An editorial piece on Solomon Star website questioned the fact that the Australian PM. Kevin Rudd is looking to other countries in the Pacific for the Australian 'guest worker' program, and not Solomon Islands. Is there any discrimination on the part of Australia? Is Solomon Islands being treated unfairly here?
Attitude
It may sound rather appropriate to ask this kind of question, however, Solomon Islands has no right to determine who should work in Australia. This is an Australian 'guest worker' program and they have the prerogative whether to recruit Solomon Islanders or not. But Solomon Islands attitude toward Australia was nothing but hostility, and biased. It seems though that those who would apply to work in Australia under this program may have some connections with the former Malaita Eagle Force or Guadalcanal Revolutionary Army. And Australia has the right to keep Solomon Islanders out of the program, and we have no power over it!
Melanesian vs. Australia and NZ
Recently, a meeting scheduled for a high profile talk between Fiji Interim Prime Minister and Pacific Islands leaders was canceled because of Com. Bainimarama's anger over transit visa in NZ. And earlier this year, on a trip to Tonga, the Governor General of Papua New Guinea expressed his dissatisfaction over treatment in NZ. Turned out that the GG was flying to Tonga to see a king being inaugurated. This Melanesian consciousness of the "big man" and "master treatment" has been the reasons why SI has been plunged into the abyss in the passed years.
It is rather awkward to view our neighbors as discriminatory when it comes to treatment of country leaders and its people, more so when excluded from programs like these.
The editorial also painted a picture as to the kind of Australia that the government of Kevin Rudd portrayed to the world; a discriminating regime. Whether it is true or not, the bottom-line is very clear 'Australia has the right chose who works in Australia' and it is not the right of Solomon Islanders to question it. Or any politicians for that matter.
Why no Guest Worker Program within SI?
Last time a Guest worker program existed in SI, we ended up with Malaitan permanent settlements in Guadalcanal and lawlessness became a SI trademark. The arrival of Isatabau Freedom Movement was more predictable than ever. But the question is 'why would SI people want to go and pick apples in Australia when there's a need to work and develop Solomon Islands? Solomon Islands needs such worker programs to develop its own backyard, planting rice to reduce reliance on foreign rice, for example, is a good idea for a worker programs within SI.
Last time, SI accused Australia of crimes committed back in the 19th and 20th century relating to the 'black-birding saga' but isn't going to Australia to pick apples and other stuff, another form of slavery? I think it is.
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