adopted by all parties in Parliament that the Government is
normally guided in such matters by the will of the people of the
territory as a whole. Tuvalu and the "precedents" mentioned
by the Hon Member are in fact good examples of the application of
this policy since in each case the separation was made with the
specific approval of the elected government of the territory as a
whole.
4.
Mr Posnett was wrong in saying that the "15 Points" offered by the Gilberts Government were rejected by the Banabans out of hand without study by the Council.
Answer: It is correct that The "15 Points" offer was replied to
on behalf of the Banaban Council by Reverend Tebuke Rotan in a letter
which rejected them all. Mr Posnett's Report sought simply to record
first the views put to him by the Government of the Gilbert Islands (at page 15 under the heading "the view from the Gilberts"). These
did not purport to represent his own views. Second, he reports (at page 25) the response of the Banaban Council when he raised this
matter with them. Third, he records his own clear impression after
staying four days on Rabi Island with the Banabans, that the details
of the 15-Point Offer had not been studied by the Council or by the
people. I do not think the letter mentioned by the Hon Member
necessarily conflicts with what Mr Posnett says.
Happily, however
I am hopeful in the light of the discussions which, following his
interview with my Rt Hon Friend, Reverend Tebuke is now having with Mr. Posnett, that more constructive developments may be possible.
now
5.
Mr Posnett describes the Banaban demand for sovereignty as irrational and their case in support of their claim as irrelevant.
What Mr Posnett said was that the Banaban feelings on
Answer:
2
<
/the issue