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THE HIGHER-ENERGY COASTS OF SOUTHERN VITI LEVU, FIJI WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO THE GEOMORPHOLOGY OF THE DEUBA COAST
Michael Shepherd
Although waves of moderate size frequently approach the coast of Viti Levu, coral reefs of various types (Ryland, 1981) and offshore islands provide an almost continous barrier which
dissipates wave energy before it reaches the shores of the main island. Consequently, the coastal environment is generally characterised by low-energy conditions with narrow calcareous beaches located at the rear of
reef flats, or mangroves colonising sheltered shorelines where mud is accumulating.
THE WATER RESOURCES OF VATULELE ISLAND; SOUTH-WEST FIJI
Lynne McInnes
Department of Geography
University of Sydney, Australia
The inhabitants of Vatulele, a small limestone island located approximately 32km south of Viti Levu, Fiji have frequently suffered shortage of fresh water, particularly
during the mid-year dry season, and in recent years have relied on the Government to send emergency supplies by ship, a costly undertaking. In 1984, the United States
Agency for international development in collaboration with the South Pacific Commission, funded a water-supply improvement project which benefited two of the
four villages on Vatulele. Although all villages had experienced water shortages, the water supply problem in these two southern villages was particularly severe despite
their having much smaller populations than northern villages.
This paper, based on a field study conducted in June-July 1985 (Mcinnes, 1986), compares and contrasts the water resources of the four communities of Vatulele.
RECENT ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES ALONG SOUTHWEST PACIFIC COASTS AND THE PREHISTORY OF OCENIA: DEVELOPMENTS OF THE WORK OF THE LATE JOHN
GIBBONS
Patrick D. Nunn
Goegraphy Department
University of the South Pacific
This paper is not intended primarily as a tribute to John Gibbons so much as a tribute to the method of research he advocated and the energetic style with which he
practised it. As is abundantly clear to full time students, it is impossible to divorce a speaker from his/her subject and, in the case of John Gibbons, it was the man, first
and foremost, who made the material memorable.
This paper is a review of one particularly line of research in which John had made an important contribution and was keen to pursue; sea-level changes and Pacific prehistory.
FOOD PRESERVATION IN THE PACIFIC USING ACID FERMENTATION
William Aalbersberg
Department of Chemistry
University of the South Pacific
In pre-European times, before the advent of shops, refrigerators, and an effective transportation infrastructure, the problem of providing a continuos food supply was a
major concern for Pacific islanders. The common view of a perpetual abundance of food merely there for the harvesting is a false one. Many limestone islands, especially
atolls, have very poor soils and, along with the leeward side of large volcanic islands, face the problem of extended drought periods. Hurricanes are common on many
islands and severe ones can obliterate almost all food crops. Shortages also occured during warfare because a common tactic was to destroy the enermy’s crops. Even
access to fish may be difficult during extended windy, stormy periods. For all this situations it was necessary to have an extensive store of preserved food to prevent
hunger and even starvation. This was also necessary on the many islands, especially in Polynesia, which relied primarily on Breadfruit as a food staple because of its seasonal nature.
CONSUMERISM, THE MEDIA, AND MALNUTRITION IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS
R.R. Thaman
Geography Department
University of the South Pacific
Consumerism is rife in the Pacific Islands, its avaricious fingers increasingly touching even the most isolated areas. Although the introduction of trade goods, the continuing
overemphasis on export cash cropping and livestock production, western white-collar education, cash employment, monetization, and the rapid extension of sea, road, and
air transport networks have played major roles in promoting consumerism, the role of the media revolution, with the rise of the ubiquitous transistor radio, the privatisation of
daily newspaper, and, in some areas, the uncontrolled introduction of television and video, is seen as the most recent, and perhaps, most pervasive and powerful
promoter of consumerism and nutrition-related ill-health in the Pacific Islands.
AGRICULTURAL LEGISLATION AND LEASEHOLD LAND
IN FIJI
Stephen Michell
Land Management Department
University of the South Pacific
The system of Land tenure in Fiji is such that leasing of land, especially for agricultural purposes, is of considerable importance. Freehold land is limited to approximately 8%
of the total land area, whilst Native Land, owned by landowning units of indigenous Fijians, accounts for approximately 83% of the Land area: This land is administered
on their behalf by the Native Land Trust Board (NLTB) and is inalienable except to the Crown. Native Land is in fact divided into ``reserves`` set aside for the exclusive
use of indigenous Fijians and ``non-reserves`` which can be leased to all races. The great majority of tenants are Indo-Fijians, also enter into leases with the NLTB.
SHEDDING THE EMPEROR’S CLOTHES: FROM COLONIAL SUGAR REFINING TO FIJI SUGAR CORPORATION THE TAKE-OVER AND CONSOLIDATION
1973-1976
Nii-K Plange
Sociology Department
University of the South Pacific
The biggest cheque written by the independent government of Fiji in 1973 bought the commercial property of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company (CSR). The reason for
the purchase of the CSR was its reluctance to share profits equably with its cane growers. Since its arrival in Fiji, and organisation of the sugar enterpriseb, CSR had
found itself at constant loggerheads with its indentured Indian cane growers. A Denning awarded series of confrontations over contract arrangements brought in a
commission of Enquiry in 1969 headed by Lord Denning. Denning awarded an equitable split of cane growers. In its reluctance to abide by the letter of the award,
CSR served notice in early 1970 of its decision to close shop and pull out. The newly independent government decided then to buy the industry and run it for the people of Fiji.
BUREAUCRACY AND THE PACIFIC HEALTH SERVICES
SITALEKI A. FINAU
Health Management Programme
University of the South Pacific
Pacific health services todayare distinguished from earlier forms by a higher degree of bureacratization. The once familiar traditional healer, and later medical
practitioner, has been replaced by a hierarchial health delivery system from birth to death .The presennnt day system is centered around urban based bureaucratic settings
, largely unapproachable to the partly literate in rural and urban populations. By virtue of their location, physical structure and organisational form, such centres do not
encourage or attract consumers until much higher health risks are reached. This trend towards complex istitutions and bureaucratization is not limited to health services, but
closely resembles developments in other sectors thoughout the Pacific island nations.
ECONOMICS AND DEVELOPMENT: A THIRD WORLD VIEW
Patrick A. Muma
Economics Department
University of the South Pacific
Despite decades of effort, the development still poses a serios challenge to theorists and practitioners alike. Particularly among economists, once considered to be in the
forefront of what has come to be known as the ‘business’, this challenge has raised a number of profound issues both about economics as a science and development as a
problem or process. This article examines these concerns and attempts to find possible solutions.
VERTICAL DISPLACEMENT OF LATE CENOZOIC SHORELINES ON LAU RIDGE ISLANDS: IMPLICATIONS FOR REGIONAL GEOTECTONIC DEVELOPMENT
Patrick D. Nunn
Department of Geography
University of the South Pacific
There are major problems in reconstructing the palaeogeography of the South West Pacific during the late Cenozoic (the last twenty million years or so) which analysis of
the geomophology of small islands in the region can help resolve. This paper focuses on Lau in eastern Fiji, an island of some ninety islands and sea-level reefs rising from
the North trending Lau-Colville Ridge, and discusses work reported in more detail elsewhere (Nunn, 1987a).
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