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

Thursday 13 October 2011

News and Comments Thursday 13 October 2011

13.10.11
ON FIJI'S SUPPOSED ISOLATION. A reader writes:
"Canberra continues to hold out that it has succeeded in politically isolating the Fiji Government - but it has only succeeded in doing so in the two organisations in which it exerts over-weaning influence - the Commonwealth and PIF - and large numbers of the Member States of both organisations have told Fiji privately and publicly that they don't agree with the policy of suspending engagement with the Fiji Government.  All of them attribute Fiji's unhelpful suspension from these two bodies to the influence of Australia.

"How can Fiji be described as "politically isolated"
  • when it is Chair of MSG (95% of the land and resources of PSIDS); 
  • when Government Leaders from China to Georgia, from Papua New Guinea to Kiribati, come to Fiji to pay their respects; 
  • when Fiji has been welcomed into the 120-nation Non-Aligned Movement; 
  • when in the margins of UN General Assembly Fiji attended Ministerial meetings with the Russian MFA, the US Secretary of State, the Singapore MFA, the Cuban MFA, the President of Finland, the President of Tahiti, etc, etc, etc; 
  • when Fiji's PM was invited to Co-Chair (with the President of Austria) a UN panel on desertification and land degradation; 
  • when Fiji has been internationally-elected to be one of the current Vice-Presidents of UN General Assembly and the current Assembly President of the 167-nation International Seabed Authority;
  • when Fiji has signed up formalisation of diplomatic relations with 37 new countries over the last 18 months;
  • and when Fiji's PM was able to tour any US State he cared to last month (note, he's prohibited from travelling to Australia) to talk to potential American investors?  Is this telling a story of a "politically isolated" country? 

"As for cutting off Fiji's peacekeeping role - its peacekeepers are currently serving in UN Missions in South Sudan, Abiyei, Dafur, Liberia, Timor Leste and Iraq.  The latter force, 1st Battalion RFMF, was increased by 55 in 2011 after an international assessment of great thoroughness — and this in the face of sustained Australian opposition. Meanwhile 2nd Battalion RFMF remains in place in the Sinai with the Multinational Force and Observers (MFO), as it has done since the days that Jimmy Carter was President. This is a Fiji heritage that no one will be able to "cut off" or denigrate. Fiji's proud role as UN peacekeepers is here to stay."

INTENDED FNPF REFORMS REFORMED. Pressure from members has resulted in two major changes to the proposed pension funds reforms. There will be no compulsory pension deductions for all members. Deductions will be optional. And the option of lump-sum withdrawals will remain. A Fund spokesman, however, urged members who had reached retirement age to make wise decisions about their money so that they would not end up living on social welfare after all their pension money was spent, and all members to consider pension deductions for a more secure future. It is understood, however, that the proposal to reduce the annual pension rate from 25% or 15% to about 9% remains. The proposal, contested by pensioner David Burness (and a counter-proposal to strike out Burness's appeal), will be heard in the High Court next year.

METHODIST MEETING OKAY UNDER MONITORING. A  27 member group of US Methodists has  been given permission to meet with Fiji Methodist officials but the meeting will be monitored by a police officer who will ensure that political issues are not discussed. The Fiji Government has long insisted that the Church distance itself from its previous heavy political involvement. The group will arrive on Saturday and be in Fiji for about ten days.

My view is that PER should be lifted or at least be modified along these lines. It is far better to let meetings go ahead under stipulated conditions than to prevent or cancel them. This is how all PER regulations relating to meetings should be considered.

6 comments:

sara'ssista said...

so presumably if fiji is not isolated, then there is no issue is there? Given that the fiji regime NEEDS to create new relationships with Azerbaijan and Benin to make themselves feel recognised, i think it is all about small men feeling the desperate need for recognition and grasping at every opportunity to promote thelselves and their military regime. (Note it is still referred to as such by most) And we have already had the discussion about pacifi leaders saying whatver the listener wants hear. They say one thing to the Fiji regime, another to Aus US and NZ. So what's new.But we are supposed to take everything they say at face value? .This is the same regime that bleated about being bullied by it's pacific neighbours into a 2009 commitment to elections,'they made me say it'.Oh dear.

sister saras said...

@sara'ssista
What you have to understand luvena, is that the convicts came to OZ and short changed the Abos. It took them more than 200yrs to say sorry (Kevin Rudd in 2007). The 2000 coup convicts in the LQ camp tried a similar thing, ie to disenfranchise the Indos, who are citizens of Fiji nonetheless. Enter Frank Bainimarama, and we all know what happened thereafter. The sad part is that these Aussies are making the exact same mistake again, for which they said sorry in 2007. The only difference is that it is not happening on their home soil. They perhaps forgot that the ancestors of Indos, aka Girmitiyas aka stolen generation, whose blood and sweat is still fragrant in the cane fields of Fiji, actually worked for the Australian CSR Co Ltd.

sara'ssista said...

@ sister saras...and this related how to my comment or even the broader topics. In any event, At least these indians in fiji may have the right and a case to sue the Aust Governmenrt if they wish, in fiji they would have no right, no way.

sister saras said...

@sara'ssista
You answered your own question. You are outright racist, as I suspected all along. I hope your grandfather qarase spends the rest of his life in jail.

sister saras said...

@Croz,
Why dont you publish Mark Mannings stuff? Is he censored or he simply does not indulge in intellect? I wanted to engage him on a topic @C4.5 in which he wants to be a grafitti artist. I am sure he will do well in his venture as he can change hands without losing the stroke, ha ha ha

sara'ssista said...

Oh dear Sara, and if he isn't convicted...your plan is what....exactly? They have spent six years dithering over the 'investigation' and bringing charges...and it has amounted to squat. I am no friend of qarase at all,equally no friend of Chaudry the man this regime so welcomed In the illegal cabinet no less, only shoot themselves in the feet again.