From its outset, funding constraints beset Expo 86, initially proposed by the Province of British Columbia as just a trade fair.  However, in view of the forthcoming visit of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, it was quickly transformed by the federal Canadian government into a world exposition endorsed by the International Bureau of Exhibitions.  But sadly, it was never fully funded by the federal Canadian government, leaving it up to the Province of British Columbia, the participants, and private parties like Empyrean International to pick up the balance.  Accordingly, many organizations were induced to provide materiel and support to Expo 86 with verbal representations of expected funding, much of which never materialized.  Such was the experience of Empyrean International.  Empyrean International therefore produced and began distributing literature on the Baurua Outrigger Expedition shortly after it had received the encouragement of the Administrator of the Marine Exhibitions with various suggestions of anticipated financial support.  Suffice it to say, that Empyrean International began seeking and hoped to receive sponsorship from several sources, which initially included Expo 86, various individual and corporate sponsors who ultimately bore the whole burden, and the Kiribati government.  This proved to be a most valuable learning experience.  Rather than trying to summarize exactly what was proposed for the Baurua Outrigger Expedition and Exhibition, readers should click on the documents below which will provide complete details.  Moreover, before delving into the navigational and technical aspects of the expedition, this story would be incomplete without discussing the financial trials and tribulations of this very worthy, humanitarian effort.  Eventually, the bottom line was that almost everyone that was in any way involved with it wanted someone else to pay for their participation, save but for a handful of faithful supporters.

Accordingly, the invitations to the national participants of the Proposed Pacific Islands Pavilion and the corporate sponsors of the Proposed Baurua Outrigger Expedition were distributed in late August and early September, 1985.  With regard to the Proposed Pacific Islands Pavilion and the invitations to the national participants, those invitations no doubt catalyzed the interest of the national participants and ultimately facilitated the creation of, and their participation in, the South Pacific Pavilion at Expo 86, as a result of what had originally been little more than a notion advanced by the Commissioner General of Expo 86, Mr. Patrick Reid, to Mr. Grosz.  Accordingly, after those invitations went out bearing the general Expo 86 logo the administration responded to them by endorsing the Proposed  Baurua Outrigger Expedition and Exhibition as part of its Specialized Periods program, which was a program meant to focus attention during specified days of the exposition on specific transportation and communication events, such as the Baurua outrigger.  Thereafter, from late September through November, 1985, repeated efforts were made to collect on offers of $8-10,000 in funding.  Below is a letter in September, 1985, from Expo 86 approving the Baurua Outrigger Expedition and Exhibition under the Specialized Periods Program, and three letters to and from Expo 86 in November and December, 1985, regarding $8,000 in the financial support 'for the expedition' proper that had originally been verbally discussed and offered, versus the $4,000 that was finally offered in writing for the display of the Baurua outrigger after sailing clear across the Pacific and arriving before the exposition opened on May 2, 1986. 

Given the difficulties in getting commitments on the trivial funding that had been alluded to and eventually offered by Expo 86, the letter below which was received  from the Kiribati government in late October, 1985, was very encouraging.  The government officials had obviously read Empyrean International's invitation and were prepared to send a 30 person dance troupe, albeit at at a AUS$90,000 cost, plus accommodations.  Furthermore, it indicated support for the principle behind the Baurua Outrigger Expedition, namely the highlighting of their national sport, outrigger sailing and their Kiribatese history of discovery and settlement of atolls. 

Accordingly, sitting in Vancouver, Canada, the challenge was trying to locate and secure a seaworthy baurua on short notice.  Literature research indicated that there was supposedly only one traditional baurua in existence in the world.  It was named after the village called Taratai at the northern end of Tarawa atoll, and had been sailed in 1975 from Tarawa to Fiji by a New Zealander, who had subsequently donated it to the New Zealand National Museum, which then arranged to ship it to New Zealand from Fiji by freighter.  Below is an interesting article by the National Museum about the acquisition of the Taratai outrigger and its shipment by freighter, which was to be a key factor in the strategy for the exhibition of a baurua at Expo 86 if the expedition ran into trouble or out of time.  Accordingly, inquiries were made with the National Museum about obtaining a loan the Taratai, only to find out that it was impossible for more reason than one; one reason was that it was on display, and an even better reason was that its outrigger had been cut off!  Below is an interesting letter from the director of the National Museum in response to Empyrean International's loan request.

