Cogito, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. (René Descartes, mathematician and philosopher,1599-1650)

Tuesday 19 August 2014

Differing Reasonably and Politely

Veena

Biman and Aiyaz
Veena Bhatnagar's moderation (or chairmanship) of the recent Aaina  debate (Ep.138) on Radio Fiji between NFP leader Dr Biman Prasad and  FFP spokesman and current Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has been furiously debated on the Fiji Economic Forum blog.



Most people  said she put forward her own opinions, was biased against Biman,  curried favour with Aiyaz, and should not have moderated the debate knowing that she would soon become a FijiFirst candidate. 

I argued that her impeding candidature was irrelevant and that everyone has biases.The only thing that mattered in this case was whether she was fair and professional.  I thought she was.  She certainly interrupted Biman when he spoke too lengthily but no more than a good chairperson would. Click on this link to the programme to make your own judgment.

What impressed me most about the debate was not so much the different views on the issues raised, but the tolerance, respect and good humour shown by both participants, which I thought were assisted by Veena's good chairmanship. There was none of the vicious sniping and personal attacks seen when some other aspiring politicians —and too many bloggers—argue their differences. 

But this is what I would expect from two people I know a little —and respect a lot.  -- Croz

22 comments:

Marc Edge said...

Fiji Economic Forum is a Facebook group, not a blog. You don't know the difference, do you?

Anonymous said...

Marc, facts are of no concern to those supporting the illegal human rights abusing junta. Look at the line up of opportunists and treasonous criminals in the junta so called 'party' - it says it all.

BEMUSED said...

Who is this jane come lately anyway? and how does she feel serving the people of Fiji as an MP? Looks like an oportunist to me.Wonder when she arrived in Fiji and if she has been in the country long enough to serve the populac....nyet nyet, another freeloader methinks..I mean NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD OF THIS LADY BEFORE

Anonymous said...

Croz, What I would really like to see is PM Frank debate something, anything even, in a public forum. He is Finance minister but has never taken a single question on finances. He is sugar minister but has never taken a single question on sugar. How will he operate in parliment ? PS I saw first hand how he operated at Fiji Rugby when I tried to show him the balance sheet....he had no idea and no interest.

Anonymous said...

You just can't help yourself, do you? Maybe that Fiji Economic Forum Facebook group is a better platform for you.

Anonymous said...

Veena is a smart woman and she will go a long way. Just one more example of a person who has smartly analysed the political landscape and decided to support the winners. Nothing wrong with that! It is not too late for others to consider their choices and come out in support of Fiji First. Makareta could have done the same, show a bit of respect for our great leaders and she would have started a stellar career in Khaiyum's Fiji First.

Ab ki Baar Modi Sarkaar said...

He knows Marc ..

I think he was just testing, whether you knew..

Anonymous said...

Marc, please give Croz a break. You know that is an octogenarian trying to bring some balance to the reporting on Fiji, a country that is widely portrayed as a first class banana republic and kleptocracy. His perception of Bainimarama as the saviour may be a bit difficult to understand, but wait until you hit 80 and you will find it difficult to remember where you have hidden your marbles.

Disgusted said...

smart freeloader, you mean?? Only in Fiji does one see idiot radio announcers wanting to become MP's...What's her educational background??? any degrees or just the suck up variety to Aiyaz ,lets see her do door to door campaigning then ,shall we, I doubt that's likely to happen since she will abuse her current position to campaign for herself and her party...from taxpayer funded radio station......chor woman and chor party....disgusting!!

Anonymous said...

She is just another bludging junta slurper trying to fill her pockets. The poorly led Fiji military certainly has a lot to answer for - it does not get more stupid than raping your own nation - and then giving yourselves immunity from doing so?

Anonymous said...

So you have a go at this lady Veena without really knowing what her qualifications are. With the same breath you deplore all radio announcers as idiots-generalisation at its best. If Rugby players such as Satala and Kele Leawere can contest the election without any tertiary level qualification, why can't this Veena lady do the same? I grew up with Satala in Lautoka and I know he didn't even pass FSLC or 6th form equivalent external exams.

