Ministers at Chathams to discuss figure

Press, 5 December 1989, Page 6

Ministers at Chathams to discuss figure

By

OLIVER RIDDELL

in Wellington An agreed, economic future for the Chatham Islands is hoped for from the tw'o-day visit of two Cabinet Ministers to the Chathams starting today. The Minister of Internal Affairs, Dr Bassett, and the Minister of Maori ACfairs, Mr Wetere, will hold a series of meetings there today and tomorrow. They will discuss a de- - tailed report from con-... suitants that propose a lot more economic and administrative autonomy for the 750 people in New Zealand’s most remote settlement. “We are naturally very interested in what they: are going to say,” said the chairman of the Chatham Islands District Council, Mr Bunty Preece, yesterday. ■ ' “We have been through this so often we don’t want to have to go .- through it again. “We’ve had constitu-, . tional lawyers looking > through the consultants’ ’’

report and hope for the best,” he said, Ilf adopted, the consult- . ants' report would end subsidised seh and z air links to the mainlaricl almost immediately; ;• ' . Ifc suggested a - transitional period for GoveTn- - merit funding and. then ■ the setting up of a' Chat-: > ham Island administration that would be independent, of'mainland XuhdS — < involving “tai - administra- . tjoitf arid h commercial entity, mo : ?be " ruii: ■ independently or each- other. •. Ups.’ t.o ,be“acceptable -- ta the -Chatham Islanders tfiejt. heeded a secure jncpmd, “said ; !Mr .Preece. .... >..*■ .• ■ report"’ suggested this could come from expanded tojSristn and jnSri-” ■agement of the fisheries '.around.'' the' Chatams, * Which f are . among the ; >most commercial in the "Sriuth Pacific. 7 Management and ownership of the fisheries , are a key element of any future economic and ad- ’ ministrative autonomy.