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.

Fiji: Union Protest, Excessive Fines, SDA School Threat, Meremere Samisoni SODELPA Split, NFP's Biman Prasad and the Reserve Bank

Dr Biman Prasad, NFP. pn358

REASONABLE PROTESTING IN A PART OF DEMOCRACY
Why is this protest illegal? There is no threat to national security.  The law should be changed to allow legitimate protests by trade unionists. Its existence gives credibility to accusations that some government legislation is repressive.   Daniel Urai says the May 3rd protest will go ahead.

LARGE FINES A DETERRENT, NOT NECESSARILY FOR USE
Some overseas journalists have pointed to the large fines local journalists can face for breaking the law.
The fines on fishermen who take turtle illegally, and those who sell or eat the turtles, shows that large fines are not confined to journalists. They are intended as a deterrent. not necessarily for use at the top end of the fine. Journalists are not singled out for sole attention,

Four Informed Views on Fiji before the 2014 Election, and RNZ Cancels my planned talks

Peni Moore pn265

What four informed people had to say on Bryan Crump's RNZ Nights' Symposium Fiji programme in 2010.  The four were Nik Naidu of the NZ Coalition for Democracy in Fiji, Richard Pamatatau RNZ Pacific Issues Correspondent, Fiji citizen and NGO Women's Action for Change co-founder the late Peni Moore who passed away in 2016, and myself. 

 I thought Bryan did an excellent job  convening.

Nik Naidu

The main issues raised were coups and democracy, media freedom, poverty and the economy, and where Fiji was heading.  Nik thought the situation was a mix of good and bad, Richard that it was all bad, Peni that a process was in place and things were moving forward, and I largely agreed with Peni.  Click here to listen.  It's rather long, 40 minutes, so you may care to take a coffee break half way through.

The Social Media in Fiji and the Online Safety Act: Balance Needed

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UPDATE. This article  from the UK looks at the responsibilities  of  website owners and asks if social media should be banned. Vinaka, VM
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The following is based largely on this article (click) by James Griffiths of CNN International with my own views in italics interspersed.

In May last year, after a short two month public consultation, the Fiji Government passed the Online Safety Act which placed  limits on what could be published on social media without the threat of prosecution.  Government said the Act was to prevent online postings such as that reported in the Fiji Sun of  "hundreds of nude and intimate images of women, mostly USP students" and one of the victims had considered suicide.  Postings which causes "harm to the individual" would now be liable to a fine of $9,400 and up to five years in prison. All FijiFirst MPs voted for the Act, and all the Opposition voted against. 

Why Fiji First May Lose the Next Election if it Doesn't Do Something Soon

The image: Puppet and Puppet Master. pn245

UPDATE. See 'A Good Start' at the end.
I was going to write a response to Rajendra Prasad's second article (pn219) in which he suggested Rabuka and Bainimarama shake hands over a bowl of grog and engage in consensual politics but events have overtaken my intention. 

Fiji Links and Comments: the Archbishop and Rosy Akbar, the Code of Conduct Bill,No PM New Year Message in FijiTimes

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It's good news that, as schools reopen, students will not be paying for textbooks and fees, and that 80,000 will not pay bus fares to school and back.  Vinaka, FijiFirst Government. 

■ Less welcome is the stand off between Education Minister Rosy Akbar and Catholic Archbishop Peter Loy Chong who wants see Catholics appointed as Principals in Catholic-administered schools (Muslim schools have no objection to non-Muslim Principals).

This is How some SODELPA members are Whipping up Hatred and Divison

UPDATE. Statement from Taukei Land Trust Board, and a criticism of my post by Scott MacWilliam. See Comments below.

TLTB denounces claims made by SODELPA Youth members and some protesters at Tamavua Village

By Vijay Narayan

Wednesday 19/12/2018

Add caption

Development currently at Tamavua village

The iTaukei Land Trust Board has made it clear that nothing sinister is going on as far as the leasing of the land at Tamavua Village is concerned.

TLTB Chief Executive Officer Tevita Kuruvakadua has denounced claims made by a group of protesters, which included some members of the SODELPA Youth Group.

SODELPA on the Way to the Promised Land?

What the FijiFirst Government Can Do, Starting Now, to Win the Next Election

An image to foster. pn269 (Renumbered from pn179)

In a curious way, the opposing visions of Sitiveni Rabuka and Voqere Bainimarama that we discussed in an earlier posting (pn182) are examples of what the famous English writer George Orwell* called "doublethink", the ability to hold two completely contradictory thoughts simultaneously while believing both of them to be true. Rabuka wants Taukei supremacy, Bainimarama restrains public debate to ensure equality, and they both think they are being democratic.

The question now is how to reduce the doublethink to improve their party's chances in the 2022 election, and put an end to Fiji's coup culture.

NFP's Lenora Qereqeretabua's Maiden Speech

Opposition MP Lenora Salusalu Qereqeretabua delivering her maiden speech in Parliament this morning. Picture: SUPPLIED/FIJIAN PARLIAMENT FACEBOOK  pn189  

29 November, 2018, 4:02 pm

Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Fiji: Getting it Right on ASK's "Sunset Clause"

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In a number of ongoing postings to Fiji groups on Facebook reference is often made to Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum's "sunset clause" in which he is alleged to want to eliminate Taukei institutions. 

