(-) A Little Light Relief from Intelligentsiya

"No YOU Are Wrong Sir Paul 

This chap and his recent views disappoint and concern us greatly. So much so, we can hardly believe that he was one of the key architects of our Constitution. No Sir Paul, YOU are wrong. And bloody damned well wrong too."

[Intelligentsiya is an extreme anti-Government blog, and probably the first political blog to be published after the 2006 Coup.]

(o-+) Goff and Labour on Fiji, and the Travel Bans

Labour Opposition Leader Phil Goff spoke to participants at last week's Pacific Islands Political Science Association in Auckland, focusing on Pacific Island concerns. Overall, he gave a relaxed, well thought out and convincing account of NZ's and Labour's concerns and policies, though some will need more convincing on the benefits to the Islands of free trade, and not everyone would have agreed with his interpretation of events in Fiji.

He seemed to think:

• The attempted assassination of Bainimarama in 2001, "a personal affair," was the primary cause of the 2006 Coup.
• The Abrogration of the Constitution and abuses of human rights (he spoke of media freedom) could never, ever, under any circumstances, be justified according to UN "laws."
• Military coups have never produced democratic outcomes.
• Bainimarama and the military have no intention of ever giving up power. 

I wish I could be so confident in my explanation of world events.

• "Cause" is usually more complex than a single, personalised event, and Bainimarama's supposed need for revenge certainly took a long time hatching.
• "Never" is an absolutist term that should be used only rarely by thinking people. There are many instances of bad laws and constitutions, and the misuse of human rights. It is difficult to see how the "bad" legislation of the Qarase Government could have been  overturned so long as race-based electorates, and racial politics, remained firmly entrenched. 
• And  Rabuka's military (and Speight's partly-military) coups did produce "democratic" outcomes acceptable to New Zealand. (It should not be forgotten that it was Bainimarama who negotiated with Speight and helped install the first Qarase government.  If he'd wanted power then, when he was hailed as hero, few would have objected.)
  
• As for whether the military will ever give up power, we have no way of knowing but it seems likely they will hold on until they achieve their objectives that, on the face of it and from what we've seen of the "Roadmap" so far,  seem worth waiting for.

The Travel Bans
In question time, I most respectfully said I didn't agree with his explanation of events, and asked him whether -- given Sir Paul Reeves's earlier address that had called for some relaxation towards Fiji -- he thought we should be less inflexible on the travel bans.

His answer in effect was "No" though he thought there could be some flexibility on humanitarian grounds -- which there already is!

He  gave the impression the bans applied only to senior military people while in fact the net is cast far more widely. At one point it even stopped the Fiji goalkeeper joining his team! The ban makes it difficult for government to recruit suitably qualified people to any branch of government, because it applies also to all family members (thus, ironically, denying them their human right to be treated as individuals). 

We have already seen it applied to a Domestic Court judge.  It would also be applied to all Ministers, irrespective of their portfolios, permanent secretaries and senior civil servants.  The ban has resulted in Government appointing too many military people to civil service  positions -- and in Government being blamed for these appointments!


One must wonder whether the ban also applies to NGOs that work with Government; to the Catholic Archbishop for co-chairing the PPDF;  to the President of the Fiji Chamber of Commerce; to the Chairperson of the Amnesty International Fiji (who did not agree with Apolosi Bose's AI Fiji report); and to anyone who in the future participates in  next year's "Dialogue." 

Snippets: Sanctions, Roadmap (Housing, Education, Rural Dev.), Forum, Commonwealth, PACER, Air Fiji

The Freeze is Not Working, So What About a Thaw?
Gleeful that Australian tourism is "up 27 per cent" despite Canberra's harsh rhetoric against the regime in which he serves as Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, is urging the Rudd Government to back down on Fiji. 

