March 20, 2007

Makes a plea to civil servants and insults in same breath

This time tomorrow, civil servants will be eagerly awaiting their pay and it wont be in positive anticipation – but rather to find out just how much 5% means from their hard-earned income.

And whilst up in battle command – Teleni and Leweni continue to make veiled threats, Bainimarama has chosen to make a plea seeking the ‘cooperation and understanding’ or trade union leaders, civil servants and ordinary members of the public’ to move the country forward.

In a ministry of information statement and on television news, Bainimarama says a nationwide strike by the confederation of public sector unions could ‘undo the good work’ the Interim Regime has done so far.
One wonders what good work he means but in any case, he tries to explain why his regime has chosen to;
- implement a 5% pay cut for all civil servants;
- bring down retirement age to 55 on a staggered basis over two years; and
- review Government’s obligations under the Partnership Agreement.
Predictably he attributes the need to make civil servants bear the full brunt of his changes to the alleged ‘neglect, mismanagement and poor governance which existed over the last six years.’

It was the SDL and not the December 5 takeover, Bainimarama says which has put our economy on a path of decline which has beloved Fiji ‘facing a very serious and precarious situation. “

Contradicting himself, the head of the military says our country is suffering from both increased unemployment and underemployment.

Bainimarama also blames the Qarase-led government for the decline in production and investment and blames emigration on race based policies.

Above all though, the IR says the cost of maintaining the civil service pay accounts for over 40% of government expenditure which he says is clearly not in the interest of the nation “if we are to reduce poverty and to turn the economy around.”
Why all the fuss Bainimarama says when in following the coup in 1987 civil servants pay were cut by 15 % and by 12.5% in 2000.

Civil servants shouldn’t feel they will suffer alone either because the IR and their newly-elected Permanent Secretaries will also take a pay cut – and mind you, by as much as 35 % in some cases, never mind that this is not really a pay cut. The Military had from the start of the coup said the last government were excessively paid and any Interim administration he put in place would not put this country through the same treatment. Now he is calling it a pay-cut.

We should be glad also that this IR will not received allowances that elected representatives of the lower house are normally entitled to despite that their “workload as Ministers has increased almost twofold” – Bainimarama said.

And while we are talking about how good this IR is, lets talk about transparency because Bainimarama assures us he will reveal provide a full listing of what the salary and benefits of the respective Ministers are “for the purpose of transparency.” Pity that what is good for the goose is not good for the gander because apparently the military does not thrive on transparency – we are all still wondering what happened to Saki and Nimi and whether those soldiers responsible for their brutal deaths will ever see the inside of a court room.

But wait – the plot thickens because now Bainimarama is trying to confuse union members and accused union leaders of lies and deceit.

“I ask how much are the Union leaders sacrificing for their members?”
He says Partnership Agreement which came into being in 2006 was an agreement between the SDL government and the public sector union to secure votes. Somehow I cant imagine Rajeshwar Singh agreeing to that – but anyway, this is our Prime Minister we are talking about.

“As a result the civil servants were promised pay rises regardless of productivity. This obviously is at the expense of ordinary members of the public and the poor.”
Bainimarama ends by saying we must all share in the pain of the effects of the take over and civil servants cannot be willfully exempted from this.

It would be “irresponsible governance" to spare public servants from sharing in the burden of the takeover.
“I pray that you will work with us in moving our country forward.”



Before I sign off, please take time to visit our fellow Freedom Blogger who has something to say about dictatorship.

13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sorry I just have one word for this guy: ARSEHOLE!!!!

God, I never really knew that the military head was this thick, and Im not meaning in his pants but his brains...utterly, absolutely STUPID.

Ahhhhh he just makes me soo fricking sick, and Leweni, another arse blood there, Ahhhh bloody frustrating this bunch, embaressing Fiji....You gang give a bad name to Mad People!!!

Anonymous said...

A more meaningful plea from Bainimarama would be accompanied with details on how much the IG and Military have spent since December 5 icluding rental cars, purloined Ministry requisition orders, costs of relocations, recruitment, wild goose chases, cleanups et al. One might be convinced (slightly) if government expenditure since Dec 5 was SUBSTANTIALLY less than in previous years.

Anonymous said...

Fear not.........just announced (FIJILIVE): a Way Forward Reform Agenda or WFRA (pronounced WiFRA) after a series of consultations and "high powered" meetings with the plebian community. Once complete it will be followed by a Stick it in Pipe and Smoke It action programme or SIIPASI (pronounced SeePasi) at minimal cost to the taxpayer, since there will be no revenue left with which to operate

Anonymous said...

This highlights a key difference between maintaining or enhancing your authority in a military institution, versus how you do that in a civilian administration. In the military, you must never be seen to have "backed down" (this is why Tariq Aziz described the Gulf War as a great victory for Saddam's Iraq). This is particularly important for the present military leadership as they gave all kinds of pre-coup assurances to the troops that do not appear to be panning out now. By contrast, in civilian affairs, your kudos can actually rise if you broker or negotiate a workable and equitable "win-win" compromise. Frank has thereby been caught between a rock and a hard place in trying to maintain his illegal sway over the civil service whilst simultaneously trying to "save face" in front of his troops. His military instincts (and Mahen's natural stubborness) will probably prevent him from doing the obvious and simply reconsidering the regime's position on bond issues, or the unions' counter-proposals etc.

