FRONTLINE. 06/11/1988

A weekly current affairs programme introduced by Lindsay Perigo. This week’s topic is the unprecedented sacking of Cabinet Minister Richard Prebble and New Caledonia politics.

Prime Minister David Lange made political history and precipitated a political crisis. Perigo interviews David Lange in the studio about why Prebble was dismissed from his SOE portfolio. Lange explains that Prebble was following a Cabinet policy of selling assets which Cabinet will keep doing. But Lange has a responsibility for the overall management of Cabinet, and in his view there was a problem with it, which the country is well aware of, there was no acceptance by the Minister that there was a problem, and there was then a repudiation of the consultative process which had been agreed to at the Labour Party Conference.

In New Caledonia an uneasy truce has been declared between the Independence Movement and pro- French loyalists. Peace seems to hang on an accord reached between the factions and on a referendum today: The Matignon Accord, signed in June 1988. Terence Taylor reports via satellite from Noumea. Frontline asks if peace is really possible in New Caledonia. A historical outline of the situation is given.

Interviewees: Jean-Marie Tjibaou, President, FLNKS; Pierre Maresca, Secretary, RPCR; Bernard Grasset, French High Commissioner; Yann Celenne Urregei, FULK; Guy George, leader, National Front; [Henri Marini], hotel owner;

Local Kanaks interviewed include the tribes people of Gossanah, Ouvea, who were excessively interrogated by French forces; Jean-Marie [Navitte], spokesperson, Gossanah tribe; Djoubelly Wea; Filomene (sister of Eloi Machoro].