The provocative essays, by more than twenty political and community leaders and academics, often cross thematic boundaries as they follow Tuilaepa’s urging that Pacific Islands “find our proper place” in the world, a place that “will bring real and lastin

Reviewed by Duncan Wilson
Samoa’s Prime Minister is weary of consultants and savants that ‘pronounce on us about almost everything’ to do with the Pacific Islands.

He says he is aware, like many others, of the Pacific’s many opportunities and challenges.

But Tuilaepa Sailele Aiono Malielegaoi also cautions that the best response involves first asking “the right questions of the right people—the people of the region themselves.”

His comments preface contributions to the new book Pacific Futures, an ambitious and wide-ranging attempt to come to terms with issues facing the region.

These are grouped in the book under four key themes: political and constitutional challenges; social and economic challenges; developing a Pacific community, and finding Pacific solutions.

The provocative essays, by more than twenty political and community leaders and academics, often cross thematic boundaries as they follow Tuilaepa’s urging that Pacific Islands “find our proper place” in the world, a place that “will bring real and lasting benefits”.

Pacific Futures begins with issues of governance, democracy and human rights, and the dominance of Western models in post-colonialism.

John Henderson, for example, criticises the rhetoric and intervention surrounding ‘failed states’.

He highlights the culpability of former colonial powers and major aid donors in restricting Pacific Islands’ independence and development of indigenous democratic models.

Several contributors pursue this latter theme, while Lau Asafou Sa’u provides a thoughtful analysis of Samoa’s “blend” of Western democracy with elements of fa’amatai.

The second section, on social and economic challenges, canvasses debate over donor aid, language loss, and the topical issue of labour mobility.

Other economic issues that gain sustained focus is the potential for a single Pacific currency, analysed by T. K. Jayaraman; current trade weaknesses and PICTA and PACER, from Wadan Narsey, while Claire Slatter criticises the Pacific Islands’ neo-liberal course “set by outside navigators”.

The volume’s emphasis on regionalism and community is strikingly apt.

Ron Crocombe suggests the “Paradigm shift from West to East”—Asian countries’ increasing influence in the Pacific will impact the orientation and effectiveness of regional bodies such as the Pacific Islands Forum, as well as its member states.

Richard Kerr, as ably but perhaps less provocatively, analyses regionalism to-date, while Greg Fry highlights the Howard Government’s new ‘security’-based approach towards its ‘patch’.

Solomons’ Transform Aqorau’s “Rethinking Sovereignty in the Pacific” provides a considered account of the region’s indigenous histories of sovereignty and the future of state independence in the face of globalisation and regional integration.

The volume’s final section perhaps most appropriately captures the spirit of Tuilaepa’s remarks that the region’s most pressing challenges and opportunities are usually best identified and addressed by its own people.

“Finding Pacific solutions: some Pacific voices from across the generations” encompasses a range of personal perspectives: from a former prime minister and former congressman, a leading churchman and international jurist, and two younger Pacific people.

The book closes with a chapter identified with the underlying theme of Pacific Futures, entitled “There is hope for the future”.

But the collection’s wide range and analytic depth does more than simply support this optimism.

Pacific Futures amply fulfils the mission set by Tuilaepa, of dialogue, considered engagement and practical solutions that can enable Pacific Islands nations and peoples to find a “place” in the world of “real and lasting benefit.”

• Pacific Futures Edited by Michael Powles. Published by Pandanus Books in association with New Zealand’s Pacific Cooperation Foundation. Recommended retail price NZ$30.