While the news about the non-availability of the Taratai loan request came as a disappointment, it was not inconceivable that a baurua outrigger could be fabricated in time for it to be sailed across the Pacific Ocean, and it was even logical that such an outrigger could be shipped by freighter from Tarawa, the capitol of Kiribati and its principle port, to Expo 86 in Vancouver, an even bigger port.   Moreover, a few inquiries with Kiribati government officials and others in the know, suggested that there indeed was a functioning baurua outrigger somewhere in the Gilbert Islands chain where Tarawa is located, and where Mr. Grosz had previously once visited.  Armed with this information, and running low to empty on time and funding, Mr. Grosz packed up his ham gear and flew off to Tarawa.  Below are photographs of the main ministry buildings and facilities of principal concern to his Baurua Outrigger Expedition plans.

Left

The presidential office building.

Right

Natural Resources Ministry building.

Left

Telecommunications building.

Right

National Archives building.

Left 

National Parade Stand and Sports Arena

Below

The beachfront National Assembly building.

After having made the tour of the various ministries, including of course the Ministry of Home Affairs and Decentralization which had written such an encouraging letter, it turned out that everyone seemed to think that there was a baurua outrigger around somewhere, but nobody seemed to know exactly where it was!  Having concluded that he was on the right track, but he was going to need to settle in for the long haul, Mr. Grosz moved out of the only hotel in Tarawa and into much more appropriate accommodations.  Meanwhile, a conversation just before press time with a local reporter at the only news paper in Kiribati, the mimeographed weekly called "Te Uekera," and without any time for a photographer to take and process a picture of the would-be explorer, an article was written in Kiribatese explaining the goals of the expedition, and calling out to the population for assistance in locating the baurua.  Accordingly, a file photo of the would-be explorer in his Vancouver office with a baurua outrigger model was made to suffice, and on January 17, 1986, less than five months before the Expo 86 gates were due to open, the Kiribati public was summoned to the cause.

The article did the trick!  A couple of days after the article was published a couple visitors came to Mr. Grosz's thatched hut.  They announced that a voyaging baurua outrigger was located at the north end of Tarawa, owned by the people of a village named Taborio, which was near to the village named Taratai from which the legendary Taratai voyage departed, and that they could escort him by outrigger canoe to meet the village elders as there were no roads to get there and the ferry would take considerably longer.  Therefore, it was agreed that Mr. Grosz would meet them by the beach in front of his hut at daybreak and sail to the village of Taborio. 

Left

The outrigger to Taborio ready for departure from South Tarawa.

Right

Upon arriving at the Taborio village and first setting eyes on the baurua outrigger on the hard at low tide, Mr. Grosz declared, "It was almost love at first sight, but not exactly!"

When the tide returned the baurua outrigger stayed stuck to the bottom, so it was obvious she was holed.
But realizing this was as good as it was likely to get, Mr. Grosz decided to make the utmost of it,
and thus it was time for a promotional photograph of Mr. Grosz with the Taborio village officials.

Left

Kids playing on the baurua outrigger!

Right

Deck of the baurua outrigger!

The following morning the Taborio village elders gathered about the old baurua outrigger to determine what repairs were needed.

Right

But it was already lunch time before the repairs could begin which were needed to sail her to south Tarawa.

The outrigger was holed and needed repair, so it was detached from outrigger booms to be taken ashore.

Right

After lying on the beach and being filled with wet sand, several people were needed to carry the outrigger.

Left

After digging out the wet sand, the holes were plugged with some putty and wood that was screwed in place.

Right

After reattaching the outrigger, the same repairs were made at low tide to the holes in the baurua outrigger hull.

Left

Later the Taborio villager elders met to discuss plans to sail the baurua outrigger 30 miles to south Tarawa.

