- Interest must focus on Fiji’s future
- Views must not be inconsistent with the principles of the People’s Charter
- Participants must not have any pending criminal charges
- Participants must not represent political organizations based on communal representation.
No good will be served with the appointment of an unknown or a person seen to be a Government stooge. Full story.
The Disaster Management Committee estimates the financial cost of Cyclone Mick will be about $25 million, much less than the $200 million cost of January's floods.
The NGO Femlink has had its licence to operate its mobile "suitcase" radio station renewed. Radio 89.2FM uses a low powered transmitter that reaches a 10 kilometre radius.
Diabetes great concern
A Fred Hollows Foundation survey found 40% of adults had diabetes, one of the highest rates in the world. The survey claimed the cost of medication alone will outstrip the present resources of the Fiji health system. Full story.
Readers' Copmments:
"Prison reform part of Roadmap"
A reader commenting on this post wrote:"This is true. During a working trip to Naboro about 3 months ago, we were taken around the hills at the back of the complex to see a vast commercial enterprise being undertaken by the Prison Services. There were roughly 80,000 dalo plants already planted and they are still clearing more hillside for this big undertaking. We were told that as this commercial enterprise rolls, the Prison Service will be self-reliant and the government will not need to fund their food supply anymore. I also heard that they will then start supplying the major hospitals which seems to drain a lot of funds for the government, and so forth. This is an amazing undertaking and I was very very impressed." Another reader (Lol, Laugh Out Loud) thought we were making it all up (See Comments). It is unfortunate that people like this Doubting Thomas won't change their minds until their hand can feel a hoe wound in one of the 80,000 dalo.
... and another reader commenting on the cyclone, suggested a regional disaster relief organization should be a priority for the Pacific Islands Forum.
... and while on Comments, there is no security risk in signing your comment with a pseudonym. Bebe, Beka or Bulumakau included with your comment is just as safe as Anonymous without.
Reader "Wetsie": Thanks for the greeting to "Croz and team." Other people do help occasionally -- mainly in informing me of news releases I could have missed and in providing ideas on what to publish -- but there is no team. I wish there were.
A Tamara McLean article in the NZ Herald/AAP provides readers with a rehash of what was once news, and "fresh" comments from "an Auckland University academic sympathetic to Bainimarama" (Prof.Hugh Laracy) countered by three "Pacific specialists (Dr Jon Fraenkel, Jone Baledrokadroka and Prof. Brij Lal) at the Australian National University" who are not." The use of "academic" and "specialists" tells readers where Tamara is coming from, but it's neither subtle nor accurate for all four are academics and specialists.
The article makes no mention of any recent happening in Fiji (this blog has been full of them; not even Bainimarama's response to John Key's Radio Tarana interview -- which, incidentally, the NZ Herald did not even bother to report!), and most of what the trio said resonated like echoes from one or another earlier media source. Click here to add "Forty Foot Echo" ringtones to your cellphone.
For the record, former Land Force Commander Baledrokadroka did not "reject the regime." He was send on leave (suspended) by the military prior to the 2006 Coup before resigning and leaving for an ANU scholarship in Canberra. And Tamara's account of Brij Lal's deportation was predictably light on contextual detail.
Most disturbing, though, was Fraenkel's unscholarly guesswork in interpretating happenings in Fiji. He speculates government reshuffles are "squables behind the scenes"; thinks 90 percent (sic!) of ethnic Fijians oppose Bainimarama; and that Government's policies are contradictory in providing free school buses (a "socialist" policy) and a business-friendly ("right wing) budget. His imposed left wing-right wing framework does not sit well in the Pacific -- and even in New Zealand we've had free buses for country children and business-friendly budgets for as long as I can remember.
Supporters of The Foundation for the Education of Needy Children in Fiji (FENC), a group of mainly Indo-Fijians in the Brisbane area, have donated $8,000 to the Foundation, run by Irshad Ali, formerly of Save the Children Fund.
Tourism target $900m earnings
Tourism Fiji chairman Patrick Wong says the industry is targeting $900m. in direct tourism earnings, and 600,000 visitors, in 2010. Earnings in 2008 were $892m. Wong thinks the targets achievable because of improved marketing, a "good geographic mix, targeting markets of UK/Europe, Russia, China and the Gulf region," new airlines and new routings that increase capacity and provide better connectivity opening up new markets and regions with better market penetration... V Australia and Jetstar [also] give better access from non-mainstream ports, like Western and South Australia. Broadening our markets with a geographic will spread the constant flow of visitor arrivals throughout the year, levelling out the trough and low season periods," he added.
Happy 2010 Everyone.
May the New Year bring Fiji As It Was and Is appreciably closer to
the Fiji it Can Be.
the Fiji it Can Be.
