An analytical gem from Mike Field

Sometimes it takes outsiders to tell it like it is. When it comes to Fiji, the venerable Pacific affairs journalist Michael Field, certainly has a field day.

Take for instance, Field's precis of the still-not-publicised report by Shaista Shameem on the deportation of newspaper publishers Russell Hunter and Evan Hannah. Fiji TV had reported on the leaked document, highlighting the fact that Shameem had found no basis for claims that the men's human rights were breached when they were bundled away for deportation. Immediately the red flags are up, especially when the devious manner in which the men were thrown out of the country was well documented by the media.

But the real question is: As a lawyer, could Shameem not have realised a glaring legal error in basing her report (judging from the reported bits) on emails that have apparently been obtained illegally.

Of course, Field makes several points beautifully about the fundamental questions left unanswered. Oh, and he's also notes Shameem's love of Wikipedia. (Recall the incident during the Qarase v President trial three months ago when Shameen, as amicus curiae, used Wikipedia as one of her "authorities" and blamed her lack of preparedness that day on internet failure at her office the day before.)

Hilarious. Read Michael Field's piece here.

Let the People Set the Election Policies

So here you have it. These are the key categories of election policies that Intelligentsiya thinks need to be addressed by aspiring candidates:

• Inclusive and Sustainable economy
• Human Rights and Democracy
• Natural Resources
• People development
• International relations
• Reforms
• National relations

Of course this list is what we think...tell us if you think otherwise.

Let’s turn the next elections around folks. Instead of political parties and personalities drawing up what they think we need, let’s make democracy live and start calling the shots about what we think the nation needs to prioritise, and by who we trust.

We don’t think there will be much disagreement about the fact that the recovery of our Economy will be key. Therefore candidates who aspire to hold this key portfolio will have to really jump through hoops.

Intelligentsiya’s view is that perhaps when we align the people with the required roles we can force aspiring political parties to think longer and deeper about critical party personalities rather than perpetuating cronyism or ‘alma-materism’ which has long been a trend that needed to change yesterday.

We limit our categories also to 7 (but open to suggestions so blog them in folks) as we see that any new Government will have to do more for less. Uh-huh that’s right candidates…if you are dreaming of swanning around in a new Pajero then we suggest you consider walking as the priorities will be saving money and sweating your butts off to get the country back in order. You can count on Intelligentsiya to hold candidates to this.

Having reduced categories also suggest that these should form the basis of election manifesto’s and therefore we will not be supporting a large cabinet in the interest of cost efficiency. Again the motto is doing more for less—otherwise, simply, don’t throw your hat into the ring.

Let the games begin….9 months to go and counting.

It Ends Here

We’ve HAD IT with the “we REALLY are going to have elections” outbursts at any international forum bored enough to listen. So please excuse us if we are just a tad bit cynical when you say something else on the home front.

But for Intelligentsiya it ends here.

That is, we are no longer going to be side-tracked by the excruciatingly depressing mess of this Junta but focus on the Elections and therefore to the “hopefuls” who think they can REALLY take the country out of the doldrums.

Right here and right now we will be seeking out political candidates who can bring some leadership to this country and it’s quite simple.

You or aspiring candidates and parties can nominate themselves to step up to the plate against some very high standards that any democratic electorate would expect -- having “1 (and only 1) kitchen” is one such example of these standards.

Aspiring candidates are also warned that part of the standards we will set are that they have to have a solid and credible background and the correlating RESULTS. Any research we unearth that points to the contrary, will be revealed.

Because the Junta PM had also initially publicly stated that no one in this interim line-up would be eligible to stand for elections we will stand by that (and not the latter change of heart). No one in this current interim administration will be considered by Intelligentsiya. Their current non-achievements so far is validation enough for us.

While the Interim (and Illegal) Government has had shifting goal posts all over the place, on the Elections front we won’t.

March 2009? Bring it ON….not for the faint-hearted, we warn you in advance now.

Letter from Tui: Nawalowalo's folly

Nawalowalo’s labeling the Naitasiri Province as a ‘renegade’ for rejecting the amendments to the newly comprised GCC, is not ‘vakaturaga’ but grossly insulting for someone who struts around with a ‘ratu’ title next to his name.

He unashamedly echoes his political master’s naïve claim, that Provincial Council’s no longer will be responsible for electing its members to the GCC because they have become political.

