‘Accept GCC is finished’

March 30, 2013 | Filed under: Fiji News | Posted by: newsroom
Tui Macuata calls for chiefs to unite for 2014 polls
By MAIKA BOLATIKI

Macuata paramount chief, Turaga Tui Macuata Ratu Aisea Katonivere, has called on all iTaukei chiefs to accept the dissolution of the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) by the Prime Minister and unite for the 2014 General Election.

The Tui Macuata said some chiefs had a different interpretation of the dissolution of the GCC.

He admitted that this may be the reason some chiefs were not on good terms with the Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama-led Government, including other personal reasons.

He said the dissolution of the GCC was because it had been highly politicised by past government leaders.

Chiefs, he said, should accept the decision especially when it had no impact on their chiefly status.

Ratu Aisea admitted that after the leadership takeover in 2006 until today some chiefs were still split about support for the new leadership.

As paramount chief of the province of Macuata, Ratu Aisea said he had to lead by example in giving his total support to the Government.

“My people followed suit,” the Tui Macuata said.

“I have made the right decision and it is a good step in the right direction, especially when it is the beginning of a new era.”

He said chiefs should appreciate the new leadership the nation was now experiencing.

His advice to chiefs; “Heed the senior religious leaders’ Easter messages where they usually preached a message of peace and forgiveness”. Easter, he said, was a time to remind people of the victory of love over hate.

The Tui Macuata told the Fiji Sun that iTaukei chiefs should at all times be reminded by the wise words of a Catholic Archbishop  who said: “Good leadership is about building people.

“A good leader goes much further than just making people follow and do what he wants.

“Good leadership does not dominate but promotes others. It does not stifle but enables others. It is not oppressive to succeed, it’s supportive.”

Ratu Aisea said Fiji now had a Government that really cared for the people which was what the nation needed after the 2014 elections.

The Tui Macuata said the unity of provincial chiefs and their support for the current leadership would surely lead the people to the new and united Fiji the Bainimarama-led Government has been building since it came into power.