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Letters from Our Readers
Islands Receive
Peanuts From Fishing
I was delighted with two of your articles — one by Giff Johnson pushing for eco-tourism and the other by Mere Tuqiri titled “Making a Difference” which was about Alf Simpson’s views on the importance of regional cooperation and the need for transparency. As Alf said, “You have to be Blind Freddy not to be able to see that island countries on their own have no negotiating power.” This is so true. The island nations in the Western Pacific own the largest tuna resource in the world, yet virtually no real local industries have been
created.
Islanders should work together to plan and develop the enormous resource they own, but hardly utilize. They seem to fear competition from each other so rather than work together, they work with the foreign fishing nations. The funds they get from license fees are peanuts to what they could gain if they ran their own industries, serviced the fishing vessels, and processed the fish. Instead, they allow foreign fishing companies to do it all and reap the profits. It is easier to listen to those that want their fish and do as they say rather than take the responsibility to do it themselves. Pity!
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Kula, Maui, Hawaii
Can American Get Fair Trial?
An article on Scott Hamel’s conviction for murder in Pohnpei in the March issue was accurate but there are other serious issues arising from the case. The Hamel case has raised the question of whether an American can receive a fair trial in Pohnpei. The case is now on appeal, and just a few of the challenges that the defense has raised involve violation of the rules for disclosure of evidence by the Pohnpei Attorney General’s Office; highly prejudicial comments and speculation by the trial judge; and the fact that the crime scene was mishandled and irredeemably compromised by local police. Perhaps most troubling, Mr. Hamel received a sentence that is almost twice as long as any sentence imposed on a Micronesian for similar offenses.
I have confidence in the FSM appellate court, which has repeatedly demonstrated its commitment to due process and equal protection, and the Governor of Pohnpei will have the opportunity to adjust Mr. Hamel’s sentence. Nonetheless, the Hamel case represents a serious test of the fairness of the legal system in Pohnpei.
Colin A. Fieman,Public Defender Yap, Federated States of Micronesia
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