Fiji Now: February 2010
I’ve just come back, much weakened through over-recharging, after a much-anticipated three week stint in Fiji. The very first thing that struck me was the fact that so many things had changed, yet so little had really changed. I’ll tell you about this as we go along. The main issue that I wish to address is a recurrent question that virtually everyone asks: "So how is Fiji?" Read more...
Well, the first thing that struck me, beginning from the airport, was that people appeared to have become more polite and better behaved. Queue jumping for instance seemed to have disappeared. Personnel in banks, government offices, CWM Hospital, etc. appeared to be more professional and courteous. The resentment that pervaded public places previously had evaporated.
On a more festive level, people appeared to be drinking at any and every opportunity. Shopping during the festive season was surprisingly brisk. I asked a supermarket manager and he agreed that sales were buoyant. And liquor sales had not dropped. What did appear to drop was the presence of drunkards in public places.
I witnessed two incidents of drunks annoying the public. One was at the round square in 8 Miles; a guy was dancing and asking for money; there used to be a number of these before. I thought people would just try to give him a wide berth. Instead, he was scolded by two men. And then he disappeared. Where to, I don’t know. But he was no longer a public nuisance.
Another incident happened at the Suva market. We were lined up to enter the car park when a wild-eyed drunk started harassing drivers for coins. I don’t know how it happened, but three cops appeared out of nowhere and the public menace was suddenly no more. Healthy development that!
It was only later that I realised the Fiji Police are working on a crime-free, zero-tolerance dictum. You will rarely see drunken loitering around shops and public places. And much more importantly, drivers now avoid liquor like poison. Drunk driving is an absolute no-no. Drink and you’ll very likely sleep in a police cell!
On public services there is a healthy public-focused twist. The government registry had extended its opening hours to cater to the back-to-school influx. Suva City Council had extended its hours for public payments. And Post Fiji had begun to open shop on weekends to allow for school purchases.
These changes are remarkable because the conventional wisdom is that public office hours cannot be changed because they have to do with government and there is a long process involved. Well, I just saw these changes implemented in a jiffy with focus on the convenience of the public. Might this have to do with the new model of governance in use?
While on the issue of school-rush, textbooks were earmarked to be free for all students. Tuition fees were to be covered by government. And no child would have to pay the ever-increasing bus fares anymore. All these appeared to have a tremendous impact on the usual stress carried by families especially during this time of the year.
People were happy and praise for government was effusive. I cannot say whether this was genuine, but no matter how I enquired, people had positive things to say about Commodore Bainimarama. A taxi driver drew my attention to the fact that roads had been built and upgraded in the north.
This prompted me to call two friends in Labasa and two in Wainunu, Bua. They told me that the Labasa-Nabouwalu highway was finally looking like it mattered. And that the old excuse of a truck track from Nayarabale to Vanuavou had finally become a real road.
I also noticed on the Kings Road drive to Rakiraki that road works were in full swing. Reports from Kadavu, famous for its water taxis, say that one can now drive to Richmond High School. Now that would be a real miracle if this report is true. When I was there in 1997, we had to take a boat from Vunisea. Looks like this has now changed for the better.
Another issue that hit the headlines was that of a conservation focus in utilizing sea resources. For the first time policing of traditional fishing grounds and off-limits areas are being carried out in a systematic manner. This was left to wide interpretation and abuse during the earlier era. There are set processes to follow now and these are clearly spelt out.
The Tui Macuata, Ratu Aisea Katonivere, and his men from Naduri village were the initial instruments that moved this necessary policy. My contacts from Labasa tell me that this has improved the process as well as sea resource potential tremendously. I’m sure the forward-looking Ratu will have a lot to say when I next step in his domain.
Facilities at CWM Hospital appear cleaner and personnel more responsive. I went there for a few visits to see an uncle and the attitudinal change was definitely positive. Fiji’s Commerce Commission has also finally been doing its job much more publicly.
They waded into telecommunications and power tariffs with their gloves off, and everybody knew they meant business. As a result almost everyone seemed to have a mobile phone. And not surprisingly, too many were hanging on them too long given the competitive offerings being dangled around. Getting five times the value of a top-up was not uncommon. I made only one top-up of $25 and got $125. That was enough for three weeks!
Another thing I noticed was the prevalence of rental cars on the roads during that festive season. A discussion with one rental company manager revealed that many ex-Fiji residents preferred to use rental cars. That meant they’d visit lots of friends and families with presents. More spending, money for the economy! Good stuff!
On the darker side, there was talk of spies lurking around ready to release the legions at the slightest suspicion. One couple complained that they were being denied access to God because the Methodist Church was under siege. Another pointed to harassment of SDL-connected personnel and increasing unemployment.
I had no answers to these, but there were many unspoken thoughts. Much as I abhor the “grilling and drilling” at the military barracks, the Commodore is firmly in control and deserves a shot at running the country undisturbed by our own people. This does not mean that I’m a supporter of coups as an instrument to change government, far from it.