Right

But it turned out there were no sails! Instead, an outboard, motorbike, and empty fuel barrel were loaded aboard!

Left

Upon arriving at low tide, it took many people to roll the baurua outrigger on coconut trunks up the beach.

Right

It was a tight fit, but the baurua outrigger was fitted carried ashore next to the expedition HQ.

Having finally secured a baurua outrigger, having it next to his house, having an agreement with the Taborio villagers, and having photographic evidence of it all, Mr. Grosz's work was apparently just beginning.  True, the hull of the Taborio outrigger was not exactly traditionally constructed, the outrigger float would have to be replaced, and sails and rigging were required at a minimum, in order to make her functional, but these were all doable.  His excitement about getting this far was tempered with the responsibility of now having to go through with it, and putting all the pieces together.  The priorities then were to consummate the funding, to find a capable boat builder, to find a navigator, to raise a crew, to get the necessary materials, and put it all together in a couple of months.  One or two days after the baurua landed next to the HQ in south Tarawa local interest and support for the project began to develop.

Left

Volunteers arrived to help clean the barnacles off of the rotten bottom planks of the baurua outrigger.

Right

The baurua outrigger and the HQ, with Tarawa's main road in the foreground.

Mr. Grosz sitting on the outrigger booms of the baurua outrigger.

From the outset, the concept of the Baurua Outrigger Expedition was primarily intended to showcase the resettlement needs of the people (and government) of the Republic of Kiribati, and in so doing to further the proposal of Empyrean International together with Dr. Martin Vitousek, PhD, of the Pacific Equatorial Research Laboratory (and also a professor at the University of Hawaii) to renew the lease agreement on the Cable Station at Tabuaeran (Fanning) atoll in order to continue the meteorological and related scientific research that was conducted there concerning global climate change, and also to begin to establish trial/training tourist operations.  Expo 86 came along as a seemingly wonderful platform upon which to investigate and implement some of these plans, however the primary focus always was, remains, and always will be to find solutions to the inevitable demise of the atolls due to sea level rise.  However, often in life one must approach a problem in a roundabout manner, and this surely was destined to be such a situation.  Surely there is a superior force which governs the universe notwithstanding anything we may wish or do, and therefore one of the greatest keys to existence is knowing when to push ahead, versus when to accept one's fate, gracefully if and whenever possible.  On this 20th anniversary of the commencement of the Baurua Outrigger Expedition it is fitting to look back at it with this perspective.

