GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE. The three items in this morning's posting are about recent Government visits to villages. On the first two it should be noted that the i'taukei sense of politeness and appropriate hospitality sometimes goes a little overboard in thanking people, especially those with power and influence. This is likely to be a factor here but the message — and the comparison made with previous governments — is so often repeated in so many villages that it cannot all be hyperbole.
N0062. NOTHING WILL STOP THE 2014 ELECTIONS. Yet another group of villagers has urged the PM not to hold elections in 2014. When this happened before the PM used it to illustrate people's satisfaction with his Government. Predictably, this was then taken by his opponents to show he was not serious about elections. This time there can be no misinterpretation.
At the breaking ceremony for the construction of two bridges and the Wailotua-Nayavu Roadin Wainibuka tikina last week the local spokesman said his vanua were happy with the development work undertaken by government and they wanted the current government to continue to lead the country after 2014. In reply Bainimarama thanked the vanua for their confidence but said that nothing would stop his government from holding "good and fair" elections in 2014.
N0063. THIS GOVERNMENT IS DIFFERENT. Something similar happened when Minister for Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation Dr Jiko Luveni visited Naganivatu village in Naitasiri province to donate sewing machines to the village women just before Christmas.
Ulaiciri Tuvotu, the Turaga ni koro (village head), said they were touched by her visit. “This is the first time for any Minister to visit us and we are very happy with the sewing machines for the development of women in this village. The machines will provide income for the women and especially we thank the Minister for taking out time to come and visit us to see the problems we are facing in this area.”
“We are thankful to the Government and the Government officials who visit us. Not like the government in the past, they never visited us but with this Government it is not only helping the people with road, bridge, hospitals and good housing, but also assist in everything to improve the lives of the people in the rural areas, especially in the Naitasiri province. The Government has really shown what it says it does. We are thankful for the People’s Charter through which people are assisted in farming, education, health and transport. The poor people are now being heard and recognized.”
Women’s coordinator Mrs Taraivina Tamani said: “We are so happy with the Minister’s presence here today. This is history for the village as this is the first time for any minister to visit us. Most of the time women are fishing and now these sewing machines will provide an alternative source of income. School uniforms are our first priority and with these machines we will save money to make our own clothes. -- Based on 2011, No: 0155/MSWPA.
N0064. SITTING, TALKING AND LISTENING. Last year government officials visited each of Cakaudrove's 15 tikina (districts) and all major villages to inform people of government's plans and listen to their ideas and concerns. This year visits, starting next month, will target the chiefs and village stakeholders in each of the tikina to help familiarise them with the policies of the Government and the Taukei Affairs Board. Topics for discussion will include good governance, improvement in the standard of living, utilisation of natural resources and the general wellbeing of the people. The Roko Tui Cakaudrove, Ro Aca Mataitini,said "We all sit and discuss how we can tackle the problems of the people in villages and what the Government wants."
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This, of course, will be branded as pro-regime propaganda by the unholy alliance of activists from the SDL and assorted "human right" and media types. But the fact remains that a remarkably constant theme emerges from these village visits; that no senior government representatives have ever bothered to show their faces there before. It seems incredible that given the grass roots nature of Fijian politics, previous elected governments seem to have treated ordinary constituents with such disdain. If this is "the first time" government ministers have got out and about to listen to ordinary peoples' concerns, what on earth has been going on? Have they just assumed that everyone would fall into line and vote for them? Or have they relied on the chiefs to deliver Fijian votes in a collective bloc? It's really quite extraordinary. In colonial times, district officers and commissioners were constantly holding pow-wows in villages all over Fiji, explaining the government's policies and seeking local opinion. Even successive governors, who were treated like gods, made a point of going on " treks" to the inland or outer islands to show the flag and gauge local opinion. If it takes a dictatorship to finally bother to listen to the concerns of ordinary people, it doesn't say much for the quality of democracy Fiji had before. It struck me that Frank Bainimarama was being rather hopeful when he said he was planning to win the battle for the hearts and minds of village people over his opponents. But perhaps listening to them and finally delivering some basic services will change attitudes for the better and pave the way for lasting change. Fascinating stuff.
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