Discussion in Fiji, Silence in NZ; Police Getting Serious; Election Groundwork Needed Now; Focus

WEEKEND READING ♦ Allen Lockington Column  ♦ People's Charter Pillar 5 (Achieving Higher Economic Growth): For Discussion  ♦ Is the PNG Land Grab Relevant to Fiji?

Photo: The University of the South Pacific Laucala Bay campus was built on the RNZF base for Sunderland flying boats which were then the only way to reach many islands in the region by air. The road on the left is Queen Elizabeth Drive that now dissects the upper and lower campus,  and the one from top to bottom of the photo is Laucala Bay Road.

N0292. PUBLIC DISCUSSION IN FIJI .  Restrictions on open debate could be improving in Fiji despite the retention of PER, the emergency regulations.  On Wednesday, USP held a public forum on the large loan recently taken out by Government, Fiji’s Second International Bond Issue. Speakers included Filimone Waqabaca (Ministry of Finance), Dr Mahendra Reddy (Fiji National University), Prof. Warden Narsey (USP), Norman Wilson (ANZ) & Dr. T.K Jayaraman (USP). Notable is the inclusion of Prof Wadan Narsey, a well known  government opponent. The audience would have heard more than one side of the argument.

My understanding is that the Fiji Times taped the debate so we may see something of what was said in the print media. They published a short item today with arguments for (Waqabaca) and against (Narsey). Hopefully, more will follow. 

Biased Reporting in New Zealand
Radio NZ International, however, mentioned only Narsey's position: "Fiji's interim administration is being criticised for burdening future generations with debt after raising about 250 million US dollars in foreign bonds."   This overtly biased reporting on Fiji is now standard fare (unfair) for RNZI. Witness Johnny Blades's report on the Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting published earlier today (N0290) that made no reference to the leaders' support for Fiji's reforms and elections in 2014, and compare with the report by Radio Australia.

Radio NZI and its reporters need to remind themselves that New Zealanders pride themselves on fair play. On-going, one-eyed, biased reporting is not fair play. One wonders why they are doing this? Is it because the State broadcaster, in today's difficult economic environment, fears funding cuts unless it kowtows to government policies?

N0293. POLICE GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT CLEANING UP THEIR ACT. Three policemen have been sacked in the Northern Division  this week. A Police headquarters spokesman said: "The consequence of abuse of power by law enforcers shows how serious the new administration is about the rightful use of power vested in the officers.We want to make Fiji a safe and secure place. We want people to place their trust and faith in the Police Force. We can't have the same people in the Police Force who have threatened and abused people. We will not condone such cases."

Fiji Today, the only moderate anti-government blog, had this heading today: "Rumor says that the Police Force has set up an Internal Investigation Unit that is operating behind the scences to reduce curruption in the police force. This force needs to be cleaned up if it is to have any credibility in the eyes of the public."

N0294. CRITICAL GROUNDWORK FOR ELECTION 2014 DATE MUST START NOW.
The Citizens’ Constitutional Forum is encouraged by the confirmation of the 2014 election timeline by Government (Fiji Village 30/3/11) and wishes to highlight that even prior to the event, the State, Civil Societies and all the key stakeholders need to start addressing the critical preparatory groundwork now.

“Going by best practices experiences of recent history of transitional governments similar to our experience, it has shown that prior to the elections itself critical landmarks such as dialogue on key issues including the Constitution, Electoral Reform and ongoing public consultation and dialogue at all levels needs to start now for a sustainable transition,” states Reverend Akuila Yabaki.

He added that, “All stakeholders need to be engaged in some critical dialogue on the processes and the content of the Constitution.”

With regard to “ironclad assurances” by the Foreign Minister, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, on the timelines towards 2014, Reverend Yabaki “finds this warmly reassuring and strongly recommends that a good first step would be the lifting of PER.” -- CCF Press Release.

N0295.  FOCUS is the Government newsletter published in English, Fijian and Hindi. The latest issue has, as might be expected, a swag of articles on government's development initiatives,  but it also has letters to the editor, an extensive list of government job vacancies, information on the Order of Fiji, and lots of photos.

If you are interested in  having a look, it may be downloaded from the Government website by  clicking here.

Qoliqoli Tabu, Land Sharks, Fruit Vege Distribution Centre, Pacific Media Watch Announcement

This morning's posting was about the Travel Bans. Scroll down.

N0243. TWO FISH BUT NO FIVE LOAVES. With most of Fiji's population living in coast areas and with many people and communities reliant on marine resources for their livelihood, many inshore areas are overfished.

A two fish and five loaves miracle cannot be expected but USP marine scientists are beginning to make a difference.  They are helping people manage and restore the productivity of some of the 300-odd customary fishing grounds (qoliqoli) set up as tabu or locally-managed areas, and many communities are beginning to witness the benefits. Elsewhere, in the 70% of the inshore area that is not managed, destructive fishing methods continue to be used. Some government intervention may be necessary.

N0244. MISUSE OF LEASE LAND. Government intends to closely monitor the use of land leased by the 17,000 leaseholders on State land. This follows concerns about land being taken out of agricultural use; some $20m outstanding in unpaid rents; and breached lease conditions that could amount to $100m.
 
Unscrupulous practices include obtaining bank mortgages on the pretext of land development and the subsequent sale of leases for a quick profit; the misuse of foreshore development leases  by making claims to significantly higher development costs than have been undertaken, and irregularities in subleasing and lease transfers.

Government is particularly concerned about the conversion of agricultural because this could affect  agricultural exports, food security and the size of the country's food import bill.

The Ministry of Lands will now thoroughly scrutinise all consents for mortgages and land transfers, devise — in consultation with other stakeholders —  a strategy to better manage and protect the remaining agricultural land, and possibly impose a moratorium to help protect agricultural lands and also allow Government to consider on a case-by-case basis the need to convert agricultural land for other purposes like tourism, commercial and residential development. -- Based on Fiji Times.

N0245. TURNERS AND GROWERS. The NZ fresh produce company  will open a distribution centre with cool chain facilities for both imported and exported produce in Suva next week. The facility will improve the supply chain for suppliers and customers.  The Fiji fruit and vegetable market is worth about $25 million a year to NZ. One hopes the Fiji authorities will made full use of the new facility to increase Fiji's fruit and vegetable exports to NZ and have them arrive in good condition.

N0246. ANNOUNCEMENT. The PACIFIC MEDIA CENTRE/Watch elist will be ending later this month when the Association of Progressive Communications (APC) server is discontinued. Make sure you add the Pacific Media Centre RSS niusfeeds to your Google Live Bookmarks:

Full PMC niusfeed: http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/rss.xml
Pacific Media Watch only: http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/feeds/pmw_article/rss.xml

Go to the PMC website for full special reports, new publications and media research outputs: http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz
For general Pacific news on our other website, see Pacific Scoop: http://www.pacific.scoop.co.nz

Pacific Media Centre news and Pacific Journalism Review fulltext is also available at the New Zealand-based Pacific subscription database Niustext: http://www.knowledge-basket.ws/databases/niustext.html

Watch for the new PMC Facebook Page which is soon replacing the PMW Group Page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48624011152

We have established a new Mailman list for Pacific Media Watch at AUT University, but this will only be used for some news alerts, notices and special reports in future. All existing PMW subscribers have been added to that list: Pacific_media_watch_list@aut.ac.nz

Revise Travel Ban List, MSG Meeting this Week, Corrupt Lawyer, Women Leaders, Rural Electricity and Roadmap, Tourism Record

Scroll down to Weekend Reading and see new Quote for the Week and a link to 

the latest CCF newsletter in the right sidebar

 N0236. TRAVEL BANS, RUGBY SEVENS AND NETBALL. Three members of Fiji Rugby Sevens team are unlikely to obtain visas to take part in the Adelaide Sevens  because they are in the army, and four members of the Fiji Netball team are still waiting for news on their visa applications.  The PM said if Fiji cannot send its best team, it shouldn't send a team at all. His comment follows the Fiji Rugby Union saying it will probably drop its top players after the Hong Kong 7s next weekend because the three are unlikely to get visas to go to the Adelaide tournament. The PM said the FRU  should stop playing politics and fight for the right to send the best team to the IRB-approved tournaments.

In this writer's opinion, if Australia and NZ insist on maintaining the travel bans,they should be targeted at those at the top end of the Fiji government and military services, not at their families, career public servants and the lower ranks of the military. Jobs are not easy to come by in Fiji. If the three Sevens players left the army, they would probably be unemployed, with not even money to look for employment in Australia.  If it would have them.