On Monday, January 13, 1986, Mr. Grosz met with the Secretary of Home Affairs and Decentralization in response to the very warm letter dated October 8, 1985 from his ministry encouraging the Baurua Outrigger Expedition, as "government recognizes the importance of such exposition and wishes to congratulate the Empyrean International Foundation for all the proposals which [seem] to highlight the Kiribati Baurua and the establishment of the Empyrean International Institute on Fanning Island in the Line Islands."   Having located, negotiated, transported the Taborio baurua to south Tarawa, and begun repairing it, Mr. Grosz initially felt assured that this meeting would set the stage for a close and meaningful collaboration in a quest for solutions to Kiribati's sea level issues.  Regrettably, often things are not as they seem, and this was destined to be one such instance.  But a little regression in the story is necessary to give a more complete perspective of what was going on in the background.  Shortly after Mr. Grosz shook hands with Commissioner General Patrick Reid of The 1986 World Exposition the former was summoned to the latter's office without explanation by his executive assistant, Mr. Bob Dawson.  Upon arriving at the meeting, Mr. Dawson announced that the Kiribati government was in poor favour as far as the United States government was concerned, and that the Commonwealth Secretariat had come under serious pressure regarding Kiribati's showcase role in the Proposed Pacific Islands Pavilion and Baurua Outrigger Expedition and Exhibition, Mr. Grosz explained that to his informal knowledge the United States government was upset at the Kiribati government's recent signing of a tuna fishing agreement with the Soviet Union, and at the expense and irritation of the American Tuna Boat Association which considered tuna to be a migratory species and beyond the rightful control of any national government, including Kiribati.  Nevertheless, Mr. Dawson explained that the Kiribati government was considered "red" and he doubted that it would be welcome.  Frankly, this did not entirely come as a surprise to Mr. Grosz, as he was aware of at least one other county that was interested and financially prepared to participate in The 1986 World Exposition but clearly was clearly not welcome, the State of Israel, supposedly owing to the objection of Saudi Arabia which had signed a contract for a major multi-module pavilion.  From this moment onward,  Mr. Grosz realized that even such a seemingly benign and altruistic endeavor as sailing and exhibiting an outrigger canoe carried with its potential international consequences.  Actually, such widespread consequences were at the core of Mr. Grosz's objectives.  However, he had hoped and believed that the Kiribati government would grant him the opportunity to disclose his experiences and explain the implications of them.  Sadly, that was not to be.  When Mr. Grosz arrived in Tarawa he was pursuing two basic strategies.  The first presumed that the Kiribati government would support the expedition and the proposal to renew the Cable Station lease, in which event, and only in which event, private funding was available from certain private hotel investors of Empyrean International.   The second presumed that the Kiribati government would take a neutral role in the expedition, and that negotiations regarding the Cable Station lease would be drawn out over time, in which event the only funding that would be available would be from Expo 86 and whatever Mr. Grosz himself was willing to expend.  However, neither of these alternatives occurred, and perhaps the underlying reasons will remain a mystery, but it seems likely that the Baurua Outrigger Expedition had somehow complicated the relations of the Kiribati government with the United Kingdom, United States, and various government entities providing it with foreign aid funding.  Therefore neither of Mr. Grosz's strategies unfolded, as the conduct of his meeting with the Home Affairs Secretary indicated that the Kiribati government was unreceptive to his proposals and wanted to see the end of the expedition even before it had begun.  Below is a January 13, 1986 letter from Mr. Grosz (formerly, Robert Gordon) to the Ministry of Home Affairs, and its reply 4 days later.

The position of the Kiribati government was unmistakable.  All that remained was to try to obtain the minimal funding needed to make the baurua outrigger functional, have it shipped by freighter to Expo 86, and display it in the International Marine Harbour.  Moreover, in the process of doing so it was hoped and expected that the Taborio villagers and volunteers would be compensated.  Accordingly, on January 21st an affidavit was prepared in support of the lengthy exhibit loan agreement of Expo 96, and together with undeveloped film of the baurua outrigger it was dispatched by mail to one of Empyrean International's backers in Vancouver, Mr. William Dow, who happened to be the Consul General of Costa Rica to Vancouver, and a respected hotel owner and operator.  By January 30th he had developed the film, and forwarded the photos and documentation to Rear Admiral Michael Martin at Expo 86.  Copies of those documents are presented below.  About a week later, however, while Mr. Grosz was in a meeting with a government minister, that minister was handed a telex, which he read, and handed to Mr. Grosz: it was to Mr. Grosz from Mr. Dow, and explained that Mr. Martin had been dismissed, and therefore no funding was to be expected for the Baurua Outrigger exhibit from Expo 86.

While all of the foregoing matters were going on, Mr. Grosz continued his efforts to repair and prepare the baurua outrigger.  Below is a follow-up article in the "Te Uekera" which pictured him, the expedition HQ, and the baurua outrigger undergoing repairs.