"In the earlier Fiji coups they left themselves room to move. They condemned the takeovers, but they kept talking," Sayed-Khaiyum said. "Now they refuse to visit the Prime Minister and they only entertain people opposed to the regime and, like New Zealand, they fund various NGOs to be their proxies. In past coups judges were locked up and MPs were taken hostage and the governments operated by decree, but full diplomatic relations continued and there was no suspension from the South Pacific Forum. Read Paul McGeough in the Sydney Morning Herald.

Government's New Housing Plan: 1. Part of the "Roadmap"
USP Economics professor Biman Prasad has commended Government's new housing plan that will for the first time see collaboration with the private sector and banks. The plan will give up to $10,000 to first homeowners who are able to put down a 20 percent deposit. At an average cost of $100,000 a house the scheme will benefit 1,000 families, and put $100 million into the economy. Prasad called it a "smart way to help the low to middle income group buy houses,and increase economic activity in the construction industry which has suffered badly since the coup in 2006."

Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) Director Hassan Khan in also commending the plan urged possible applicants to seek independent advice and guidance on housing and not be exploited. "The business sector, too, need to help by keeping the hardware prices affordable,"he said. Read more

New NGO Helps Rural Children:  2.  Part of the "Roadmap"
FENC, the Foundation for the Education of Needy Children, will help needy rural children with meals, tuiton fees, stationery and other education expenses. Co-ordinator Irshad Ali said many children in the interior and the northern parts of Fiji walked long distances to school.

FENC was formed with support from overseas Fijians and a $200,000 grant from Government that is trying to encourage more volunteerism in society. The NGO will work closely with social groups, government and the private sector. The "scholarships" will be closely monitored. The NGO will be counselling and teaching microfinance skills.Chairperson Lorraine Tevi said the NGO seeks to "encourage the spirit of volunteerism in Fiji where people come forward to help us." A survey was being done to find the poorest of the poor in the country, and the awards would be made before schools resume next year. Full story. Government's involvement in this new venture follows on from its free school bus and subsidized lunches schmes that mainly help urban children. Click here for further initiatives.

Government Promotes Rural Participation: 3. Part of the "Roadmap"
In an attempt to promote rural community and resource owners' participation in Fiji's economic development, the government has approved the formulation of policy guidelines for the assistance provided under its subsidy program for fisheries and forest sectors. Full  story. 
 

Fiji Opposes Forum Climate Change Policy
Fiji will oppose the climate change stance adopted by Australia and the Pacific Island Forum at Copenhagen this week. It will instead  align itself with the Association Of Small Island States (AOSIS). Together with a number of environmental groups and NGOs Fiji believes the Forum stance, led by Australia, "dilute the Pacific’s concerns"  about emission levels. Full story.

 Fiji May Appeal Games Decision
Fiji is expected to lodge an appeal against its exclusion from the 2010 Commonwealth Games with the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Read report one.  Read report two. 

Suspended Fiji Trying to Protect its PACER Interests
Fiji has not ruled out moving for the suspension of a key trade deal if signatories to it do not respond in good faith to its stated intention to suspend Part 2 of the Agreement. Full  story.

Air Fiji to Close
After months of uncertainty, Air Fiji Limited is being closed down permanently as theowners, the Tuvalu Government, is unable to raise some $10 million to revive the airline company.Full  story.

Fiji Political Blogs: Cybernet Democracy or What?

Readers interested in my presentatiion to the Pacific Islands Political Science Association conference in Auckland on Friday may download a pdf copy from Mediafire by clicking here. The file you're looking for is "AKL presentation."  A table and a graph have not copied well but the remainder of the paper is all there.  Click on the file, click start download, and open as a pdf file. The process is simple and quick. In case you think I've chosen the cartoon to make a political statement, I searched the ether for Fiji political cartoons and found dozens, but not one that could be called pro-Bainimarama or even neutral. Media freedom -- or what? Cartoon:PMC

Lockington's Everyday Fiji ... Life Goes On

 Allen Lockington is a self-employed customs agent and business consultant who has regular articles published in www.connectme.com.fj/news/opinion. I thank Allen and Connect for permission to reprint some of them in this political blog. They remind us that life goes on, whatever the political situation. And it's good to know that.