N0237. TRAVEL BANS AND CAREER CIVILIAN CIVIL SERVANTS. The new Permanent Secretary for I'Taukei Affairs, Savenaca Kaunisela, joined the public service in 1977. He was promoted to Public Service Commission deputy secretary in 2001, and made Commissioner Western in April 2006, under the Qarase government.  He served as High Commissioner to India from December 2007 to December 2010.

Photos: Savenaca Kaunisela (top), Filimoni Kau (bottom)

The new Permanent Secretary for Lands and Mineral Resources, Filimone Kau, joined the public service in 1989. He was promoted to principal information Officer in 1997, senior executive service director in 2000, and human resource management director in 2000. He served as Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2003 to 2006. All this took place under the Chaudhry and Qarase governments.

In 2007, after the Bainimarama Coup, he was made Director of Information. In 2008, he was head of the public relations and media team of the National Council for Building a Better Fiji and became acting deputy secretary Ministry of National Planning in January 2009. By November 2010 he was the acting permanent secretary for Lands and Mineral Resources. 

Both three-year positions were widely advertised and both appointees seem to be deserving of their appointments.  -- Based on No.0631/PSC.

Both men are clearly veteran career public servants who had nothing to do with the Bainimarama Coup. And both men — and their families — are on the Australian and NZ travel ban list.

When the Bainimarama government appoints military men to civil service positions (often because qualified civilians, fearful of the travel bans, do not apply) its critics cry foul. When it appoints civilians, they are treated no differently than if they personally had ousted the Qarase government at gun point. Australian and NZ civil servants do not resign when there is a change in government because they are administrators, not political appointees. So also are these Fiji civil servants. They should not be on the travel ban list.

N0238. THE MELANESIAN SPEARHEAD GROUP will meet this week and next under Fiji's chairmanship and with two new observers, Timor Leste and Indonesia, and with Luxembourg as a special guest.  Fiji was due to host the summit last July but the then chair Vanuatu’s prime minister, Edward Natapei, cancelled the meeting, raising concerns about an unelected leader assuming the chairmanship. Some say Australia was involved in Natapei's decision but this was denied by both parties.  Since then, Natapei has been voted out of office clearing the path for Fiji's chairmanship. Meetings at the Vale ni Bose complex in Suva will start this Wednesday with trade and economic officials, followed by senior officials, and the country leaders meetings will start on Thursday 31st.

N0239. CORRUPT LAWYER. Government will soon have a special team to assist prospective investors when they visit Fiji.  This follows an incident where http://www.radiofiji.com.fj/fullstory.php?id=35237 a corrupt lawyer told three Chinese investors who were considering investing in a ship-building and slipway business that he knew the Prime Minister personally and would be able to process investment papers quickly if they were paid $US20,000 dollars. When he asked for a further $US200,000 the investors became suspicious.

N0240.  ELECTRICITY NOT FOR YAQONA DRINKERS. After five years of effort, Naikalawaca village in Namara, Tailevu, now has electricity that will enable the villagers to make ice to preserve their fish and later to build an ice plant, explore micro-business opportunities. and provide better lighting for children's study than benzene and kerosene lights.

In opening the new $100,000 installation (to which villagers contributed $6,000) the PM challenged villagers to use the electricity for the education of their children, to refrain from using it too much for yaqona consumption and to look at ways of improving their economic well being. Rural electrification, improved water supply and road projects are essential parts of Government's infrastructural reforms.-- Based on No.0675/MOI.

N0241. THIRTY PERCENT OF THE SKY. Governmment is aiming to have women occupy 30% of positions on decision-making bodies, up from the present 17%. Minister for Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation Dr Jiko Luveni told a  Consultation on UN Women’s Global Strategic Plan 2012-13 on Saturday. She said this is the vision; to gain greater respect in society, to strengthen the capacity of women in decision-making and leadership positions,to show they can perform just as well as men, and so gain support for our efforts to increase representation. The Minister noted that Fiji already has a significant number of highly qualified women in academic fields and young women now outnumber young men enrolled in tertiary institutions. -- Based on No.0676/MSWWPA.

N0242. TOURISM RECORD. The latest figures show 631,000 international visitors went to Fiji in 2010, a 16% rise on  the previous year.  Australia still accounts for the about one-half of all foreign visits. Numbers from China, India and Russia are small but growing.

Visitor numbers for January were up from all countries other than Japan, Korea and the UK that showed small decreases. Of the countries with the largest number of visitors, NZ was up 2.7% and Australia 11.4%. On average visitors stayed for 10.9 days.(No:0667/MOI)

In other travel and tourist related news, Continental Airlines will cancel its service to Nadi from Guam and Honolulu from September 25th. The airline blames rising fuel prices.

Legacy of Corruption, Bankers and Consumers, Lifting Part of PER, Wainivesi Mine Worth Millions

WEEKEND READING. ♦ Allen Lockinton Column ♦ People's Charter, For Discussion: Pillar 3 and Chapt 8 State of the Nation paper  ♦ The CCF's Suggested Way Forward

N230. AGRICULTURAL SCAMMERS JAILED. Following the Speight Coup and in the year of the 2001 Elections, SDL politicians in the Qarase government, senior civil servants and leading businessmen colluded to use public money for their personal gain and political advantage.  Some were jailed when the Qarase Government was in power; others who should have been were not.

The court case concluding yesterday that saw Suncourt Hardware director (and former Suva mayor) Dhansukh Lal Bhika  and Principal Accounts Officer for the Ministry of Agriculture Suliasi Sorovakatini sentenced to 5 years and 4½ years was the latest in this sick story that had earlier implicated the SDL Minister of Agriculture Apisai Tora and many others in what came to be know as the Agricultural scam.

Some $20 million of taxpayers' money —set aside for the Farming Assistance Scheme aimed at helping ordinary ethnic Fijians (itaukei)— were skimmed off to provide equipment and labour for the farms of the Fiji elite. The Minister, for example, had diggers and tractors prepare his land at  Sabeto costing some $25,000. The Assistant Minister Marieta Rigamoto was given farming implements and chemicals worth around $15,000 for her farm in Navua. Boats and engines, hoes, caneknives and fertilisers were supplied to villagers for political gain. Some $50,000 worth of equipment went to Baulevu where Tora told the villagers this had  never been done before by any government [that's for sure!], and Qarase himself went to Rotuma to distribute $300,000 worth of farming implements.

All this was approved by the Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Finance and the "democratically elected government" of Laisenia Qarase.

N231. BANKERS AND CONSUMERS. Following complaints by the Consumer Council, the Reserve Bank has announced that it will now require  commercial banks to publicly disclose any increases in interest rate spreads beyond the previously regulated limit of 4% for any given quarter. In addition to disclosing the actual interest rate spread, the banks will also be required to disclose the specific reasons, including management’s stance and justifications for the increase.

N232. BUYING PAPERS A WASTE OF MONEY: LIFT PART OF PER. This is what one reader wrote on posting N224:

Thanks Croz, Most thinking people would like to see the PER relating to the media lifted.  So many agree with your correspondent that buying newspapers is a worthless exercise.  Only the cartoons and sports section are of value.  Currently there is little or no debate on national issues.
 
I would be interested to know from someone with insider information of Government who is opposed to lifting the PER, and who may support a partial lift.

N233. MINING: PART OF THE FUTURE.  On Tuesday Government received its first cheque for royalty payments and export taxes from Fiji’s second operating mine in Wainivesi, Waimaro in Tailevu. The Wainivesi mine produces copper, lead, zinc, silver and  gold and is expected to deliver more than $72m in tax and royalties — and spend more than $150m locally on operation and reinvestment in Fiji, during the next four years. The mine has an expected 20-year life.

The Wainivesi area was first explored in the 1930s and the mine opened briefly but was closed in 1955 due in part to to environmental problems.Exploration area resumed in 1999 and the present mine construction began four years ago and is still expanding. The company has already invested more than F$65m in its development. -- Based on No.0633/MOI.

A mining symposium to be held next month will be the first ever for Fiji with all mining stakeholders making presentations on mining issues.

Gutless Corruption, Upgrading Service & Leadership, Outsourcing, Sucking Up to the PM? Super Weather Station

Gutless Wonder

N217. GUTLESS WONDER. In an anonymous letter to the moderate anti-government blog Fiji Today, a businessman says corruption in Suva is twice as bad as it used to be.  He cites having to tip an electrician a $100 to put in a new power board over the weekend and doubted the FEA saw any of the money.  He said "There is no point in reporting it to the police as I am paying one of them to keep an eye on my business in his off time."

