The vulnerability of Polynesia

Comments on "Trouble in Paradise" by John Braddock for Dysfunctions on ocus.net

Being from Hawaii, news from around the rest of Polynesia has always been of significance to me. This blog is about the turmoil of strikes and marches in Samoa, Tahiti, New Caledonia, Tonga, and Fiji. While events of such happen in other countries around the world, these cases in these small countries demonstrate the vulnerablity of these small nations. For example, with the strike of 23 doctors in Samoa, patients had to be sent to New Zealand because the medical staff in the country is severly understaffed.

Like these counties, Hawaii is physically isolated, has an economy heavily dependent on tourism, and has tensions between indiginous peoples (and also lower class immigrants) with the upper class. However, Hawaii, as part of the U.S., also receives federal funds and support unlike these other countries. None the less, the future of these Polynesian countries should be watched to give insight to the future of Hawaii and our vulnerabilites.