CHAUDHRY'S SHORT MEMORY. Once again we have an example of Mahendra
Chaudhry's problematic memory.
Earlier his FLP announced its support for the
Great Council of Chiefs that, they seemed to forget, was instrumental in
removing FLP from power in 1987 and 2000.
Then there's their partnership in the United Front for a Democratic Fiji that puts
them in bed with SODELPA, the successors of the Qarase Government that sought to forgive
the coup perpetrators that ousted them in 2000.
Now he is warning supporters in Labasa not to
be swayed by the introduction of free education and bus fare schemes by the
Bainimarama government (Why not? It would seem sensible for people to
support a Government that actually does things for them, other than talk)
urging them instead to remember events of the past that he chooses to remember.
Such as the now lifted 2009 Public Emergency Regulations that "had taken
away the rights of people", and referred to other temporary legislation
that placed restrictions on freedom of speech.
He also applauded the 1997 Constitution that "safeguarded"
people's rights, failing to mention that the Constitution was an expedient,
but flawed, means of reconciliation that embedded racial voting and was never
amended as its architects intended.
TAUKEI LAND SAFE OR NOT SAFE? As previously reported, the
Vunivalu of Nakorovatu went to Suva last week to counter arguments by SODELPA
that indigenous land ownership was no
longer safe. He said Government has strengthened iTaukei land rights not eroded
them. Former Trust Board general manager and SODELPA candidate applicant Niko
Nawaikula disagrees.
He claims “The decrees that terminated the Great
Council of Chiefs simultaneously took away control of native land, removed
iTaukei representatives from the iTaukei Lands Trust Board, removed their names
and took away management of mahogany and many tracts of native land under the
land use decree... The 1997 Constitution in comparison to the 2013 Constitution
finds the Great Council of Chiefs has been removed with all its powers and the
entrenched provisions that guarantee government cannot interfere with land
without the prior consent of the iTaukei."
However, as the FijiLive http://fijilive.com/news/2014/06/i-taukei-land-no-longer-safe-nawaikula/57862.Fijilive
report pointed out:
·
Section 28 (1) of the 2013 constitution says that the ownership of all
iTaukei land shall remain with the customary owners if that land and iTaukei
land shall not be permanently alienated whether by sale, grant, transfer or
exchange except to the state in accordance with section 27.
·
Section 27 (2a) says that a written law may authorise compulsory
acquisition of property when necessary for public purpose and (b) on
the basis that the owner will be promptly paid the agreed compensation for the
property or failing agreement, just and equitable compensation as determined by
a court or tribunal after considering all relevant factors.
·
Section 28(2) says that any iTaukei land acquired by the State for public
purpose after the commencement of this constitution under section 27 or under
any written law shall revert to the customary owners if the land is no
longer required by the State.
Nawaikula said what the chief (the Vunivalu of
Nakorovatu) said was the opposite of the truth as seen in the 2013 constitution
and the various land decrees issued by the government. He said the media should
stop taking advantage of the lack of knowledge and exposure of the iTaukei
regarding their land.
ONE DAY ELECTIONS. While overseas voters and people living in
remote areas will be able to vote before election day, most voters will vote on
one day, 17 September. FLP's Mahendra Chaudhry says Fiji has not yet
developed the capacity to hold elections in one day, and this year's
election should be spread over one week like previous elections.
"If elections will be held in one day, he
says, "there will be almost 1,700 polling stations. For every party to
have one of its members to be present at every polling station will mean each
party has to have 1700 members. Where are we going to get so many people
from? Also, hundreds of voters will miss
out if it's just a one day election and it will be chaos."
He's also concerned that party sheds now have to
be 300 metres away from polling station. "Before, the distance used to be
50m. This will also create a problem for the elderly who will have to walk 300m
to the polling venue from their party's shed." The absence of party symbols on ballot papers
will also pose difficulties for many voters. "We believe this is
one of the things that is being engineered to confuse and frustrate the
voter", he said.
HELLO BRIJ. My former colleague esteemed historian Prof Brij
Lal has joined the Opposition in questioned the impartiality of the Supervisor
of Elections Md Saneem because he registered the FijiFirst party despite
the presumed-to-be-valid objections of its opponents.
Brij says he was not surprised because Saneem was
appointed by Saiyed-Khaiyum, the Minister of Elections. Beyond this, he says
nothing. He does not consider Saneem's
reasons which one might have expected from an academic, only saying,
"The regime makes up the rules for itself as
it goes along. You're not likely to get an open and transparent answer to the
kinds of important questions that individual stakeholders are asking about the
activities of the Fiji First group."
Could it be that an historian with a grudge
against Government also makes his own rules rather than sifting and weighing
the evidence as one might expect?
THE STUDENT WHO HAD HIS SCHOLARSHIP CANCELLED. I have sent this email to Fiji contacts and
await their replies:
"Friends, Unless there's more to this that
meets the eye, I'm all with the student.
Being politically inactive should not be a scholarship requirement. Indeed,
if political and other community activities do not interfere with their
studies, such activity should be encouraged.
"Further, this is precisely the sort of
petty action by Government that plays into the hands of its opponents and makes
thinking people who might otherwise support Government have second
thoughts.
"I would be pleased to learn how you think
on this. Croz"
Meanwhile
Roshika Deo, the independent candidate the student was assisting, says she
is receiving death threats on the social media and Fiji Times editor Fred
Wesley has written an editorial condemning
such acts. Join the club,
Roshika. Many of the comments on my blog
are in the same league. I completely agree with Fred but there's little we can
do to persuade our angry critics to exercise more moderation.