Further, he said,  "Any business deal these days has a part that is organised in cash so no VAT or tax is paid or some side deal is done to advantage one party or the other. I have a block of cash sitting at home for such occasions and I consider myself one of the honest ones."  Really!

Honest, no way. He's part of the corruption, and despite the urgings of the new Police Commissioner, the FICAC and others to report corruption — and despite several recent court cases showing that such matters are taken to court — his only effort to reduce corruption is to write an anonymous letter to an anti-government blog.  If he's really concerned about corruption (and one doubts this when he is part it), there were other — and more effective — options. Checking on a FEA worker is hardly likely to see him detained by the military. Not even the anti-government bloggers would think that.


N218. UPGRADING THE SERVICE IN PUBLIC. Some 165 evaluators are to be trained this year to evaluate the service provided by Ministries and Departments. Public Service Permsec Parmesh Chand said all government agencies need to embrace a culture of quality in our bid to bring about improvements in efficiency and productivity as part of the reforms. This year, 33 Ministries, Departments and Agencies will participates in the Service Excellence programme, the Service Excellence initiative started in 2005. Pillar 4 of the People's Charter calls for an improved public service. -- Based on No:0572/PSC

N219. LEADERSHIP TRAINING. Permanent Secretaries are currently attending a five day Leadership Training workshop to assist leaders to develop organisations that can effectively recognize, relate and assimilate the global shifts in culture, social structures, technology and information.

Chief Guest and PSC Commissioner, Ms Fusi Vave, said today’s Public Service is very different from what it was 10 years ago. It is more sophisticated, organized and transnational in nature and there are new challenges posed by the on-going advances in technology. Pillar 3 of the Peeple's Charter calls for improvements in leadership.  I make this point because a number of anti-government bloggers have asked to see the Roadmap. For those prepared to look,  ongoing events such as the workshop, the upgrading of the public service, the smokeless stoves, poultry training and dalo production, reported in this posting, are all small but essential steps in the Roadmap, and all can be traced to one of another pillar of the Charter. Based on No:0561/PSC.

N220. OUTSOURCING TO REDUCE COSTS. Another example of public service reforms aimed at increasing efficiency is the intended outsourcing of selected services to the private and non-state sector. PermSec Parmesh Chand said the move "will help contain the size of the civil service and its operating costs; improve efficiencies in service delivery in terms of timing and responsiveness; enable greater employee participation and private sector led growth; and to provide efficient and value for money services to the tax payer."

A Central Coordinating and Administrative Committee on Outsourcing (CCACO) has been formed to oversee the all  aspects of the policy and a thorough cost-benefit analysis will be conducted done before any project is outsourced. Outsourcing may be recommended in two types of contract: infrastructural/works and services. Committee members include the PermSec for Public Enterprise,Public Service, Works, Labour, Finance, and Trade and Industry. The Committee will report to the Prime Minister through the Permanent Secretary for Public Enterprises. -- Based on No.0600/PSC.

N221. YES SIR, YES SIR, THREE BAGS FULL. These words from the English nursery rhythm Ba, Ba, Black Sheep are usually taken to describe the behaviour of an obsequious or craven subordinate. One of my sources says this could be happening with some of the new municipal authorities that are so keen to prove to the PM they are more efficient than the old elected councils that their short-term cost cutting measures will result in much higher cost later if basic repairs and maintenance are not carried out.  I'd be pleased to hear from readers who may have evidence of heedless cost-cutting.

N222. THE NEW $3m WEATHER STATION AT LABASA has state-of-the-art S-Band weather radar that is is capable of weather surveillance up to 480km which covers the area north to Rotuma and Futuna. Project management by the Australian Bureau of Meteorology will cost $180,000. The project is expected to make Fiji less vulnerable to climatic disasters and in this way safeguard lives and the economy.-- Based on No:0599/MOI.

Corruption Engraved in System, Asia Development Banking Funding

Rotten Apples

Photo: Rotten apples in a barrel.
N0193. CORRUPTION ENGRAVED IN THE SYSTEM. Corruption has been engraved into the government system for a very long time and is going to take time to get rid of,   says RFMF Land Force Commander Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga. He said that for the last three or four years, “We have tried our best and we continue to do the most that we can ... It will take a bit of time to get everybody into it but there’s a major shift since we started until today.”

This is one of the reasons why “We are continuously replacing people, shifting people around, trying to find a way out of this mind set,”

“You see [in the PM's] speeches and in all his visitations and in any opportunity that he gets to speak in public, he continues to stress the importance of working effectively and produce what the government wants them to produce [in this regard.]”

Sara'ssista, a predictable, regular contributor, thinks Tikoitoga gives "an hilarious insight into the regime's anti-corruption strategy.  Perhaps they are not looking in the mirror or to the guy on their right and their left?? " I find the "insight" perfectly credible, and her inference of corruption  in government once again a sweeping generalisation in need of evidence.

N0194. ADB PROJECTS IN FIJI. The Asian Development Bank (ADB)  expects to strengthen relations with Fiji by identifying new development projects to fund.

Newly appointed ADB Regional Director South Pacific Sub-Regional Office, Adrian Ruthenberg, said, "Fiji meets most of the criteria established by ADB for development assistance and we welcome proposals for new development projects."

The ADB is currently funding three major upgrading projects which includes the Kings Road (FRUP 3), Suva - Nausori Water and Sewerage and the Flood Recovery and will soon embark on a Poverty Alleviation project.

Mr Ruthenberg said ADB was also responsible for the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu but most of his schedule would focus on Fiji as the largest of these six island countries.

Give Bainimarama a Chance; Educating the Media, PI Forum Group Meet on Fiji, Audit Reveals Irregularities

WEEKEND READING.  ♦ Allen Lockington column  ♦ Croz Walsh on Just Wages ♦ Wadan Narsey on the Wages Councils.

N0124. LETTER TO THE FIJITODAY BLOG. To its credit, FijiToday, the only moderate and reasoned anti-government blog, published this letter from a reader.

"I support what is happening in Fiji. Let’s see how open your Blog is. I don’t see anything positive on your site so here goes.

Telling the PM, Corruption Deep-Rooted, Pacific Backs Fiji ACP Re-entry - Except Samoa, Rumour

WEEKEND READING. ♦ Allen Lockington column ♦ Why the Roadmap? Part III by Crosbie Walsh

N0106. PM TO LISTEN TO VILLAGERS' CONCERNS. The PM's  visited Ba earlier in the week to open the new road from Magodro in Ba to Nanoko Village, Navosa, commission the new solar system at Nubutautau Village, in the interior of Navosa, and listen to villagers. Commissioner Western Col Joeli Cawaki said they were expecting people from all nearby villages and tikina in the two provinces to raise their concerns with the PM, advise him on the constraints holding back increased agricultural production and tell him what they think can be done by the government to assist.

N0107. CORRUPTION IS DEEP-ROOTED. Government's "Clean Up" campaign, given as one reason for the 2006 coup, clearly has some way to go. When corruption and misuse of public office are deeply rooted in a country, it is a far harder task to uproot than Bainimarama first thought.

The  resignation this week of two Government-appointed Fijian Holdings Ltd executives, the Chairman and the CEO. would appear to be related to misuse of office and possible "double dipping."

 Government is carrying out proper assessments on the performance of the people appointed to statutory boards to ensure that they remain focused and address issues relating to corruption, fraud and abuse of office.    

An investigation is  also underway into  dealings by former executives and board members of a major Fijian company. The West-based construction company is alleged to have been awarded tenders to construct a port and sawmill as well as upgrade a supermarket owned and managed by subsidiaries of the major Fijian company. The allegation is that the company also did work on the homes and private businesses of the executives and board members for which they did not pay or had received a discount from the construction company. Investigations are continuing.

N0108. FIJI GETS PACIFIC BACKING. Seven Pacific countries belonging to the African, Caribbean and Pacific group which is supported by the European Union,  have pushed for the restoration of Fiji's full participation in future ACP meetings.

One Pacific delegate said that it was good to see some of the smaller countries speak up with strong and unconditional support for Fiji. Samoa was the sole dissenting voice, citing Fiji’s suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum as the reason it cannot be allowed back to ACP meetings, organised by the Forum’s secretariat.
Fiji’s participation at the ACP trade officials and ministers meeting in Apia this week has been made possible at the invitation of the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, of which Fiji remains a member.

