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NZ COMMITTEE'S NON-REPORT ON FIJI. The multi-party NZ Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee was charged in March 2006 to investigate and to report to Parliament on NZ's relations with Pacific Island nations. This it did in December 2010 following numerous consultations and a visit to four Polynesian islands. Few of its ten members had any prior knowledge of the Pacific but they were assisted with advice from MFAT. The report covers 96 pages.
The single page on Fiji and the country's rare mention elsewhere shows that Fiji was peripheral to the Committee's main interests, but clearly it had to say something. Of the 116 written submissions I can identify only three from people with Fiji knowledge. Not surprisingly, the report provides no new insight into the Fiji situation, and makes no recommendations on NZ-Fiji relations.
In essence, it merely restates the already well-known position of the NZ government and appears to have been unaware of, or unwilling to visit, alternative interpretations. I thought its tone a little patronising and its assessment of the situation on the ground in Fiji dated and lopsided.
The report is more useful on the Polynesian countries but even then I doubt promoting private enterprise and cuts in civil service numbers on Niue or the Tokelaus (pop. 1,400 on three atolls) is realistic. Such proposals were made 30 or so years ago and nothing came of them. But I do fail to see why the Niue PM (pop.1,400) needs a salary of $60,000.
Inputs into the report appear to have come from several sources representing different perspectives, biases and advocacies. In places it runs close to displaying the weaker features of some reports written by committees, as described in the headline quote to this article.
The one page on Fiji is reported in full below. This is the link to the full report.
Fiji
We are deeply concerned about the welfare of the people of Fiji, who must bear the burden
of suppression of human rights and poor economic performance resulting from successive
coups. New Zealand has strong family and personal links with Fiji, and long-standing
cultural ties, and we wish to see relations between our countries normalised as quickly as
possible. We would like to see Fiji return to its former place as a leader among the family of
Pacific nations.
We endorse the political consensus in New Zealand towards Fiji’s administration, based on
the refusal of visas to supporters of Commodore Bainimarama’s regime and their close
families in the absence of any concrete progress toward democracy. We note that
development assistance continues to be provided, through non-governmental channels.
While we support the absence of restrictions on tourism, trade, or investment, we note that the private-sector investment needed for the country’s long-term development is unlikely to occur in the current environment. We also note that those who leave Fiji represent a skill loss the country can ill afford.
It is in the interests of the region that Fiji should not collapse. We believe New Zealand
must continue to seek a sound long-term basis for our relations with Fiji, based on an early
restoration of democratic government, in unity with our Pacific Islands Forum, UN, and
Commonwealth partners. We must, as a concerned neighbour, remain ready to help more
when conditions allow.
We note that many admirable aspirations are set out in the People’s Charter adopted by the Bainimarama regime. However, the behaviour of the regime differs significantly from its rhetoric, with violations of the key principles of good governance, including transparency, due process, and electoral and judicial accountability. Disturbing trends include arbitrary decrees, the arrests of Methodist Church leaders, suppression of media freedom and the freedom of assembly, and abuses of basic rights of citizens. We remain uncertain whether there is a fair and independent judiciary.
We accept that New Zealand’s Westminster form of democracy is not the only possible or
workable variant. What is critical, in our view, is that whatever model of democracy is
adopted should uphold certain fundamental rights and freedoms of citizens through its
institutions, including an impartial judiciary and free media.
Because of our deep-rooted concerns, we have decided not to offer suggestions for a
specific New Zealand strategy regarding Fiji’s sustainable development at this stage, other
than to express a wish to see every effort made for a return to constitutional government in
Fiji as soon as possible.
4 comments:
What a joke, this report on Fiji - always dome by people in ivory towers in Wellington who still think people wear grass skirts in Fiji. They are blinkered bureaucrats with their heads in the sand. They always seek information on Fiji from those who sing from their hymn sheet. They never welcome alternative views which look at the fundamental issues on Fiji.
The lament is that MFAT borrows its Pacific, especially policies on Fiji from an equally blinkered mainstream NZ media, which is more ignorant of Fiji than the MFAT. So we have a case of the blind leading the blind.
What a shame on the first world neighbour who treats Fiji like a distant step brother.
@ 96 MFAT report.....
The MFAT report on the Pacific Islands (which one has not read and appears to not merit the effort)would seem to fall into the same category as the unprofessional NZ Herald report, fed by rumour and gossip, concerning the purported death of the PM last year. Gossip and hearsay are no foundation for any report and no substitute for in depth analysis which arises from information obtained 'in situ'. If this cannot be afforded, then why bother in the first place? The word 'afforded' is used quite deliberately. It is not necessarily only monetary. Is the rest sufficient for what is required for an entire region?
exactly what is the measure of 'Fiji knowledge'. You mean they don't agree with the prevailing them of this regime. It wouldn't matter if they lived there, you will stuill calim they don't understand, or chose not to, or have vested interest. Pathetic.
BTW even if they visited for a m,onth they would not be allowed to speak with anyone who does not agree with this regime. And you point is? Even the regime admit this.
@ Adult Education and Wages Councils threatening to force through Wage Orders by May...
Yet again, Father Kevin Barr is attempting the impossible: to squeeze water out of a stone. He will raise expectations which simply cannot be met. He appears ignorant of the global economic situation and appears to believe that Fiji, small and isolated as it is, will be able to implement Wage Orders when jobs are already at risk because GDP and general growth within the local economy is sluggish and non-responsive to job creation. Wages Orders imposed arbitrarily are inflationary in themselves. Those who are low-paid must be given other incentives to lift productivity and to access education to raise skills. Adult Education after work hours or at lunchtime is one way to go. It should be State-driven and the fundamentals should be taught which many have missed at school. Education in Fiji at primary and secondary levels has been lagging the global trends for years. People need to be taught to think: it is as basic as that. How to think. Employers need to be taught to apply their thinking: "THinking about Thinking" Antony Flew should be compulsory in every tertiary institution and accessible by the public through Adult Education. If people are unable to think for themselves and to posit outcomes....what is the purpose of knowledge-based education?
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