Shortly after the baurua outrigger had arrived at expedition HQ in south Tarawa, an expert boat builder named Mr. Orea Kaiuea came to Mr. Grosz and offered his volunteer services in repairing the baurua outrigger.  No financial commitment could or was made to him, except that he was told that if or when funding came through for the expedition some compensation might become available.  This was the same offer as was made to and accepted by the Taborio villagers who owned the baurua outrigger.  And it was consistent with the offers that Empyrean International received from Expo 86 from the day Commissioner General Reid shook Mr. Grosz's hand.  Orea understood this limitation, but gladly agreed to proceed with the repairs anyway.  He therefore explained that the baurua should be moved a mile or so down the beach to his house where he had the tools necessary to effect the essential repairs he envisioned.  Mr. Grosz accepted his offer of assistance, and thus the baurua outrigger was shoved into the water and motored down the coast, leaving expedition HQ, also Mr. Grosz's residence, in splendid isolation, once again.  Orea explained that the bottom planks of the baurua outrigger were rotten and required replacement, so Mr. Grosz applied for a credit account at the government lumber yard, anticipating funds to be wired in from Canada.  So work began on removing the rotten planks.  The credit application was denied. Also, Orea explained that the outrigger booms needed replacement, and thus coconut trees were felled in order to replace them.  But this work had barely begun when Mr. Grosz received a hand-delivered letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs advising that his application for a 90-day extension to his 30-day visa would only be granted if he produced the following documents within 3 days: (1) a signed receipt from the people of Taborio (Notoue) "certifying that they had received $5,000 cash payment toward the cost of their baurua," and (2) "a signed receipt from Mr Orea Kaiuea certifying that he received $1,000 cash, offered for repairing the Baurua."  The Foreign Affairs Ministry claimed that the $5,000 owed to the Taborio villagers for the baurua outrigger was just a partial payment, although there was no loan or purchase agreement, and arguably it wasn't even worth $5,000 to begin with, nor would any one in their right mind purchase or lease a vessel without a written agreement.  It was a joint effort.  Likewise, the notion that the two or three days of effort by Orea and his friends was worth $1,000, or that Mr. Grosz would have agreed to such a sum, was simply ludicrous.  There was no $5,000 or any financial commitment made to the Taborio villagers, nor was there a $1,000 or any financial commitment made to Orea.  But in the future, Mr. Grosz will ensure all verbal arrangements, with volunteers or any other parties, are in writing.  Someone or some people were mistaken, or else this was a shakedown, but there was nothing Mr. Grosz was going to do about it.   Below is a copy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs letter to Mr. Grosz (formerly Mr. Robert W. Gordon) dated February 11, 1986.

Upon receiving this letter, which was copied to the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Grosz realized that no good would come of the efforts to repair and exhibit the baurua outrigger, and that despite his altruistic efforts the time had come to return home to Canada.   Moreover, he discussed this situation with Orea, who expressed his sympathy and said that he would still try to continue the repairs. The following pictures present the final days of the Baurua Outrigger Expedition before Mr. Grosz's departure on February 13, 1986.

Left

The Baurua Outrigger Expedition HQ as viewed from the beach.

Right

The Baurua Outrigger Expedition HQ as viewed towards the ocean.

Left

Interior of the HQ, replete with a ham radio, oil lamp, mattress, and a bucket.

Right

Visitors at the HQ having lunch.

Left

Orea guiding the baurua outrigger up the beach rolling on coconut logs.

Right

The baurua outrigger was almost in its final position at Orea's place.

Left

Orea detaching the rotten outrigger from the outrigger booms.

Right

The outrigger was then removed from the outrigger booms.

Left

The the outrigger booms were tied to a tree to lean the baurua outrigger on its side so that it could be worked on.

Right

The rotten bottom planks on on one side were then removed.

Left

Coconut trees were selected for felling and curing in salt water.

Right

The first of several coconut trees to be felled is shown falling down.

Left

The second of several coconut trees to be felled is shown falling down.

Right

Work began to chop the coconut tree into outrigger boom lengths.

Left

Orea and his friend pose next to the baurua outrigger the day before Mr. Grosz returned to Canada.

Left

The last dinner in Tarawa with friends.

Right

The last day in Tarawa before leaving posing with friends in front of the HQ.

Upon returning to Vancouver, Canada, Mr. Grosz continued the effort to negotiate with Expo 86 regarding the financial support that Rear Admiral Martin had offered, and to seek corporate sponsors, although time was clearly running out.  Word was received that the baurua outrigger repairs had been completed by Orea, and it was hoped that with funding the expedition could be launched with the arrival of westerly winds, or that at least a fast freighter trip to Vancouver for the baurua outrigger could somehow be arranged.

