Letter to Samoa Observer

Way forward for Samoa: people must consent | Meripa Weir to samoaobserver show details Nov 25 (7 days ago) Dear Editor, Let me acknowledge Bob Rankin and his letter 'Globalisation and WTO: Disastrous for Samoa' (Samoa Observer Friday 06 November 2009). Mr Rankin responded to 'The enemies of Reason' by Mike Moore, published in Samoa Observer Monday 02 November 2009. Mr Moore is a former New Zealand PM and a former director of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), who has authored a book called 'Saving Globalisation'. I totally agree with Mr Rankin that Samoa should avoid Mr Moore's prescription for future prosperity which relies on globalisation and its elements of foreign intervention, immigration, free trade, and investment and money lenders from overseas. Why should Samoa rely on the globalisation of a free market economy with international rules that have proven to impoverish the lives of 80 percent of the world's people over the last 60 years? The wealth that Mr Moore proudly claims as the result of an economic-growth-centred approach to prosperity over the last 60 years is only enjoyed by a few people in our planet. What Mr Moore fails to acknowledge is that this wealth came about as Rankin says "...through unbridled greed and raping of the world's resources to such an extent that the very existence of life on planet earth is endangered..." Why, my beloved Samoa, is there so much reluctance and dragging of the feet by countries with developed economies when it comes to agreeing to a global treaty to reduce the dangerous levels of carbon emissions that are now causing global warming, climate and weather changes, devastating man-made earthquakes and tsunamis? I suggest to watch the events of the United Nations Ministerial Meeting on Climate Change in Copenhagen next month. Many people await in deep anxiety the outcome of Copenhagen as it could determine global suicide or survival of our planet. I suggest that Samoa be very cautious of Mr Moore's economic-growth-centred approach delivered in trade liberalisation and globalisation. This is also the methods that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) promotes to all governments in our planet. With elections pending in 2011, the people of Samoa should be informed about government plans and policies for the future of Samoa. People's referendum must decide issues like joining WTO. Ia manuia Samoa. Ma lo'u fa'aaloalo lava, Meripa Weir (Keen Samoan Watcher from Abroad).