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# Plenty of hypocrisysing for Pitcairn these days. An article from Gordon McLauchlan in the New Zealand herald writes about a report written by a New Zealander on the islanders' attitudes 50 years ago. Not everyone sees Gordon's point of view though.

# Recent news articles have reported on 'tension' and 'clashes' involving prosecutor Simon Moore's birthday, the desire for a group of prosecutors and lawyers to get on a cruise ship, and the broadcast on an emergency channel made by a British police officer to wish Simon Moore a happy birthday. Here's an outline of what happened from a Pitcairn Island resident (Thanks to Dennis Stephens for passing the information on):

As you would have known the Clipper Odyssey arrived on Thursday (Pitcairn time) around 7:30am. This was the second trip this year, with the first visit only a couple of weeks ago. Except for low cloud (fog) around Highest Point extending down as low as Taro Ground the weather was perfect. Over all the day was very successful for the passengers. I saw many of them wandering around the Island, some making their way up to Christians Cave, John Adams Grave and some hiking down to St Pauls pool. I took several of them for tours around the Island on my quad bike and one of them told me as she was about to return back to the ship that she didn't want to leave. I saw many happy faces on the tourists as they wandered around the stalls buying souvenirs, chatting with the locals and relaxing in the Square. Steve (the Mayor) hosted lunch again for the 100 plus tourists and I saw many of them simply relaxing at his house writing postcards and having a good time. There was no indication that any of them was concerned about the trials going on here.

The first I became aware there was any trouble was after I had completed my last tour for the day. I left my passenger in the main road above Steves house then I proceeded down to the Landing. There I met with a local who told me that some problems had arisen between some members of the prosecution team, members of the press pool and the ships staff. Apparently they wanted to visit the ship to celebrate Simon Moores birthday but were refused entry, evidently by the ships charterer. I understand they were told that this is because of logistical reasons such as they might delay the ship in departing on time and that not all the locals were invited to visit the ship anyway. This reasoning however did not go down too well with them and they took the matter to the deputy governor Mr. Forbes who was seen speaking with the ships officials shortly afterwards. I was told that one of the ships officials felt like he was being held "to ransom" by Mr. Forbes.

Apparently these same people became the cause for concern during the ships first visit a fortnight ago.They had visited the ship and some of them became drunk and became rather rowdy in the ships bar. Many of the passengers referred to them as the "rabbles". I was told that when the last longboat of the day was about to return to the ship the captain made the announcement that the longboat was on its way. Two people told me that shortly after that announcement was made they heard one member with the prosecution team said in a low mocking tone of voice to "Get them of my ship! Get them of my ship!". I was told that as one of the members of the press stepped of the ladder and into the longboat he fell over and had to lay down and at that moment his testicals flopped out and was in clear view. Apparently he was drunk.

This incident as I understand it is the real reason why the ship officials wanted to refuse entry to these people on Thursday. But whatever happened in the conversation between Mr. Forbes and the ships officials that day, they were allowed on board after all. One person told me that one of the ships staff had said that if they had refused entry to these people the press might decide to publish something bad about the ships visit.

When I visited the ship later that afternoon I saw the press and the prosecution team socializing together on the sundeck towards the ships stern. At that point it became absolutely clear to me whose camp the press are in.

Shortly before we came ashore several of the locals (including myself) and the ships ....(no names here) were socializing in the ships lounge and it became clear to me that the press and the prosecution team were not welcomed onboard the ship.

So....what could have been a lovely day was marred by the very ones who are supposed to be in the right and those reporting the full story of the happenings here!!

However that's not all....Later that evening someone who sounded like someone from the prosecution team sung Happy Birthday to Simon Moore on the VHF radio, channel 16. Now as you know channel 16 is the call up and emergency channel not only used here on the island but also by marine vessels and of course it may have been possible for the ship to have heard the Happy Birthday song. Naturally when I heard this I became agitated and just when I was about to make a public announcement reminding people of the purpose of channel 16 one member of the public who had become just as agitated as I was said "Get the h... of this channel". Becoming concerned I went to Steves (the mayor) and he told me that he had made an official complaint to the Island police. While I was there an announcement was made by the Island police on channel 16 reminding people not to use that channel for improper use. I later learn't that the man responsible for serenading Mr. Moore with the Birthday song was visiting Kent police constable Max Davidson. I just saw in an article today in The Independent the following: "British diplomats stationed on the Island were forced to intervene, thus averting the intriguing scenario of Mrs. Christian (Island police) arresting her superior in the policing hierarchy". As you know the British diplomats are Mr. Forbes and Grand Prichard (Governors rep.) I saw them returning from the direction of Mrs. Christians house shortly after she had made her announcement on the radio.

Kari, the above incidents takes me back to when photos of Simon Moore, his deputy Christine Gordon and others emerged with them wearing fake breasts and the red wig. Such carryings on is not good. I remember reading a press report regarding this incident in which it says the following: "...after taking advice from lawyers in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, Fell has decided there is no case to answer".

Remember Kari there is a bigger picture yet to emerge from this whole mess. In the meantime lets be patient and keep cool.

Mike Warren

ps. This isn't the best worded email I've written since I just wrote what was in my mind. I hope you don't mind. Feel free to share this email around if you want. Theres nothing to hide here!!!!

# Pitcairn Island Dictionary of Names.

# From the Friends of Pitcairn list came a link to ' Find a Grave', containing information on Fletcher Christian, and Thomas Ledward.

# Britain stirs up boatload of ill will on Pitcairn.

But the senior British official on Pitcairn, Deputy Governor Matthew Forbes, was not having this for a second. With all the Foreign Office's calm, polite forcefulness, Mr Forbes took Mr Messick aside and said he hoped the ship would not be used for point-scoring. "Don't play politics with us," Mr Forbes said quietly, adding discrimination between Islanders and others was not acceptable.

That was it, within 10 minutes, all the outsiders were enjoying pina coladas on deck. The accused men were furious, and their anger was inflamed when, a few hours later, British policeman Max Davidson sang "Happy Birthday" to Mr Moore over the island radio network.

Steve Christian immediately leapt on the radio to deliver a public blast. "What Pitcairn had to go through today was abuse and embarrassment on board that ship," he shouted. "Someone, an outsider, was singing 'Happy Birthday' to Simon Moore on Channel 16. This is not funny. We want to find out who did it and put some sort of legal charge on them."

Officer Davidson's crime, however, may be somewhat overshadowed by today's events.

# Judgement day arrives in the South Pacific. This article mentions an incident that occurred where a Kent police constable, Max Davidson, used the 'frequency reserved for public announcements' to wish one of the prosecuters, Simon Moore, a happy birthday. What it fails to mention is that it was in fact VHF radio channel 16, the call up and emergency channel used not only on the island but also by marine vessels. More on this later.

Descendants of the 'Bounty' mutineers will learn today whether claims of endemic sexual abuse are upheld

# The Pitcairn-Bounty Conference location has been confirmed as St Petersburg, Florida (Winter home of the HMS Bounty).