N109. RUMOURS.  This interesting letter published by Fiji Today on rumour

Patronising Australia Day Statement, Bouncing Football, Joke of the Week, Retaining Fiji's Medical Doctors

N0077. AUSTRALIAN 'HELP' UNHELPFUL.  In one Australia Day address in Melbourne a visitor, Prince William,  spoke respectfully of the traditional owners of the land, and how wonderful Australia is with its unique way of life, its vibrancy, its straightforward ways, and its classic sense of humour.

Some 5,000 kilometres away, another visitor, the Acting Australian High Commissioner Judith Robinson departed from the usual diplomatic courtesies associated with such occasions (and incidentally with traditional ethnic Fijian courtesies) to repeat Australia's position on the political situation in Fiji.  Her "We are ready to assist Fiji make a transition to democracy through a free and fair election at the earliest opportunity" was a clear rebuke of the host government, and her wording on Australia's commitment to the "welfare of the people [note, not the usual government and people] was  more than a little pointed.

Ms Robinson  then counted out the dollars involved: $67.6m on Fiji and regional aid; $2.09 billion consumed by Australians on Fiji's goods and services, and  $888m worth of goods and services imported from Australia.

I think most people would take these figures to show just how much Fiji gains from its relationship with Australia. Few would know that almost one-half of most aid moneys do not arrive in the recipient countries, and even fewer would know what goods and services include.  The goods component favours Australia 3:1, while the service component (which includes tourism, transport, business services, consultancies) appears heavily weighted in Fiji's favour. But if capital and profit transfers were also included, I doubt the picture would be quite so good. Australia has $781 investment stock in Fiji, six times more than Fiji has in Australia. 

Reading this, I thought it rather distasteful, citing costs and figures at a birthday party. It seemed like saying:  "Thank you for coming to my (Australia Day) birthday party so I can tell you what a great gal I am, and all I have been doing for you."

Unsurprisingly,  Ms Robinson did not include in her  accountancy exercise the enormous damage done to the Fiji economy by Australia's political policies since the 2006 Coup. These policies have  done nothing to promote welfare in Fiji and would have cost Fiji far more than it has gained from Australia's aid dollars.

Finally, it seems unlikely that her mention of  "1,300 Fiji citizens [who] were granted permanent residency visas to live and work in Australia" in the year ending June 2010 was included to illustrate solidarity with Fiji. I suspect she intended to imply political anti-Bainimarama reasons for Fijians moving to Australia.  But most of the  60,000 Fiji-born people now living in Australia emigrated long before Bainimarama came on the scene and most were Indo-Fijians fleeing the abuse of human rights  and economic uncertainty caused by the so-called "pro Fijian" coups of Rabuka and Speight in 1987 and 2000.

Overall, emigration has been Fiji's loss and Australia's gain. A brain drain associated with the loss of both human and financial capital (most emigrants have been skilled and did not leave empty-handed) is not to Fiji's advantage.

I have only seen what Fiji Village and Radio Fiji chose to publish of Ms Robinson's statement but I hope somewhere she included a light note and at least made some mention of Fiji's contribution to Australian football.

Australia has an important role to play in Fiji's economic recovery, and further down the road in its constitutional and electoral reforms,  but Ms Robinson's account of its record this Australia Day read too much like a teacher telling her children how to behave.

For details on Ausaid, click here. For the DFAT fact sheet on Fiji,  click here. Photo: Fiji Village.

N0078. BOUNCING POLITICAL FOOTBALL.   A reader, Charlie Charters, thinks I'm "wrong, wrong, wrong" in my interpretation of events in the FRU Lottery saga. (N0069 Political Football) and in some important particulars he's probably right, but I'm still to be convinced that a two-priced lottery, money missing and used for non-lottery purposes, is not mismanagement or worse; that the Government and Commerce Commission's actions were any more "political" than had their action been taken, in similar circumstances, by the NZ or Australian government and Commerce Commission; or that the IRB's position, as first reported, did not appear to be supporting mismanagement.   I also said, mismanagement involving the misuse of public or entrusted money is but a short step from full-blown corruption. And, Charlie, if you were in Government's shoes, would you have given $3 million of public money to managers like these?

N0079.  JOKE OF THE WEEK. "The whole world, if it didn't before, now knows that what appears to be a little rugby tiff was really a politically motivated move by the illegal and treasonous military regime to gain total control of Fiji's rugby world." --  Intelligensiya, an anti-government blog.

N0080. RETAINING MEDICAL DOCTORS IN FIJI. As part of its strategy to retain doctors in Fiji, the Ministry of Health has launched a scheme where graduate doctors will be able to go on attachments overseas in their area of professional interest. Health Minister Dr Neil Sharma said although we cannot stop doctors from leaving our shores, the Ministry can offer them a better incentive where they can be recognised for their work.

Earlier in the week Health Ministry spokesman, Peni Namotu said the aim was to nurture professionals and enhance professional retention within the Fiji health service. “Those who aim to continue will return and work for one year as trainee registrars. Their commitment, standards and professional character will be assessed. In the second year they will be allowed to progress into a post graduate diploma programme while continuing clinical work,” Namotu said. If successful, candidates will proceed into the Masters programme for a further two years. Effectively at the end of the sixth year post internship they will have a Masters degree and within the next three years they will proceed to consultancy within their chosen discipline. -- Based on Islands Business.

Suspect Arrested, Political Football, Consumers Criticize FEA, Resort Tariffs to Rise

N0068. SUSPECT HUSBAND ARRESTED. Ranjeeta Sharma was found burned to death next to a Huntly road in NZ last week. Soon afterwards, on Friday, her husband Devesh (Daniel) Sharma and their four-year old son flew out to Fiji. A homicide investigation was launched on Saturday in NZ after it was established that Ranjeeta was alive when she was set alight, and that an accelerant was used.

On Monday a special Fiji police team, acting on a tip off from a neighbour, arrested Devesh Sharma in Rakiraki where he had been hiding. Four-year old Akash is being looked after by his mother's relatives. It is understood the Fji Police is working closely with the NZ Police who will seek to extradite Sharma once the summary of facts is heard in a Fiji court. The judge has the authority to order his extradition, under a New Zealand-Fiji agreement. If only the same spirit of co-operation marked the two countries' relationships in other regional organizations and arrangements. Photo: NZ Herald.

N0069. BREAKING RUGBY STORY BROKEN.     This is the story that was syndicated world-wide:  "WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) - The International Rugby Board has threatened to expel Fiji, preventing its participation at this year's World Cup, because the nation's military regime has attempted to depose the entire Fiji Rugby Union."

It now seems this "breaking story" is well and truly  broken.  The IRB did not threaten to expel Fiji; it advised it do nothing until the situation became clearer.  The "military regime" did not attempt to depose the entire Union (Board).  It said it would withhold $3m unless the Board step down.  Once again political capital has been made at the expense of the Fiji Government.

We know the main story.The FRU Board had botched its lottery, moving the $20 goal posts to $10 half way though the game, and some $155,000 of the $350,000 raised from the lottery could not be found. The Commerce Commission cried foul.  Government, the main sponsor, threatened to withhold a $3m grant and said (or ordered, depending on who you're listening to) the FRU Board should resign.  The IRB world body —that had been led to believe this was political interference—  hinted at expulsion. Journalists, with some prompting from the Board that resigned but only temporarily, said it was more than a hint; it was a threat. The IRB says it's coming to Fiji to see for itself.  The PM and the Council of the FRU, that appoints the FRU Board, think this is a good idea.

But not reported in the international media is Council spokesperson and legal adviser Carl Ngamoki-Cameron who said "the  majority of the Council had lost trust and confidence" [in the Board, and that] at the end of the day, the Board is answerable to the FRU Council, not the IRB."

Ngamoki-Cameron said: "These internal democratic mechanisms within the FRU are completely independent of the Fiji Government and whether or not it decides to financially assist the Board of the FRU that has failed to procure adequate funding for the 2011 Rugby World Cup, despite its best efforts. It is unfortunate that the Board has attempted to use the media to resolve internal issues at Rugby House, further eroding the reputation and credibility of Fiji Rugby locally and abroad."

And FRU interim Board chairman Rafaele Kasibulu said there were a lot of misquoted and unfounded reports regarding Fiji’s possible suspension from the IRB. The IRB merely asked to withhold everything that we have going on at the moment.”

