pn618a. I take My Hat Off to Ro Teimumu: Duavata for all Fiji's People

It takes courage to go against the common tide, even when you are a chief and a paramount one at that. I take my hat off to you, Ro Teimumu.

Ro Teimumu is the only SODELPA MP to accept "Fijian" as a common name for all Fijians but says more work needs to be done for the name to be generally accepted by iTaukei, especially because it was a forced decision by Government.

Speaking at the Forced Labour and Migration conference at the University of Fiji campus in Saweni, Lautoka, some time ago she spoke of her personal reasons for making this decision.

I did not know that Ratu Mara also wanted Fijian as a common name or that the Indian indentured labourers who survived the shipwreck of the "Syria" were adopted as clan members by the Tui Noco of Rewa.

"From it (the adoption in 2017) I derive hope for the future", she said.  "It opens the door to a new form of togetherness, duavata for Fiji's people."

Read also Syria shipwreck rescue efforts of 1884 leads to communal reconciliation in Fiji

--  ACW

Pacific Roundup, Palau, Marshall Is., Fiji, New Caledonia, Solomon Is., PNG

 Palau and Marshall Islands

The US is revisiting its compact of free association with Palau and Marshall Islands. The US will invest $1.6 million to investigate water quality on Enewetak Atoll for radioactivity.

Enewetak nuclear explosion.     pn524

 Nuclear testing by the US totaling more than 30 megatons of TNT took place during the cold war; in 1977–1980, a concrete dome (the Runit Dome) was built on Runit Island to deposit radioactive soil and debris. The Runit Dome is deteriorating and could be breached by a typhoon, though the sediments in the lagoon are even more radioactive than those which are contained. -- Wikipedia.

Fiji, Rugby World Cup and Racism on Facebook

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Yesterday's Facebook comment by Nilesh Lal and those that follow say much about today's Fiji. The racism sucks but many Taukei are  just as disgusted as Nilesh, and that promises well for the future — if only they would speak up, and if some politicians would cease to play racial football in their mini-World Cup. -- ACW

Nilesh Lal
Every Fijian, regardless of race, is passionate about our national sporting teams.

What is extremely disappointing is that every time an Indo-Fijian makes a comment or offers his opinion about our national rugby team, s/he is cut short by some rabid racists on facebook who subject them to a whole lot of racist abuse. I have been told to "stick to soccer" at least two times in the past two days. In recent times, I have seen that Indo-Fijians have been supporting the national rugby teams more than they follow the national football team.

New Book by Steven Ratuva on Pacific: "Contested Terrain". Download free.

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Canberra: Australian National University Press, 2019. 

With case studies on Fiji, Tonga, Solomon Islands

From Clive Moore:

I have attached the Solomons chapter and the whole Bibliography, as there are no detailed references for individual chapters.

 

The whole book can be downloaded free by clicking here.

Highlights from the 2019 Fiji Budget, a comment by Rabuka, and a note on Green and Blue Bonds

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Whatever you may think of the Government, you'd have to concede  their 2019 at least look impressive — and to this inexpert eye it certainly is. 

Government's economic performance may have come at costs, but there have been definite improvements along a broad front, despite Cyclone Winston that wiped out the equivalent of a third of the value of the county's GDP in 2016. 

This year's Budget was  preceded by an unprecedented level of  consultations, mainly thanks to an online Facebook page that had 50,00o visitors. This is good news, and promises well if Government also extends consultatons to people's organisations, and on other issues.  

A Fair Minimum Wage for Fiji: Why Government Should Heed Wadan Narsey

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 It's an understatement that he's not very popular with Government for his outspoken comments on a numbor of issues, but former USP Economics  professor Wadan Narsey is a voice to listen to on most issues involving economics.  His article in The Fiji Times "Minimum wage rate in Fiji" (15/6/19) is a case in point.

