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The Forum > Article Comments > A look at two island nations – one with optimism, one with concern > Comments

A look at two island nations – one with optimism, one with concern : Comments

By Jeffrey Wall, published 9/8/2021

In this contribution I want to look at a close and strategically important neighbour the Solomon Islands, and a more distant nation which has significant people to people links with Australia, Samoa.

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I sailed into Gizo, capital of a central province of the Solomons one day. It was well after independence, but I couldn't help but notice a large sign in very faded paint on the side of the warehouse on the jetty "BRITISH SOLOMON ISLAND PROTECTORATE". I couldn't help thinking then how much more mature were these islanders than the Oz rabble shouting for a republic for Oz, to leave that sign there. The poms did a great job in the Solomons.

When I anchored I noticed a white man waving frantically from the shore. He was a pommy government surveyor, there to plan a new jetty. He was staying at the government guest house, established to house visiting government experts & officials on visits.

His problem was the only staff he could find was a gardener. Manager cook & house maid could not be found, & he could not get the communications with Honiara to work. I couldn't help thinking how similar to our aboriginal outposts where many are paid to do a job, but can never be found working.

There were no facilities other than a couple of Chinese trade stores, where he had found some tinned food & a tin opener. I stayed & fed him for the couple of days it took for me to contact a yacht in Honiara to arrange a government charter plane to fetch him.

Today there is a thriving town, with both local & European run business, & a thriving tourist industry run most by a few Europeans & staffed by locals. No government worker would near starve on Gizo today.

If the Solomons are in trouble financially today it is only due to typical government waste.
Posted by Hasbeen, Tuesday, 10 August 2021 3:02:44 PM
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Indy,

You make these outlandish racists claims like Samoans pretending to be Aboriginal. Like so many of the nonsense racists claims you make, there is no evidence to support what you say. What you really are saying is Samoans pretend to be Aboriginal, so to collect all those imaginary Aboriginal freebees you bang on about.

How about that free house and cushy well paid job you got when you arrived here from wherever, plus all the other welfare freebees you have received since. About the time of you arrival many Australians believed that to be a "fact", like so many of your "facts" today.
Posted by Paul1405, Tuesday, 10 August 2021 5:52:46 PM
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Paul1405,
Outlandish only to you because it's an inconvenient truth & no free housing for this lad !
Try again !
Posted by individual, Tuesday, 10 August 2021 10:54:54 PM
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