Some 5,000 kilometres away, another visitor, the Acting Australian High Commissioner Judith Robinson departed from the usual diplomatic courtesies associated with such occasions (and incidentally with traditional ethnic Fijian courtesies) to repeat Australia's position on the political situation in Fiji. Her "We are ready to assist Fiji make a transition to democracy through a free and fair election at the earliest opportunity" was a clear rebuke of the host government, and her wording on Australia's commitment to the "welfare of the people [note, not the usual government and people] was more than a little pointed.
Ms Robinson then counted out the dollars involved: $67.6m on Fiji and regional aid; $2.09 billion consumed by Australians on Fiji's goods and services, and $888m worth of goods and services imported from Australia.
I think most people would take these figures to show just how much Fiji gains from its relationship with Australia. Few would know that almost one-half of most aid moneys do not arrive in the recipient countries, and even fewer would know what goods and services include. The goods component favours Australia 3:1, while the service component (which includes tourism, transport, business services, consultancies) appears heavily weighted in Fiji's favour. But if capital and profit transfers were also included, I doubt the picture would be quite so good. Australia has $781 investment stock in Fiji, six times more than Fiji has in Australia.
Reading this, I thought it rather distasteful, citing costs and figures at a birthday party. It seemed like saying: "Thank you for coming to my (Australia Day) birthday party so I can tell you what a great gal I am, and all I have been doing for you."
Unsurprisingly, Ms Robinson did not include in her accountancy exercise the enormous damage done to the Fiji economy by Australia's political policies since the 2006 Coup. These policies have done nothing to promote welfare in Fiji and would have cost Fiji far more than it has gained from Australia's aid dollars.
Finally, it seems unlikely that her mention of "1,300 Fiji citizens [who] were granted permanent residency visas to live and work in Australia" in the year ending June 2010 was included to illustrate solidarity with Fiji. I suspect she intended to imply political anti-Bainimarama reasons for Fijians moving to Australia. But most of the 60,000 Fiji-born people now living in Australia emigrated long before Bainimarama came on the scene and most were Indo-Fijians fleeing the abuse of human rights and economic uncertainty caused by the so-called "pro Fijian" coups of Rabuka and Speight in 1987 and 2000.
Overall, emigration has been Fiji's loss and Australia's gain. A brain drain associated with the loss of both human and financial capital (most emigrants have been skilled and did not leave empty-handed) is not to Fiji's advantage.
I have only seen what Fiji Village and Radio Fiji chose to publish of Ms Robinson's statement but I hope somewhere she included a light note and at least made some mention of Fiji's contribution to Australian football.
Australia has an important role to play in Fiji's economic recovery, and further down the road in its constitutional and electoral reforms, but Ms Robinson's account of its record this Australia Day read too much like a teacher telling her children how to behave.
For details on Ausaid, click here. For the DFAT fact sheet on Fiji, click here. Photo: Fiji Village.
N0078. BOUNCING POLITICAL FOOTBALL. A reader, Charlie Charters, thinks I'm "wrong, wrong, wrong" in my interpretation of events in the FRU Lottery saga. (N0069 Political Football) and in some important particulars he's probably right, but I'm still to be convinced that a two-priced lottery, money missing and used for non-lottery purposes, is not mismanagement or worse; that the Government and Commerce Commission's actions were any more "political" than had their action been taken, in similar circumstances, by the NZ or Australian government and Commerce Commission; or that the IRB's position, as first reported, did not appear to be supporting mismanagement. I also said, mismanagement involving the misuse of public or entrusted money is but a short step from full-blown corruption. And, Charlie, if you were in Government's shoes, would you have given $3 million of public money to managers like these?
N0079. JOKE OF THE WEEK. "The whole world, if it didn't before, now knows that what appears to be a little rugby tiff was really a politically motivated move by the illegal and treasonous military regime to gain total control of Fiji's rugby world." -- Intelligensiya, an anti-government blog.
N0080. RETAINING MEDICAL DOCTORS IN FIJI. As part of its strategy to retain doctors in Fiji, the Ministry of Health has launched a scheme where graduate doctors will be able to go on attachments overseas in their area of professional interest. Health Minister Dr Neil Sharma said although we cannot stop doctors from leaving our shores, the Ministry can offer them a better incentive where they can be recognised for their work.
Earlier in the week Health Ministry spokesman, Peni Namotu said the aim was to nurture professionals and enhance professional retention within the Fiji health service. “Those who aim to continue will return and work for one year as trainee registrars. Their commitment, standards and professional character will be assessed. In the second year they will be allowed to progress into a post graduate diploma programme while continuing clinical work,” Namotu said. If successful, candidates will proceed into the Masters programme for a further two years. Effectively at the end of the sixth year post internship they will have a Masters degree and within the next three years they will proceed to consultancy within their chosen discipline. -- Based on Islands Business.
