I used to know Gavin in London, where he worked as an EMT before returning to his native New Zealand. He has been in touch recently, and sent me this short guest post about his trip to Samoa.
A decade ago I visited Samoa, a four hour plane ride from New Zealand, to visit the place where my mum and dad met. That story is interesting. Dad was an armed NZ policeman during WW2 and mum a NZ nurse. On arrival, dad had to line up to get his vaccination and mum gave it – literally I’m the prick as a result.
The Samoans have no armed forces. The church protects them.
Gavin’s father in 1982, and Gavin at the same spot in 2012.
I got the clear message that China was muscling in back then. They had paid for a hospital, provided new ambulances (over NZ second hand ones) and proposed to build a deep water port and lengthen the runway. It was obvious to me why. But the world stood unconcerned.
The South Pacific spans over 15% of the world’s surface with a small population spread over many sovereign nations, some French, some New Zealand including being in the British Commonwealth – such as Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Caledonia, Solomons, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and technically New Zealand. If the 2 ice caps melt much more, then the Pacific will rise and flood these nations out of existence. Many of these islanders are moving to New Zealand now – look at the make up of our All Blacks team. The west has done nothing because it doesn’t learn about the Pacific at school.
China has just done a full security deal with the Solomons, including providing their police force. This is a total threat to neighbour Australia. Like a pack of cards, China has today signed a deal with Samoa and Fiji. The rest will follow. Plus of course getting Taiwan back.
China has clear intentions of establishing multiple air and sea bases in the Pacific. Ironically, while Britain had no maritime air patrol from 2010 to 2020, Canada, Australia and New Zealand did the patrolling for Britain. Britain may have to return the favour.
beetleypete 
I would love to reconnect with Gavin Marriott. He may or may not recall we corresponded way back, on the subject of the Remembrance Poppy. If you can help, I would be much obliged. Thanks.
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I will send him your email address. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Thank you so much Pete. I appreciate that so much. Heather
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I have just sent the email, but there is a huge time difference of course.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Yes, appreciate that. Many thanks for your help. Fingers crossed. Heather
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Sounds remarkably like The Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere all over again. Warmest regards, Ed
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That area has always fallen victim to colonialism, now it seems there is a new player.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Amen.
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Knew Gavin briefly in the UK, big surprise phone call out of the blue, Gavin and a couple of guys were in a pub about 2 hundred yards away, Gavin had arranged a meeting of ex LAS, nice to catch up.
Thanks for the book Gavin 😁
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He mentioned you two had met up in NZ.
Cheers, Bobby.
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Gavin subjected himself to a London Grill on my blog. Until it posted I didn’t realise that you had worked together. Hopefully he’ll have more to tell us about life Down Under.
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Thanks, David. He may well give us some reports from NZ in the future.
Best wishes, Pete.
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I wonder sometimes how the world will look in 100, even 50 years time. I won’t be around to see it of course, but yep, I wonder.
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It has always changed of course. I have no doubt that Ancient Romans could never visualise the end of the Roman Empire. If they could see the global position of Italy now, they would no doubt be flabbergasted.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Yes empires come and go and come and go, not much changes.
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Thanks for introducing us to Gavin, Pete. No, I don’t think the South Pacific features much in the news, and China’s role in the area is never mentioned. It doesn’t sound good.
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It feels like a bloodless modern-day colonialism, Olga. Britain, France, Spain, Holland, Belgium, and Germany all did the same thing, but they also killed and enslaved people in the process.
Best wishes, Pete.
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The Chinese are everywhere, Africa, West Indies….somebody had better wake up.
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Reminds me of when the British were everywhere, Carolyn. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Good point!
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He hasn’t changed much. I worked with him on days at Chelsea before I came to North Ken.
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I agree, Ian. He hasn’t changed at all.
Cheers, Pete.
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“You gave us some free stuff, China. And now we want samoa!”
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You couldn’t resist that pun. I knew you wouldn’t be able to. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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