r
in Fikini.
This situation should be kept in mind in planning
for any future negotiations concerning Bikini.4
Bikini Atoll Today and Its Economic Potential
|
I will not go into details of the condition of Bikini
today. These have been covered in my daily log and in
Agriculturist James Hiyane's final report of the Bikini Survey.
A few salient points should be made here however.
The coconut trees and other food-bearing trees and plants
nave been almost completely destroyed.
Most of the islands
have become overgrown with vegetation.
The potential agricultural areas Will have to be cleared
and completely replanted.
This will be a formidable task,
which wiil extend over a long period of
time.
outlined a preposed program to accomplish this.
Mr.
Hiyane has
I concur with
Hiyane but think the scale of the program should be greater,
All available areas of the atoll should be cleared and planted
asp quickly as
possible.
This will hasten the relocation of
the exiled Bikinians on their home atoll and in the long run
will be more economical.
The
large
islands of Bakini,
potential.
Eneu,
They were
and Nam have
the
greatest
economic
tne main copra-producing
islands,
and the main sources of vegetable foods in the past.
The smaller islands toward the southwest,
Enedrik,
were also valuable
such as Aer&kdj and
sources of copra and
food
plants
in
4 See Tobin, J.A., Tne Bikini People, Past and Present, Majuro,
Marshall Islands,
October 1952,
I009608
for more detailed information.