One local chief put it most aptly when he said that there is only one boat at the wharf, we can either choose to get on it or be left behind. Unfortunately, the captain is Bainimarama, but the fact still remains that we need to get onto that boat to move forward. And we can pray as much as we like while the ship moves without making any attempts to sabotage it.
That’s how I read it. A Korean consortium has recently committed to build a multi-million dollar satellite city in Nakasi. One of the key movers is a Korean Reverend who happens to be a very close friend of mine. This is the type of initiative Fiji needs. Can you imagine how the “cuts” on these millions would’ve worked in the Qarase set-up?
So all in all Fiji does appear happy. I tried my best to gauge political sentiment and it appears that roughly 30% of Fijians and 10% of Indo-Fijians would still be against the government. This number should surely dwindle over time. And the onus remains on the Commodore to make sure he keeps things on an even keel. Fiji must move forward.
Subhash Appana is an academic and political commentator now living in Auckland. The opinions contained in this article are entirely his and not necessarily shared by any organizations he may be associated with both in Fiji and abroad. Email subhasha@ais.ac.nz
15 comments:
Fiji is on a thousand mile march we must therefore within our unlimited mental capacity make amends and coalesce to take that initial step on our journey to mend the hatred and evilness that has permeated our nation.
The best is yet to come - by June 2010 record tourist numbers will give the Fiji economy a welcomed boost putting smiles back on the faces of the locals. More flights by Jetstar, Air Pac and Virgin have been scheduled due to the incredible demand.
Traditional winter destinations for Aussies and Kiwis like Bali, Bangkok and Hong Kong are not the attraction anymore because of security and terrorist concerns.
Alphonse
If 30% of Fijians and 10% of Indo Fijians are still voicing opposition then Frank needs to up his game before an election as the true figure would be twice this.
Come on, guys, this is just a "guestimate" and the truth is there's no knowing what people really think.
I've just come back from Fiji too and when you ask people what they think, you've got no real way of knowing whether they're giving you a genuine answer.I know that in business circles in Suva, there's a lot of concern about the erratic nature of decision making and I was surprised that some people who were once vocal supporters of Frank have now turned. And that old saying about "ask the cab driver" is also fraught with difficulty. Sure, lots of Indians think Frank's great because they're too poor to escape and would like to see a future for their own children. That's only natural. But I think it's very questionable to take the outward public calm and compliance as a sign of support for the regime. Put it this way. We know a vast majority of Fijians are Methodists. Do you really think they appreciate the clampdown on the church's activities, even if they don't like the likes of Lasaro? The only true indication of peoples' sentiments will come at the ballot box if and when an election is eventually held. We know much of Fiji likes a strongman and doubtless Frank benefits from this age old phenomenon. But he has powerful enemies at village level and only the gun and the boot keep that under control. Wishful thinking won't change anything. Still, I enjoyed Subhash's account of his own experience and can verify its accuracy in my own experience, except on this question of support for the regime. I was at various tables where educated people were angry about military rule and totally dismissive of the current standard of governance. I was defending Frank on the basis of his multiracial agenda but many are yet to be convinced that this is any more than a naked grab for power. He really needs to do a lot more to win hearts and minds by improving the standard of his communication. You can order people about but convincing them of the rightness of your cause is another matter.
To all who are ready to believe that Frank Bainimarama is sincere I direct your attention to the following para in a posting by blogger Kai Colo on another website.
"The national dialogue forum set for February 2010 for want of a better phrase is "simply pissing in each others pockets". The puppet of a CEO at the PM's office say's "No race based political organization should be represented". Well if that's the case they should exclude the military because it is now the most race based political institution ever created by mankind not only in Fiji but the world with 99 % Indigenous Fijians."
Even if Frank is serious about reforming Fiji the fact remains that he only holds power because he's the head of the military. What will happen if he's replaced by some thug like Driti? Don't any of the IIR supporters feel just a little worried about this?
Well done, Karua. Nice to hear from the horse's mouth. As an ardent journalist and commentator, I am sure the author would have said otherwise if things were otherwise- so he said as things really were.
It is a pity that the mainstream media and their journalists just go on parachute jumps and report on nothing new from the grassroots level. I just hope Subhash's writings are widely circulated so that anti-Bainimarama band may see that things are not that gloomy in Fiji. We need to be pragmatic, and accept the fact that the Captain of the ship Fiji happens to be Bainimarama, whether you like it or not.
So let us all give him a helping hand so that the ship can steer clear of shark-infested waters and the reefs and rocks. Hope we can receive other postings from those who have just returned from Fiji. Vinaka Karua for your honest and frank opinion on what is happening on ground in Fiji.
That's a very good point, Corruption Fighter. We've seen in Palestine and other places that the moderate voice can easily lose out to an extremist when he makes no headway with the opposition.
CF.
Wasnt this blighter (Kai Colo) refering to Qarase,his dead beat cronies and their off springs when he stumbled across the word "predatory"
Corruption Fighter, that old argument is a non-issue... the military is not race-based. Even a simpleton like you should realise that there are more itaukei in the military simply because more of them wanted to join up. There is no policy for or against any race...
