"Look North Policy." I don't
know what to make of Government's reach into the Middle East, with
the PM meeting the Iranian President and Ambassador Robin Nair
meeting the Emir or Ajman, one of the seven emirates that make up
the United Arab Emirates, but if they keep going, I'm sure the USA
and Fiji's former traditional allies will experience mounting
concern.
Development for Women policy. Six new
women's centres will open before the end of the year. Eleven women's
resource centres have been built and 12 extended since 2011. Each new
centre will have a business plan and focus on core products such as
handicrafts, embroidery, jewelly, virgin coconut oil, tailoring, wood
carving, catering, baking, salt making and seeweed production. The
purpose of the centres is to help mainly underprivileged or rural
women generate income for their families.
Election Registration. Registration of
overseas Fijian with valid passports and eligible to vote in the 2014
elections started this week in Auckland and Wellington. It will then
move to Australia, the UK and the west coast of North America. Some
540,000 people have already registered in Fiji.
Elections to cost $40 million. This is
the A-G's estimate. Australia, NZ, the EU, and PNG are working
closely with Government in preparation for the election, and PNG has
said it will contribute $20 million towards election expenses.
Supervisor of Elections. The post has
been advertised, and the person chosen with by appointed by the
President of the recommendation of the Constitutional Offices
Commission and and Electoral Commission. This procedure is fine for
the election after this one when the Leader of Opposition will a
member of the COC, but for this election all seems to be in the hands
of the PM and the A-G. A bridging arrangement is needed to ensure
that opinions outside the inner Government circle are consulted.
Otherwise, anti-Government groups will maintain the whole thing is a
jackup between the PM and A-G.
But who to add to the commission in
the interim? A prominent and well-respected lawyer, professional,
businessman or community leader, or one or more of the country's
university Vice-Chancellors?
The Commissioner of Police. The same
criticism can be made about the appointment of the next Commissioner
of Police, whose position is vacant with the expiration this week of
Brig. Ioane Naivalurua's contract. The current Constitution Offices
Commission is not the transparent and balanced commission detailed in
the Constitution.
4 comments:
Why would a bridging arrangement be needed for this election? It can't be that some rants of the corrupt old parties is sufficient a reason to compromise the clear and transparent path that the AG and the PM have taken. Why on earth would they want to relinquish control over a process that will be critical for Fiji's future? Only if and when our AG calls the shots, the re-emergence of the old corrupt politicians can be avoided. It would certainly be the wrong time to waver now.
Are we talking about Fiji or the middle east? Are the Fiji military totally brain dead?
There is real danger in just handing decisions on the country's future to an uneducated and opportunistic electorate. With liumuri genetically programmed into the mind set, Fijian voters may at the last moment decide to stab the AG and the PM in the back and ignore the enormous achievements these two man have made possible. Therefore a closely controlled election process in the answer. The good news is that our brothers from PNG will be election observers, they will have a much better understanding of the key issues than a few aloof bureaucrats from the EU. Personally, I do not believe that 2014 is the right time for elections, it would be much better to keep the current leaders in control until 2020. This would allow to make sure that the electorate is educated and understands the issues. On the other hand I can understand that our AG and PM want to legitimise their rule, the flow of aid and loans will depend on this and the travel bans won't be lifted without going through the hoops of an election.
and we can expect the regime to take as much notice of your advice Crosbie as they do from anyone else ...you still don't get it? You are either in full agreement with every element of what they want and publicly so, or as far they are concerned you can shut up...
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