RESERVE BANK UPDATE. Performance across key sectors varied, but
remains positive. Tourism continues to expand. Electricity production saw a
3.3% yearly increase.. Timber production was up as woodchip production more
than doubled. However, gold production is down by 4.1% and the the fishing
industry continues an annual decline in production. Consumption and investment
activity remain strong. The Bank's latest review review shows the buoyant
demand in the economy is well reflected in the labour market. The number of
jobs advertised increased by 17.2 percent, led by high recruitment intentions
in the manufacturing sector. Inflation rose to 0.1 percent in April from -0.2
percent recorded in March.
FORMER LAWYER LOSES APPEAL.Muhammed Azeem Ud-Dean Sahu
Khan was accused and found guilty of misrepresentation by falsely claiming that
he was a UK barrister who had been admitted at Lincoln’s Inn. When he appeared
before the Independent Legal Services Commission for the first mention
in June 2013 he admitted the allegation and was fined $20,000. He lost his
appeal and was fined a further $3,000 to cover court costs. Note that
contrary to anti-government claims, the ILSC still exists and is clearly doing
good work.
MEDICAL COMPLAINTS TO BE EXAMINED. The Fiji Medical Council
and Dental Secretariat have sought the services of an overseas specialist to
investigate some of the complaints received against medical and dental
practitioners.
FIJI COMMENDED FOR A CHANGE. The Pacific Island Forum
Secretariat (PIFS) has commended Fiji’s financial sector for the great strides
it has made in financial inclusion in the past few years. Some 150,000 Fijians
now have bank accounts and insurance policies, a target set by Fiji’s Financial Inclusion Strategy in 2009.
Many people, including the marginalized and poor, now have access to the
financial sector. Financial Literacy studies have also been included in the
school curriculum to encourage the younger generation to learn how to budget
and plan. PFIP is assisting Fiji in this and helping to develop a new Financial
Inclusion Strategy that will run from 2015 to 2020. Source: Islands Business.
FIJI LOBBIES ON BEHALF OF SMALL ISLAND STATES. http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/fiji/5422/fiji-lobbies-for-pacific-sids-interests-on-sustain/
Click here.
EUROPEAN UNION ALREADY HELPING ELECTIONS.The EU is proving technical,
legal and voter education assistance to the Elections Office
The EU Deputy Head of Delegation in the Pacific
Johnny Engell-Hansen said “The experts provided are not EU officers but
independent international experts working for the Fiji Elections Office and
financed by the EU ...The electoral expert currently attached to the FEO
supporting the training process is part of the next phase of our assistance. He
will be followed shortly by two other EU-funded experts to help with the
delivery and implementation of the training plan ... we are also supporting
voter awareness activities as well as the preparations for the functioning of
the newly elected parliament,” he said. -- Based on a http://fijilive.com/news/2014/06/eus-assistance-to-go-beyond-election/57861/
FijiLive report.
FIJI FREE ONLINE MEDIA SHRINKING. FijiLive and FijiVillage
provide invaluable information for those of us who do not live in Fiji, most
especially because they often include political stories not covered well by
the online Fiji Sun and Fiji Times. To read FijiVillage one now has to pay an
annual subscription of $70. Goodbye FijiVillage. We have to hope FijiLive will
not follow suit.
5 comments:
Mahen is the not the only one with a short memory. Frank of talks of the failed politicians of the past. People like Mahen.....who Frank appointed to his his military government and even cleared of any wrong doing over offshore accounts and when the pressure finally got to much he let him resign instead of sacking him. Frank also put labour ministers into key roles only to sack them years later. Then there is Mr Anthony - the person Frank put on various boards boards and allowed to pick up multiple salaries (and he never said a bad word about this government until now - how strange). Then Qarase - the man Frank made prime minister post the 2000 coup. Surely at some point the PM has to take responsibility for the train wreck that has been many of his terrible appointments and they in turn should admit they are now only unhappy because they are not part of the new military elite ?
What part of I-Taukei rules does Mahen and his herd not understand? Now go and clean Bhaini's toilet. Take you pick - bhaini or GCC? Nothing changes.
FLP will suffer the same fate as NFP did in the last elections. Any Indian Party who partners with SODELPA will be buried in the polls.
If ever there was politician who prostituted politics in Fiji - it is Mahendra Chaudhary. This man is without morals. He has his hands in the pockets of others, was a Prime Minister and Finance Minister and chose to hide his money in foreign banks and also make false tax returns. Not only this he used the PM's office as a brothel and was caught by the tea lady with his pants down. He will make deals with anyone if it gives him an advantage. He is a convicted person for serous crimes - including death by dangerous driving and tax evasion. He is encircled by political Chihuahuas who yelp at his command. He has done more damage to politics in Fiji than any other politician. He has not even spared his own community- joined Bainimarama's coup as blame shifted on them that it was an Indian coup but then he had to be booted out and has since been bedding with those who held him captive for 56 days in the Parliament building and subjected him to indignities with the consent of the GCC whose cause it is now championing!
Dr Brij Lal is hurt because the 1997 Constitution didn't work. No Constitution could work in Fiji as long as the GCC had a role to play. It was the 1997 Constitution that gave prominence and dominance to chiefs. They were given constitutional powers to elect one of their own to be President and Vice-President. They had no such powers under the 1970 Constitution but Reeves Commission of which Dr Brij Lal was a member resurrected those who should have been deposed and their wings clipped to remain within their tribal or territorial areas. Instead, they were given national powers to elect President and Vice-President, diluting Fijian democracy and then they turned around and shafted it when political power shifted. Where were Dr Brij Lal and Wadan Narsey when the Qarase Govt blatantly discriminated against Indo-Fijians? 'Gaddari' at its worst!!
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