Land as Investment

Hezel, Francis X. (2000-02-04). [www.micsem.org Land as Investment]. Micronesian Counselor (Report). Kolonia, Pohnpei: Micronesian Seminar. pp. 1–8.

• Has attachment: File:FCH9EV8H.pdf

Abstract: Land is a resource that should be used, not left untouched. To let it go unused is like putting money in a sock and burying it outside the house. One of the servants in the familiar gospel story does just this when he tucks away the piece of gold he is given by his master because he is terrified of losing this treasure. At the master’s return, however, the servant is chided for letting the treasure lie idle, while the other two stewards who have invested their pieces of gold and doubled their original investment are praised for their good sense and resourcefulness. What are we doing with our treasure?

Over the centuries Micronesians have been using their land to support themselves and their families. They have usually been careful not to squander it, maintaining it for their heirs as well as for their own use. Micronesians today should be just as careful to preserve the land, but they will have to use it, just as their ancestors always have, to provide for their families in the future. We should be no more willing to lose our land than people in the past, but we ought to be prepared to use it differently than they did. Why? Because times have changed, our needs and wants have multiplied under the growing cash economy, and we have a modern island nation to develop.

The FSM economy, like any family, depends on the wise use of its scarce resources. Besides fish, what does this nation have by way of resources? People and land seem to be the main ones. The strength of the economy in the future will depend on how the people of FSM use the land that constitutes its main resource for development. FSM citizens all share the responsibility of using well those resources that we have. In the past we might have sat around and waited until the government did something to develop industry, but we have learned that this just doesn’t work. Government-sponsored development projects have failed again and again in the past. If we expect development, we’ll have to take the initiative ourselves. Land is also a resource to be used for the profit of the individual. Wise use of land can generate income for the family, just as it once did in the days when people made copra on their land for spending money.

Extra details:

DOI: 10.36997/slm2019.136
MAG: 3197681176
CorpusID: 239652841
OpenAlex: W3197681176