PER SYMPTOMATIC OF LACK OF TRUST. A reader writes, "What is needed is a form of conversation where the participants are able to accept that the opposition is well intentioned and motivated by a genuine desire to help Fiji adopt sustainable democracy.
The trouble is that there is little trust between the most articulate elite groups. The least privileged in Fiji seem to be the most comfortable with conversing with people on all sides of the political divide.
The most privileged have the greater number of vested interests, thus the lack of trust. The PER seems to be symptomatic of this fundamental lack of trust."
JUDGE CORRECTS INJUSTICE. A prisoner who spent two months in solitary confinement because he did not keep his head up when addressed by the Prisons Commissioner in 2010 (sic!) has been awarded $5120 compensation at the expense of the Director of Public Prosecutions Office. Suva High Court judge Justice Thurairaja called his treatment unprofessional, adding "The Office of the Director of Public Prosecution is common to all citizens and the accused expects justice and reasonableness from that high office."
VILLAGE BOUNDARIES. The survey of i-Taukei village boundaries that was suspended by the Qarase Government in 2003, will be resumed between 2012 and 2015. Increased population in some areas has resulted in people living outside accepted village boundaries. The survey will prevent disputes about land ownership and contribute to long term stability.
GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES. The PM didn't quite say this but he did talk to the people of Nairai about village mentality that led people to think nothing can be done without government assistance. He cited the unnecessary request to cementing their pigsty, a task they could surely complete themselves. While on the island he also met the people on Tovulailai Village where a proposed new jetty costing $2m is expected to begin next month. Plans are also underway to construct roads on the island in order to link the five villages who depend mainly on boat to travel from one village to another. It is to be hoped the villagers will show sufficient initiative to justify these costs to central government.
MINING DOLLARS. Fiji’s mining exploration projects contributed a combined $74million in revenue to the economy in 2009 and 2010 according to the Department of Mineral Resources.
CORRUPTION WILL BE ROOTED OUT.The PM says the current reforms around the country are addressing the systematic corruption that existed over the years and will help expose "corrupt practices, especially from those holding high positions." Fiji's anti-corruption work was recently acknowledged by the UN.
FLASHBACK. SUVA, Fiji, 9 April 2009 From Islands Business. ---- THE four political parties asked to comply with certain conditions by Fiji’s interim head Voreqe Bainimarama were barred from today’s political leaders forum for failing to comply to these conditions. Barred from the meeting were the leaders of the SDL, the Nationalist Vanua Takolavo Party, the NFP, and the United People’s Party.
Bainimarama told the opening of the forum that he had written to the four parties asking them to give urgency to solving matters like electoral reform, eliminating ethnic voting, the need to work together on a national basis, the need to support government policies particularly with the global recession being felt. "They needed to give certain commitments in an unambiguous manner to moving Fiji forward,” he said. "They have failed to do so thus their exclusion today.” So who declined dialogue then?
NATURAL DISASTER WARNINGS. Fiji is among countries that will be the first to benefit from state-of-the art techniques that allow them to assess risks from natural disasters such as earthquakes and tropical cyclones.
CHILD SEX ABUSE. UNICEF Pacific’s chief of child protection, Johanna Eriksson-Takyo, says her agency welcomes a recent police initiative to combat child sex abuse in Fiji.
Congratulations, Radio NZ International, for publishing this story, it's your first positive news from Fiji for months.
3 comments:
@ Croz
Get yourself a copy of the conditions they had to comply with and you will see why they could not.
And what has happened to this dialogue since then.....the answer is nothing, zero, zilch. There has been no further attempt. Frank and team just don't believe in it.
Dear Croz,
You left us a week or so ago with your post killing me softly. You signed off with the following:
But I cannot go along with this idiocy. Bainimarama's enemies could not do a better job of sabotaging his endeavours. The useful purpose PER may once have served has passed. It must now be seen as a mindless and needless instrument, applied with total disregard for the normal freedoms of ordinary Fijians. Who on earth is Bainimarama listening to?
There will be no further postings for a few days until we see how things pan out. I need time to think.
Readers may care to comment, and encourage others to follow suit. The comments could then be sent to the PM for his consideration.
I am interested what conclusions you reached after you few days away from the blog. You seem to be back to business as usual.
Also did you send any comments to the pm and did you receive a reply?
Croz
You seem to have dropped your bundle? Suggest you read Michael Field to keep yourself updated of the real news in Fiji. How much longer do you think your beloved junta has old boy?
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