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Statement by

H.E. Mr. Leo A. Falcam
President of the
Federated States of Micronesia

at the

Standing Committee of the Pacific Islands Conference of Leaders

HONOLULU, 13 March 2002

Check Against Delivery

1. INTRODUCTION:

AS PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS CONFERENCE OF LEADERS, AND BY WAY OF SETTING THE STAGE FOR OUR DISCUSSIONS THIS WEEK, I WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME THOUGHTS ON THE VALUES THAT ARE HELD WITHIN THE PACIFIC ISLAND CULTURES OF TODAY. MAKE NO MISTAKE, DESPITE THE MORE IMMEDIATE DEMANDS THAT SO OFTEN OCCUPY OUR ATTENTION, AN UNDERSTANDING OF THESE VALUES IS ESSENTIAL IN OUR DECISIONS ON HOW BEST TO LEAD OUR RESPECTIVE PEOPLES FROM HERE INTO THE FUTURE.

I AM AWARE THAT THIS IS NOT AS EASY AN ASSIGNMENT AS IT MIGHT SEEM AT FIRST. IT CERTAINLY CALLS UPON US AS LEADERS TO SHARE OUR THOUGHTS AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY. IN FACT, I SEE IT AS AN IMPORTANT ROLE OF OUR STANDING COMMITTEE TO EXPAND PERSONAL INTERACTIONS AMONG US, AND TO FIND COMMON UNDERSTANDINGS OF THE DIVERSE VALUES THAT CONSTITUTE THE BACKING OF THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF OUR ISLAND NATIONS.

IN THE USUAL WAYS THAT WE APPROACH REGIONAL COOPERATION, THE SHARING OF RESEARCH, INSIGHTS AND EXPERT ADVICE IS CRUCIAL. BUT I AM ALSO AWARE THAT OUR PEOPLE NEED MORE THAN JUST RESEARCH AND EXPERT ADVICE. THEY NEED TO FULLY APPRECIATE THE IMPORTANCE OF 'WHO AND WHAT THEY ARE' AS MICRONESIANS, MELANESIANS OR POLYNESIANS. THEY NEED A COMPASS WITH WHICH THEY CAN FIND A USEFUL DIRECTION IN TODAY'S WORLD FOR APPLYING THOSE CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL VALUES THAT ARE SO MUCH A PART OF OUR MAKEUP AS PACIFIC ISLANDERS.

I UNDERSTAND THE DIFFICULTY WE FACE IN TALKING ABOUT THESE VALUES. THEY ARE IN SOME CASES ARE WIDELY DIVERSE, AND HAVE BEEN KNOWN TO LEAD TO SERIOUS CONFLICTS WITHIN OUR REGION. BUT, AS LEADERS, WE CANNOT RUN AWAY FROM SUCH DISCUSSION. WE SHOULD SEEK IT. THIS IS WHY OUR MEETING HERE IN HONOLULU IS A VALUABLE OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE OUR MUTUAL UNDERSTANDING, AS WELL AS RESPECT AND TOLERENCE FOR THE DIVERSITY OF OUR PEOPLES' VALUES. IT IS THIS DIVERSITY THAT NEEDS TO BE ANALYZED AND UNDERSTOOD, AS A PREREQUISITE TO ANY USEFUL DISCUSSION OF THE "CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR DEVELOPMENT AND GOVERNANCE IN THE GLOBALIZATION ERA."

LET ME START OUR CONVERSATION BY IDENTIFYING WHAT I SEE AS SOME OF THE MAJOR CATEGORIES OF VALUES THAT ARE IMPORTANT TO ALL OF OUR PEOPLES. I HOPE THAT DURING OUR MEETING WE WILL SHARE WITH EACH OTHER OUR OWN POINTS OF VIEW AS LEADERS OF COUNTRIES WHERE DIFFERING CIRCUMSTANCES CAST DIFFERENT LIGHTS ON THE MAJOR CATEGORIES I IDENTIFY HERE.

