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PM'S NEW YEAR MESSAGE. "We must all work together and not shy away from taking tough decisions." Click here.
GREAT COUNCIL OF CHIEFS MUST BE APOLITICAL. For many years the GCC has been a body that exerted considerable influence on Fiji politics. It appointed the President and Vice-President, appointed nearly one-half of the members of Senate (that could veto legislation), and "approved" the SVT and later the SDL parties to represent ethnic Fijians in parliament. It supported Qarase's Qoliqoli and Reconciliation legislation, and after the 2006 coup refused to appoint a Vice-President nominated by the Bainimarama goverment which led to its suspension.
Government is committed to removing politics from the Great Council of Chiefs, and wants chiefs, not politicians and civil servants. These comments were made by the permanent secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office, Colonel Pio Tikoduadua while confirming that the re-convening of the Great Council of Chiefs was among the issues discussed by the PM and the Tui Cakau Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu at their meeting before Christmas. The GCC remains adjourned for now but government is looking into this and will call a meeting as and when the need arises. Meanwhile, Government has been convening the meeting of tikina (district) chiefs, and the Bose ni Turaga (Council of Chiefs that has a much larger membership) has already sat three times. These chiefs are constantly in touch with the people and provide a wider representation of chiefs from the 14 provinces.
FIJI TO COMPLAIN NZ HERALD MISREPORTING. Bruce Hill of the Australian Broadcasting Commission interviews Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and a spokesman for CoupFourPointFive on the story carried by the NZ Hereald earlier this year that PM Bainimarama was dead. The A-G says Fiji will complain to the NZ media authority. The blogger said such false reports were due to media restrictions in Fiji; the Bainimarama government was "hugely unpopular" and "hanging in by the skin of their teeth" which was a good political plug but irrelevant in the context of Bainimarama's misreported death. Khaiyum said the paper could at least have checked out its story. Asked what sort of penalty he expected, he said he was not familiar with NZ penalties but thought the paper could at least apologize. Thank you, Bruce, for airing this story. It apparently did not merit a mention by the NZ media.
VOICE BUT NO FACE. So whose was the mystery voice on the ABC interview, and why if we had a voice did we not also have a face and a name? I couldn't hear every word he said, and had to listen twice before I could pick up his general argument, but he sounded male in his thirties, causasian or someone who has lived for years and been educated in NZ, and he's possibly a journalist or someone who makes his money from words. I doubt he's been to Fiji in recent years but he obviously has some connections, perhaps through once living or working there, or through friendships in Auckland. CoupFourPointFive has several editors. I suspect he was chosen as spokesman because he had the least reason to conceal his identity. Other anti-Bainimarama bloggers such as Sai Lealea (FijiCoup2006), Peter Firkin (FijiToday), Adi Elisapeci Samanunu Waqanivalu (Luvei Viti) and even Mere Samisoni in Fiji (Matavuvale), reveal their identity. It would be good if we could put a face to Mr X from CoupFourPointFive.
7 comments:
The Government's decision to pursue the media is ill advised on several fronts beyond the most obvious, which is inviting even more scrutiny and vengeance from a proven enemy.
1/ The PM was not dead and the media outlet/s in question wound up with damaged credibility and egg on its/their face/faces. This is punishment enough when the only weapon in any media company's arsenal is credibility.
2/ The rumours did no damage to Fiji in any meaningful sense beyond creating an element of doubt among those stupid enough to believe them without awaiting confirmation.
3/ The Government is perpetuating the issue when it's best left in abeyance beyond being used as a weapon to undermine the credibility of future NZ reporting, and especially items that may, in fact, be true.
4/ There is little to gain in an unelected dictatorship pursuing redress in a democracy against any media outlet when it doesn't allow media freedom itself. The NZ Media Authority is likely to regard the complaint as being of little importance, especially when Fiji cannot prove significant damage to its interests.
5/ The AG, in particular, comes across as being consumed by something of little real significance given the nation's other, more pressing, problems. He ought to be advised to follow the PM's lead in laughing off the report. The problem is, of course, that the AG wouldn't be pursuing this without the PM's encouragement. Too many thin skins all round.
6/ All this shows, once again, the need for a much better strategic effort at the centre of government to manage such issues. And for that advice to be heeded by the PM and senior officials. But that's another story.
Conventional practice in news and current affairs has it that interviewees should only have their identities concealed when there is a clear threat to their positions and the information being imparted is of such importance that there is a clear public interest in granting them anonymity.