Life Does Go On

I was on one of my walks around Lautoka on Monday in one of the less traveled roads when I spotted a Lady Bird amongst the wild flowers. I was delighted to see it. 

But I was surprised because I thought they had died out. I haven't seen them for awhile. I remember during my primary school days in Suva Street there were Lady Birds everywhere. When one would land on us we would sing "Lady Bird Lady Bird fly away, your house is on fire, your children are gone." How apt is that nursery rhyme - their habitat is slowly going. They seem to have disappeared like the butterfly that would be seen everywhere. When a butterfly comes into the house it would signify the imminent arrival of a visitor. Butterflies are a rarity now. However, recently the only ones that come home have either lost their way or are injured, because visitors never come. Oh yes I was brought up on those interesting “legends.” Many of our little insects can no longer be seen in urban areas because of what we call development. Their habitats have been destroyed. Just like New York, Tokyo and London, our “jungle is turning to concrete.”

Further on I noticed the pandanus trees that line Drasa Avenue adjacent to the Botanical gardens. As I walked pass I got a whiff of a sweet smell and saw the trees bearing yellow and orange fruit and birds were everywhere eating them. I said to myself, “Oh my goodness another sign of life.” Living in Veisari I used to go into the coastal bushes to cut the green leaves for my mum. She would weave mats and baskets that we would sell on the road. Mat and basket making is a dying art. We would stand in the sun and wait for cars or busses. If we sold a couple of baskets we were rich. Yes four dollars was very powerful. It was two dollars a basket. Well it was the early 70s and for us in Veisari cars were like airplanes only every so often one would go pass on the gravel road. We would return home covered in dust but satisfied we had sold something.  It was smiles all round because we now had reason to go to the shop. Yippee our rourou will have tinned fish - we were in heaven. Oh how wonderful we would have butter and milk for a few days. (Sniffle, sigh)

I digress, the pandanus usually grows on the coastal areas but there are a few trees growing in the heart of Lautoka. Our coastal areas are also making way for development, but it’s good this coastal plant is able to grow in-land. We still have hope; we can still make mats and baskets.

As for mangoes they are not as plentiful as last year.

Somehow that Lady Bird tells me there is still hope and yes life goes on however humble and tough things may be.

(+) Sir Paul Reeves Says NZ Should Change its Stance on Fiji

 Former Archbishop of Aotearoa, Governor-General, architect of the 1997 Fiji Constitution, and currently special Commonweath Envoy, Sir Paul Reeves, says NZ should change its stance on Fiji.  The current policy of isolation has not worked and is bringing hardship to Fiji's people. Click here.
Photo: Fiji Village

(o+) Subhash Appana: Unscrupulous Reporting on Fiji

Read this damning account of media partiality in Scoop.

(+) On the Way to Land Reforms

Large areas of Fiji have never been fully integrated into the modern economy, and much land in production is used under leasehold arrangments of less than ideal benefit to either the ethnic Fijian ownwers or the usually non-Fijian tenants. The main beneficaries have been the Native Land Trust Board and the chiefs.  Land has been a political issue used to spread fear among ethnic Fiiians that the Indians will take it.  The Bainimarama government hopes to put an end to this situation by protecting Fijian ownwership and security of tenure, by bringing more land into production and making better use of present land use. This is part of the 'roadmap.'    Click here for the first steps.

NZ Aid: What is Given May Be Taken Away

One again, with the arrival of NZAid's newssheet No. 63, we are reminded  that Fiji has dropped off the map and is now somewhere south of the Pacific's "triple star." There's nothing to be done about it. NZAid is a government agency, and does what government says. But one item of news struck my eye. The Development Resource Centre is to get a new name: Global Focus Aotearoa, with a budget of $1.8m.  Development NGOs, university Pacific Studies and Development Studies departments, and development agencies generally must ever be alert to what, subtely, they may be asked to pay for governnment funding.  What is given may be taken away.