Fiji's 2019-2020 Budget

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So far most comments on the 2019-20 Fiji Budget seem favourable but there is concern that cuts, and possible future cuts, to free milk in school, free school children's bus trips, and parental leave could herald a downsizing of targeted help for the young. Instances of misuse, cited by the AG, often herald the end of a service.

Vinaka vakalevu to Fiji Live that provides this overview. It is one of the three remaining free websites. The others are Fiji Village and Islands Business.  The Fiji Times now charges (over F$100 a year), and the Fiji Sun provides limited access. This makes obtaining media information for this blog very difficult.

Read what Fiji Live says and then visit Islands Business for  detailed breakdown of expenditures.

The Lagilagi Controversy: Government and the People's Community Network, Part II

Fr Barr and the PM (left) in happier times. pn422

Working in Informal Settlements 
by Fr Kevin Barr
(my sub-head and underlining)


Over the last 38 years that I have been living in Fiji, I have initiated, and been involved in several programs and projects relating to the poor in the broad area of social justice. Among these has been working with those who live in squatter settlements. 

Fiji: Freesoul, the Full Story

I sympathise with the mainstream media. It's half-finished stories have to meet deadlines, and when the story is ready to publish, other stories push it aside.

Remember the story? NZ journalists arrested when investigating environmental abuse by Chinese real estate developers on Malolo island. Civil libertarians up in arms. Bainimarama orders their release, apologizes and invites them for afternoon tea. Talk of revoking the developer's licences.

Now here's the full story from the journalists
followed by details on the licence revocation.

There was talk on the social media that FreeSoul was not a Chinese company. Here's the answer to that.

Enjoy!

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Fiji: Agreement in Church-State Education Dilemma

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All future principals and headteachers at a school run by a faith based organisation will have a clause in their job description which declares that “the head of school uphold and foster the ethos of the school and the school community.”

Michael Field Smells a Conspiracy

Inia Seruiratu pn262

A week ago Michael Field wrote an article headed The Face of Military Censorship that took  a swipe at Fiji's new Foreign Affairs Minister Inia Seruiratu on the occasion of his first speech as minister addressing young diplomats at an NZMFAT-funded protocol training seminar. 

The Social Progress Index: an Exciting New Tool to Assist Policy-Makers and the Public

Listen to Michael Green on TED by clicking1
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This is an exciting new statistical  tool, first published in 2014,  that can assist policy-makers, and the public that elects or appoints them, by measuring  social wellbeing between nations, and within nations, by region,  urban places and their suburbs, and by socio-economic and socio-cultural groupings. 

Fiji Election Statistics: Rushing in Where Angels Fear to Tread

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When a statistic appears incredible, it is either true (but incredible), false (and probably misleading) — or merely a typo error.


When people see an incredible statistic, they should be especially careful before declaring it a cheat or a fraud.

Breaking News, Rabuka Not Guilty. Fiji Freer than Some Claim

From a long time back, I've been reading that Aiyaz Syed-Khaiyum controls Bainimarama, that Qorvis calls all the shots, that nepotism and corruption are  rife, that Parliament is a farce, that the media is stifled,  that people are bribed and prepped to say they support FijiFirst, that Wednesday's elections will not be free, that the justice system is not independent, and ...  

Nothing, absolutely nothing,  is right in the State of Fiji.  

I've expressed concerns in this blog about alleged abuses of human rights and limitations on media freedom. I think the old military decrees now part of the Constitution should be removed and repealed. And I still think some restrictions are very real.  BUT no longer am I convinced by the "umbrella" statements made by those opposed to the FijiFirst Government.

Last week we had all the political parties given extensive air time and TV time to state their case, and even the pro-FijiFirst FijiSun  devoted them each a column. Small rents in the accusation's umbrella.

Today, we had two events that showed big rents in the umbrella. Firstly, the Speaker has released a document detailing the workings of Parliament in a move to increase transparency.  

Second, the Chief Justice Anthony Gates has found SODELPA leader Sitiveni Rabuka not guilty of the charges made against him by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption.  Rabuka is free to stand in Wednesday's national election, and the SODELPA opposition is greatly strengthened as a result. 

