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Down Under
Former Solomons' PM wary of re-colonisation
2003-07-10
A former Prime Minister of the Solomon Islands has described the proposed regional intervention force to be led by Australia as a type of re-colonisation.
And we wouldn't want that. Things are so much better now...
The MP's concerns have been raised in the Solomons Parliament. Mannasseh Sogavare served as prime minister in 2000, after his predecessor was placed under house arrest in a police-supported coup. Speaking in Parliament, he expressed concern the intervention force will see foreign officers placed in positions in government departments, including police and treasury. "It will be nothing short of re-colonising this country," he said.
And if the local pols can't get to the treasury that would be tragic...
The Parliament is debating a government motion seeking support for the proposed intervention force, which will be led by Australia.
Posted by:Fred Pruitt

#4  In small countries like the Solomon Islands, the 'voice of the people' is usually the one with the most guns.
Posted by: Charles   2003-7-10 9:36:11 PM  

#3  If I read this correctly, this guy was in power due to a coup. Hardly makes him the legitimate voice of the people.
Posted by: Chuck   2003-7-10 9:55:24 AM  

#2  UPDATE: Solomon Islands lawmakers endorsed a plan Thursday to let an Australian-led security force into the Pacific nation to prevent it from plunging into anarchy. Teams of Australian and New Zealand defense and police officials are already in Honiara, planning the deployment of 2,000 troops and police in the country of 80 islands, 1,400 miles northeast of Sydney, Australia. The Solomon Islands parliament must next pass a law allowing the force to operate in the country. Approval is expected before parliament ends its session next week and the force could deploy before August.
Posted by: Steve   2003-7-10 9:20:23 AM  

#1  Former Solomons' PM wary of re-colonisation

Typical. The major beneficiary of European decolonization over the 20th century has been local political elites. In only a tiny minority of cases have these elites have matched the superb economic record of the colonial rulers. Case in point - Bermuda vs other former British possessions in the Caribbean that attained self-rule in the '70s.

Another example - Hong Kong vs the rest of the former British possessions in East Asia - Singapore alone matched Hong Kong's record - Malaysia, Burma and Brunei all significantly lagged Hong Kong in ther economic achievements. Note that with the exception of Singapore, the other ex-colonies were endowed with a rich base of mineral and other natural resources - in particular, both Brunei and Malaysia are oil producers. By contrast, Hong Kong was a barren rock, in the words of an early colonial governor. And Hong Kong's achievements took place in the context of the freest political environment among all the territories mentioned. (All that changed, of course, with 1997 and the introduction of Chinese rule - both Hong Kong's economy and political environment have deteriorated under its new colonial masters in Beijing).
Posted by: Zhang Fei   2003-7-10 9:12:06 AM  

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