The ABC would undoubtedly argue that one of the principals of Coup 4.5 deserves the cloak of anonymity because of the possibility of government retribution. But that's where any justification ends and even this depends on whether the person being interviewed was actually in Fiji and within striking distance of the alleged bully boys of the military.
Is he in danger on the streets of Auckland or Sydney? Not on the evidence thus far. Not only do regime critics thrive there but there's no indication whatsoever that Frank Bainimarama is a Saddam Hussein who orders death squads to pursue his opponents abroad. So how hazardous is this individual's position beyond being unmasked as a regime critic? Would he be captured, tortured and forced to reveal the secrets of 4.5? Maybe in Fiji in more fevered minds but nowhere else,
Where the ABC is really vulnerable to criticism and complaint is that this person's contribution to the debate was so pedestrian. Merely parroting the usual anti-regime line meant that nothing of what he said met the public interest test. There was no new information of such pressing urgency that the public benefited from hearing from the man with the mask.
Now, one might argue that I am anonymous in these columns. But this is comment, not news, an important distinction. And in any event, the whole world accepts that an entirely different set of conventions applies to the Bloggersphere. When it comes to news and information programs on a mainstream public broadcaster like the ABC, the audience clearly deserves better.
Yes, there are times when whistle-blowers deserve anonymity in the public interest, as well as their own, but this wasn't one of them. The whistle wasn't being blown on anything. Bruce Hill and his editors allowed a run-of-the-mill regime critic to sprout run-of-the-mill anti-regime criticism and in doing so, debased not just an importance convention but the credibility of the ABC.
@ Bad Move.....
Absolutely disagree. This was and still is a matter of regional concern and interest. It is to be expected and required that at all times the NZ Media "get their facts right". If they get them wrong, they are to be told that the citizens of the South Pacific Region require, if not demand, they do their homework professionally and competently. Sowing ill-found rumour is not this. We will not be toyed with in this manner by any media outlet no matter where they are placed regionally.
@ The hapless FRFU Lottery and the alleged mis-governance of its drawing......
Anyone in Fiji who has ever run a lottery or participated in the raising of funds through selling lottery tickets for whatever purpose knows that the Commissioner of the relevant division imposed very strict rules and regulations. One being that ticket butts and details are to be kept for a full seven years. All Officials associated with the lottery are to be held accountable at law for each and every detail of its conduct. So, bearing this in mind and that Dr Mahendra Reddy is also empowered by the Commerce Commission to investigate and to then deliberate, let that happen. The hapless Mr Allen has nothing to say about it. Did he pay $20 or $10 for his winning ticket? Let us simply say this: Were Mr Allen to fully understand the implications of his win in light of the purported mis-management, he would remain cautiously quiet pending the outcome of a justified enquiry. It is possible that no one will emerge from this with their integrity intact. The very fact that some have already had their say shows how ignorant they are of the basic pillars of governance which apply: transparency and accountability and a full compliance with the relevant regulations. When in doubt, ASK.
'he's possibly a journalist or someone who makes his money from words. I doubt he's been to Fiji in recent years but he obviously has some connections, perhaps through once living or working there, or through friendships in Auckland.' I am happy for these fascinating insights into someone Croz does not know to stand for themselves. I am glad he feels his standard of comment and assumption should not apply to others. It is only commentary after all.
Oh and i agree with the point that was made that an illegal and illegitimate regime has the gall to use legal measures in a democratic country to address a relatively minor matter, i do recall many media outlets had at least a number of times previously reported the premature death of the late queen mother , so what. Isn't this the same regime that doesn't feel the need to be bound by any court decision and you are unable to take them to court on any matter for redress?? Clearly Croz doesn't get the irony or conveniently ignores it as usual.
Adult Education a must in Fiji....
AE or on-going education for adults is now urgently required in Fiji. It should be free when it permits those who are unable to read or write or who are innumerate to catch up. It should utilise schools after hours: no educational facility should be unused after hours. AE could be in place from 5 - 9pm and all kinds of easily accessed courses which will equip people for work and fill in gaps in their basic education should available. There is a dearth of curiousity about such provision. No point at all in giving more education to those who would find it elsewhere and then leave anyway. The UK/Australia/NZ must come to the party here and assist with relevant resourcing and programmes which are suitable to Fiji's needs. No time to waste.
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