Last Week in Fiji; Fourth Week of February

New Postings Sunday 1 March
[Major papers in red]
(o) The President's Political Dialogue Forum (PPDF)
(o) Fiji's 1997 Constitution failed ....
(G) The People's Charter outreach
(o) Beddoes calls for Government of National Unity
(-) Fiji Law Society modifies stance on Interim Government
(G) Media Law Nearly Ready
(+) US Human Rights Report Unfair and Unbalanced
(-) PSA at Odds over Pay Increases
(-) Qarase in Melbourne
(+) Solomon Is.Sogovare disagrees with Samoan PM

Mid-Week Posts
(Bo-) Why Elections Cannot be Held by December
(o) Wellington Lawyer on Fiji
Preferred PM An hilarious Tebutt Poll
(B) Solomon Island Community Wants to Return "Home"

Making Something Out of Nothing
Two further examples of what must be called ongoing, negative "media-generated news" hit the streets last week. FijiLive asked Pramod Rae (NLF general secretary) what he thought about Bainimarama's temporary change of residence. Rae found it "a bit suspicious" that Bainmarama is to move into civilian and not military accommodation while his house is being rennovated.

Then in FICAC silent on Qarase investigations we had the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) "refus(ing) to reveal whether they will be launching an investigation into Former PM Qarase's recent outbursts in Australia." Spokesperson Charlotte Peters said FICAC does not want to make a comment at this stage, adding they will reveal more when the time is right. FijLive must surely have known this before they asked.

This is not reporting the news; it is creating it. Normally this would not greatly matter but most of this "news" is anti-Interim Government, offered in response to media questions put to known Government opponents -- when the media already knew what their answers would be. As my grandmother used to say: "Ask a silly question and you'll get a silly answer." In Fiji's current situation such questioning is more than silly; it is irresponsible.

Attack the Man, Not the Argument
If you knew absolutely nothing about Fiji politics and your introduction was blogs, the news and media comments, you could wonder what hit you if you wrote or spoke on anything controversial. Here's some tongue-in-cheek advice on how to develop an argument. First, start by personally insulting the person with whom you disagree. Get in below the belt. If you're blogging, hit him hard with as many really filthy swear words as you can. Secondly, attack his credentials. Say he's a self-seeking nobody who knows nothing. Thirdly (and this is the most clever manoeuvre), neatly side-step your opponent's argument by launching a tangential one of your own. The main idea is not to attack the argument. Attack the man. This will make you many friends among those who think similarly and an equal number of enemies among those who do not. No matter. Fiji's protagonists belay each with Nero's fiddle, while Suva burns.

The best example last week was a perfectly reasonable and well argued Fiji Times feature on Race and Religion in Fiji by Thakur Ranjit Singh, a follow up on the Teleni affair, and the (to me) incredibly venomous response it drew from former NFP administrator and present day journalist Kamal Iyer. I can only suspect that unstated personal factors were involved. Singh's article is well worth reading. Then take a look at Iyer's "Warped Logic" and make your own judgment.

Unfortunately, I was engaged in a similar exchange during the week. Drj***@aol.com emailed me saying he was not very impressed by my blog ("It's not the kind of high powered blog that might knock your socks off with its originality. It might do in a rush".) He would like to see it "start something of a dialog on the politics of intervention by both Australia and New Zealand".

I responded that dialogue is most welcome on all topics, especially on how Fiji is to "move forward." He responded with most unpleasant remarks about my friend and former colleague Brij Lal (with whom I don't always agree) and a vicious attack on Australia and New Zealand. ("Fiji is the first of the Pacific island micro states to tell both of these white middle powers to f*** off".) Then -- and I should have known it was coming -- he had a go at me:

"Fiji is doing just fine--moving forward by its own definition. Fiji is not in need of any kind of gratuitous advice from New Zealand's peanut gallery--even from somebody like you with 50 years of Pacific watching. Mind yr own business and get on with some of New Zealand's domestic problems."

So there we have it: another polite, persuasive argument.

(o) Re-thinking Leadership Style
Congratulations to Jioji Kotobalavu (formerly CEO in the former PM's office and hardly an Interim Government supporter) for his article Re-Thinking Leadership Style and Organisational Culture in Saturday's Fiji Times. You may not agree with all he says on the "Teleni Affair" (for he neither condones nor condemns the Police Commissioner) but you should find it refreshing to read his thoughtful, balanced and positive ideas. The whole article stands in sharp contrast to Kamal Iyer's backward finger-pointing "Warped Logic" reported above, and is well worth reading in full.

Here's a small sample that conveys his central theme:

"So, rather than continue to berate and castigate Police Commissioner Teleni for what he reportedly said at his meeting with senior Indian police officers, a more useful and more positive engagement would be to reflect on the incident as an opportunity to talk about the kind of leadership and organisational culture that would be most appropriate for the Police Force and other state agencies and public organisations in this era of human rights and given the multi-ethnic and multi-cultural character of our society."