Would a Speaker in the pocket of an autocracy, or a Chief Justice who twisted the law in the service of his masters, behave in this way?  I think not.  

Fiji may have some way to go before it meets all the Western criteria for a healthy democracy. But it's better than it was after the 2006 Coup, better than it was in 2014, and arguably  better than before 2006. Some might even argue it's more democratic with far less nepotism than  Trump's America. 

I'd like to hear from those who think me wrong. 

--ACW

Fiji: What Does Each Party Stand For?

Voting in 2014  pn162

Campaigning Heats Up for Fiji Election
By Sally Round on Radio NZ International  (With my emphases and Notes)

In village halls, on social media and in Suva radio studios, party leaders are vying for the vote on 14 November. 

It's just the second election in 12 years following sweeping changes to the electoral system under a new constitution brought in by the Bainimarama-led government. (Note 1)

The former military commander was elected decisively to power in 2014 at the helm of his FijiFirst party after seizing power in 2006.  

Making Sense of the Latest Fiji Times-Tebbutt Poll -- and the Court Appeal against Rabuka

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Of Fiji's two political polls, the Razor/Fiji Sun and the Tebbutt/Fiji Times poll, the Tebbutt poll is probably more reliable because it uses orthodox methods, but Razor may make up for this by having more frequent polls. The latest Tebbutt poll was held a week ago, between October 22-24. The previous poll was in May.

Trying to made sense of the published results  is not easy. The most important thing we needed to know is how those polled intend to vote on 14 November. Not how well they thought the various leaders had performed in their respective positions. This is of some interest for PM Bainimarama and for SODELPA, because of the tussle between its  two leaders, Ro Teimumu and Sitiveni Rabuka, but for the other leaders it was less important. 

Fiji TV StraightTalk: Tabuya, Nabou, Kumar

StraightTalk onTV. Tabuya, Nabou and Kumar exchange opinions. Read, watch and listen.
PM Bainimarama and SODELPA leader Rabuka will appear on StraightTalk on Monday/

NZ News Report on Fiji "incomplete, misleading —and nearly a week late"

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Latest.  ■ Tupou Draunidalo expects HOPE to win 26 seats, and rule alone.  ■ Mike Beddoes returns to SODELPA. HOPE was only to win undecided voters.
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I see an item in this morning's Wednesday news that repeats several news items  first published in Fiji last week.  

It cites Ro Teimumu saying "many Fijians felt left out" because the three chiefly confederacies were not mentioned in the welcome to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, and the decision to change from the "traditional" welcome was probably made  "high up."  Read, Bainimarama and the Fiji First Government. 

The Extent of Media Freedom in Fiji

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I've no doubt there are very real limits to freedom of expression and media freedom in Fiji, but it could be argued that some of it is needed for the public good, and a range of opinions are still expressed in the media and in letters to the editor.
The public can also listen to each of the political party leaders, and the debate between Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and Dr Biman Prasad,  on StraightTalk with Vijay Narayan, and those that missed out can listen to recordings of the videos here or on the Fiji Village website.

Fiji: Rabuka Aquitted, FICAC Appeal, and other Election-Related News

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The big news —now that the British Royal couple have left— is that Sitiveni Rabuka has been acquitted of charges brought against him by the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption of falsifying his asset returns. So he can continue as an election candidate. My guess is that this will strengthen SODELPA's position in the election.  

Rabuka's earlier remarks on restoring land rents to chiefs, Ro Teimumu's comments on replacing the present constitution, and this article deriding Indo-Fijians and applauding Rabuka for the 1997 Coup, leave little doubt, however,  about where SODELPA stands on the role of the chiefs, the resurrection of the Great Council of Chiefs, the virtual exclusion of ordinary Taukei from a fair share of land rents, and the place of Indo-Fijians in Fiji. 

Breaking news, however, is that FICAC has filed an appeal