2. POLITICAL VALUES:

TODAY MANY PEOPLE TEND TO THINK OF OUR POLITICAL VALUES IN TERMS OF A SINGLE LINEAR PROCESS OF MOVING TOWARDS A BASICALLY WESTERN LIBERAL-DEMOCRATIC FORM OF POLITICAL ORGANIZATION. WE SEE A VARIATION OF THIS POLITICAL IDEA IN DIFFERENT FORMS OF POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS IN OUR REGION. AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE DIRECTION OF POLITICAL CHANGE DOES NOT ALWAYS POINT IN THE SAME DIRECTION. IN MY VIEW, ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FOR SOME OF US AS LEADERS OF OUR NEW AND YOUNG NATIONS IS 'HOW TO CREATE AND SUSTAIN A FEELING OF NATIONAL COLLECTIVE IDENTITY' ON THE PART OF THE MANY DIFFERENT CULTURAL GROUPS THAT MAKE UP OUR COUNTRIES.

THE ABSENCE OF SUCH A SENSE OF COLLECTIVE IDENTITY CONTAINS THE SEEDS OF SOCIAL INCOHERENCE AND HENCE MAY BE THE ROOT CAUSE OF MANY FUNDAMENTAL POLITICAL PROBLEMS WE FACE IN OUR OVERALL DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS. CERTAINLY, THE PRESENCE OF A STRONG FEELING OF NATIONAL IDENTITY LEADS TO GREATER COMMITMENTS ON THE PART OF DIFFERENT CULTURAL OR ETHNIC GROUPS TO THE IDEA OF BUILDING A STABLE AND PROSPEROUS NATION.

THIS IS NOT ANY EASY POLITICAL TASK FOR A LEADER, AS EACH OF US NEEDS RESOURCES, TIME, AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE 'OTHERS' IN OUR SOCIETIES IF WE ARE TO MAKE A SUSTAINABLE REALITY OUT OF THE ASPIRATION FOR STABLE, SECURE DEVELOPING NATIONS.

3. CULTURAL & SPIRITUAL VALUES:

AMONG THE MOST DEEPLY-ROOTED VALUES COMMON TO ALL PACIFIC ISLANDERS IS THAT, CULTURALLY AND SPIRITUALLY, IT IS IN OUR NATURE TO SHARE THE THINGS WE HAVE WITH THE MEMBERS OF OUR KINSHIP GROUPS, VILLAGES, AND SO FORTH. AS A RESULT, THE VALUES THAT SUPPORT OUR KINSHIP SYSTEM BECOME THE ONLY FORMS OF SOCIAL SECURITY AVAILABLE TO MANY IF NOT MOST OF THE PEOPLE IN OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES. THE KINSHIP SYSTEM SECURES THEM AGAINST THE POSSIBILITY OF LOSS OF HEALTH, PRODUCTIVITY DUE TO OLD AGE, JOB, AND OPPORTUNITIES IN THEIR PURSUIT OF GOOD LIFE. MORE SIGNIFICANTLY IT PROVIDES THE CULTURAL BASIS FOR LANDOWNERSHIP RIGHTS AND ASSURANCE OF TRADITIONAL STATUS AND AUTHORITY OF LOCAL CHIEFS AND 'BIG MEN'.

AT THE SAME TIME, HOWEVER, IT PRESENTS US WITH THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF CHALLENGES. IN THE POLITICAL ARENA, IT CAN PRESENT A CHALLENGE TO THE LEGITIMACY OF THE DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM OF GOVERNMENT FROM THE POINT OF VIEWS OF THE KINSHIP SYSTEM. THIS IS TO DO WITH THE FACT THAT UNLESS OUR PEOPLE SEE THEIR KINSHIP VALUES AS PARTS OF A COLLECTIVE FEELING OF NATIONAL IDENTITY, THEY WILL REGARD THE GOVERNMENT DECISIONS AFFECTING THEIR KINSHIP LANDOWNERSHIP RIGHTS, STATUS, AND AUTHORITY AS ILLEGITIMATE AND AS SOME SORT OF 'FOREIGN' INTERFERENCE.