Now, having knowledge of Fiji's recent history over the last 20 years, how many people of Indian ethnicity do you think would have even wanted to join up? Why would they be in the army, when their parents would have encouraged them to be doctors/lawyers/accountants, so that their entire families had a hope of escaping the hell-hole that Fiji was on the path to becoming?
How typical of someone from the anti-government establishment, to try and make an argument based on race... that's all you people ever knew how to do. Thankfully, the majority of Fiji has grown up, and we're moving past that, rapidly.
God Bless Fiji.
"...I was at various tables where educated people were angry about military rule..."
So-called "educated" people haven't held much clout in general elections in the past, as most voters could be classified as "un-educated". We have seen voting from the "heart", as apparent from the FLP win in 99.
As such, its safe to assume that the "Classes" in Fiji often hold views/opinions not shared by the "Masses".
Hence, their("educated") opinion cannot possibly be a true indication of what really in going on in Fiji, and how the general populace feel.
One thing I'll agree with about Appana's holiday missive is the change of posture on the part of some ordinary Fijians. There was an ugly " we own this place so eff you" attitude among what I'd call the thuggish kai colo types who backed anything that supported indigenous supremacy. Even certain house girls in Suva developed this eff you attitude, emboldened to lecture their employers about indigenous politics and becoming even more light-fingered than before. The same attitude was present at immigration and customs at Nadi Airport, with scowling Fijians giving everyone else a bad time, and in certain areas of the civil service. You'd often find indigenous Fijians pushing into queues at the post office and bank and to some extent, that still happens. What is that makes them think they're superior to everyone else? Well, undoubtedly successive governments and political leaders who fueled those attitudes with nationalist rhetoric and positive discrimination programs. Now, these swaggering thugs risk getting a clip in the ear, they've retreated, chastened but not cured of their superior attitude. It needs to be firmly kept in check. Let's face it. Fiji only ever functions efficiently when there's a firm hand on the shoulder at all times, a boot in the backside for minor infringements and a buturaki and broken limbs for serious infractions of the social code. Discipline is the only way to ensure national stability and the seeds need to be sown early. You see it at church on Sunday when the guy in the white shirt with the cane whacks the children who are talking. And that strict code of punishment has always governed traditional Fijian life. I'm fascinated that unlike most Fijians, Frank Bainimarama doesn't baulk at reminding the outside world that Fiji is only several generations removed from cannibalism. He's spoken publicly about the temptations that exist for ordinary Fijians to regress, not by eating each other again but engaging in savage behaviour. So it's no surprise that he thinks the way to keep order is with an iron fist, especially for those who don't heed his warnings that the indigenous arrogance of the past 23 years cannot be allowed to continue. How to balance that need for discipline with modern day considerations for human rights is the challenge Fiji faces. It'll take a long time to get it right.
Chemical, I agree that you can't read anything into what "educated" people are saying in terms of overall community attitudes. For a start, they've got access to the internet and alternative news sources that aren't available to ordinary people. Frank's censorship means that your average viewer/listener/reader isn't being challenged at all. That's why the censors are still there nearly a year on and why so many ordinary people say life continues as if nothing has happened. What I think you have to consider is the need for Frank to get "educated" people behind him for his agenda to be successful. Because he has very little hope of achieving his stated aims of a multiracial, corruption-free society if he doesn't. It's not as if Fiji is some kind of illiterate backwater. A large section of the population is educated and they're the people the country needs to move forward. It was Nixon's White House counsel Charles Coulson who said " if you grab them by the balls, their hearts and minds will follow". Well, in the Fiji context, it may be a truism among those with only basic education. But if Frank embraces the concept for the whole country, his agenda will fail. Persuasion is the answer, not brute force.
I'm curious. Prior to this 3 week stint back in Fiji, when was the last previous visit?
Are we being told that all these changes have occurred between this latest visit and the previous one? In that case a time frame would be good.
@ Son of Fiji. You obviously have little to do with the military. At a time of high unemployment there are plenty of Indo-Fijians would join the military. Not everybody is on track to be a lawyer, doctor or accountant. Indo-Fijians who do join up soon find they are in a very unfriendly authoritarian environment. If Frank was serious he'd make sure that a credible number of Indians could join the army, feel welcome and make a contribution. The army would be stronger for their participation.
@ Corruption Fighter... Yes, you're right - I do have very little to do with the military. However, I'm more than well aware, that the Fiji military, as with every other military in the world is an authoritarian environment. It is physically demanding, and you are taught to follow orders.
Some people thrive in this environment, and many others don't.
You can keep arguing your point till the cows come home, but the fact of the matter is the percentage acceptance by ethnicity into the Fiji army, is more than likely very similar to that of the same acceptance rate into the British army. Racial bias has nothing to do with it... its all down to physical ability.
Having said that, I can reliably tell you that the entry requirements into the Fiji military have become a lot tougher. I know this because I had made enquiries on behalf of a young cousin of mine. I was informed by the recruitment officer that their minimum requirement was Form 7, but they had a lot of applicants who were University graduates.
So, our future soldiers will not only be physically tough, but will also have above average mental ability. Fine fighting specimen indeed....
God Bless Fiji
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