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Solomons needs to follow the rules

As the former Solomon Islands ambassador to the UN, I have a particular interest as to what the causes are of the now strained relationship between my country and the ROC on Taiwan. Prior to the ethnic crisis in the Solomons, my country played a leading role in advocating Taiwan's re-admission to the UN. This was often not an easy task but given our traditional and long standing association with Taiwan was one that my government saw as important and mutually beneficial in the medium and the long term.

However, the past two years has seen the Solomons brought to the brink of collapse. The main island of Guadalcanal (the former World War II battle site) has been locked in a low level civil war situation with its neighboring and more densely populated island of Malaita. Causes for this conflict are numerous, but contributing factors are land ownership disputes, lack of economic options, high level of illiteracy and scarce educational opportunities. Fundamentally, there is an issue of governance, or, as I see it, there has been an insufficient nurturing of the universal values of democracy and good governance.

Additionally, a coup in June this year forced the democratically elected government out of office, to be replaced by one which many analysts see as being elected under duress. This change of government also changed the nature of the formerly close relationship between Solomons and the ROC.

As the government struggled to keep up with the demands of compensation from the warring sides it has slid further toward bankruptcy. (Compensation is the traditional Melanesian way of resolving conflict; but the government has been forced to hand over millions of dollars to appease these groups.) Indeed, this process of compensation has been commercialized to such an extent that the symbolic meaning of what it should represent has been lost.

The effect of this compensation and the general breakdown of the Solomons economy -- including the breakdown of law and order -- has had an enormous impact on this already vulnerable island nation. Is this the reason the Solomons was seriously considering switching its allegiance away from Taipei to Beijing? Or is it a lack of political nous? Or a short term vision in dealing with donor partnerships and in international relations?

The Solomon Islands, as a small developing nation, needs to not only understand, but also has to respond appropriately to the impact of globalization.

In my view, maintaining and enhancing firm links with strategically chosen development partners such as the ROC is a demonstration of a mature foreign policy.

There is a balance between job creation, income generation and nation building which demands effective leadership in Solomon Islands society, specifically at national, provincial and community levels. The Solomons have yet to realize the inter-connection of these factors.

Given the country's diverse linguistic culture, large illiterate rural communities and the pressing needs of its rapidly rising youth population, the Solomons are long overdue for a more visionary style of leadership.

The needs of many of its citizens have not been met, despite 20 plus years of independence. Lack of real progress in development has been hampered by a flimsy infrastructure, weak internal institutions, a rising birth rate and insufficient investment in human capital.

There is an urgent need to establish a Pacific Center for Good Governance which would address democratic principles and values of governance from the grassroots to the national level -- and bring together the topdown approach with the bottom-up village-based participation. Such a center would also help create an awareness of a sustainable political environment and serve to focus in the long term on such concerns as corruption, human rights, accountability, transparency and responsibility, in both the public and private sector.

The Solomon Islands and the island nations in the Pacific generally have gone through dramatic changes in the last 40 years. For these developing island states to move ahead in the world, they must play the game by the same rules and in accordance with democracy and good governance as the only viable option.

Rex Horoi is the former Solomon Islands ambassador to the UN.
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