The now almost defunct blog Coupfourpointfive under the Hitler-inspired heading "Final Solution" writes  of "Bainimarama’s anti-Fijian policies driven by Khaiyum’s genocidal 'sunset clause' thesis on how to destroy Fijian cultural autonomy."

More recently, Lela Seruvakula writes of  "The reason for the stolen elections and SUNSET CLAUSE AGENDA... i.e., Dispossession and displacement or dismantling of any sovereignty that stands in the way of resource grab ..." 

A more partly balanced view was offered by a SODELPA candidate Niko Nawaikula who wrote: 

"Ethnic identity is important for how can we move froward or do anything for that matter without first knowing who we are. Our ethnicity defines us and the UN protects that self identification as our Human Rights under UNDRIP" 

With which few would disagree, and then he launches into FijiFirst:

"But the Fiji First Government is against it. It wants to create a new social order for Fiji by introducing its sunset clause measures to remove the things that bind us together as an ethnic group. To me, it is a form of ethnic cleansing. For instead of unity in diversity respecting ethnic identity , it wants equal citizenry that is devoid of ethnicity and ethnic referencing."  

With which others would disagree. He has misunderstood the context and argument of ASK's thesis which is strange for a lawyer. Click read here to download the thesis. 

This is what I wrote on the issue in the Fiji Sun four years ago.

Hear what Ro Tupou Draunidalo and the other Party Leaders had to say on StraightTalk

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Ro Tupou Draunidalo is the daughter of former Deputy PM the late Ro Kuini Speed, a paramount Chief from Nadroga/Navosa, who was deposed in the 2000 coup. Her stepfather Timoci Bavadra was PM for a few months before being ousted in the 1987 coup led by now SODELPA leader Sitiveni Rabuka. She has a law degree from ANU. 

Fiji Election: Accusations all round

Unity's Nabulivou on FijiFirst's undemocratic ways;

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SODELPA's Rabuka's tax liabilities; calls for a Leaders' debate, NFP's Prasad's claim of 12 years of Government incompetence.

Former PM and SODELPA leader Sitiveni Rabuka has admitted in his court caution interview that he had failed to declare all his assets, liabilities and income to the Supervisor of Elections contrary to the Political Parties Act.

Unwise and Unnecessary Suspension of the NFP

Pn8.. I agree with law professor  Bill Hodge. The suspension of the NFP is "a major punishment for a minor infringement."  The Registrar of Political Parties Mohammed Saneem also seems to have exceeded his authority and this inevitably reflects badly on Government.  One hopes the Solicitor-General will act swiftly and wisely to resolve an issue that could so easily have been avoided. -- Croz  Pn8

Fate of MPs

Nasik Swami
Thursday, February 04, 2016

SPEAKER Dr Jiko Luveni has sought the advice of the Solicitor General's Office on whether the three parliamentarians of the suspended National Federation Party can attend the Parliament session next Monday.

"We are waiting for a legal opinion and we will wait to see what the legal people will have to say," Dr Luveni said.

She said Parliament sought advice as the decision to suspend the NFP was made outside of Parliament.

"This is why we are seeking legal opinion because the ruling was made outside of Parliament. If it was made inside of Parliament, I would have had a basis of that ruling."

Dr Luveni said she would make her decision after receiving the legal advice.

She said the NFP's suspension would not affect the parliamentary proceeding next Monday.

"We will continue as normal as far as we are concerned from within Parliament.

"It affects only three members, but the quorum for Parliament is one third, which is 17. Even though if there are only 18 people attending a sitting, there is still a quorum. The sitting will go ahead."

Dr Luveni said as usual, the NFP was invited to attend the Business Committee meeting on Friday.

Registrar of Political Parties Mohammed Saneem said since the party's suspension on Monday, his office had not received any feedback from them.

Former speaker of Parliament Pita Nacuva said the situation was confusing since he had never come across such a scenario in Parliament.

According to the Political Parties Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures Decree 2013, Section 27 (5) where a political party commits an offence under the decree, the registrar has the power to issue a warning and require the political party to conform to the decree within a specified period or suspend the registration of the political party not exceeding 12 months.

"Notwithstanding subsection 5, a person who is a member of a political party that has been suspended and is a member of Parliament, shall continue as a member of Parliament for the unexpired term," the decree states.

A New Zealand law expert, who is the author of Criminal Procedure in New Zealand and Auckland University law professor, Bill Hodge, told Radio Australia that the party's suspension did not mean that its three elected MPs cease to be members of Parliament.

Mr Hodge said the suspension was a major punishment for a minor infringement.

The NFP was suspended for 30 days on Monday by Mr Saneem for contravening the Political Parties Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures Decree 2013.

He said the party accounts were not audited by an accountant certified by the Fiji Institute of Accountants (FIA) as required by the decree.

Accounting firm, APNR Partners that audited the suspended party's books, refused to comment when questioned about its registration.

The firm said they had referred the matter to their lawyers.