RESIGNATION: The Coalition members on the Privileges Committee should have RESIGNED from the Committee after their boss Rabuka, wrapping himself under the bogus sulu of forgiveness, broke ranks and was begging that his fellow COUPIST be suspended only for 18 months, or better still, if the Speaker and the President, as High Chiefs, forgave Opposition leader FRANK BAINIMARAMA, citing his own IMMUNITY.
Fijileaks: If the convicted Suva lawyer and NFP supporter RICHARD NAIDU is sent to prison, he won't be able to run Munro Leys from his prison cell but here is a Coupist, whom his fellow Coupist Sitiveni Rabuka, only wanted to be forgiven and slapped with an 18 month suspension, can keep his job as *Opposition leader, remain a *voting member of the Constitutional Offices Commission, *keep getting his salary, *nominate a new President of Fiji* and remain an MP.
And, continue to rent at market rate, Government quarters (near to Naidu's residence on Domain Rd), courtesy of Bainimarama's fellow COUPIST Sitiveni Rabuka.
*Many were shocked when Rabuka broke ranks with his Coalition partners, including those in his own PAP baying for Bainimarama's blood. Rabuka sided with his fellow coupist, under the sulu of forgiveness, because following the 14 May 1987 coup, Rabuka had brought Bainimarama from the Navy and had appointed him (Bainimarama) as head of Joint Command Centre at the Togotogo Police Station, to coordinate Police/Army/Navy, and to fathom the racist and autocratic coup objectives.
*While asking for forgiveness on Bainimarama's behalf, Rabuka also mentioned his own immunity, and reminded Parliament (without naming them) that were others in the Parliament who were with him that day, on 14 May 1987 when he overthrew the Bavadra Government
*Rabuka was referring to Brigadier-General Iowane Naivalurua, who was one of the ten hooded gunmen who had stormed Parliament with Rabuka, that set Fiji on the road to DICTATORSHIP.
*We may recall that just before Bainimarama was suspended, Rabuka had agreed to meet FFP MPs, his nephew Mosese Bulitavu, Naivalurua and Viliame Naupoto in private.
Richard Naidu, on the other hand, was the best friend of the alleged bomber Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, during the 1987 coup crisis. After the 2006 coup, Khaiyum had used his connections with the military to get Naidu released from the camp where he had been taken for criticizing the then President Ratu Josefa Iloilo. Politics Make Strange Bedfellows.
CRY THE BELOVED COUNTRY
TWO CONTRASTING PUBLIC APOLOGIES: Bainimarama and Naiqama
FijiFirst leader Voreqe Bainimarama remains as Leader of the Opposition despite his suspension from Parliament on Friday for breach of privilege.
This is the view of Suva lawyer Richard Naidu, who says he believes that Mr Bainimarama is entitled to retain the salary and other rights that go with the job – although “there might be a legal argument” about that.
Mr Naidu said that the Leader of the Opposition was different from other MPs who had previously been suspended.
“He is not an ordinary MP. His position is established under the Constitution. Under Section 78, he is elected from among the Opposition members,” he said.
“Under Section 78 of the Constitution, he keeps his job even after the dissolution of Parliament.”
Mr Naidu said the Opposition Leader had other constitutional roles outside Parliament, including being a member of the Constitutional Offices Commission (COC).
“He is also one of the people who may nominate a new President for Parliament to vote on under Section 84.
“It seems that he can continue to do these jobs – and to keep his salary, which Section 80 of the Constitution says “must not be varied to his disadvantage”.
“Other suspended MPs have had their salary payments suspended while out of Parliament.
“So there might be a legal argument about that.
“But other suspended MPs did not hold a substantive office as Mr Bainimarama does.”
Mr Naidu said that despite the suspension, Mr Bainimarama remained an MP – however, he could not attend Parliament for three years.
“While he is suspended, he is not replaced in Parliament. This means the voting strength of the FijiFirst Party drops to 25 while he is suspended.
“It is for the Opposition MPs to work out how they will operate in Parliament while Mr Bainimarama isn’t there. But while he continues to hold the post, a new Leader of the Opposition cannot be appointed.
“Under the Constitution, if a majority of Opposition members want Mr Bainimarama out, they could vote him out.
“He could resign as Leader of the Opposition only and keep his seat as an MP. Or he could resign both as Leader of the Opposition and as an MP.
“If he resigned as an MP, a new FijiFirst Parliamentarian would come in; the next one on the list of candidates who missed out in the 2022 election.”
This is the view of Suva lawyer Richard Naidu, who says he believes that Mr Bainimarama is entitled to retain the salary and other rights that go with the job – although “there might be a legal argument” about that.
Mr Naidu said that the Leader of the Opposition was different from other MPs who had previously been suspended.
“He is not an ordinary MP. His position is established under the Constitution. Under Section 78, he is elected from among the Opposition members,” he said.
“Under Section 78 of the Constitution, he keeps his job even after the dissolution of Parliament.”
Mr Naidu said the Opposition Leader had other constitutional roles outside Parliament, including being a member of the Constitutional Offices Commission (COC).
“He is also one of the people who may nominate a new President for Parliament to vote on under Section 84.
“It seems that he can continue to do these jobs – and to keep his salary, which Section 80 of the Constitution says “must not be varied to his disadvantage”.
“Other suspended MPs have had their salary payments suspended while out of Parliament.
“So there might be a legal argument about that.
“But other suspended MPs did not hold a substantive office as Mr Bainimarama does.”
Mr Naidu said that despite the suspension, Mr Bainimarama remained an MP – however, he could not attend Parliament for three years.
“While he is suspended, he is not replaced in Parliament. This means the voting strength of the FijiFirst Party drops to 25 while he is suspended.
“It is for the Opposition MPs to work out how they will operate in Parliament while Mr Bainimarama isn’t there. But while he continues to hold the post, a new Leader of the Opposition cannot be appointed.
“Under the Constitution, if a majority of Opposition members want Mr Bainimarama out, they could vote him out.
“He could resign as Leader of the Opposition only and keep his seat as an MP. Or he could resign both as Leader of the Opposition and as an MP.
“If he resigned as an MP, a new FijiFirst Parliamentarian would come in; the next one on the list of candidates who missed out in the 2022 election.”
