it still has not signed an aid agreement. “The British have left money for administration, but not for development.” Although “the Vanuatu Government can now go to world institutions, since it has constitutional power, we lack expertise; we need help with pre-

senting applications for aid, feasibility studies, etc.”

William Edgell saw possible pitfalls because of his country’s extreme economic dependence. “Vanuatu is faced with the classic problem of wanting to have control of its own resources, but in so doing risks losing the few industries which are already established there." He was concerned that some media reports have

misrepresented the new Government by claiming that Vanuatu will be “a haven for multinational investment.” This, he said, was not the long-term plan, even though “we will have to continue this tax-haven status for a few years until our own people are qualified to advise us.”

One definite step the Vanua-aku Pati has taken

is to nationalise all land. “This has caused some controversy, especially among the French. “In practical terms it means that the Government now has a shareholding in every foreign company, based on the value of the land which that company is using. In the long term we plan a 49 to 51 ratio of Government to private shareholding in all venture’s.” According to William

Edgell, the Issue of land has been central in the people’s demand for independence. Traditionally, land rights were held by groups. Consequently, it is inalienable. Land is the basis of his peoples’ life and social system. “It nurtures and supports us, and we in turn care for it and its products.”

The British and French had imposed their ideas — land became a victim .of

exploitation, speculation, and profit. Alienation from their land had become a critical issue for the people. William Edgell believes that Jimmy Stevens and the Tana people .were not the cause of the recent rebellion on the island of Espiritu Santo. The main culprits were the Phoenix Corporation and the multinationals which financed the rebellion. Stevens’s party (Nagriamel —“one voice”) had been formed with the other parties around 1970-

71, and was based on the land issue. It, too, had opposed land being taken by the multinationals through the two ruling administrations. 7 As far as the new Government is • > concerned there will be no recriminations. “November 29 has been declared ‘Peace and Unity Day’ for the whole country. On this date, the rebels who have been captured will be sent back to the tribal leaders — including Jimmy Stevens — and the Papua New Guinea troops will be sent home.” The main fear now, according to Ayilliam Edgell, is that New Caledonia’s moves for independence could mean the French treating Vanuatu as a centre for resistance to French control over its other Pacific territories. “Therefore, >we must be ready to anticipate troubles with French seta tiers in New Caledonia, with our 200-mile zone

borders’ being only 60 miles apart.”' He believed that Vanuatu’s perspective is wider than a national one. Besides being a Pacific centre -for resistance against the .French. “Vanuatu is a centre of Pacific-wide labour movements, to co-ordinate policy on matters of common concern among labour unions in all Pacific nations.”

. He sees these movements? as “a protection against manipulation by multinationals which try ■’ to play one nation , off against another.” William Edgell sees the challenge of the new Government as “trying to establish sanity in a situation of inherited chaos.” The sheer absurdity of a colonial system imposing three legal, administrative, educational, and cultural systems on a population one third the size of Christchurch, had had more resemblance to a Gilbert and' Sullivan opera than to reality.