- Scroll down to check out Weekend Readings and Comments.
- Se new Quote for the Week in the right sidebar.
- An article on how the budget will affect the poor will be posted after midday.
HURRICANE SEASON ARRIVES.A Tropical cyclone alert is in force in Fiji as gale force winds buffet the Yasawa and Mamanuca groups, Western Viti Levu, Vatulele, Beqa and Kadavu. Heavy rain in advance of the cyclone has inundated Tavua and Suva streets. On its present track the centre was expected to lie about 230km WSW of Nadi at midnight Sunday and about 250km South of Nadi and 130km SSW of Kadavu by midday today. The cyclone could intensify and turn into a Tropical cyclone.
BAINIMARAMA ALIVE AND WELL. ASK THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR. Whoever supplies information to the two anti-government blogs, CoupFourPointFive and FijiCoup2006, is either a secret Bainimarama agent, a fool, a science fiction writer, or a jokester who is having a good laugh at their expense. Dear friends, you must replace this "source" before he does even more damage to the credibility of your blogsites.
Here is a sample of the things he had you publishing on Friday on Bainimarama's arrival at Nadi:
- "No one saw Bainimarama emerge from the plane but say he was whisked away to a vehice and was driven off ... adding to mystery ... He has not appeared on TV or radio."
- "The source, who has been tracking Bainimarama's movements, says he has also been reliably told the illegal leader is 'very sick and cannot talk properly', presumably as a side effect of a stroke."
- "Our source quotes the senior army officer as saying ... Bainimarama has asked the Minister of Defence to carry on as the Acting Prime Minister: "This is a sign the prime minister and commander is incapable of making decisions and deemed unfit to carry on his duties."
- "The regime's leader looks a shadow of his former military hardman persona, with illness clearly showing on him."
- "The regime has this week adopted a business as usual approach, refusing to acknowledge or confirm Bainimarama's ill-health, despite a sojourn to China where there was clearly little evidence he was conducting business as claimed. It's believed he was seeking medical treatment for either a stroke or a heart problem."
- "Local Fiji media have bought into the pretence, ignoring the obvious change in physical appearance by Bainimarama, who had to cancel delivering yesterday's budget address."
But the lies from the anti- blogs are not funny. No deliberate misinformation ever is. It is despicable. They call themselves Christians. But they continually break the Commandment, "Thou shalt not bear false witness."
Note: As of late Sunday the blogsites had not commented on or corrected their postings. They're probably letting their sleeping blogs lie.
AND A READER WROTE: Croz, you've increasingly become a pit stop for the deluded as they venture from their permanent homes at Coup 4.5 and Solivakasama. Some of the stuff above claiming victory for the anti-regime forces is just loopy.
All this week, they've actively peddled a phantom crisis built around the supposed death or illness of the hated dictator. Then when this is exposed as a lie, they pretend nothing has happened and soldier on, assailing us again with their preposterous claims.
It's so blindingly obvious that they've lost the war that all this reminds me of the celebrated Monty Python dead parrot sketch. They keep saying their cause is alive even as the evidence lies in front of them of abject failure. Tomorrow week marks the fourth anniversary of Bainimarama's coup. Is he any closer to being dislodged from his perch by these monkeys? Only in their small but fervent minds. The extent of this delusion is breathtaking.
14 comments:
Croz, I wonder if it's entirely necessary for you to raise the spectre of Christians bearing false witness by using the Bible to castigate the regime's opponents. What you say about their campaign of deliberate misinformation is perfectly true. But do you really have to embrace the chronic Fijian practice of using biblical tracts to make your case? I think that in a faintly grubby secular political argument like this one, it comes perilously close to breaching that other biblical injunction about taking the Lord's name in vain. Maybe the fact that you posted this on a Sunday had something to do with it. But that raises another issue about the amount of time you're spending on your blog. You'll be aware of that other biblical quote about the need to keep the Sabbath holy by devoting more time to religious contemplation, your golf swing and the needs of your long suffering family. The Lord be with you.
Hats off to Emily Dickinson! It prompts further thought about the true purpose of all this scurrilous rumour-mongering. It is clearly to create doubt, disquiet and...fear. Why would any patriot choose to subject fellow citizens, visitors and residents to this? Can any good come of it? "Describe what is meant by 'Good' in less than 100 words".
Sleeping blogs.. Is an apt description.
Perhaps you've coined a new phrase.
I wonder what the Sleeping Blogs aim to gather from making up stories. I wonder if they are real people. What religion do they belong to? Do they wake up in the morning and pray? It boggles the mind to see what they print. And like your reader posted, they have lost the war and now sulking in a corner and throwing tantrums like spoilt kids who can’t have their way. Makes you want to find them and give them a good hiding with a sasa broom.
i really never understand why you feel the need to address these rumours, assuming they do turn out to be just that, and spend time trying to counter their comments. I certainly don't feel the least bit defensive and have more than my fair share of comment on both blogs, whether you approve my comments or not. It would prpbably servie you better to stick to a moral and principled defense of broader issues rathet than the convenient pragmatic 'north korean approach' of appeasing the beast in the hopes you eventually get something left on the plate or that they actaully take notice of even your positive comments. It just looks bullied kid at school wanting to be part of the gang for short term gain and feel like they have some influence. A bad look really.
Croz
You appear to becoming increasingly obsessive compulsive in your attempts at trying to defend the Bainimarama junta. Nobody really cares if the dictator is alive or dead. We are all more concerned about the future of Fiji which is not looking too good at the moment.
