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

Thursday 15 November 2012

News and Comments Thursday 15 November 2012

BEWARE OUTSOURCING. A thousand people will lose their jobs with the Fiji Roads Authority in the next few weeks as the Authority outsources work to the overseas contractors, though many of them will be re-employed on contracts. New Zealand experience shows that this in vogue neo-liberal economics sometime, but by no means always,  saves government money, and always leads to less job security for workers. Whether that prospect is worth the risk in Fiji is doubtful.

NAILATIKAU REAPPOINTED FOR FURTHER THREE YEARS. "There is no better person than Ratu Epeli Nailatikau to take Fiji to the elections and beyond." These were the words of the PM, who also referred to Ratu Epeli as "a caring man and a people’s President and one who understands what has befallen us in the past and what needs to be put in place to rectify those shortcomings."

GAY ASYLUM SEEKER FEARFUL. One of the three Fijian nationals protesting on the roof of Sydney's Villawood's immigration detention centre says he fears  deportation  to Fiji "because of alleged abuse against homosexuals there." This is a most strange reason against deportation and shows how out of touch some expatriates are. Fiji now has some of the more liberal gay laws in the Pacific and, as a Fiji government spokesman said, the present government has specifically decriminalised sexual acts between consenting adults.

"BLEAK DIWALI FOR ALL." The  FLP, as is its manner, has cast the worst possible light on Fiji as it celebrates Diwali.  Not a thing is right and the only suggestion they can make is a return to 2006. But why not May 19 2000 when some of its new found friends in the SDL would have thought things were even better!

FOLLOW UP NEEDED. Jale O. Baba in Facebook's Fiji Economic News thinks the Ministry of Labour should follow up and ensure new wages guidelines are followed. "None of logging or sawmill workers I know have had a pay increase. They should also ensure contract rates are revised to ensure contractors can comply similarly."

USP JOURNALISM BEHEADED.  Controversial Dr Marc Edge has been replaced as Head of Journalism. FBC News reports several complaints against Dr Edge from second and third year journalism students, and others, including this blog, have questioned his political engagement. It is not his place, as a foreign Head of Journalism  with little knowledge of Fiji, to be so obviously anti-government —or pro-government for that matter.

QARASE WINS RIGHT TO APPEAL. The Appeals Court has granted former PM Qarase the right to appeal against his conviction and sentence.  Read more.

ANOTHER TIKINA APOLOGIES.  Read more.

MAHOGANY INDUSTRY TO MODERNISE. Read more.

FIJI'S RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN APC. Leaders of the Pacific ACP grouping will meet in Port Moresby on Wednesday next week to discuss amongst other things Fiji’s participation at future P-ACP related meetings. Read more.

NEW BOOK ON WOMEN IN FIJI. A robust account of the interdependence of women's rights, history, cultural heritages, politics and coups. The pages from about 179 onwards, which cover the 2000 Speight coup, the Qarase government, the 2006 coup and subsequent events, provide unique insights into current divisions in the women's movement and Fiji society, but earlier pages on the YWCA and the Soqosoqo vakamarama are also instructive. The download is quick and the book is well worth two readings, first a quick skim though and then a more thorough read of the pages you highlighted the first time through. Situating Women: Gender Politics and Circumstance in Fiji by Nicole George, PP 283. Download through this link. Vinaka, Mukesh, for bringing it to my attention.

YOU HAVE TO LAUGH. It's anti-government, opinionated, mostly untrue but rather clever satire until it becomes repetitive..  It's the unsolicited emails I receive, no doubt copied to many others, from ShazzerandGrubby. It's mainly a take off at Graham Davis but Yash Ghai and I got a mention in the last email:

"Cash Guy...Cash Guy - who are you talking about Shazzer? There's quite a lot of Cash Guys in our government after all. I mean the PM and the AG don't mind the folding stuff, half the Cabinet's on the take...who could this be?

"As for Crazy Welsh. I got that one, you are a clever minx the way you use these secret codes, lucky I am also clever. Did you know I won a Walkley once? It could have been worse. It's a good thing you gave him that government vehicle. So when some old white dude jumps out of a G-plated Toyota Land Cruiser at Suva Market and says "tell me totally objectively and confidentially what you think of Frank's government" at least people know what to say. But be careful when you pay old farts who left the country years ago to come back to say nice things about your government. You never know how it will end. I mean, with some of them, not all of them. I mean, don't get me wrong. And don't stop sending the cheques."

Anyone like to write a description of the "old fart" who wrote this?


12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Croz, I hear that the Shazzer and Grubby parody is written by Charlie Charters, Mere Samisoni's son-in-law. A right royal Charlie who thoroughly deserves all the praise he's getting for some clever writing.

Unknown said...

Crazy,
Thanks for giving Shazzer and Grubby a plug. If any of your readers want to get on the mailing list they can just send an email to shazzerandgrubby@gmail.com.

You say it is ‘mostly untrue’. In a country with media censorship nobody knows what is true and what is not. When even the Government’s official spokes person, Sharon Smith Johns, is prepared to lie on camera and on the radio nobody knows where the truth lies. When the dictator himself has broken so many promises and acted in the opposite way to his own speeches it is a wonder the people of Fiji know which way is up and which way is down.

As I say the letters are a work of fiction but some of the people and events are real. The trick is to know which is which.

Two things we know are true. Your fact finding mission was funded by the Ministry of Information. Graham Davis is paid by Qorvis and is flown to Fiji every week business class. What we don’t know is if the people of Fiji think this is the best use of their taxes. It is something we will never know because the dictator refuses to publish the auditor General’s Reports.

