“This is not the Voreqe Bainimarama that I have known for many, many years" -- Pio Tikoduadua

In happier days. May they return.  pn198

Pio Tikoduadua (Lt.Col. retired) was the FijiFirst Minister of Infrastructure and Transport in  2014 and a close friend and colleague of PM Voqere Bainimarama. He resigned a year later when he disagreed with the expulsion of colleague Dr Neil Sharma who had voted with the Opposition on a health matter. He joined the National Federation Party in 2017 and was recently elected to Parliament.  

Please note that is it my emphasis on sections of his speech reported in The Fiji Times. 
Note also my previous posting pn197  "What the FijiFirst Government can do, starting now,  to win the next election " that covers some of the same ground,


UNLESS the Court of Disputed Returns has something else to say, two-man rule is what Fiji will have to endure for the next four years, says National Federation Party opposition MP Pio Tikoduadua.

“Two men Madam Speaker – who in my firm and unequivocal view are behaving like the political judge, jury and executioner. And I can say this with absolute authority,” he said.

Reminiscing his speech in 2014, Mr Tikoduadua said he had shared the vision of the Prime Minister that the RFMF should return Fiji to the Government that was voted for by the people.

He said this was a vision of a prosperous, united and democratic Fiji.

Mr Tikoduadua added that it was of great concern to him that the Prime Minister has shifted in his methods of achieving that vision.

“As I alluded to earlier, he set the ball rolling by hurling racial bigotry and false accusations at NFP and malicious claims about the NFP and its leader ducking for cover and running in the cane fields.

“It’s like we owe our existence to him!

“This is not the Voreqe Bainimarama that I have known for many, many years.

“A leader proclaiming election campaign to be a battle of ideas changes tune three months later and spews racist venom.

“I wonder Madam Speaker – Why? Has the honourable PM done an about-turn?

“Yes, for all intents and purposes.

“Has the honourable PM shirked collective responsibility in favour of making decisions solely or together with few of his loyalists? Yes, again.”