Conclusion? There was no political interference.  Someone in Suva, to exonerate himself, and someone in Auckland, for the sake of another good story,  knew this, but they went ahead regardless. It doesn't take a private eye to work out who spread the inaccurate story. The impartial Pacific Media Centre is well worth reading.

N0070. CONSUMER COUNCIL CRITICIZE FEA. The Consumer Council has criticized the Fiji Electricity Authority for cutting off power to customers, mainly in rural areas, who had no way of knowing their bills were in arrears. Consumer Council CEO  Premila Kumar said it is unacceptable for FEA to charge pre-pay customers for an error they are responsible for.

N0071. RESORT TARIFF TO INCREASE. Fiji's heavily discounted tourist accommodation tariffs may be about the end as the industry continues to attract large tourist numbers. Outrigger on the Lagoon Manager Peter Hopgood believes that all hotels and resorts around the country need to increase their rates and other charges to reflect the unique product Fiji has to offer. His resort that has had 75-100% occupancy, will increase its rates by 10% from April. Sad as they are, the Queensland floods are also likely to benefit Fiji tourism.

It's Only a (FRU) Game & Ugly Racism, Housing Authority Helps Poor, EU Extends Agreements

Reader's opinions on the new posting days and times would be most welcome.

N0065. A NEW BALL GAME. In a new development the FRU Board, on the advice of the International Rugby Board,  has  reversed its decision and will not resign over the lottery saga.

The IRB apparently think changes to management could be a contravention of the FRU constitution which "could result in the IRB having to take a determination on the continued membership of the IRB of the FRU." They have further advised that a decision on the lottery is a matter between the FRU and the Fiji Commerce Commission. 

The IRB made no mention of the inspection of the FRU accounts that suggested mismanagement and misspending (at least $150,000 is missing), and they had nothing to say on charging two different prices for the same ticket, which, surely, is at the crux of the issue. Fiji does not need anyone, at home or overseas, to condone the mismanagement of public money. Mismanagement and misuse of office are but short steps on the way to full-blown corruption.

'UGLY RACISM'

 And on this issue, the supposedly pro-democracy CoupFourPointFive blog published  this comment from one of their readers.  

"IRB vs Regime - & the winner is?

January 23, 2011 6:12 PM

Remove the scumbags said...

Time to totally isolate the scumbags in this military regime. Ban Fiji rugby Union from the world cup and all other international rugby until the human rights abusing Fiji military return to their filthy barracks. As for their few cowardly coup supporters - read the latest in the Cros Walsh pro junta racist blog - he and his mongoose supporters (in their bitterness and desperation) are now attacking the hapless families of the NZ mine disaster and the floods in Australia. Vermin, all of them."

In my opinion, the comment is marginally relevant, contorted, racist and highly personal, and all responsible publishers should block such comments. They would not be allowed in a responsible newspaper, and I would expect similar high standards in a responsible blog.  The comment is also factually incorrect.  There has never been any such reference to the Queensland floods or the 
Pike River disaster in this blog. The person commenting has made this up.

The CoupFourPointFive comment was brought to my attention by a reader who wrote:

Ugly racism at 4.5 has left a new comment on your post "Why the Roadmap? The Politics under the Bridges Pa...":

"Croz, to follow is yet another disgraceful example of the way Coup 4.5 tolerates, and arguably encourages, racist comments about Indo-Fijians.

 Like you, the site's operators have the ability to screen such material and choose not to do so. Yet they routinely reject moderate opinion that in any way portrays the Bainimarama regime in a favourable light. I would strongly urge you to tackle this appalling racism head-on by giving such postings the highest prominence on your site. It's high time to go to war against 4.5, a site that poses as moderate and pro-democratic but is really a front for the racists of the indigenous hard right. More than anything, this shows why the coup of 2006 was vital to protect the rights of other citizens. And we need to keep our boots on their miserable throats."

 
N0066. HOUSING AUTHORITY HELPS POOR AND UNEMPLOYED. The Housing Authority Board has approved a new housing loan rehabilitation policy that  will assist customers who are finding it difficult to meet their loan repayments due to retirement, sickness, unemployment and disability. The policy will also assist those defaulting customers who are covered under the Village Housing Scheme. The new policy will target customers who have paid more than twice the principle loan amount, and those who are unemployed or facing financial difficulties.

The PM said the policy is not a handout but a "social desire to assist the marginalized and those who are at risk of losing their homes." It will assist home owners by either writing off part or the whole of their remaining loan or by temporarily assisting the unemployed by freezing the interest and fees on the loan balance for up to 12 months. Hundreds of middle and low income families are expected to be assisted under the policy.

N0067. EU PARLIAMENT EXTENDS AGREEMENTS.The European Union has extended its Interim Economic Partnership Agreement (I-EPA) trade agreements with Fiji and PNG, and stated that it has a strong interest in continuing to maintain close, high-level economic relations with the Pacific states. The EU parliament added that the agreement could also lead to negotiations on a comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement if so desired by the two countries.

The Interim EPA was initiated by Fiji and PNG in 2007 and signed by them in 2009 in order to ensure that preferential exports of sugar and fish into the EU market continue after the expiry of the trade preferences under the Cotonou Agreement on 1st January 2008.

Foreign Affairs Minister Ratu Inoke Ratu Kubuabola said that I-EPA was critical to the survival of the Fiji Sugar Industry because is provided a guaranteed market access into the European Union until 2015, at preferential price, which was equivalent to the price received by the European Union Sugar producers. He hoped that after 2015, the agricultural reforms undertaken by the European Union will ensure that the interest of Fiji and other ACP Sugar producers will be maintained in the European Union market. Ratu Inoke was hopeful the ban on fisheries exports will be lifted now that health and safety issues have been addressed.

A meeting of the Pacific ACP Trade Ministers will be meeting in Apia on 3-4 February to instill momentum in the Comprehensive EPA negotiations with the European Union. --- Based on 2011, No: 0154/MOI.

Swinstead Resigns, Hopeless Provincial Management, Blog Misrepresentation, MicroHydro

N0043.SWINSTEAD RESIGNS.  The resignation of Fiji Times publisher Dallas Swinstead after only five months in the hot seat will inevitably result in many people asking why. My guess is that there is nothing sinister in the decision. His appointment was always a stop gap measure to reposition the paper following the disastrous leadership appointed by its previous owners News Ltd and give the new owners Motibhai Group and chairman Mahendra Patel time to scout for a new publisher.

Swinstead said he would return to Australia “with a great feeling of satisfaction and pride at the quality we have achieved, despite sometimes difficult circumstances”. The appointment of a new publisher will be announced shortly.

N0044. HOPELESS PROVINCIAL MANAGEMENT. The Public Accounts Committee Report on the Auditor General’s audits of the 14 Provincial Councils for 2007 show a number of anomalies. The report shows that a number of councils had exceeded the amount they collected through provincial funds and Government grants.

The greatest discrepancies were for Ba, Bua, Cakaudrove and Naitasiri. It would appear the councils had advanced loans to their staff and other people without proper safeguards for recovery. Some councils could not not even provide important documents like cheque books to substantiate authorised payments, while others did not have supporting documents with a PAID stamped on them. The Roko Tui responsible for the money seemed to have no knowledge of accounting principles and processes.

Lau province received money from investments and Fijian Affairs Board Savings and Lomaiviti from FAB Savings but there were no records of receipt. The Ba loan from the FNPF was not disclosed and there were large discrepancies between the Council records and investment with Unit Trust.

The Cakaudrove Provincial Council was  unable to explain why it granted salary and wage increase in 2001 when it was continuing to increase its deficit of income over expenditure, and the Naitasiri Council showed variances between the draft financial statements and trial balance in accumulated funds, fixed asset deferred income and asset revaluation reserve.

And some readers have asked why it was necessary to have  military officers seconded to provincial councils and the four District offices.

N0045. BLOGGER CUNNING AND DECEITFUL. A person commenting on Fiji Today, the usually reasonable anti-government blog, has used dirty tactics to discredit this blog publisher.

He has published a comment that I did not write and do not agree with over my name which, of course, would lead many to believe I had written it. Not content with this, he wrote another comment signed Croz Walsh intended for my blog.

I blocked it on my blog and wrote to Peter Firkin (does anyone know him?), the publisher of Fiji Today at peterfirkin@hotmail.com.  I asked that he delete the comment, inform his readers he disapproves of the tactic, and asked if he knew of any way we could prevent future misrepresentations.  He had not yet replied.