I challenge Nawalowalo, Bainimarama and all puppet Provincial Council Chairmen to explain, when has their Councils ever abstained from being involved in political issues affecting their particular Provinces or the Fijian people as a whole?

Section 7 (1) of the Fijian Affairs Act creates the 14 Provincial Councils and subsection (2) empowers the Councils, subject to the Minister’s approval to enact by-laws for the health, welfare and good government of Fijians residing in or being members of the community of the Province.

Section 3 (1) creates the GCC and subsection (2) imposes a positive duty upon the GCC to submit to the President such recommendations and proposals it deems to be for the benefit of the Fijian people and to consider questions as to good government and well being of the Fijian people.

Furthermore, section 185 of the Constitution of Fiji specifically grants excusive vetoing powers to the Senate nominees of the GCC with respect to all matters affecting Fijian, Rotuman and Banaban rights.

So the intention of the legislators when enacting the Fijian Affairs Act and the Constitution, which had by-partisan support of the Indian members in Parliament, intended for the GCC and Councils to be involved in political issues, which directly affected their respective Provinces or the Fijian people as a whole.

The GCC’s rejecting President Iloilo’s nomination of Minister Nailatikau for Vice President clearly was within its Constitutional duties conferred upon it by section 90 of the Constitution, but in doing so, attracted the wrath of the interim government leading to its dissolution by Minister Ganilau.

It is therefore quite reasonable for certain Provinces to be weary of the interim government’s intention of a newly composed GCC especially if it will only act as a rubber stamp to Minister Nailatikau’s nomination for Vice President.

Nawalowalo’s insistence that even if 5 of the Provinces did not take part in the election of the Vice President, the GCC will still go ahead and make the appointment is worrisome.

The 5 Provinces likely to reject the proposed changes are; Rewa, Nadroga, Namosi, Naitasiri, Cakaudrove.

These Provinces simply cannot be over-looked in any proper GCC resolution.

How can this newly constituted GCC be truly recognised and accepted by Fijians if the traditional heads of Burebasaga and Tovata, Rewa, Nadroga, Namosi Naitasiri and Cakaudrove are excluded or refrain from being members, especially when you consider it was their ancestors who were signatories to the Deed of Cession?

Nawalowalo in his appeasement policy towards the interim government, is political as well, such as securing the interim government leasing their Provincial House, fails to see the hypocrisy and not ‘vakaturaga’ in returning to the Provincial Councils only this time to tell them of the new amendments.

He should recall when the Task Force first went around the 14 Provinces it was to seek their views in relation to proposed amendments to the composition of the GCC.

When the interim government rejected its recommendation that the GCC be apolitical and the President, VP and PM not be part of the GCC, former Chairman Tu’uakitau had the decency to speak out against it and replacements of other Task Force Members, could be interpreted as their agreeing with Chairman Tu’uakitau.

Nawalowalo is a ‘water-bottle principle man’. Water always takes the shape of its container and he always seem to be able to finagle himself back into the good books of the interim government, so it comes as no surprise, when Chairman Tu’uakitau was axed, Nawalowalo was elevated in his place.

This time instead of seeking the views of the 14 Provinces as before, he is now proudly tasked to tell of the amendments regardless of whether it is accepted or not and then has the audacity to label those Provinces rejecting it as ‘renegades.’

Who is guilty of ‘being political’? The interim government in trying to push ahead its agenda to secure the re-nomination of Minister Nailatikau as Vice President or the rejection by certain Provinces?

The answer is they both are playing politics and there is nothing wrong at all with it, so long as it is done with the interests of their Provinces and Fijian people at heart.

Bainimarama and his cronies loosely use the term ‘being political’ to anyone who oppose their agenda, but conveniently ignores the fact they too are playing politics, but have not succeeded in gaining their support.

Nawalowalo, if he is a truly installed chief should know fully well, that any decision supposedly made by the GCC without the acquiescence of the traditional heads of the certain Provinces within Kubuna; Burebasaga and Tovata Confederacies will not be morally or traditionally binding on the Fijian people.

However, of greater concern is the division it is going to cause within the GCC and its detrimental consequences on the Fijian people.

Nawalowalo should humble himself and remember a saying from his own Province: ‘mai ya so, mai vale e mino.’


Tui Savu.
Townsville. QLD.