Disgusted said...

Satala represented his nation..Veena is representing her pocket and her sucking mouth, incidentally the current "PM" and "AG" DIDN'T GRADUATE FROM HIGH SCHOOL EITHER.....YOUR FRIENDS !!
Bainimarama fiji junior failure and Aiyaz UE failure !!! Looks like FIJIFIRST has no high school graduate candidates.

Anonymous said...

Kleptocracy ? Ha , I'm sure you've lost your marbles and by the way happy 85th birthday , oh , damn I forgot , you've lost your mojo and marbles .

Anonymous said...

Anyone one who has manège to remain in power and done remarkably well in the last 8 years , has to be a genius !!!, but let me stick to facts . History has taught us that you don't have to be Einstein to lead a nation , just as you don't have to be rugby player to understand that Fiji has a notoriously ill-disciplined rugby team , that can be beaten by the national rugby team of India !!! ( yes that's true ) . Frank has received his education from perhaps the best university on the planet " university of life experience ) with honours , and Aiyaz we all know graduated from Australia . Both are equally smart men , just in their own different ways .

Disgusted and at peace with myself said...

Yes Frank has graduated from the university of the cassava patch sprint......history records kings and commanders as being at the front end of the battle ,not the back end via the cassava patch !!! These two Marist hooligans have been propped up by smarter freeloaders like NazI Shameem, otherwise these two would be gonnas longtime ago....so sad that Roko Lui and Driti misused their chance to save the country and restore democracy..alas they were idiots promoted because of their race rather than their brains...end of story...however all is not lost...we just have to put up with another "legal" government as always for the last 20 years...Rabuka, Qarase et al weren't democratically elected, so sit back and enjoy these arseholes for a further 5 years...all this crap about everyone being equal is just that Crap !!! it's called hiding behind excuses just like AL QAEDA who hide behind ISLAM and the Taukei who hide behind Methodism..SAME SHIRT DIFFERENT DAY...SA BOI CA NA BODY ODOUR !!!

Anonymous said...

You certainly don't understand the art of war and need to read your war stories better if you want to talk about the technicality of command element in a battle. Commanders don't position themselves in the front-line unless you are in the Israeli Army. SEGA NI BOICA NA BODY ODOUR, RAIRAI NA MONA GA NI SO NA TAMATA!!

Anonymous said...

@ DISGUSTED

So what Satala represented his nation? Does that make him a politician? Turaga nai vakabula.

Anonymous said...

Disgusted

You must have the same qualifications as satala.

Anonymous said...

@ DISGUSTED

Maybe you need to take time-out from this forum and spend it wisely reading up on FF candidates biograpgy attached with their nominations. Pay special attention to their qualifications because for the first time since Fiji's Independence, I think we have a party which includes lots of educated nominees. Not only that it is well-balanced represented by different cultural groups, 16 women, both youthful and mature candidates but more importantly people that "walk the talk".
Your argument on Satala that he represented the nation is light, and on the same token FF supporters could argue that they have Delana who won Fiji's first ever Olympics Gold medal. In sporting forum either you look at it from pure sporting achievement, level of competition, monetary value or even exposure, my friend Satala does not come close to Delana.

Anonymous said...

@ Disgusted at the Cassava Patch Sprint etc......sometimes you have to lose a battle to win the war. Frank may have lost the battle when his did his cassava patch sprint....but he has since emerged and is about to win the War. Thats being strategic!

Anonymous said...

You sound like a drunk one-eyed Canterbury rugby team supporter mate.

YAWN said...

yes ,you're correct,that he will win because he has learn't from the master- Laisenia Qarase on how to stuff ballot boxes- in this case electronic fudging if the computers.Is your memory good enough to remember that the 2006 elections polled 842,000 votes? Well after the coup, a census of the country was carried out and Fiji did not have that many citizens let alone eligible voters,even if there were, it would seem that every one in the country voted ,even babies ....and that was a "democratic" election. So yes he will win the war...one always does when one is armed with weapons...just like Ma'afu thrashed the living daylights out of the bati. Yes another 'DEMOCRATIC" elections on the way .