For a comment to be published on Peter's blog readers have to submit their name and email address.   Peter must therefore have both the name and email address of the offender. I will be interested to know what action he takes.
 
N0046. TURKS BUILD BUCA MICROHYDRO. The PM commissioned the Buca Hydro Scheme at Buca Village in Cakaudrove last week.The $1million 30kw Micro Hydro Scheme is a joint venture between the Fiji and Turkish Governments that took five months to complete. The project involved the construction of a micro hydro dam above the Koronikaivesi waterfall along with a powerhouse at the base of the waterfall.It was built by Turkish engineers with the help of villagers. Also constructed was a 4.5km powerline which links the village to the dam.

PM Bainimarama said the project was of special significance because Turkey is geographically so far removed from Fiji. He thanked the Turkish Government for its help and hoped the project would serve as a springboard for future interactions between the two countries, not only in energy but in other important areas or sectors of both our economies.

Lottery Scandal, No One Indian People, Schools Name Change, Mai TV, Land Bank & Mining, Scholarships & Manpower Training, Roads, Apostolic Whoops!

N0010. LOTTERY FUNDS MISUSED. Several serious allegations have surfaced in the Commerce Commission Report in relation to the Fiji Rugby Union lottery case. The Commission says the FRU lottery bank account showed it had $104,000 The Commission findings, however, showed that as at 30th December the  balance in the FRU lottery bank account totalled only $104,000. With lottery sales  the  balance should have been  $350,000.

Some money could still be coming in from vendors but it appears that only half the tickets were sold. It also appears ticket money has been used for  airfares, accommodation, visa application and game tickets for the 2010 Hong Kong 7s for a senior FRU Lottery Director. Government  has asked the FRU Board and Executive to resign.

STOP PRESS. Bill Gavoka  has resigned as FRU chairman but remains on the Board. Rafaele Kasibulu, who will lead talks with Government to discuss its demands, is effectively the interim Chairman.

N0011.WHEN IS AN INDIAN NOT AN INDIAN.  My  article on this topic published on Saturday in Weekend Reading was republished by AUT's Pacific Media Centre.The photo, courtesy of PMC, is Indo-Fijian girls performing a Pacific dance item.  The article drew this (slightly edited) comment from a reader:

"This is interesting and a helpful discussion on a subject which has been fraught with far too much emotion in the past.

My advice has always been: strive for cultural understanding, but guard against cultural stereotyping. I believe the word "Indian" describes only one's nationality. In the Fiji context it has overtones which lead directly to ethnic stereotyping and profiling. Otherwise educated analysts tell us that the "Indians" want one or other political solution, or that they want to preserve their cultural identity. Who are these "Indians" who think in such a homogeneous way? The same mistake has been made about the  i'taukei. That they should be united and think as one.

"Really? The best situation for Fiji is that we accept that all individuals regardless of culture and ethnicity should be able to pursue their individual dreams. Not to be driven by the narrow walls of what they ought to believe. In fact in the current political situation in Fiji, there are persons of all ethnicities which oppose the government just as there are persons of all ethnicities which support it.

"There is no Indo-Fijian way of thinking,  just as there is no "European-Fijian" way of thinking. When the British tried to codify custom in the Fijian Administration, the most significant mistake they made (apart from creating new "customary" institutions such as the Fijian courts) was to assume that there was one homogeneous Fijian way of life. Nayacakalau wrote of this in the most gentle  way. There is no one Fijian people, just a number of individuals who share some cultural characteristics. And they all think differently from each other.There is no one Indian people in Fiji or elsewhere.

It is time to grow up and to stop defining people's thoughts, politics and aspirations in terms of their ethnic origin.I liked your article very much. Thanks, Nitesh."

N0012. SCHOOLS CHANGING RACE-BASED NAMES. All schools with race-based names are now being changed.

N0013. MAI TV has launched a free 24 hours web channel aimed primarily at overseas Fijians. Besides the news broadcast at 7pm you will be able to watch a range of popular programmes and more will be launched over the coming weeks. All you have to do is register with an email address and password on the Mai TV’s home page www.maitv.com.fj  Note, however, that the company reserves the right to charge for services sometime in the future.

N0014. LAND BANK & BAUXITE MINING at Nawailevu in Bua is expected to start by March according to the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources on an area of Native land previously leased to Fiji Pine. Aurum Exploration Fiji paid Fiji Pine $1m so that the land could revert to landowners from the Mataqali Nalutu, Mataqali Noro and Mataqali Naicobo.

In turn, the mataqali offered the land to the Government Land Bank, and last week the PM designated the first parcel of  land for bauxite mining.  Aurum will have a 99-year lease on the land and a surface mining licence is expected to be issued in March. The Land Bank is a government initiative aimed at giving leasees more secure tenure, landowners an assured income, and bringing more land into productive use.-- Based on 2011, No:0025 /MOI.

The PM said “The significance of the activation of the Land Bank is that many of our idle lands could now be leased through the Land Use Decree 2010 and be made productive for the betterment of landowners, investors and the country as a whole. Landowners who willingly choose to have their lands leased through the Land Use Decree will now be in a position to reap fair and just returns. They will also receive the full quantum of the premium and land rent. I know that this is one of the key issues that landowners have been calling for in the past decades." Government will also ensure the investors security of tenure. -- Based on 2011, No:0023 /MOI.

N0015. MINING PREDICTED AS TOP EXPORTER EARNER. In an ABC broadcast chairman of Fiji's Mining and Quarrying Council, Harvey Probert,  predicts mining will be Fiji's main export earner within five years.

N0016. SCHOLARSHIPS & MANPOWER TRAINING. Some $14million has been allocated for Government Scholarships and Training, under the Public Service Commission and Multi-Ethnic Affairs Scholarship Programme for 2011.  The money will assist about one thousand continuing students in Fiji and overseas, and about the same number of new students.  The fund will be administered by the PSC which also coordinates training programmes funded by bilateral partners.

PSC PermSec Parmesh Chand said there will be a completely new set of criteria in place next year as required by virtue of principles enshrined in the People’s Charter for Change, Peace & Progress and the Roadmap for Sustainable Economic Development & Democracy. Government's focus is on capacity building, and the PSC will ensure a prudent use of resources to enhance the knowledge, skills and expertise of the civil service, as well as the private sector.  -- Based on 2011, No:0010 /PSC.

Mr Chand emphasised that a professional, committed and ethical workforce can only be achieved through on-going capacity building, and for this reason, a supportive training culture is encouraged, so that the training needs of the nation can be effectively addressed.

N0017. ROAD WORKS. Potholes may be a thing of the past on major roads if government manages to complete current and intended road works by 2014. The Ministry of Works  is concentrating on tourist areas, along with the main roads and farm roads. The Nadi Back Road is half complete and work will soon commence in Ba, Sigatoka and Rakiraki.

N0018. WOOPS! FIJI SUN IN ORBIT. The heading read "Apostolic congress hailed by Catholics." But  it wasn't.  The article was about the Catholic Apostolic Church that originated in England in the 1830s.  The (Roman) Catholic Church is just a little older. You can't always believe what you read in the press.

Building a Social Safety Net, FSC's Alleged Negligence, Some Crook Pharmicists, Lottery Zero Point Five

WEEKEND READING.  ♦ Allen Lockington column ♦ The Eleven Pillars of the People's Charter 
♦ Jone Baledrokadroka's Ideas on Legitimacy  ♦ Fr Barr on VAT.

 
BUILDING FIJI'S SOCIAL SAFETY NET. Food vouchers of $30 a month at a cost of $7.5m were introduced in March 2010 and initially affected 27,000 needy people. In the December 2011 Budget Government announced a further allocation of $4m and a widening of criteria for rural families to cater for another 10,000 people.

Minister for Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation Dr Jiko Luveni (photo) said the additional money will allow assistance to people 70 years and over, and families with children, the sick and infirm, and pregnant mothers living in households where the annual income is under $10,000. The measure is one of several that go some way towards providing a welfare net to Fiji's more needy families. Other measures include:

• Raising the income tax threshold from $9,000 to $15,000
• School bus fare subsidies and free school textbooks
• Price controls
• More rigorous work by the Consumer Council and Commerce Commission
• More worker protection and "promise" of minimum wages
• Exemption from user-pays medical costs
• VAT exemption on essential food items
• Delay on VAT increase until after schools start

A total of 10,000 recipients in rural and remote areas will be identified under the Government’s new food voucher programme. The Ministry's permanent secretary Govind Sami said: "The $4million that has been set aside in the new food voucher programme is only for 10,000 recipients living in rural communities. Categories range from old, sickly and also pregnant mothers in the rural communities who will be visiting rural dispensaries and health centers for their clinics and about 4000 to 5000 families with children attending primary schools.”. Meanwhile, the introduction of the Westpac Handy Cards to Family Assistance (FA) and Care and Protection (C&P) recipients will see social welfare services taken to an improved level.(2011, No:0014 /AG).