During this time, Mr. Grosz had the opportunity of meeting with the famed explorer Thor Heyerdahl, leader of the Kon-tiki and other expeditions of international acclaim, although his theory about Pacific Island settlement from South America is controversial.  Below are the covers of some of his books, together with photographs of him and Mr. Grosz reviewing photographs and plans for the Baurua Outrigger Expedition, the objectives of which he heartily endorsed.

Left

Explorer Thor Heyerdahl and Mr. Grosz reviewing the plans and photo album of the Baurua Outrigger Expedition.

Explorer Thor Heyerdahl endorsing the Baurua Outrigger Expedition.

While Expo 86 was ongoing Mr. Grosz held several public meetings to discuss the plans for the Baurua Outrigger Expedition and seek support, which included a television presentation on VU-13, a local Vancouver television station.  These efforts ultimately resulted in conditional support being offered by a well-known Vancouver businessman named Nelson Skalbania, who agreed to match the $10,000 in financial support due from Expo 86.  Other offers of support were also received, but it seemed that everything was contingent on Expo 86 following through on its original undertaking, and if Mr. Grosz was able to appease the Kiribati government.  Below are photographs of the baurua outrigger model that was on display at one of the public meetings.

Baurua outrigger model and charts of the
atolls to be visited en route to Vancouver.

Left

Side view of the Baurua Outrigger model.

Right

Rear view of the Baurua Outrigger model.

One final plea was made to the Chairman of Expo 86, Mr. Jim Pattison, asking for the $10,000 in financial support that had originally been offered so that the expedition could be launched, but despite the financial success of The 1986 World Exposition the final reply that was received was that there was no budget for display of the baurua outrigger.   A valiant effort had been made.

A Sobering Vision of the Future

The learning experiences garnered 20 years ago will hopefully set the stage for a truly epic Baurua Outrigger Expedition and the successful quest for solutions to sea level rise in order to save the nation, culture and integrity of the Kiribatese people if, and only if, the government of the Republic of Kiribati is ready, willing and able to make the courageous decisions that are called for.

