The
REAP Report - Living on a small island
Our
island is one of the most exquisitely enchanted and beautiful
islands. It is well known for its warm tropical climate, white
and sometimes, golden sandy beaches, accompanied by our ravishing
sapphire seas which surround our beautiful and peaceful island.
Our
island also has a large percentage of lush vegetation. Our people
with their friendly and radiant smiles and behaviour do a lot
to encourage our tourists to relax and really enjoy their stay.
We
are well known for our crafts and activities which express our
culture and show how the people of our islands are innovated
and very interested in their local traditions. One of the most
participative festivals is the Constitution Celebrations. There
are more advantages of living here. With a very small population
there is a lower percentage of violence. The landscape is so
small that it is almost impossible to get lost and everyone
will be known to you. The fewer the people and houses being
built, the more land there is to construct tourist accommodations
and other buildings and local exhibitions. There is also less
deforestation taking place. Many people have turned away from
the land, and agriculture is not as popular with the younger
generation as with their grand and great-grand parents. Also
with the coming of electricity, charcoal and wood isn't burnt
as often as it was in the past generations. Our small population
means fewer mouths to feed that would increase the percentage
of the marine life due to fewer fishermen. All these natural
resources, kind-hearted people and our cultural packages are
what help to attract tourists to our beautiful islands.
There
are also some disadvantages of living on a small island, but
the biggest and most important one of all is, I think, the lack
of jobs. More needs to be done to provide jobs. With our small
population we are at a very high risk of contracting diseases.
There is another disadvantage, it is the fact that there always
seems to be gossip from one person to another about someone
else which sometimes isn't really true.
Due
to our small amount of local export goods and the high prices
of imported products from foreign countries, our local finances
are declining. The last disadvantage which is considered a worry
to us is the fact that there are not enough opportunities for
young people to expand themselves. When students finish their
secondary education there are not many jobs. They can only be
involved in the hotel industry, fishing industry or move overseas.
These disadvantages should be looked into carefully by our government
leaders.
Our
island can be whatever we want it to be. All we have to do is
work together to make progress in developing our island's potential.
One
of the main purposes of Small Islands Voice is to demonstrate
to those living on small islands, be they in the Indian, Caribbean
or Pacific Oceans that their situation and problems are shared
by others as this article demonstrates.
Can
you guess from which island the author is from?
Answer:
As familiar as the situation sounds to us living here, especially
those in the outer islands, the authors of this article are
not from the Cook Islands. Written by students from Bequia High
School in the Caribbean about life on their island. A Small
Islands Voice.
Cook
Islands News, 27 January 2003
