Is New Zealand implicated?

New Zealand bears little of the blame for the exploitation of Fiji by tourist promoters. While the Bank of New Zealand and the Union Steam Ship Company have something to answer for in their treatment of the Fijian people other New Zealand commercial activity has been almost completely lacking.

But recently the tourist company Trans Holdings Ltd, announced from Christchurch that it is promoting a Fijian company, Fiji Holdings Ltd to develop tourist projects, especially hotels. The company is taking over at least three hotels, for example the sophisticated beach resort known as "Man Friday". This will be a long term project but quickly a profitable one. The Trans directors are predicting a dividend of not less than 7½%.

Another matter for concern is the role Air New Zealand is beginning to play in mass tourism in the Pacific. Last month it was announced that the airline would ape the activity of other airlines by funding hotels and other tourist developments in the Cook Islands.

In Fiji Quantas flies Australian tourists in, carries them about the nation in Air Pacific (in which Air New Zealand along with British Airlines have an interest) and deposits them at one of the many hotels it has investments in. Air New Zealand and Trans Holdings are now in for their share of the lolly scramble of mass tourism in the Pacific.

New Zealand is implicated in the exploitation of Fiji and other Pacific nations. New Zealand must stand condemned as it becomes clear that the islands have to prostitute themselves in order to seek a means of survival.

Meanwhile it becomes increasingly clear that the needs of the small Pacific nations are incompatible with the demands of the aggressive commercialism of mass tourism.