Employment
4. The population is self-employed (except for the Administration
work). A committee supervises the limited "public work" of which
building, maintaining and manning the longboats is the most important.
Public Utilities
5. There are no permanent natural springs and water supply depends
on rain catchment in tanks. The Government operates small diesel-
electric generators for school and telecommunications requirements
and a larger plant to provide power for public lighting and sale to
the Islanders.
Land Policy
6.
Farm plots are based on the original division of the island
by Fletcher Christian, The land is held under a system of family ownership.
Health
7.
There is a resident nurse and a resident dental technician.
There is no resident doctor but doctors visit the island from time
to time and doctors on visiting ships sometimes help out. More
serious cases are sent to New Zealand for treatment, A doctor,
dentist and a dental technician visited the island in June with the
Governor.
Independence?
8. The following declaration was unanimously made by the Island Council on 16 June 1968. It has not been rescinded and the
islanders have never subsequently intimated that they wish to become independent:
"Having noted the discussions which had taken place from time to time in the United Nations Committee on Colonialism about the future status of the remaining smaller Colonial territories; and having also noted that the British Colony of the Pitcairn Islands is one of the territories considered by the Committee, the Pitcairn Island Council declare that it has no présent wish to seek to change the nature of the relationship between the Government and people of Pitcairn and the Government of the United Kingdom but if, at any time, change should be desirable the Council has full confidence that this can and will be
16
/negotiated