IN ADDITION, OUR KINSHIP VALUES PRESENT A CHALLENGE TO THE WAY WE AS LEADERS REPRESENT THE GOVERNMENT TO THE PEOPLE, BECAUSE PEOPLE MAY TEND TO EXPECT OF GOVERNMENT SPECIAL GOODS AND SERVICES AS PART OF KINSHIP RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS. THIS TENDS TO CREATE ATTITUDES OF GOVERNMENT DEPENDENCY AMONG OUR PEOPLE THAT IN TURN LEAD TO THE POLITICAL DIFFICULTY IN CONTROLLING GOVERNMENT SPENDING AS WELL AS IN PROMOTING PEOPLE EFFECTIVE PARTICIPATION IN THE UTILIZATION OF LOCAL RESOURCES TO ENHANCE THE STANDARD OF LIVING.

CLEARLY, ONE OF OUR GREATEST CHALLENGES IS TO CREATE A BALANCE BETWEEN THE RESPECT FOR AND DIGNITY OF OUR CULTURAL VALUES AND THE NEED FOR EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE THE STANDARD OF LIVING OF OUR PEOPLE THAT ARE ALSO CONSISTENT WITH EMERGING GLOBAL REALITIES.

4. ECONOMIC VALUES:

IN TERMS OF ECONOMIC VALUES, WE PACIFIC ISLANDERS START WHERE EVERYONE ELSE DOES. WE ARE CONCERNED WITH THE PROCESSES OF PRODUCTION OR ACQUISITION AND DISTRIBUTION OF GOODS AND SERVICES FOR THE BENEFIT OF OUR PEOPLE. AND THIS IS PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT WHEN WE THINK OF THE NEED FOR RESOURCES MOBILIZATION TO FINANCE ECONOMIC GROWTH IN A SUSTAINABLE WAY, TODAY AND TOMORROW. IN OTHER WORDS, WE NEED LONG-TERM CAPITAL PRODUCTIVITY AND SUSTAINABILITY TO ACHIEVE REAL ECONOMIC GROWTH. THIS IS UNDENIABLE.

I AM AWARE OF THE FACT THAT DEVELOPMENT EXPERTS THE WORLD OVER HAVE BROUGHT INTO THE PACIFIC ISLANDS THE SAME PHILOSOPHY THAT HAS DRIVEN WESTERN DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE IN AFRICA AND ELSEWHERE IN THE DEVELOPING WORLD. AS A RESULT, THE ROLE OF GOVERNMENT IN OUR ISLANDS IS GRADUALLY SHIFTING AWAY FROM CENTRAL PLANNING AND CONTROL OF RESOURCES, AND TOWARD EMPHASIS ON THE PRIVATE SECTOR AS THE PROPER ENGINE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH. THIS IS REFLECTED IN A NUMBER OF ECONOMIC REFORM PROGRAMS, SOMETIMES CALLED, "STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENTS," THAT ARE NOW AT VARIOUS STAGES OF IMPLEMENTATION IN THE REGION, INCLUDING IN THE FSM.

ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY FOR OUR ISLANDS IS, MORE OFTEN THAN NOT, DISCUSSED BY ECONOMISTS ALONG THE LINES OF GRAPHS AND CHARTS AND MODELS DERIVED LARGELY FROM THE WESTERN EXPERIENCE. WHILE IT IS QUITE TRUE, AS I SAID EARLIER, THAT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT DEPENDS ON OUR FINDING WAYS TO INCREASE CAPITAL PRODUCTIVITY, THE ECONOMIC VALUES OF OUR SOCIETIES ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE ECONOMIC VALUES OF THE INDUSTRIALIZED WESTERN WORLD. SO, WHILE WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR THE EXPERT ADVICE OF OUR CONSULTANTS - ADVICE WHICH WE SORELY NEED - ONLY WE, THE LEADERS, IN CONSULTATION WITH OUR PEOPLES, CAN BRING INTO FOCUS AND ADD TO THIS DISCUSSION OUR PARTICULAR ECONOMIC VALUES. UNTIL WE BEGIN TO THINK AND ACT MORE ALONG THESE LINES, ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY FOR THE PACIFIC ISLANDS WILL REMAIN A CONCEPT NEEDING OUR INPUTS.

5. ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES:

OF ALL THE TOPICS I AM COVERING, THIS IS PROBABLY THE ONE WHERE WE ALL FIND THE MOST COMMON GROUND. OUR ISLAND CULTURES HAVE CENTURIES OF EXPERIENCE INTERACTING AS CLOSELY WITH THE LANDS AND WATERS AROUND US AS ANYONE ELSE ON THE PLANET. LONG BEFORE THE TERM, "ENVIRONMENT," WAS EVEN THOUGHT OF, WE RECOGNIZED ITS ESSENTIAL PLACE IN OUR LIVES AND DEVELOPED CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL CONNECTIONS WITH IT. WITH YOUR INDULGENCE, I AM NOT NOW GOING TO LENGTHEN THESE REMARKS BY "PREACHING TO THE CHOIR" ON THE MANY ONGOING ASSAULTS, WELL KNOWN TO ALL OF US, ON OUR ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES. I WOULD ONLY URGE YOU THAT WE MUST CONTINUE TO WORK TOGETHER, AS WE HAVE BEEN DOING AT THE UNITED NATIONS, AT THE PACIFIC ISLANDS FORUM, AT SPREP AND ELSEWHERE, TO ENSURE THAT OUR UNIQUE POSITIONS OF VULNERABILITY TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL THREATS ARE NOT BRUSHED ASIDE BY THE GLOBAL FORCES OF GREED AND THOUGHTLESS CONSUMPTION.

6. GLOBALIZATION VALUES:

I THINK THAT THIS TOPIC IS NOT AS MUCH ABOUT THE "VALUES" OF GLOBALIZATION AS IT IS THE CHALLENGE OF STRIKING A PROPER BALANCE BETWEEN THE TEMPTATION TO LOOK TO EMERGING GLOBAL RESOURCES FOR SOLUTIONS TO ALL OUR NEEDS, AND THE EVEN MORE IMPORTANT IMPERATIVE THAT WE LOOK FIRST TO LOCAL NEEDS, AND LOCAL SOLUTIONS. NOWHERE BETTER THAN IN THE PACIFIC ISLANDS DOES THE POPULAR SAYING, "THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY," APPLY.

IN MY ADDRESS TO THE LEADERS AT LAST YEAR'S PACIFIC ISLANDS CONFERENCE OF LEADERS, I RAISED THREE QUESTIONS WITH REGARD TO GLOBALIZATION: (1) DOES OUR FORM AND STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT REMAIN EFFECTIVE IN THIS ERA; (2) WHAT CHALLENES EXIST FOR SERVING PEOPLE AND MAINTAINING ORDER; AND (3) HOW DO GLOBAL FORCES CONTRIBUTE TO OUR ABILITY TO PROVIDE SERVICES TO OUR PEOPLE. WE MAY, IN OUR DISCUSSIONS HERE, WANT TO RE-EXAMINE THESE QUESTIONS.

TODAY WE SEE THE PROLIFERATION OF GLOBAL TELEVISION NETWORKS AND AUDIENCES, OF THE NEW COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGIES, AS WELL AS COMPUTER AND INTERNET SERVICES IN OUR REGION. THESE INSTRUMENTS OF GLOBALIZATION ARE ALREADY BRINGING EDUCATIONAL AND HEALTH BENEFITS TO MANY OF OUR PEOPLES, AND IN SOME CASES, COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITY. ALONG WITH THESE TECHNOLOGIES, HOWEVER, COME EVER-INCREASING EXPECTATIONS, ESPECIALLY BY OUR YOUNGER PEOPLE. NOT ONLY THAT, THERE IS ALSO A DANGER THAT WHEREVER THERE IS A LACK OF ACCESS TO THEM IT WILL TEND TO BRING ABOUT A COMMUNICATION "GAP" BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE AT THE GRASSROOTS LEVELS. PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, WE MUST REMEMBER THAT GLOBALIZATION VALUES ARE MUCH HIGHER, IN THE SHORT TERM, FOR INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS, AND IF NOT PROPERLY CONTROLLED, CAN ACTUALLY IMPEDE OUR LOCAL DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS.