The Fiji Times, however, reports that the Ministry is having some difficulty in winning the support of small shops and cooperatives in some rural areas, and intends to re-advertise requesting their participation.

DISTURBING REPORT ON NORTHERN SUGAR. The FSC and the Fiji Cane Growers Association are disputing the amount of unharvested cane in the Northern Division that has been allowed to go to waste. FCGA Labasa Branch President Mohammed Rafiq wants  PM and Sugar Minister Bainimarama to come and see "what is the real story about the sugar industry in the Northern Division."

"We are very much concerned as I have mentioned that sugar cane farmers are suffering a lot. They are crying on the farms because they all had the hope that their cane would be crushed and than they will get something at the end of the day.At least a tonne of harvested cane went to waste after the Labasa Mill ended crushing on 24th of last month, and there would have been more except that many farmers could not deliver all their harvested cane as there were no quota and rail trucks provided.

SCGA Acting CEO Sundresh Chetty says a survey conducted by the council showed that more than one thousand tonnes of harvested cane was not accepted by the Labasa Sugar mill before it ended its crushing season. The Council claims negligence on the part of the FSC in Labasa and as submitted a full report to PM’s office.

PHARMACISTS BREACH RULES. A survey by the Consumer Council that included 47 of Fiji's 55 pharmacists found numerous examples of overcharging (57%), mislabelling (40%), incorrect prescribed dosages, and receipts that did not include the pharmacy's name or address. None of the receipts specified the individual medicine names. The Council recommended the prosecution of offending pharmacies and a review of the functions of the Fiji Pharmaceutical Society with a view to strengthening its Code of Conduct and monitoring its members'  trading practices.

Meanwhile, doctors are being advised and medical students taught to prescribe according to  generic drug names, that Fiji imports in bulk, not the far more expensive branded names. Individuals who can afford originator drugs have the freedom to purchase these items and pay a premium price.  The retail pharmacies can make their margins from these patients.  The role of government is to protect and care for the vulnerable, sick, poor and aged patients of Fiji by controlling the price of common generics. -- Based on 2011, No:0018/MOH.

LOTTERY ZERO POINT FIVE. The Fiji Rugby Union's decision to cut the price of its lottery tickets from $20 to $10 because they had too many unsold tickets would be laughable in most other rugby-playing countries, but not in Fiji where an aggrieved FRU Chairman Bill Gavoka, faced with a likely $125,000 fine for breach of Commerce Commission regulations, could only say "It's mind boggling that the process is in place."  For some reason, NZ Stuff in reporting the event, had to said that "Bainimarama has been at odds with [FRU] several officials, including trustee and former military dictator Sitiveni Rabuka and the CEO Keni Dakuidreketi." What's that got to do with the price of fish -- or a lottery ticket!

But there's more.  FRU chief executive officer Keni Dakuidreketi has now accused the Commerce Commission of acting unlawfully, and hurled personal insults at the Commission chairman, Dr Mahendra Reddy.

I  have no way of knowing what the law says but if it allows lottery tickets to be sold to some customers for $20 and $10 to others, where the prize is the same for both, it is demonstrably unfair and needs to be changed.  This was not a post-Christmas sale with prices discounted 50%!

Graham Reid's Third and Last Article on his Fiji Visit

  NZ freelancer Graham Reid concludes his three-part story of his visit to Fiji, telling it as it was told to him by locals as he moved around Suva and travelled along the Coral Coast. 

Versions of the Truth

Corruption, Transparency International, Melanesian Spearhead Group

NEW QUOTE FOR THE WEEK in right sidebar.
WHAT I BELIEVE ON FIJI. I have updated my position vis-a-vis the Bainimarama Goverment. Click on the AIMS-PRINCIPLES tab above.

ANTI-CORRUPTION DAY. Last week those who knew about it celebrated International Anti-Corruption Day.  In Fiji, the anti-corruption watchdog Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) organized an event in Sukuna Park where FICAC’s deputy commissioner, Mr George Langman appealed for everyone's help: “The task of eradicating corruption cannot be done alone by FICAC. Though we have been mandated to carry out this task, we need your support and co-operation.”

He said FICAC fights corruption in two ways: by investigations and prosecutions, and by what he described as "aggressive awareness campaigns." The toll free mobile line has been one effective tool made available to the public. We have taken people to court within 48 hours of receiving a call through a toll-free line.”

So far 41 cases have been tried with 23 convictions. Corruption comes in many forms and the number of cases  continue to grow.  This has meant the recruitment of specialised trainers to up skill staff. He advised people to think twice before succumbing to temptations.“For anyone tempted by easy money, I offer this advice, the worst day at work is still better than the best day in jail.”

The theme for the day was “Don’t let corruption kill development”. Exhibitors included Transparency International, the FICAC, Border Control, the Police, and Immigration.-- Based on 2010, No:2128/MOI.

TRANSPARENCY INTERNATIONAL AND CORRUPTION. A reader Walker Texas Ranger writes:
With regard to the whirlwind of corruption in which Fiji has been immersed over many years, it might now be timely to ask why the local board of Transparency International in Fiji saw fit to remain silent on matters which were brought fully to their attention in the past five years: human trafficking, organised criminal enterprise (of many categories), the failure of the judicial system to address matters coming before it with integrity and expeditiously?

They were requested repeatedly to ask for overseas assistance with the functioning of the Fiji Courts: with funding for an electronic court reporting system, assistance with cameras and remote television capacity for women and child victims of Crimes Against Humanity, safety and security within the court precincts not only for victims of violent crime including murder but also for judges and court officials. None of this was seriously attended to or addressed.

Several members of the board resigned during this period (for various reasons). On one occasion a former local employee of TI Fiji was found abusing TI-funded hospitality in an overseas hotel. What was going on here? If members of the board of the world's foremost integrity organisation were found wanting in this way, we must ask ourselves, surely, how ordinary members of society in Fiji would be behaving?

Corruption is insidious and Conflicts of Interest undeclared are corrupt and corrosive. Neither the board of TI Fiji nor other board members in Fiji appeared to comprehend or grasp the seriousness of prolonged conflicting interests in decision-making positions. Look at Fiji Sugar Corporation; look at Air Pacific; look at the Fiji Development Bank; look at FNPF; look at many other institutions which have failed the taxpayers of Fiji on many fronts.

But in the area of integrity and the declaration of interest, they have profoundly muddied the waters of governance. Those who sat on multiple boards of directors with almost no women members should look closely at themselves and their intentions. All boards in Fiji should now be mandated to have women directors as is the case in the Scandinavian countries: Denmark/Sweden/Norway. These women should be qualified to sit and have demonstrated successful experience of business. However, a 'caveat': the person who abused overseas hospitality paid for by TI funding was female, qualified and trained by Transparency International. Corruption knows no gender and it takes many forms.

TO HONIARA WITH LOVE. Contrary to earlier statements the new PM of Vanuatu Sato Kilman will be attending the Melanesian Spearhead Group "reconciliation" meeting in Honiara this week.  PM Bainimarama had earlier said Ratu Inoke Kuboabola would represent Fiji because Vanuatu, that had caused the breach with Fiji, was to be represented by its Foreign Minister. The reconciliation ceremony is to hand over the chairmanship role from Vanuatu to the Solomon Islands, which will decide on whether it will hand over to Fiji. One hopes it does because if it doesn't, its hard to see how the meeting will have reconciled anything.  It's probably too late for the PM to attend but we hope he sends his love.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THE WEEKEND READINGS.

Natapei Out, Election Date, 2011 Budget, PACER, Tui Cakau a Villager, EU Fish, China Cement, Pine Dividend, Qarase in Court

 WEEKEND READING (published 8:40 — 9:00 am Saturday
♦  Allen Lockington column
♦  Fr Barr on Productivity and Stability
♦  Peter Gleick on Fiji Water
♦  Fire at Fiji Museum by Roderick Ewins

NATAPEI OUT. Vanuatu PM Edward Natapei  has been ousted from office in a 30:15 no confidence motion. Former Deputy Prime Minister, Sato Kilman has been sworn in as Prime Minister.

