Oceans to cross to get a grasp of Pacific issues

Just this week a snap election was called in the Cook Islands, yet another Pacific island country beset by political instability.

For years the country has been victim of swinging allegiances, Cabinet reshuffles, party hopping and power struggles.

Self-governing in free association with New Zealand, the Cook Islands has a 25-member Parliament elected every five years (the last in 2004), the balance of power teetering between two dominant political parties.

With a dwindling population of about 12,000, that equates to about one MP for about every 500 people.

The question must be asked whether this Westminster style of government is best serving the country's interests.

In broader terms such debate is included in Pacific Futures, a series of essays and observations provided mainly by academics but also by selected Pacific community leaders.

John Henderson, associate professor of political science at Canterbury University, argues in his contribution on governance and constitutional issues that it is hardly surprising difficulties have been experienced in transplanting colonial political structures to a Pacific environment.

In most of Polynesia and Melanesia a Westminster form of government was established.

"A criticism of the Westminster system is that the formal division between government and opposition accentuates internal divisions within society and fosters instability.

"The confrontational approach clashes with the Pacific ideal (seldom achieved in practice at the national level) of consensus decision making.

"From a Pacific perspective the government-opposition split is divisive and wasteful of scarce resources."

Henderson notes that micro-states like Niue and Tuvalu have sought to avoid such divisive tendencies by adopting one-party systems.

"It seems to make more sense in small societies for all politicians to pull together for the common good."

This is the sort of contextual background that can prove invaluable in appreciating the challenges facing our Pacific neighbours.

The publication of Pacific Futures is especially timely given last year's endorsement of the Pacific Plan by the Pacific Islands Forum.

The 260-page volume, sponsored by the Pacific Cooperation Foundation, is edited by its founding chairman Michael Powles.

In his foreword he says the book aims to help the debate over the question of regional co-operation and integration which has been squarely placed on the agenda by Pacific Island Forum leaders.

The volume has four main themes - political and constitutional challenges, social and economic challenges, developing a Pacific community, and finding Pacific solutions.

The essays are comprehensive and thought provoking on areas including the roles and agendas of Australia and New Zealand, the consequences of colonialism, new pressures of globalisation, and what sovereignty will come to mean.

It reminds us of the variances, contradictions and conflict of interests set in a varyingly defined region composed of far flung countries in a huge sea mass and that no one size fits all.

Within the wider themes the topics include a wide spectrum of pressing issues like language loss - about one-fifth of the world's languages are found in the Pacific, 832 in Papua New Guinea alone - and labour mobility.

It canvases the usual debate over donor aid and "good" governance along with environmental issues such as rising sea levels.

It is a useful and solid resource that won't stray too far from this reporter's desk.

* Pacific Futures edited by Michael Powles Published by Pandanus Books in association with the Pacific Cooperation Foundation Recommended retail price $30