WITH OR WITHOUT GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY, WE MUST FIND WAYS TO STRENGTHEN GOVERNMENT-TO-PEOPLE COMMUNICATIONS IN ORDER TO INCREASE PEOPLE'S PARTICIPATION IN DEVELOPMENT AND GIVE THEM A FEELING OF NATIONAL IDENTITY. OVER AND ABOVE DEVELOPMENT CONSIDERATIONS, MAINTAINING ORDER AT THE LOCAL LEVELS TODAY AND IN THE FUTURE WILL BECOME A STRONGER CHALLENGE ABSENT SUCH FREE EXCHANGE OF IDEAS, AND LOCAL PARTICIPATION IN THE PROCESS OF GOVERNMENT.

VALUES OF THE FUTURE: HOW WE GO FROM HERE?

WHEN WE THINK OF THE FUTURE, WE MAY BEGIN BY REFLECTING ON THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY'S CHILDREN. OUR CHILDREN INHERIT AND CARRY FORWARD OUR MOST IMPORTANT VALUES FOR THE FUTURE. FOR THIS REASON THE KIND OF CHALLENGES SUCH AS POVERTY, POLITICAL INSTABILITY, AND LACK OF SOCIAL INFRASTRUCTURES THAT PREVENT OUR CHILDREN FROM HAVING ACCESS TO ADEQUATE EDUCATION, HEALTH, AND OPPORTUNITIES CONSTRAIN OUR ABILITY TO MOVE FREELY FROM HERE INTO A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

TIME IS A CENTRAL ISSUE HERE. IN PARTICULAR WHEN WE THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE WE CAN SEE OUR CHILDREN'S ROLE IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND RECONSTRUCTION OF THE WAY OF LIFE; WE CAN AND OUGHT TO SHARE WITH ONE ANOTHER OVER THE NEXT TWENTY OR MORE YEARS. BUT OUR CHILDREN CANNOT PLAY A MEANINGFUL ROLE IN THIS NATION BUILDING PROCESS UNLESS WE CAN PROVIDE THEM WITH THE PROPER EDUCATION, HEALTH, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES AND UNDERSTANDING THAT THEY NEED TODAY SO THAT THEY CAN PREPARE THEMSELVES TO WORK TOGETHER TOWARD A SECURE FUTURE.

THIS IS WHY I BELIEVE WE AS LEADERS SHOULD SPEND MORE TIME REFLECTING AND TALKING ABOUT THE DIRECTION OF OUR REGION'S DEVELOPMENT. HOW WE OUGHT TO GO FROM HERE IS MORE CRITICAL THAN HOW FAST WE PROCEED BY WAY OF THE RATE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH. TOO OFTEN WE BECOME PREOCCUPIED WITH THE IDEA OF PUSHING FOR A GREATER RATE OF ECONOMIC GROWTH AND PAY LESS ATTENTION TO DIRECTION OF WHERE WE ARE GOING. AS A RESULT, WITH THE HELP OF EXPERTS WE TEND TO TALK QUITE A LOT ABOUT THE CONDITIONS AND MEASUREMENT OF ECONOMIC GROWTH, REFORMS, GOOD GOVERNANCE, ETC. AND VERY LITTLE OF HOW PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT CULTURAL BACKGROUNDS CAN LIVE IN HARMONY WITH ONE ANOTHER AND FIND THE RIGHT WAYS EFFECTIVELY AND COLLECTIVELY TO ADVANCE THE PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT.

INDEED, THIS IS A GREAT CHALLENGE FOR ALL OF US AS LEADERS. AND I BELIEVE CONVERSATIONS LIKE THESE HERE AT THE STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING ARE VERY IMPORTANT TO OUR INDIVIDUAL REFLECTIONS ON HOW WE BEST CAN LEAD OUR PEOPLES TOWARD A STABLE AND PROSPEROUS FUTURE.