Around the Pacific

Valls favours staying French

NEW CALEDONIA – A former French prime minister Manuel Valls says the French government should say before New Caledonia’s referendum what its preferred outcome is. Valls, who was in Noumea last week as the head of a French National Assembly delegation, was speaking at a public debate. He said he personally wants New Caledonia to stay French and expressed regret that there wouldn’t be a third accord to follow the Matignon Accords and the Noumea Accord. Valls said, in view of Britain’s exit from the European Union, France would be the only European power left in the Pacific, adding that its presence was wanted by Australia and New Zealand.

He has also advised caution about the concept of a Caledonian people, saying there is a Kanak people and a French people as well as a Caledonian citizenship. Les Nouvelles Caledoniennes reported another Assembly member Cristian Jacob saying it was not possible to get independence and maintain funding from France. Once independent, he said, New Caledonia could enter into co-operation treaties but that won’t match the current French commitment.

Pro-independence bloc ruffled

NEW CALEDONIA – Pro-independence politicians in New Caledonia are upset at comments by a visiting former French prime minister Manuel Valls who said he was in favour of the territory remaining French.

Valls, who was in Noumea as the head of a French National Assembly delegation, was speaking at a public debate as the territory readies for an independence referendum later this year.

One politician Louis Mapou said he had the impression that the whole French state machinery was being aligned to back the anti-independence camp.

He also said he wondered whether President Emmanuel Macron would use his upcoming visit to Noumea to unleash a ‘say no to independence’ campaign.

Wamytan said it was up to the New Caledonian population to decide.

An anti-independence politician Philippe Michel said Mr Valls’s remarks add to a situation which already complicated.

Focus on educating children

PACIFIC – A three-year work programme to improve educational outcomes for Pacific children and youth in New Zealand has been announced by the New Zealand government. The programme places a higher priority on improving student achievement.

Priority areas in the government programme are – more quality teaching, encouraging the role of Pacific identities, language and culture, and building better connections with families and communities.

Associate Minister for Education Jenny Salesa said the move also reflected the government’s commitment to ensuring education is more responsive to Pacific people given serious inequities in the education system. She said that she sees many opportunities for young people, including undertaking training and education in the building and construction sector.

The programme also offers an opportunity for Pacific children and youth to better participate in education summits so students can make more informed future career decisionss.