2009: Yes We Can change the script

The dawn of a new year is only hours away. This is the time of the year where many reflect on the successes, failures, challenges and opportunities for the next 365 days. It’s also a time where many prepare resolutions and lists of what, when, why and how to do better.

For the past 2 years however many of us, through no fault of our own, have seen our own lists being drastically lacerated. Lists of plans and ambitions for our households, familial connections, kitchen cupboards, careers, access to education & health, savings and investments, job prospects and essentially a future have over the past 2 years been hijacked and hacked by the junta.

The question to be asked however is, will we let this continue in 2009?

At Intelligentsiya we only just caught up with this inspirational Letter to the Editor titled “Yes We Can” which featured on Fiji Sun and was thankfully made available on the blogosphere by fellow bloggers at Fiji Democracy Now.

Read the rousing letter that takes a leaf out of US President elect Barack Obama’s mantra here.

You can view an equally rousing Youtube of the speech put to music or download the tune (note: please exercise responsibility. Listen, delete after 24 hours and purchase the album).

For our last update for 2008 we think it only fitting that we take our cues, by way of a blog theme, from these consistent and unrelentless demanders of democracy to share some thoughts for 2009, by way of some suggested New Years resolutions.

2009 New Years Resolutions for the IIG

1. Hold elections
2. Hold elections
3. Hold elections
4. Move, migrate, get out of town, basically just fade into oblivion - Yes You Will
   

2009 New Years Resolutions for the People of Fiji

1. Don’t give in to intimidation by the IIG and continue to demand constitutional rule
2. Don’t give in to intimidation by the IIG and continue to demand constitutional rule
3. Don’t give in to intimidation by the IIG and continue to demand constitutional rule
4. Change the script – Yes We Can

2009 New Years Resolutions for the Blogging Community

1. Stay Strong and Focussed
2. Continue to be the glue that helps keep the people together and focused on the goal of Elections in 2009
3. Kick IIG Ass hardER
4. Help change the script – Yes We Can

Let’s continue to push the tempo and not permit them a 3^rd year of illegal rule. Their time is well and truly up.

Peace out 2008 and bring on 2009!

Tis the Season for Hope

We know the annual adage of December being the season for jollyness, but frankly in this country, today, it’s pretty damn hard to be full of Christmas cheer. And that’s putting it lightly.

But Christmas in the islands is all about family. When you’re cold and alone abroad there’s nothing like a memory bank rewind of the family Christmas lovo to invoke warm fuzzies of spending real quality time with the fano. These are the types of memories that can at a drop of a hat, make one throw expenditure caution to the wind and ramp up the credit card interest, just to get home.

So while Frank et al continue to think they’re firmly in the driver’s seat, the reality is they’re not. The global economic melt-down and the still being rolled out impacts will not leave the country unscathed. In case the IIG* still delude themselves into thinking that China and India will bail this country out, they are very verrrrrry wrong.

Crunch time is here folks. The budget has been passed without any fanfare and if you read the fine print of the budget documents the national finance honcho’s still depend on a lot of aid to keep the country running. Think about it, do we seriously HAVE $1.715 billion dollars lying around just waiting to be spent?

When the global economic powers reel, we small fries explode. Aid will dry up. If China and India have to pick between providing for their citizens versus extending their foreign relationships via aid, guess who’s going to get priority?

After the recent Mumbai tragedy, Dr. Manmohan Singh will clearly be focusing on national security. Bugger Fiji and our small Chaudhry-as-victim-induced woes.

China on the other hand while being touted as the economic saviour of the world has much to do in coercing her people to SPEND in order to stimulate growth. Growth that stood at 12% in the lead up to the Olympics but which has since receded. Think about that one for a minute without getting too steeped in stereotypes – getting Chinese people to unstuff their proverbial mattresses will be a very interesting process and a case in point is that while the Chinese Government has injected stimulus packages to encourage consumer expenditure, no one is biting yet.

Which brings us right back to our little corner of the world.

Knowing what we know it is inevitable that 2009 will bring many, many challenges for Frank et al. If they’re enjoying perks that they never knew in their lifetimes it is unlikely they have aspirations to let go of this good thing just yet. But as we continue to predict, it will be their love and lack of money that will send them packing.

What does that mean for us everyday folk? It means we should continue to spend very very verrrrrrry wisely. Frank et al needs your money to keep the economy ummm humming (note we do not use the term “buzzing”) so if there’s less of your cash in the system, the machine will break down.

It also means that we need to continue to strengthen our family connections and keep an active eye out for each other.

But most of all, it means that the Christmas season is the Season of Hope. Just as Christ’s birth heralded hope for us mere mortals, let this Christmas usher in renewed hope for Fiji that 2009 will be the year of change and new leadership.

Seasons Greetings from Intelligentsiya.



*We here at Intelligentsiya refuse to subscribe to the sham ruling proclaiming Frank & Co legit. It was and is a sham ruling by a very sham(ful) judiciary.