Letters
Letters
Numbers Nuances
My “lightly-Francophone English” is probably responsible for some misunderstanding in the article, “The Cost of Territories,” in the April Pacific Magazine. Restoring the nuances that have been missed would make the article more informative. French Polynesians in outer islands do have access to basic health care in small health centers, but serious cases necessitate evacuation to Papeete, New Zealand or France. There is a terrible lack of waste water treatment in French Polynesia. However, one plant works efficiently in Outumaoro, Puunauia. There are 97 controlled mini-purification stations and 160,000 inhabitants are served by individual septic tanks that work more or less properly. Despite increasing autonomy of the territories, there is still a seemingly colonial attitude in not being eager to develop local human resources. This policy is supported by the lack of local qualification. There was little access to higher education until the foundation of the Université Française du Pacifique in 1988. There is income tax in New Caledonia only. Most local government revenues come from import taxes and VAT. Territories cost more to the French than to Americans because the French territories’ population is larger than that of Guam and American Samoa and the mainland France population is much smaller than the U.S. population. Aid per capita is rather similar in French and U.S. territories at between $2,000 and $2,500.
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Jean-Louis Rallu
Prison Air
I am writing concerning our rights as inmates at the Tafuna Correctional Facility in American Samoa. I’ve been deprived of my right to freedom of religion. I am a Seventh-Day Adventist and wanted to go to church services on Saturday. The unit where I’m housed is not allowed to any church services except on Sunday. I’ve been trying for over a year to get permission from the warden, but it was always denied.
Secondly, and most important, is the issue of the housing of us in a building that is not suitable to house any human beings. This building is brick walls with tiny square windows. The building was specifically designed for air conditioning, but there is none and the temperature is always over 100 degrees hot in these cells 24 hours a day. There is no ventilation and you smell the cigarette smoke and the odor of human waste. I am feeling sick and it’s getting worse every day. This is cruel and unusual punishment with no respect for human rights.
Smith Siaumau
Tafuna Correctional Facility
After some inquiries in the territory, one source told us that the air conditioning for the building in question, which is about five years old, was taken away by TFC staff. The Public Safety Department Commissioner’s office referred us to prison commander Mika Kelemeti, who told us by phone, “That’s garbage! The building was never designed for air conditioning. There’s nothing wrong with that building.” He said there is adequate air flow even though he admitted smoking is allowed inside. Inquiries about American law on religious freedom in American prisons produced no firm answers. Prison administrators currently have a wide degree of discretion in granting religious worship opportunities to the inmates in their charge. Non-mainstream religions are often denied access with the explanation that low staffing makes additional visitations too difficult to handle while still maintaining institutional security.
