Steven Ratuva on "The Politics of Preference (Voting)""The popular political myth is that democratic elections are won and lost on the basis of people’s direct choices.What we forget is that people’s choices have to go through the complex mechanics of the electoral process, endorsed by some ambitious politicians and drafted by some overpaid lawyers, which become the vehicle through which our democratic choices are legitimized." So wrote USP political scientist and commentator Steven Ratuva in the Fiji Times (May 1, 2006) just before the 2006 election. The election, using the contentious Alternative Voting system, hinged on six key Open seats in Greater Suva. The result saw Qarase's SDL party (with extreme Fijian nationalists and Speight 2000 Coup supporters as part of his team) returned to power. The slide towards December's Coup had begun. To read the whole article, click here.
Steven Ratuva on "Officers, Gentlemen and Coups" (On the Role of the Military in Civil Affairs)
[Former senior army officer] "John (Baledrokadroka) had a very deep commitment towards values of good governance, apolitical military and professionalism which I believe would have been the biggest ideological and intellectual force behind his resolve. Both Frank (Bainimarama) and John believed deeply in the reprofessionalisation of the military, re-democratisation of the country and the rounding up and punishment of the 2000 coup perpetrators but their differences revolved around their different approaches." [Bainimarama stood Baledrokadroka down in January 2006 probably because of his opposition to a coup as the means to bring about change.] To read the whole article, Click here.
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