Cogito, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. (René Descartes, mathematician and philosopher,1599-1650)

Monday 17 May 2010

Rotuma Day, Hurricane Tomas Costs, AusNZ Aid, Flashback: Qarase on Bainimarama

NA SALA CAVA?  Readers are urged to scroll down to the three "Way Forward" questions, read what others think, and add their own comments. I will summarize these on Wednesay and post a further question for your consideration.

ROTUMA DAY, marking the anniversary of the island's cessation to Britain in 1881, is usually  celebrated on May 13 or the following Saturday. Fiji Rotuman Association chairman Roy Fiu used the occasion to highlight awareness about culture and language that many born outside Rotuma know little about.

Speaking on the second day of the celebrations in Suva, PM Bainimarama said one of Government's visions is to make Rotuma a well developed Island. Work has alreadsy been done to make Rotuma a port of entry and the first direct exports to Tuvalu had gone ahead as planned, but the $15 million airport concfrete runway upgrade planned for this year had been delayed. The PM saidCabinet has already approved additional funding and they are on the verge of seeking funds from the Ministry of Finance.  Infrastructure and outer island development are part of the Roadmap.

HURRICANE TOMAS COST ONE BILLION. Speaking at the 18th session of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development, PS PM' office Col. Pio Tikoduadua said:The evidence of negative impacts of climate change on the Pacific region are many and two of Fiji’s close neighbouring countries, Tuvalu and Kiribati, are starkexamples of that.In the case of my own country, Fiji, the effects of changing weather patterns have been felt heavily by our people. The rate at which natural disasters, such as floods and hurricanes, have hit Fiji and their severity have increased markedly in the recent years. For the first time in 35 years, we experienced the devastation of a Category 4 cyclone in February this year, costing our economy more than F$100 million." (extract)

AUSNZ HURRICANE AID will increase by A$1m and NZ$600k to rebuild homes, schools and health centres affected by the hurricane. The money will be given to Habitat for Humanity Fiji which has a track record of successful delivery of house reconstruction and cyclone proofing following the January 2009 floods. The two countries previously gifted A$1m and NZ$1m.

FLASHBACK DEC. 1, 2006. QARASE SAYS BAINIMARAMA "DERANGED, UNSTABLE."In an interview on Radio Tarana as reported by Michael Field, PM Qarase branded Bainimarama "deranged" and "unstable"."We are dealing with somebody who is completely deranged and unstable so that's part of the problem," he said. When asked if he thought Bainimarama was mentally stable, he replied: "I think that should be obvious to anybody."

As the midday deadline for Bainimarama's threatened military coup passed with no obvious signs of a military take-over today. The capital was quiet and Bainimarama was at the Suva sports stadium watching a soccer match between the army and police.  

Meanwhile, PM Qarase said he was counting on divine intervention to prevent the country's fourth coup in 20 years. "There is always such a thing as divine intervention and I'm counting on that this morning," he told ABC radio. "God works in mysterious ways, and he might be working on it now...I rely a lot on how God works in people and it could well be today is the day for him that God may work through him and pull (him) back from his position." PM Qarase also thought Commodore Bainimarama's deadline could be a bluff. The army was divided by a "very big split" – a factor which could work in the Government's favour and prevent a coup.

6 comments:

Whose Side Is He On? said...

Does that mean then that God did not intervene to prevent the coup (in which case He wanted it to go ahead) or did he intervene but supported a different side?

Jeke said...

May the omnipotent one had been listening to Sakiusa’s rendition of God save Fiji on the day Qarase uttered those words.

Mere, mere quite contrare said...

Croz, the mad bread woman from Lami is saying over at Coup 4.5 that the FMF has an army of paid ghost writers disseminating its propaganda all over the place. I can believe the propaganda part and, at a stretch, even the idea of tevoro writers. But is anyone really getting paid? That's when I knew she was lying.

Pots calling the kettle black said...

Oi, Laisenia Qarase and Michael Field. Now that's deranged and unstable.

As famous as Frank said...

Croz, you are now so well known that they use only your Christian name over at 4.5.
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Anonymous said...
@fruitcake...the ghost writers are certainly active on croz's site....they get very passionate and personal and are always quick to dismiss events and incidents and waffle about 'the big picture' or 'the future' or the 'way forward'... as if they are gong to play any role or have any influence on this illegal military regime.

May 17, 2010 10:35 PM
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"Croz" -a name to strike fear in the hearts of men.

Anonymous said...

Is reliance on 'Divine Intervention' any way to run a country in the 21st Century? "God helps those who help themselves" is an old tested proverb. The danger now is that a lack of capacity and the inability of so many to full grasp the seriousness of Fiji's situation in an unstable global climate will lead to a "straw that breaks the camel's back"? Now that is enough to render some people "deranged" and "unstable". Surely, not a new phenomenon?