13 comments:
Croz
Not sure why you are in a hissy fit this time? Tha Acting High Commissioner's speech was excellent, focussed and said it exactly as it is....Australia is "ready to assist Fiji make a transition to democracy through a free and fair election.." Are you suggesting Fiji should not return to democracy through free and fair elections?
Australia has been consistent in its solidarity to the people of Fiji and the current unfortunate situation they face. And it stands ready to help them return their nation to democracy, freedom and the rule of law? Admirable aims most would think?
Croz
I am also a bit perplexed with your reaction to Australia's position?
Australia should be proud of helping Fiji's people, despite the childish behavior they recieve from Frank.
Australia and NZ have supported Fiji's elected governments in the past and have provided a lot in terms of aid, expertise and assistance in times of crisis. Even these days, when a cyclone hits, they step in to help.
To expect them to bend the terms on which they are willing to give aid to help a dictatorial regime is a bit churlish. Why doesnt Frank just ask for more from China? Maybe the strings attached to those donations are a little more worrying?
Also, to complain that "Few would know that almost one-half of most aid moneys do not arrive in the recipient countries". Where does this figure come from? It is also a bit strange as a complaint because even if it were true, this would include ALL COUNTRIES - not "just" Fiji.
Australia should be proud. Fiji is grateful.
Croz,
You are quick to point out that Australia's representative should be speaking about the "damage done to Fiji's economy by Australia..." You love to talk about this. The PM loves to talk about this.
But how about you turn the torch around for a second.
How often has the PM aknowleged the enourmous damage done to Fiji's economy by him and his coup. The answe is never. He continues to have his head in the sand and so do you. The biggest sigle negative impact on Fiji's economy was the coup itself and Fiji only has Fiji, it's Military leader and soldiers to blame for that.
The biggest single constraint on the economy turning around remains the absence of the rule of law other than what the current Dictactor wants that to look like on any goiven day.
Please put some balance back in your blog. It's a good read generally but lets not forget who put us in the current situation, who's coup it was and who has been very unsuccessful in delivering what he promised at the outset - self Appointed PM Frank. He did so poorly on his first roadmap he had to throw the whole thing out and start again. This time chosing not to publish it in case someone, somewhere holds him accountable to what is in it.
Dearest Croz,
I think you will find it was Fiji that first did away with "diplomatic courtesies" by tossing out consecutive AU and NZ representatives. The main reason being the PM can not handle any opinion other than his own and his iver inflated ego means he reverts to being a thug and removes people when he feels uncomfortable.
Back to the speech it's looks spot on and consistent.
it nice to have Australia to blame for everything Croz. It's also nice to have had a pretty poor previous government to blame for everything. all of this blaming is much easier than taking a good hard look at the currents government performance.
lets start with the sugar minister who is also our PM. How has he done with that portfolio ? oh thats right he is blaming management, politics, cyclones, previous governments. What about you FRANK. Do you feel you are on top of this portfolio, do you understand the industry and issues, what have you done exactly ? oh thats right you only just got "briefed" recently on the "reforms". Reform being the most over used word in Fiji at the moment.
What "reform" has the military undertaken. Any training or rehabilitation of the leadership to ensure they don't take over another government ? Any cost cutting happening at the top of bottom of the military tree. Any new transparency into how they operate ? Open arms for the auditors to look at the military ?
No Croz I'm not from the anti-gov blogs sites. I'm just an jo ordinary citizen who is jack of this governments higher than mighty, we are the saviours, we know all, we control all.....screw anyone who dares disagree, screw anyone who we think might disagree attitude.
Mr Croz,
What happened to that letter you wrote and published for about 20 seconds on the PER ?
I thought that was a good attempt to get attention. Will you publish again. April is coming soon and will mean two years of PER. Two years since of silence.
Appreciate your thoughts.
@ croz in a tizz
Thanks - very well put.
Much more fun and just easier to blame Austrlaia for everything don't you ?
'Croz in a Tizz", the usual "pro-democracy" rubbish - rubbish because Australia advocates an immediate return to a democracy that isn't a true democracy at all. It is absolute tosh for this impertinent woman to claim that Australia is willing to help Fiji except on its own terms. And who is really helping who? It is Australia that benefits most from Fiji in an economic sense. We buy its goods and services and like other island countries, continue to accept the most unequal of trading relationships. What do we get in return? Gratuitous lectures about how we should run our affairs and pious platitudes about "democracy". There has yet to be any pubic statement from Canberra acknowledging that the pre-existing "democratic" framework in Fiji fell way short of the true democratic ideal of one-man-one vote and did nothing to protect the interests of non-indigenous people. For God's sake, why did the 2006 coup happen? Because the indigenous majority, claiming a "democratic" mandate under a bastardised system, tried to impose laws that disadvantaged the rest of the population. Yet never once has a senior Australian official recognised that absolute truth, never once has there been any recognition of the appalling spectre of the tyranny of the majority in Fiji imposing its racist will. Let's just compare the miserable attitude of the Australians and their Kiwi cousins to those other real democracies who understand Fiji's position. The other night, while Ms Robinson delivered her gratuitous comments to a room full of Australian toadies in Suva, Frank Bainimarama was the honoured guest of the world's biggest democracy, India. for its own national day. Did he have to suffer the same kind of hectoring admonition? No. The same goes for the French, true democrats who recognise that Fiji is trying to work through a colonial legacy and produce a true democracy of its own for the first time. Australia and NZ are the real village idiots here, seemingly unaware or unconcerned that their influence is steadily waning, their backyard steadily occupied by the Chinese in the "great game" of global geopolitics. "With friends like these", as the saying goes. Arrogant, stupid and insulting. Fiji doesn't need them.