The move happened while Mr Natapei was out of the country, on his way to Cancun for the UN Climate Change Conference, and was driven by unhappiness over his push to have five opposition MP's suspended from the house, and also over his refusal to hand over the rotating chairmanship of the Melanesian Spearhead Group to Fiji, many said because of Australian pressure.

Mr Natapei was to officially apologize to Fiji for this action in a reconciliation ceremony in Honiara next week.  Mr Kilman will now presumably perform this task for him

ELECTION DATE REAFFIRMED. The Strategic Framework for Coordinating Change spokesman Edward Tunidau has assured those attending the Fiji, Australia and New Zealand Business Forum that elections will be held in September 2014. He said the implementation of government's Roadmap and the Strategic Framework for Change was high on the agenda of the Public Service Commission. Mr Tunidau highlighted issues of good governance practices and how they planned to achieve this.

"Our commitment to the betterment of Fiji is continuing and we are now focusing on the economic and social development from 2009-2010. From 2012-2014, we will focus more on political development," said Mr Tunidau.He said the Constitution would be developed by 2013 with public consultation by September 2012. Other changes to be expected include electoral reforms that will be implemented under the new electoral system. "The voting age has moved to 18 years and there will now be a one-person-one-vote electoral strategy," said Mr Tunidau.He said good governance relied heavily on accountability and transparency. He said this had been taken up by the Fiji Independent Commission against Corruption.

THE 2011 BUDGET. I will reserve my comments on the Budget until after I've obtained  a copy. Meanwhile, here is a link to straightforward summary with some tables, and here's a polemic critique by Prof Wadan Narsey. Comments on Wadan's article (from Pacific Scoop, copied unacknowledged by Coup4.5) by economists would be particularly welcome.

PACER PLUS AND PIPSO. Fiji was barred from Pacer Plus meetings following its suspension from the Pacific Islands Forum.  It seems, however, that Australia and New Zealand have  recognized  Fiji's economic importance in the region and indicated that they wish for some Fiji participation in the negotiations. The result is that Fiji will be "represented" by its private sector at the Pacific Islands Private Sector Organisations second Business Forum in Nadi December 8-9  where topics for discussion will include PACER Plus, funding availability in the region, how the region can benefit from the current economic boom in PNG and the expected economic boom in Guam as a result of the multi-billion dollar relocation of US Marines to the island country.

CHIEF 'JUST A VILLAGER'. Tui Cakau Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, the paramount chief of Cakaudrove,  has not yet met the PM after saying a month ago that he wished to do so. Cakaudrove is the only province to withhold its support for Government which, given Ratu Naiqama's extreme nationalist politics, is no surprise. Cakaudrove chiefs and the provincial council, however, do not all agree with Ratu Naiqama's position and this is probably a reason why he said he wished to meet the PM.

Now, Ratu Naiqama is playing games. He says the PM "is a busy man and needs to set a time and date in which they can meet" and the PM is saying "if Ratu Naiqama wants to talk, he will have to make an appointment like everyone else."

Ratu Naiqama says “I’m waiting for him, the reason being, him being in that position of Prime Minister, it is a very busy position. Me on the other hand, I am just a villager in the village, so I think it is only proper that he provides the time and date as to when he wants to meet me. As for me, I am ready anytime.”

FISH FOR EUROPE? Fiji may soon re-commence fish exports to the $100million worth European market. Fiji was banned from exporting fish to the EU after it failed to fulfill phytosanitary conditions in 2008 and lost the market, which at that time was worth $100m. The report of an EU Food and Veterinary Office mission in September is likely to give Fiji a clean slate which could mean exports may recommence in 5-6 months time..

CHINESE CEMENT AT SIGATOKA? A Chinese delegation from the Northern Heavy Industries Group Company is currently in the country to hold talks on the proposed establishment of a cement factory in Sigatoka.

PINE PAYS FIRST DIVIDEND. For the first time ever Fiji Pine Ltd has handed over an interim dividend of $1 million to Fiji Pine Trust and dividends will be paid to landowners.The Trust has also bought back $500,000 of government shares in the company.

Ministry of Fisheries permanent secretary Viliame Naupoto is the  new board chairman of Fiji Pine Co.Ltd, replacing LtCol Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara who was chairman from April 2009. Ratu Tevita is currently on extended leave from the military.

QARASE BAKANI IN COURT. Former PM Laisenia Qarase and former NLTB General Manager Kalivati Bakani appeared in court yesterday for the consolidation of their fraudulent conversion charges.

The FICAC prosecuting lawyer told the court that during his tenure as Minister of Fijian Affairs, Qarase had submitted a paper in cabinet for the approval of a $100,000 grant to invest in the Vanua Development Corporation, a corporation created for the purpose of investing money from indigenous landowners.
Qarase and Bakani face six counts of fraudulent conversions each.The case was adjourned to January 24.

Money Laundering, Teachers to Need Fijian and Hindi, Police Name Tags, PM Back This Week, Maritime and Land Registry

APOLOGIES FOR LATE POSTINGS.  I usually manage to publish the daily postings before 4:30 in the afternoon but this week domestic chores have taken precedence. My apologies for any inconvenience caused by the later publication.

CENTRE FOR FIJI FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT. The Unit yesterday opened a National Anti-Money Laundering Learning Center which will provide electronic computer based training (CBT) to financial institutions and stakeholders.FIU director Razim Buksh says the AML Learning Center and the CBT courses will be of tremendous value to Fiji’s law enforcement agencies as their officials will be trained without any cost. CBT courses will cover topics such as money laundering, human trafficking, precursor chemicals, search techniques, control deliveries and basic intelligence analysis.

“The main reason for providing such a training forum to law enforcement agencies is basically the nature of crime is quite complex, this is a new era, and we have seen emergence of complex crime in Fiji. Therefore we need to equip our law enforcement agents – so that they are at par with the new methods and techniques. These include coming up with a matrix, linking information through flow charts and link charts and undertaking better management of information if this relates to financial record.”

The Learning Center has been established through a partnership between the United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime, the British High Commission in Suva, Reserve Bank of Fiji and the Fiji Intelligence Unit.

TEACHERS WILL NEED FIJIAN AND HINDI. Trainee teachers enrolling at the Fiji National University next year will have to learn Hindi and Fijian to be able to teach the language in schools to be awarded their graduation certificate. FNU Vice-Chancellor Dr Ganesh Chand said the level of competency in both languages would need to be at Fijian and Hindi Newspapers "Nai Lalakai and Shanti Dut" level.

He said the move is a response to the number of challenges before Fiji, and in particular one that emerged for teachers in regard to the Peoples' Charter for Change and Development.  He said without language understanding there is not much of a chance for the society to be united. He hoped the FNU initiative will motivate other sectors of society to play their part in ensuring a diverse society that also encourages unity.

POLICE TO WEAR NAME TAGS. The new Commissioner of Police Brigadier Iowane Naivalurua  has announced that all  uniformed police officers will now be required to wear tags, with their name, rank and number.The directive was issued so people can easily identify officers if they have complaints or if they witness their involvement in corruption. It can also be used to commend officers. The directive comes into effect in seven days.

PM BACK LATER THIS WEEK. The PM returns from China later this week after a series of successful meetings with Chinese officials and business leaders. He is expected to announce the 2011 Budget on Friday. Key topics discussed at the meetings included streamlining of Government processes, the need to be pro-active when evaluating investment proposals and ensuring that investment provides employment and training opportunities for Fijians.

The PM  said “These meetings have been important in assuring investors that the Fiji Government is committed to providing an environment where business can prosper, It is important that Fiji has the right platform, infrastructure and a program for fast-tracking quality business investment into the country

MARITIME ZONE AND LAND INITIATIVES. Two current initiatives by the Ministry of Land and Mineral Resources are the proper demarcation and mapping of Fiji’s Maritime Zone and work on a National Land Register, a high priority for Government. The State Land register will be completed in December and it is hoped the whole National Register will be complete by December 2011. The Register will compile information on all land issues,  for instance land tenure, boundaries, ownership, value, land use infrastructure and biophysical features. The data will be stored on GIS (Geographic Information System) which links data to maps which will enable the Department and relevant others to keep track of all land transactions in Fiji.

The information is also needed for Government's proposed Land Reforms and the the identification of land designated into the Land Bank for the issuing of 99 year leases. The reforms are intended to promote good husbandry practices with rewarding returns for both tenants and the landowners. -- Based on 2010, No:1971/MOI.