Instead of running around lke a mynah bird with its head cut off and dancing to the coup 4.5 tune why not some analysis and discussion of the alarming decline in foreign investment in Fiji over the last few years of this coup? The future of Fiji is what matters - not this coup abberation.
I tend to agree with you, Croz on this one. Misinformation doesn't help anyone.
However, once again, this is an example of how the PER and new media decrees have affected truth and reality in Suva (not that the coconut wireless in Fiji has ever been particularly relevant in reflecting truth in Fiji).
I for one was another one of the people who spent the latter part of last week wondering what on earth was really going on - ringing around didn't help because everyone was reading the same blogsites and getting equally confused.
Rumours are always going to be rife in a nation where the truth is used so sparingly. No one I know reads the papers for reality any more.
The lies, half truths and the sheer nonsense that appears on blogs about Fiji politics are the result of censorship and media muzzling. Is it really necessary to have the double whammy Permanent Emergency Regulation and Media Decree? If there is nothing to hide, well let the media report. At least you have named publishers who can be held responsible for misinformation.
Why does everyone keep reading C4.5(including most of this blogs readers) when it has so much rubbish.
1. Trust. Fours years later no one really trusts this government and what they say. A PER and now self cenorship by the media does not sit well so people look for other news and views.
2. Hope. That something will change and we are not suck with a military dictator forever.
3. Interest. People are interested in alternate views and since alternate view are not allowed in any formal Fiji setting they turn to what is left...C4.5
C4.5 might be rubbish but for as long as the media are censored and a un-elected military holds power people will always gravitate to alternate views (even make believe).
After four years of stumbling along it looks this this government is turning out to be reasonable and even average as far as governments go. The question is did we need four years of hell to get here ?
OK so the PM is fit and well. All the more reason for him to have delivered the budget AND taken questions on the budget.
Otherwise he should stop the farce and remove himself as Sugar Minister. At the same time he should remove himself as Sugar minister.
Better still why not remove himself as PM.....sorry just gettinga bit excited
The first fallout from the budget. $22m gone from government coffers, 3% off GDP and $130m gone from foreign exchange. Most importantly of all hundreds of people without jobs and hundreds of families dropping below the poverty line.
This highlights why we need a real Minister of Finance and not one who dashes off to China for a jolly. One who understands economics, one that understands that his decisions have consequences and reactions. This was not unexpected when Government tried this before the same thing happened. Anyone could foresee what was going to happen.
This sends a message to the Global business world, the Fiji Government is not investor friendly. Without any consultation they will add over 20% to your costs, without any consultation they will deport your top executive in Fiji.
So much for the empty rhetoric, about Fiji being an investor friendly country, spoken by the PM, the AG, and the PS information. All empty words.
In addition to all the direct costs in Fiji. What about the country’s image. Fiji Water has done more to brand Fiji as a beautiful clean country that people want to visit than any other organization including Tourism Fiji.
Farewell to Fiji Water. We will miss you.
Croz you're over-doing it a bit. It's OK to be sceptical about reports of Bainimarama's bad health until they're positively confirmed but you don't have to go on quite so long about it.
You're making it seem as though the regime and all the reforms you support so strongly are finished if Bainimarama is in poor health.
You're giving your own game away.
PM alive and well but he may as well be dead given his disastrous handling of Fiji Water.
Yep, must have been a personal issue with David Roth...couldn't have possibly been anything to do with the below press release could it. Roth was well connected and would have flagged this with many people including the military council to try and avoid it.
Press Release: Fiji Water
John Cochran, President and COO of FIJI Water
Los Angeles, California headquarters on November 28, 2010
In Friday’s budget (11.26.10), the Fiji Government announced that it will impose a 15-cent per liter tax on bottled water at locations where more than 3.5M liters per month are extracted. FIJI Water, which currently pays 1/3rd of a cent per liter, is the only bottled water producer in Fiji affected by the increased tax; bottlers who extract less than this monthly limit will continue to pay about 1/10th of a cent, or 10,000% less tax than FIJI Water.
This new tax is untenable and as a consequence, FIJI Water is left with no choice but to close our facility in Fiji, effective Monday Nov. 29, 2010. We are saddened that we have been forced to make a business decision that will result in hardship to hundreds of Fijians who will now be without work.
In addition, we will be putting on hold several large construction contracts in Fiji, including the renovation of the Drauniivi Primary School, a F$300,000 project and the resurfacing of the Naikabula Yard, worth F$1.6 million. FIJI Water will also be forced to cancel all contracted engineering and support services as well as our purchasing of cartons from Golden Manufacturers. Finally, all ongoing purchases from local suppliers will have to be canceled.
As a leading exporter, FIJI Water has contributed greatly to the Fijian economy. We represent more than F$130 million in export revenue for the country and employ nearly 400 Fijians at our facility. Our investment in Fiji has created millions of dollars in value through direct employment and with our supplier network. We currently pay millions of dollars in duties and income tax to the Government. We also contribute over F$1.8 million dollars annually in royalty payments to the Yaqara Pastoral Company Limited and another F$250,000 annually to a trust that supports the six local villages surrounding our facility.
In addition, our company and the FIJI Water Foundation have worked tirelessly to help improve the quality of life for the Fijian people, including an annual investment of F$1 million to bring clean water to local villages, improve education and provide access to health care services for those in need.
We consider the Government’s current action as a taking of our business, and one that sends a clear and unmistakable message to businesses operating in Fiji or looking to invest there: the country is increasingly unstable, and is becoming a very risky place in which to invest.
FIJI Water remains willing to work through this issue with the Fiji Government, as it would be our preference to keep operating in Fiji.
ENDS
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