However, some sobering words are first in order.  Mr. Grosz devoted his undergraduate and graduate studies in business and international law in order to prepare himself to be able to help the Kiribatese people help themselves in preparing for sea level rise.  Yet his past difficulties with the former Kiribati government regarding the Baurua Outrigger Expedition were not at all exceptional, they were actually rather typical of the experiences of many other good Samaritans whose goodwill have been rejected with disdain.  The Kiribatese people have suffered at the hands of westerns and easterners, but now suffer due to their own acts and omissions.  During the 15 or so years that Dr. Vitousek leased and operated the Cable Station there was more scientific research in Kiribati as a result of his efforts than arguably ever occurred before then or since then.  He even married a Kiribatese woman and raised a family. One might expect that a nation like Kiribati, on independence from the UK, would promptly honor this American with a national medal, create a national holiday in his name, erect a bronze statue and plaque at the Cable Station, and also grant him honorary citizenship.   But no, lack of comprehension or appreciation of his work, jealousy, and petty personal and political rivalries eventually resulted in him losing the Cable Station lease renewal, and then he was forced to abandon all of the PERL assets and forced out of the country.  The remnants of those assets are still to be found around the island either destroyed, rotten, or appropriated and used by others.  Accordingly, the last communication of Mr. Grosz with the Kiribati government was in 1995 when he explained, as politely as possible, that the only way to develop a tourist or any other capital intensive industry with foreign investors would be to provide them with a means of enforcing their rights vis-à-vis the Kiribati government, and one way was by way of international arbitration agreements.  That suggestion was soundly rejected and considered offensive.  However, the essential facts are as follows.  First, Kiribati is one of the very few nations on Earth whose existence and survival is dependent on its government taking wise and courageous decisions, and in its case this is due to the fact that without external assistance from the private and public sectors it will cease to exist due to sea level rise, so the courageous decisions to be made are finding ways to attract such assistance and managing its implementation.  Second, there do exist some people of goodwill who are, or would be, willing to assist the Kiribatese people if made aware of their plight and are afforded an opportunity to provide help.  Third, the vast majority of the rest of humanity couldn't care less whether Kiribati exists or ceases to exist and, further, would very likely view its demise as a wonderful opportunity for territorial expansion.  Fourth, the Kiribati government is running out of time to meet its responsibilities as proactive not reactive solutions are essential, because if it delays making hard decisions until its atolls experience overtopping then the decisions about what to do about it will not be made in Tarawa, they may be made in the capitols of other nations whose overriding interests will be how to look good and yet resolve the immediate issues with the least amount of cost and with no regard for the longevity or best interests of the Kiribatese.  Fifth, when Kiribati first experiences overtopping of its atolls other nations, including developed western nations, themselves will be reeling from similar experiences on their own shores, their economies will be wrecked, and the demand for financial and materiel resources will be heightened, so goodwill amongst their citizens about the similar plight of distant islanders will be at a minimum.  Sixth, the notion of suing the governments of the United States and other western nations for the harmful effects of sea level rise, which was contemplated by the Kiribati government not so long ago, was premature and ill-considered, unlikely to be successful, and reflects a negative attitude towards the rest of the world at a time when a positive and welcoming approach is highly advisable.  Seventh, Kiribati and its neighbor Tuvalu are alone amongst the Pacific nations that are completely or primarily comprised of atolls, as the other nations either have enough high islands to retreat to, or they have wisely maintained their historical relations with the United States or New Zealand governments which no doubt will somehow come to their rescue when those crises inevitably arrive.  Eighth, no other organization such as the Atoll Institute exists with the mandate of finding indigenous solutions to sea level rise in order to enable the Kiribatese people to remain within their sovereign territory through land reclamation and various other means.  So the harsh but simple fact is that the Atoll Institute and Mr. Grosz do not need the Republic of Kiribati, it is the opposite that is true. Assuming one accepts the foregoing premises, in order to attract foreign investors the Kiribati government should amend its laws or, at a minimum, agree to offer them some form of international arbitration, and then get on with the business of savings its people.  Once this is done, Kiribati still can be very selective in its Foreign Investment Review process, but without foreigners it will be lost.

In conclusion, one of the Atoll Institute's greatest services to the Kiribatese people and government is in speaking the truth.   Naturally, it would have been easier and arguably more diplomatic to gloss over the initial demise of the Baurua Outrigger Expedition.  However that would have been a disservice.  The Atoll Institute is and will always remain non-partisan in its service to the Kiribatese.  But the clock is winding down for Kiribati's survival.  The government of Kiribati has had 27 years of independence but has failed to make any meaningful progress towards economic independence, which is in part due to the isolationist policy that is a holdover from the previous UK administration, which largely established this policy as a justification for not investing more money in its own colony.  While the Kiribati government may respond that it it running a surplus this is temporary and only due to the good fortune of issuing fishing licenses to foreign fleets; it is cyclical and highly unstable, and almost certainly will decline as the tuna fish stocks decline.   Moreover, there is no Kiribatese labor involved, it is wholly an exploitation of circumstance, and not a long term policy for the future.  Survival in the face of sea level rise will require foreign financing of mega projects, not simply covering the recurring annual budget. Therefore, bold and courageous new directions need to be taken, lessons need to be learned from past mistakes, and reconciliation with individuals and organizations which were previously denounced needs to be undertaken.  Kiribati needs allies and partners in its quest for survival and thus it needs to shed its isolationist policy, it needs people of goodwill, and it must have faith in the future.  The future terrestrial territory of Kiribati after the sea level has risen three to six feet will barely resemble the natural atolls of today. So the critical question is whether its citizens will be united within its own territory or scattered throughout the Pacific and the world.  The current government needs to answer this critical question, and the Atoll Institute will assist it by identifying various solutions.  And the Kiribati government can begin demonstrating leadership by supporting the Atoll Institute and Baurua Outrigger Expedition. Likewise, the expedition will enable the Atoll Institute and its participants to demonstrate their commitment to the Kiribatese too.