Unlocking the Fiji Situation

Keith Locke

Auckland University radio host Jon Armistead conducted two interviews "in the interests of balance" on Fiji and the Pacific today, one with Keith Locke, the other with Croz Walsh. Listen to what they both said.



First up was Greens MP Keith Locke. Keith spoke of a deteriorating human rights situation; Bainimarama's "hot air" talk on elections; his support from the smaller Pacific countries (Marhall Islands, Palau, Nauru, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Niue, Cook Islands) because of their dependence on Fiji; the cost on maintaining buildings like stadiums and court houses built with Chinese money; the increase of corruption under Bainimarama; and the Pacific's appalling human development record. Oxfam had earlier spoken of a Pacific with under 40% of children at school and unsafe water supplies.

Just three factual corrections: the only smaller Pacific countries dependent on Fjii (for transport) are Kiribati and Tuvalu; most support for Fiji has come from the much larger Melanesian countries; and Pacific-wide statistics such as those cited by Oxfam are meaningless because of wide discrepancies between countries. But, for the record, in 1996, over half of Fiji homes (90% in urban areas) had piped water; most of its children children attended school (education is compulsory to Class 8) and nearly one-third of adults had at least Vth form education. To listen to Keith,   click here.

I answered Jon's questions with my opinions on why the change of attitudes towards Fiji (I didn't think they had),  why it's taking so long to produce a new constitution, China, the effect of sanctions, the trade union arrests, and human rights restrictions.  To listen to what I had to say,  click here.