The PM wants donors to coordinate better to support the "Roadmap". Fair enough but isn't the first step you publishing the roadmap Mr Prime Minister ? And don't you think it is resaonable that some donors will not want their funds going to activities seen as supporting a military dictactor ?
Use Govt procedures, donors told
January 28, 2011 02:27:43 PMA+ A- | | | The Fijian Government has called on donors to coordinate better and assist with projects that support the implementation of the Roadmap for Democracy and Sustainable Socio Economic Development.
Donor countries have also been asked to use the procedures and processes that Government has available to facilitate aid.
United Nations Development Program official Toily Kurbanov acknowledges Government’s call saying it is a reasonable one.
“Aid needs to support the work of Government,” he said.
Overseas Development Assistance Unit chief economic planning officer Sereima Bulouniwasa noted that to harmonise and align donor procedures and processes to Government systems was a big challenge.
“Government has existing procedures and processes that donors could make more use of,” she said.
“Government recognises the varying differences we both have in processes and procedures but also recognises the huge potential for improvement we can both achieve.
“These procedures and processes may not be the best but can be fine tuned and streamlined to minimise time, transactions and ease pressure on existing capacity in Fiji.”
Bulouniwasa said Government would need to develop procedures and guidelines that will need to be discussed further with donors on a bilateral basis, multilateral and financial agencies.
“These processes are not exotic and may include project approvals, monitoring, evaluation, tendering contracts and programme evaluation,” she said.
Australia, the organ grinder, sure has its local monkeys out on the PR front today. Pathetic.
Croz, the point I was making is that what the Commerce Commission have put forward are allegations. These have not been tested in a court of law, so surely, as serious as these allegations are, we should remember the old Innocent until Proven Guilty maxim. The FRU has said on a number of occasions it feels confident of being able to defend itself.
I don't want to be accused of politicising this discussion, but a cursory review of some recent cases (Meo, Tuisolia, Daunivalu, Jalal et al.) would suggest there is merit in waiting for a prosecutor's zeal to be fully tested, before we all pile in with our condemnations.
And just so your readers are in no confusion about who pays what to whom. All sponsorship generated by the FRU attracts VAT. In the financial year that included the last RWC, sponsorship revenue was $4,070,000 - meaning the Govt received more from the FRU as a taxpayer through VAT alone, than the FRU got back through Govt assistance. Obviously there were other areas in which the Govt contributed just as the FRU also contributes through payroll tax etc, but this is by way of explaining that the relationship is not a one-way street.
@ Australia's Australia Day accounting......
Of course we were not there in person to bear witness to this odd effort. But in the past some of us have been and the memory is quite acute on this: an Australian consultant and his wife reminding one that it was ten years to the month that they had straddled and travelled the Pacific Islands consulting and drawing their income exclusively from AUSAid grants to the region. Since this had first occurred in 1996 or thereabouts, they had had a pretty good innings, so to speak. Not a hint of the inappropriateness of their remark to a local, Fijian who might, after all, have had a different perspective and view? This rhinoceros hide has sadly shown itself in many fora and within many institutions where Australia decided to 'embed' itself in the past fifteen or so years. Pig-headed some might call it? A more nuanced, respectful and indeed respectable approach is called for. Ms Robinson might care to take note? This is a sizeable region and there are notable differences of opinion to hers and to those of her political masters. Surely now it should be time for a careful rethink? Reset the relationship within parameters which reflect a parity of respect for your neighbours, small and inconsequential they may have seemed. No longer.
@ Charlie Charters and the 'avoiding confusion' explanation on tax......
Nice to be told that VAT has been paid on all aid assistance to the RFU. Because over years and years untold, no one in Fiji should have been confused about the misuse of taxpayers' mone; public money which should have been used for development. Now, who in the past mis-guided governments which came to power through tainted and manipulated elections took the use of taxpayers' money seriously? Who was of the profound belief that they were remunerated by 'Manna from Heaven'? Most of the 36 Cabinet Ministers in the 2006 Government and many Fiji rugby players have also appeared to labour under this misapprehension. It is time for this to go! Taxpayers' money is public money and must be accounted for and destined for development. Nothing else matters much. Anyone who abuses public money and diverts it from its proper use, will be held up for scrutiny in Commissions and in the Fiji Courts. Got any problems with that?
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