Ruta Mave: Is the public consultation on water prices just a box-ticking exercise?

The Rarotongan public has a short memory because again they attend these meetings as they do other government-led consultations, with the mistaken expectation that their views will be listened to, writes Ruta Mafu.

Wye sent a public meeting invitation to TTV with the words “Let your voice shape our water supply” in large bold letters. The meeting was hosted by TTV to “hear and provide feedback on the findings and recommendations of the recent stakeholder consultation on water rates.”

The meeting continued: “Our agenda – to develop a water tariff proposal.” They even said: “Your insights and feedback will be valuable in determining a fair and sustainable water tariff for Rarotonga’s communities. Landowners in the catchment areas and water works are particularly invited to attend.”

At first glance, it is as inviting as an invitation to a public meeting, and the public – at first glance, may have been convinced that this is a place where their ideas and opinions will be valued. After all, providing a community with an open and transparent opportunity to voice their ideas and grievances can lull them into a false sense of security that their voices carry weight and can shape and “form” the decisions that have been predetermined by the government before these meetings are held.

Ordinary people are preoccupied with basic survival issues, such as paying bills and taxes, raising children, and maintaining land and homes for absent family landowners. Adding further pressure is the fact that meetings are held at 6 p.m.—the busy “zoo feeding time” period, which weeds out most people, leaving only the strongest and most indignant voices to take the time and energy to attend.

In summary, most people on the island have assets/land but lack cash and time. Requiring them to attend public meetings paints a thoughtful, inclusive picture on behalf of the government, but in reality it is about checking a box while deliberately forcing people to choose between feeding their families or putting up with being fed “crap”.

Rarotongans have a poor memory because they attend these meetings again, as they do other government-led consultations, with the false expectation of being listened to – people need to focus, concentrate and make a conscious effort to understand. This is very different from being listened to by officials, who passively hear what comes into their ears, an automatic physiological process that requires no effort or concentration – you don’t even need to want to hear to hear.

This is not an invitation to start a conversation and discussion, but a calculated marketing ploy to win over the illiterate and the intelligent. Like most of our government statements, they are written in two inks. There is text in black and white that says “Water is Free”. There is another text written in invisible ink that is revealed when you burn it with fire. This is the small print that clearly says; although hidden by assumptions, infrastructure and supply are not free. The specificity lies in the literal details of the wording, not in the assumptions about its meaning.

Let’s look at that again. The title says “Your Voice” but it says “Our Water Supply.” As a community, we understand that the water is ours, the public’s, the taxpayers’, but this is their meeting and their agenda, so “ours” actually refers to the government-owned water supply.

They make it clear that they want to “hear” your “feedback” on water tariff proposals, not about whether you want one; but about how much tariff to charge.

They said ‘Listen, they didn’t say they would listen, act or change their agenda or their tariffs.

They also say they have the results and recommendations of recent stakeholder consultations. When did they listen to that? Who did they listen to? Does a man from Texas drawing conclusions based on data and statistics provide better and more relevant information for our small community in Rarotonga than asking our people or agricultural growers face to face? It is misleading to claim we will pay less tariffs using a comparison to a larger island nation with a median income of $50,000, when only 10% of our population earns that amount or more.

These talks should be held before they make any decision, so the format is round-table consultations, rather than arrows piercing the hearts of so many backs?

Tourism is our biggest source of income and water use but agriculture will pay $1.3 million over the next five years which is more than tourism. If you think we will pay this then you need to read the water chiefs.

They say you can “shape” water, but that shaping is a house of cards, and because of their bluffing, its shape will eventually flatten.