Drawing: Kids Art. www.squidoo.com
13 comments:
Happy New Year Croz
Happy New Year Croz and all the vistors on your blog!!
This NZ herald piece is deeply irritating because of the appearance of the same old whingers from the ANU. Jon Fraenkel is a polemicist, not a dispassionate scholar, so clearly in the thrall of his SDL loving indigenous marama that he has abandoned all principle. And Brij Lal is, well, Brij Lal, a man now so enamoured of his comfortable existence in Australia and his status as "dial an academic" for the media that he gives scant thought to the struggle for equality still being fought by Indo-Fijians who stayed in Fiji. But the worst of these drongos dredged up the miserable NZ Herald is the equally miserable Jone Baledrokadroka. When will the mass of humanity finally examine this man's record? Baldrokadroka's life was saved by Frank Bainimarama when his fellow troops wanted to execute him for trying to stage a mutiny at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks. Then he was quietly allowed to leave the country only to repay Bainimarama's indulgence by also setting himself up as a critic in padded exile at the ANU. That this rabble is drawn upon by gullible Aussie and Kiwi hacks for expert opinion on Fiji defies belief. And the proof of that is their failure to come to grips with the FACTS of an improving economy and growing popular support for the regime. Oh, watch them scoff at what they'll invariably cast as preposterous nonsense that isn't supported by their superior analytical skills. But they're set to suffer the ultimate humiliation as academics - to be eventually judged to be on the wrong side of history because of blind personal prejudice and self interest. A grotesque trio feeding at the public trough and unloading their BS on the rest of us.
Croz, loloma levu vei kemuni e na yabaki vou. And a happy New Year to all your many fans. Especially Snoopy, who has shamed me into granting your New Year wish, Croz, to adopt a pseudonym. Instead of the Red Baron, I eventually decided to go for something local.
For Jon Fraenkel to say 90 per cent of indigenous Fijians oppose Frank is amazing for someone in his position. How the hell does he know that? Has there been a Fiji Times/Tebbut poll that supports this crazy notion? No. It's just a figure plucked out of nowhere by an academic who should know better. This guy has no credibility at all. What a jerk!
These three idiots from the ANU are a bloody menace. It can't just be coincidence that they're all at the same university. I think they're part of Australia Inc, an unholy alliance against Fiji in DFAT, the ANU and the Lowy Institute. Jon Fraenkel is a bloody Pom but the other two are either current or former Fiji citizens. I think that by aligning themselves with Australia in the way they have, they are guilty of treason and if I had my way, they'd be shot. I might spare Bril Lal as a misguided Girmit with a chip on his shoulder. But Baledrokadroka? Send him back to the Qaranivalu in a box.
We can't complain about Solivakasama calling for the assassination of Frank and then have this new idiot from nowhere saying Fraenkel, Lal and JB deserve to be shot. It's offensive. What's going on, Croz?
Come on anon @ 7.31. Chill. Check out the idiot's name. I think he was joking ( I hope ). Happy New Year!!
Anonymous @7.31 (sic!), We can of course continue to criticize Solivakasama for its threats of assassination because two wrongs do not make one right. But I'm with you totally in condemning Col. Blimp stooping to the level of Solivakasama. And if he's joking,as Anon @7.39 (sic!) supposes, it's a very poor joke. I'll leave his comment for the moment, but more of the same will be deleted.
I forgot to welcome Tui Makawa. Greetings reciprocated. I hear Snoopy agrees. One less Anonymous for me to add a (sic!) to. I assure everyone that pseudonyms written within a comments are secure. They also make discussion much easier.
It's called bloody irony you bloody fools. May as well shoot myself, dammit. Happy New Year!
The mainstream NZ media is still too white in a brown country and try to impose neo imperialism via media control. NZ Media only picks the so called commentators, experts and specialist who sing in chorus with the views of the media and the Governments stand on foreign affairs. NZ foreign policy, especially in the Pacific, appears to be picked up from NZ Herald and the Dominion editorials.
They never pick people for comments who they think will shatter their blinkered stereotype on democracy, elections and regional politics.
The tragedy of academia is that some, if not the most, so called foreign academics make a living out of their comments and writings on Fiji, and some of this can be classed as mere intellectual masturbation!
NZ Herald has always presented unbalanced, biased and analysis paralysis on Fiji and should not be trusted to give a true picture by those who do not understand Fiji. How many journalists does NZ Herald, the APN group and the Fairfax have who represent diversity in NZ and would be able to project a realistic picture of the region they are supposed to be reporting on? Very few, if any.
Tui Makawa - Happy New Year to you!! I can't believe i can actually communicate with you now instead of wondering which anon is who.....lol
2010 is going to be special!! I am still pumped up with many NY resolutions
PS. Tui Makawa is a lot better than Red Barron which sound too commy
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