N0106. PM TO LISTEN TO VILLAGERS' CONCERNS. The PM's visited Ba earlier in the week to open the new road from Magodro in Ba to Nanoko Village, Navosa, commission the new solar system at Nubutautau Village, in the interior of Navosa, and listen to villagers. Commissioner Western Col Joeli Cawaki said they were expecting people from all nearby villages and tikina in the two provinces to raise their concerns with the PM, advise him on the constraints holding back increased agricultural production and tell him what they think can be done by the government to assist.
N0107. CORRUPTION IS DEEP-ROOTED. Government's "Clean Up" campaign, given as one reason for the 2006 coup, clearly has some way to go. When corruption and misuse of public office are deeply rooted in a country, it is a far harder task to uproot than Bainimarama first thought.The resignation this week of two Government-appointed Fijian Holdings Ltd executives, the Chairman and the CEO. would appear to be related to misuse of office and possible "double dipping."
Government is carrying out proper assessments on the performance of the people appointed to statutory boards to ensure that they remain focused and address issues relating to corruption, fraud and abuse of office.
An investigation is also underway into dealings by former executives and board members of a major Fijian company. The West-based construction company is alleged to have been awarded tenders to construct a port and sawmill as well as upgrade a supermarket owned and managed by subsidiaries of the major Fijian company. The allegation is that the company also did work on the homes and private businesses of the executives and board members for which they did not pay or had received a discount from the construction company. Investigations are continuing.
N0108. FIJI GETS PACIFIC BACKING. Seven Pacific countries belonging to the African, Caribbean and Pacific group which is supported by the European Union, have pushed for the restoration of Fiji's full participation in future ACP meetings.
One Pacific delegate said that it was good to see some of the smaller countries speak up with strong and unconditional support for Fiji. Samoa was the sole dissenting voice, citing Fiji’s suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum as the reason it cannot be allowed back to ACP meetings, organised by the Forum’s secretariat.
Fiji’s participation at the ACP trade officials and ministers meeting in Apia this week has been made possible at the invitation of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, of which Fiji remains a member.
N109. RUMOURS. This interesting letter published by Fiji Today on rumour
6 comments:
Croz,
I agree with you on the deep rooted nature of corruption. Amazing though that the PM refuses to admit there might be any in his military. They are all angles of course.
While it is great to see corruption dealt with it would be more powerful if a few military heads rolled as well rather than them being able to quietly resign, move to new portfolio's or be promoted. And while the Pm blamed the previous government for past corruption he does not seem to blame himself for todays corruption of people appointed by HIM.
@ Corruption is more deep-rooted than previously thought...
Of course it is and it is on-going and there is no excuse. Most of those who are corruptly dealing know that they are. It is a deliberate attempt to fill pockets and to 'make good' while the sun is partly shining incase things get worse tomorrow.
All these corrupt lawyers, real estate agents, property developers and institutional managers, CEOs and Chairpersons are stealing. They know they are but they thought they could get away for ever with what they have done once or twice (impunity). However, we are on to them and now we are aware of many of their ploys. Information is now flowing in on such people from some surprising places.......
A few high-profile convictions based on fact are badly needed to negate the suspicion that some of these corruption investigations are witch hunts against the regime's opponents. FICAC's powers are extraordinary and it's vitally important for public confidence that it be like Caesar's wife, not only clean but seen to be clean. The Commission has struck fear into the hearts of a lot of people in Fiji, especially those responsible in any way for public finances. That's no bad thing but only if its processes are credible and transparent and operate at arms length from the PM and AG's offices and other organs of government. In stark contrast to what happened under previous administrations, anyone who engages in corruption nowadays knows that a day of reckoning may be round the corner. But these people have rights too, most importantly the right to a fair trial. The events this week at a prominent Suva law firm remind us that even the most outwardly respectable citizens are susceptible to corruption. We need zero tolerance in the national interest but also due process for the accused. Anything less doesn't meet the PM's abiding test of "didina" and "savasava", true and clean.
@ walker
And who is onto the corruption in the Military, Police and the PM's own shady dealings ?
Corruption and shady dealings are omnipresent. There is no area from which they are absent. That is not of course unusual in any country that has a history of political upheaval: viz Russia and all former Soviet areas of influence. The 'shady dealings' got going because no one was up to 'taking them on': instead they chose to be part of it or remain silent and cowed. There is no substitute for terrier-like, professional, independent investigative reporting. An often dangerous but personally rewarding occupation for anyone with the intelligence and the guts 'to get on with it'. And an Editor/Publisher with 'nous' and...Wikileaks?
@ Corruption and shady dealings...
Watch the Fiji Courts today and consider that if the citizens of Fiji had done their duty and the Police Force had been above suspicion....then contract killers might have been brought to justice six years ago. That is the very High Price we pay for systemic corruption. When the Officers in charge of the Rule of Law go AWOL and blame the judiciary for their lapses and negligence, the 'Game is almost lost'. Think well about that. What might you have done if your moral compass had been correctly set? We have been ruled by tyrants and thugs of Organised Criminal Enterprise and you sang the siren song of democracy?
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