Hugs and kisses


Shazzer

Unknown said...

@Anon
Graham Davis is playing a guessing name and regularly sends emails addressed to Shazzer but changing the Christian names. Tom, Dick and Harry will probably be featured in his next email.

If you are really keen to find out the identity i make this commitment to the readers of Crazy Walsh.

On the day the dictatorship falls I will reveal my identity.

Unknown said...

Crazy,
Just let me know if you want to stop receiving the emails. Happy to take you off the list.

i have had quite a few Govt employees asking to be removed for the mailing list and they have then sent me their private email. funny that.

rusi said...

'or pro-government'??!!, well we know exactly why Marc Edge came to your attention and it would never be because he had pro-regime feelings or opinions. The ONLY reason he came under scrutiny from and USP, were his critical views of the regime, which he is entitled to hold and voice if he wishes. But i am sure everyone took your threat seriously about what you have to trade away to get and keep a visa in Fiji I note you don't exactly celebrate the concept of free sppech, except for yourself, but everyone else in Fiji should be careful? Now is it the media, former politicians, visa , PR holders and citizens who should all hold their tongues and give the regime 8 years to entrench their power and own brand of cronyism. Yeah right.

Crosbie Walsh said...

@ Shazzer ... One or your "truths" is only partly true and its inference is most definitely untrue. MOI only paid for my airfares. some of my internal transport and half my accommodation costs. I paid all my wife's expenses, and half my accommodation and all incidental costs, leaving us between NZ$2,000 and NZ$3,000 out of pocket. No payment was made for ten days labour No per diem. No expenses allowance. No consultancy fee. Nothing. A modest consultancy fee would have been at least US$500 a day. Say, F The inference that I have been "bought" because I accepted government assistance is unfair in two ways. MOI placed no restrictions whatsoever on who I could speak with. The articles I have written so far on the visit show no evidence that I was "bought." You may care to correct your statement when next you write. One last thing. I think you would be more effective in criticizing government (and helping Fiji) if you added some positives and suggestions on what they should be doing to your mix.

Unknown said...

I said "Your fact finding mission was funded by the Ministry of Information." I did not say to what extent nor did I say they funded Mrs Crazy's trip.

As for giving positive suggestions to government I gave that up years ago as you know all too well they never listen to anyone except themselves. Even you positive suggestions have fallen on deaf ears.

You saw and warned of the dangers of the Essential Industies Decree a year ago. Did they listen no. And now we find the USA may remove their duty free access to Fiji's exports.

Anonymous said...

Shazzer continues an old practice to take on dictators and their stooges and pawns with satire. This kind of stuff has already driven Dr Goebbels mad. And one thing is for sure, Shazzer's deliberations are much, much more fun to read than Croz' drivel and his pathetic attempts to obtain credibility by throwing in a critical word every now and then.

Crosbie Walsh said...

@ SG ... Thanks for answering HALF of my comment.

Graham is a sell out said...

Crazy,

Let me answer your post point by point to make sure you get the full answer you expect and deserve.

You said
One or your "truths" is only partly true and its inference is most definitely untrue. MOI only paid for my airfares. some of my internal transport and half my accommodation costs. I paid all my wife's expenses, and half my accommodation and all incidental costs, leaving us between NZ$2,000 and NZ$3,000 out of pocket. No payment was made for ten days labour No per diem. No expenses allowance. No consultancy fee. Nothing. A modest consultancy fee would have been at least US$500 a day. Say, F The inference that I have been "bought" because I accepted government assistance is unfair in two ways. MOI placed no restrictions whatsoever on who I could speak with. The articles I have written so far on the visit show no evidence that I was "bought." You may care to correct your statement when next you write. One last thing. I think you would be more effective in criticizing government (and helping Fiji) if you added some positives and suggestions on what they should be doing to your mix.

1- I said "Your fact finding mission was funded by the Ministry of Information." I did not say to what extent nor did I say they funded Mrs Crazy's trip.
2- I did not make any inference that you had been bought, I simply stated a fact. I actually don’t think you were bought in that sense because you were already a strong supporter of Bainimarama. I am sure you leapt at the chance of funding for your trip but I am quite sure the printed outcomes remain the same.
3- Do I think your interview with Ratu Joni actually is a real reflection of his views? No I don’t think so at all. He gave very cautious answers to all your questions and knowing that what he was saying was going to be reproduced in Fiji made him doubly so. I know firsthand that in a more private setting he maintains a stronger position than came across in your interview. Do you really think your third unwise man Commodore Bananas would have made such a fuss if he thought that Ratu Jone was onside?
4- They had no reason not to let you meet who you wished. You clearly stated you had no wish to meet politicians who between them had over 80% of the popular vote in 2006. Your reasoning in my view is very flawed. We are also waiting for the specifics of who you met. You gave us groups you met but which NGO’s and who, Which members of the legal fraternity did you meet? Etc etc.
5- As for giving positive suggestions to government I gave that up years ago as you know all too well they never listen to anyone except themselves. Even your positive suggestions have fallen on deaf ears. You saw and warned of the dangers of the Essential Industries Decree a year ago. Did they listen no? And now we find the USA may remove their duty free access to Fiji's exports.

rusi said...

Oh look.... another colonel has been appointed a minister...nothing to see here eh Croz, 'best person for the job' blah blah....

%$#@! said...

perhaps given you are such an fan or being 'even handed' and 'positive', and go to great lengths to promote the military regime, and how they are SO much better in your eyes than other government (who have been elected), would you provide a very brief report of the positives of the Qarase and previous governments?? or would this be looking back ??!!