Democracy reform for Pitcairn

Britain is overhauling the way in which its only remaining Pacific territory, Pitcairn Island, is governed.

The move is intended to make the island more democratic, and bring it in line with European standards of governance and human rights, a spokesman for the island's Wellington-based governor has told the ABC.

Chris Harrington said the governor, George Fergusson, Britain's High Commissioner to New Zealand, had made it clear the changes are not a new constitution.

"But there are significant changes and they are important changes to the rules for the Pitcairn Islanders," he said.

Pitcairn is about halfway between New Zealand and Peru, and with just 55 inhabitants is the world's smallest territory. The last time the island's constitution was updated was in 1904.

New management structures on the island came into effect in April: the Pitcairn mayor is the leading governmental authority on the island, assisted by a deputy mayor, and heads the 10-member island council. Answering to the council are four division managers who head community development, natural resources, operations and works, and economics and finance activity.

Legislation is in the pipeline to update the island's judicial structure, which could give effect to rights guaranteed under the European Convention on Human Rights.

A US-based researcher told Radio New Zealand International that some Pitcairn Islanders have voiced their dismay at the changes to the island's governance.

The director of the California-based Pitcairn Islands Study Centre, Herbert Ford, claimed that Britain wanted to give the impression it was giving its overseas territories greater freedom in deciding their own futures, when it was not.

"They have too little freedom to live their lives according to the best interest of the island itself," he said."Everything is looked at through the eyes of a Britisher who has been appointed from London, sits 4000 miles away from them and really doesn't understand all the problems on this island."

- NZPA