Anonymous said...

The army and the interim Regime don't have to worried about getting paid! they should clean their mess up before considering a good pay! The interim Regime should focus on setting up an early election so that elected memebers should receive wot they really deserve since they are elected by the people! the interim regime, even if their pay is cut by 50% it doesn't really matter coz nobody elected them and we are not sure who are they representing over there! THEY'RE JUST MAKING FOOL OF THEMSELVES!! isn't anyone telling them that majority of the people of this Beloved nation are not on their side? wot are they trying to prove? AIMLESS PEOPLE!!

Anonymous said...

It's so depressing! I'm sure we all don't want to see this same Fiji in the next 6 months.

The big question is: What are we going to do about it?

Anonymous said...

That one word really suits him. Please wakeup Fiji, Franky & Chadiree is playing trick on us. Who would pay for their over-expenditure, Rental Cars, surcharges....you name them....IT'S US, YOU & ME. That's they gave us that 5% cut. You can't keep on comparing 1987 & 2000 paycut to 2007. Years changed, cost of living increases every now and then.... Do we still deserve the pay cut? Definitely NOT. Why are they recruiting Army/Navy Personnels to the Civil Service??? Or..I see..they have nothing to do up in Nabua... Please Franky, kindly collect your lazy regime's BAs & MAs first b4 giving them a substantive post in the Civil Service bcoz those you've terminated struggled for Education to reach the top...WHICH YOU DID NOT!.. Oh..why are the Policemen manning the checkpoints now? Looking stupid with what you started...they have work to do rather than your lazy regime...SAUMI LOTO...

Anonymous said...

And now the Military have gone and questioned Kenneth Zinck for comments he made on television about taking one's case to Court. Isn't that what the Military wanted in the first place? To use the current mechanisms and to avoid any "instability" (always perceived by the military i must add).

Goodness the military says to go to Court and when one does go to Court and tells the world about what has happened, the military takes the man in for questioning. So what else does the military not want the public to do?

If someone's pay has to be docked I say dock 50% from all officers of the RFMF.

Never Say Die said...

Well, being a former soldier, I must say that this is why a career soldier is NOT suited to run a government. In the military, when you give orders, those below you (in rank) do not ask why but they do it. Like they always told us during recruit, "When I say jump, jump!!!"

Now that he has taken over the government, he tries to bring that military-style leadership to a democratic arena and I don't see any chance in hell for it to work out!

What he has managed to do is simply to harden the hearts and resolve of the people. And I tell you, when the souls of the people cry out, they will definitely be heard!!!

Just a few minutes ago, I heard on the news that Mr Bune said that nothing further will be said on the 5% pay cut and that what the Prime Minister said will stand, no matter what. If that is not dictatorship, I dont know what is!!!

Hope we will get our beloved country back before they take us to hell with them.

Anonymous said...

March 16, 2007



Take care, democracy supporters
warn military


THE military authorities in Fiji should take care not to abuse the population of the country who they have sworn to serve, democracy supporters have warned.
The Movement for Democracy in Fiji says it has noted with concern the increasing levels of harassment of the citizenry as the military proceeds with its changes in Fiji.
“The Military must ensure that its officers and men do not start to behave in the same way as the thugs, goons and hoodlums who terrorised whole communities before Qarase took over in 2000,” the Movement's chairman, Raymond Croxon QC said yesterday.
“That people have died while in the Military's custody illustrates a breakdown in the Military's discipline and a cavalier attitude to human life and soldiers' duties to fellow citizens.
“In chasing up every statement and person who gives an opposing view, the Military is showing up its own insecurities, and indicating what it is itself uncertain about about.”
“The politicians who have given the Military authorities some degree of credibility and legitimacy also have a deep responsibility to ensure that human rights are observed,” Mrs Croxon said.
“Those politicians should remember what it was like when criminals and hostage-takers had them captive. They also have a greater duty, than maybe some military types may appreciate, of the need to respect fellow citizens who may or may not agree with all the Military's aims.”

+ + + ENDS + + +

Anonymous said...

Hey Baiini, Leweni & Teleni are getting Weaker an weaker Day by Day!.....Teleni in my knowledge had wanted to withdraw earlier but due to PRIDE he didn't......so to all of them PRIDE COMES BEFORE A FALL!!

Anonymous said...

This is what is going to happen to the people of Fiji if they don't do something about this Military take over of the government.

First they came… is a poem attributed to Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984) about the inactivity of German intellectuals following the Nazi rise to power and the purging of their chosen targets, group after group.



They came first for the Communists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant.

Then they came for me,
and by that time no one was left to speak up.

Anonymous said...

Lol ur Dayz Are Numbered!!