pn947. Fiji: a Small Ray of Hope with the appointment of Graeme Leung as Attorney-General

 

With the appointment of former Fiji Law Society President Graeme Leung as Attorney-General an important detail has changed in the Fiji political scene, one that could see a reversal — or at least a review— of some very questionable legal decisions by the outgoing Acting Attorney-General Siromi Turaga, and a clean, fresh start for Fiji.  

Siromi Turaga is the highly biased, politically-motivated AG  in cahouts with Acting Chief Justice Salesi Temo who made two illegal appointments: Alipate Qataki as a judge and John Rabuka as acting Director of Public Proscecutions. Both appointments were in breach of Fiji's Constitution. 

Further, Temo's overruling of Magistrate Seini Puamua who had virtually acquitted former PM and FijiFirst leader Voqere Bainimarama of charges against him was also questionable.  Temo's over-ruling resulted in Bainimarama (and former police chief Sitiveni Qihilo) being jailed which stripped Bainimarama of the FijiFirst leadership and denied him a place in parliament.  Thus, Temo effectively beheaded the largest party in parliament, FijiFirst party, and removed almost all parliamentary opposition to government. With only a two seat majority the government coalition of People's Alliance, National Federatlon Party and SODELPA, PM Sitiveni Rabuka must be very pleased indeed.

Which makes one ask why Graeme Leung's appointment?

It certainly adds much needed credibility and respectability to government which has been plagued with by a number of "salacious" scandals and internal divisions.

Leung's chief duty as AG  is to advise the PM on all legal matters.  Whether or not the PM heeds his advice is another thing.

Leung could (and I believe should) call for:

■ the appointment of a Chief Justice and the dismissal of Acting CJ Temo. (Temo's appointment was criticized by the Fiji Law Society) 

■ the cancellation of  the Alipate Qataki and John Rabuka appointments; 

■ the reinstatement of Director of  Public Prosecutions Chris Pryde who has been waiting for his appeal to be heard of over 14 months; 

■ an earlier hearing of the appeal of Elizabeth Rice, wrongfully stood down as Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions because she is "white";

■  the decision to deregister the Fiji First Party to be put on hold. It could be derigistered unless it changes its constitution by 28th April. The party needs time to recover from its current disarray following 17 of its 26 MPs voting with Government on the pay increase bill contrary to party instructions.

■ an early appeal hearing for Bainimarama (and former police chief Sitiveni Qihilo) against Tempo's ruling;

■ and perhaps a review of the USP case that was used to remove Bainimarama in the first place (see pn936).

-- ACW

pn929 An Unbiblical Exodus. Some 70,000 - 80,000 people have left Fiji in the last 18 months

Read this pertinent but rather emotional criticism of NFP leader and Deputy PM Professor Biman Prasad by Graham Davis in Grubsheet, and then read the professor's comments on the situation. First, read about the Professor as a major cause, because he did nothing; then read some of the effects he describes.

See also pn924.

pn 940. Fiji Electlon Date Announced

 Fiji's Prime Minister Voreqe 'Frank' Bainimarama has announced the country will head to the polls on 14 December.

A soldier stands guard outside the President’s residence in Fiji. (Source: 1News)

He visited President Wiliame Katonivere this morning and advised on the dissolution of Parliament as of today.

The Prime Minister's Fiji First Party will go head to head with the People's Alliance headed by the country's first coup leader from 1987, Sitiveni Rabuka.

Former military commander Bainimarama seized power in a military coup in 2006 but has since been democratically elected in two general elections.

Fiji's last election was held in 2018.

pn832. A Tribute of Professor Brij V Lal (1952-2021) by *Rajendra Prasad in Auckland

Brij Lal

It would perhaps be wrong to claim Professor Brij Vilash Lal as one of us because he was exceptional; a gifted writer and thinker beyond the ordinary. Such people are gifted for a purpose and he fulfilled his purpose, leaving behind a nation in disbelief and a community in shock and sorrow. 

Cruelly exiled to Australia in 2009 by the Fijian Government for being a threat to national security and peace, he spent the rest of his life struggling to understand the cruel dénouement of his right to return to the land of his birth. In his meditations, he melancholically remembered the village of Tabia in his writings where he was born and to which he was inseparably attached. The childhood memories of the rustic village and its undulating hills perhaps drew him in its arms every day during the exilic years, as he confessed the cries of his longing heart, “Home is where the heart is!” 

Rajendra Prasad

The Tabia boy had left but Tabia in the boy could never be separated. The exilic years were cruel, inhumane and undeserving. Many of us now settled abroad, live with similar sentiments. We left Fiji but Fiji in us lives but differs in intensity – some like Professor Lal, including me, the departure from Fiji became an enduring wound that time cannot heal. In the recall, there is pleasure swathed in pain. I recapture here my lamentation for my Vaqia village in Ba, as I described in my book, Tears in Paradise – Suffering and Struggles of Indians in Fiji 1879-2004 –

pn803. Pacific Snippets: Fiji, West Papua, NZCID, Vanuatu, New Caledonia,Covid in PNG and Fiji, China talks to PNG

Former coup leader and PM Sitiveni Rabuka is headhunting SODELPA leaders to join his People's Alliance party, and there are calls Viliame Govoka to stand down as SODELPA head. All such moves could weaken the Opposition as parties prepare for the 2022 elections.  

As fighting flares between Indonesian and independence armed forces, West Papuans flee across the border in their thousands into Sepik, PNG. 

pn640. Veiled criticisms in NFP responses to the President's Address: Biman Prasad and Lenora Qereqeretabua

Biman Prasad

Lenora Qereqeretabua

The addresses by the party leader and deputy leader have been abbreviated, and words highlighted for ease of reading. The President's address is written by the government's speech writers. -- ACW