Who Knows What Either Of Them Really Thought

pn487

One half of my mind feels sympathy for Pio Tikoduadua who I think honestly saw no reason to apologise for what he said. He was misunderstood or misrepresented. But the other half wonders why he reached so high for the moral ground when he could have followed Bainimarama's example and made a qualified apology.

Nearing its End? The Bainimarama-Tikoduadua Incident

PM (L) and Pio Tikoduadua pn484

What's happening now should have happened over three  weeks ago. Sores fester if left unattended, and new poisoning can enter the system.

In politics the "sores" are when one side tries to score points off the other, and when views becomes news and opinion becomes fact on the mainstream and social media. Even TVNZ1 had a say,  a little late and incomplete, but the opportunity for a dig at Fiji could not be missed (pn479).

 I refer to the alleged assault by PM Voqere Bainimarama on former army colleague and friend, opposition NFP president  Pio Tikoduadua, in early August. (pn475, pn478)

Might Bainimarama Skip the Country?

pn478

People are refused bail because they are dangerous or could skip bail and not return for a court hearing.

But these could be acceptable times. While it's unheard of for a prime minister to allegedly assault an opposition MP, breaking his glasses, to the best of my knowledge,  a democratically elected prime minister never, ever, anywhere, has used his attendance at  international fora to skip a country, never to return.

PM Bainimarama Allegedly Assaulted NFP President, Pio Tikoduadu. UPDATED.

Pio Tikoduadua (L), PM (R). pn475

UPDATED Sunday 11 August. The incident was well covered in the Fiji media.  My summary is that the Speaker refused to comment on the incident when asked to do so by MP Pio Tikoduadua, saying he can only comment on what he sees or hears. The Attorney-General, speaking in defence of PM Bainimarama, said the MP had made personal remarks about the PM, telling him he should get his own house in order before criticising others. There is some doubt whether "house" referred to Bainimarama's family or the parliamentary House. My reading is the latter was clearly intended, but Bainimarama may not have taken it this way.  This, however, is a poor excuse for a physical attack by a prime miniser on another member of parliament. As the matter is now with the police, further comment would seem improper, unless there are new developments.  My thanks to those who sent me copied pages from The Fiji Times. -- ACW

AUTHORISED BY: - Pio Tikoduadua President   Friday, August 9, 2019

NFP President assaulted by Prime Minister

Friday August 9, 2019 will go down in the history of our nation as a shameful day when the Prime Minister of our nation, surrounded by his bodyguards,   twice assaulted a honourable Member of Parliament.  The incident happened around 11.40am when I was walking out of Parliament after moving and  replying to my Motion caling for a Special Parliamentary Committee to be established to look at the national problem of drugs in Fiji.

“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,