Blog Archives

PROFESSOR Vijay Naidu, 'Bigotry, racism and authoritarianism rearing its ugly heads' as calls increase for the arrest and prosecution of SEMI TUKANA, the founder of SOLE Fintech and Fiji Airways 'dinau collector'

30/4/2024

PIO TIKODUADUA on Semi Tukana:'I blocked his guy some time back.'

MURGIWALLAH chickens out from confronting new march of RACISM

We remind SEMI TUKANA, other bogus nationalists of 1990 Constitution
that was imposed on Fiji, and which remained in existence until 1999.
From Fijileaks Archive, 6 September 2017

THE 1987 roadblocks after Rabuka's racist coups being replayed in 2024

After Sitiveni Rabuka's two coups, Jone Dakuvula wrote:
'Fijian [i-Taukei] political unity is an illusion, a chimera that can never be achieved, let alone forced upon the people. What the Taukei Movement and the Great Council of Chiefs proposal will achieve is the exact opposite of what they desire: it will result in provincialism, parochialism, unhealthy rivalries, patronage, corruption and the discrediting of the chiefly system.'

From Fijileaks, 14 May 2022

The 1987 Dr Timoci Bavadra led Coalition government had more Indo-Fijian MPs by virtue of them winning more seats.
It was no different from Sitiveni Rabuka's current Coalition government where i-Taukei MPs dominate government.
Imagine Indo-Fijian Chants:
'We don't want this i-Taukei dominated Rabuka coalition government'

WHY SCAPEGOAT INDO-FIJIANS? 'The Baledrokadroka Report does not explain why other ethnic groups should be held responsible for iTaukei not having a “fair share” of the national wealth'. Narsey rips into Report

28/4/2024

"Nevertheless, Fiji’s other ethnic groups must take this warning seriously since former RFMF officer Jone Baledrokadroka was “in the thick of things”, as self-confessed key actor during the 2000 coup and mutiny.
I will leave the analysis of the Baledrokadroka Report to another day.
The Baledrokadroka Report does not even hold to account all the numerous iTaukei-led governments who have been in power in Fiji for 53 out of 54 years after independence in 1970." - Wadan Narsey

Fijileaks: A Bainimarama loyalist, Lieutenant Colonel Jone Baledrokadroka and his Zulu company, stormed the Kalabu school and arrested the Kalabu gang on
27 July 2000.

The Committee’s vision of the expanded role for the GCC "will only succeed when other communities in Fiji understand and accept that unless the indigenous people have their fair share of the national wealth, Fiji’s long term progress and security cannot be guaranteed”
The Baledrokadroka-Leung GCC Report

*What exactly did the chiefs do to improve the welfare of indigenous Fijian commoners even after independence in 1970, as I have asked in several of my writings on the failure of the GCC to foster iTaukei welfare (all ignored by the Baledrokadroka Report which is full of references to Baledrokadroka’s own writings)

"Are other ethnic groups being threatened with another coup? What have the other ethnic groups (and especially Indo-Fijians) done to iTaukei to deserve receiving this threat?"
Professor Wadan Narsey, 'Closing the Gap', The Fiji Times, 27 April 2024

Narsey

CLOSING THE GAP

By PROFESSOR WADAN NARSEY

In Australia, “Closing the Gap” between mainstream Australia and its indigenous population (the First Nations or Aboriginals and Torres Strait Islanders), has for decades been a horror story, which Australian government after government failed to improve while Pacific Islanders continue to ignore the plight of the first Pacific Islanders who came to the Pacific at least 65 thousand years ago (another article).

In Fiji without any supporting statistics, “Closing the Gap” between indigenous Fijians and Others has been ominously made the litmus test by a Review of the re-established Great Council of Chiefs by a Committee chaired by Dr Jone Baledrokadroka. The Baledrokadroka Report warns that “the Committee’s vision of the expanded role for the GCC” will only succeed “when other communities in Fiji understand and accept that unless the indigenous people have their fair share of the national wealth, Fiji’s long term progress and security cannot be guaranteed” (reported in Fiji Times, 16 April 2024.)

Even though the Fiji Bureau of Statistics is a treasure trove of relevant statistics, the Baledrokadroka Report contains no statistical evidence on the iTaukei share of the national wealth other than a brief superficial observation that the iTaukei now comprise 75% of the poor in Fiji.The Baledrokadroka Report does not explain why other ethnic groups should be held responsible for iTaukei not having a “fair share” of the national wealth. Nevertheless, Fiji’s other ethnic groups must take this warning seriously since former RFMF officer Jone Baledrokadroka was “in the thick of things”, as self-confessed key actor during the 2000 coup and mutiny. I will leave the analysis of the Baledrokadroka Report to another day.

The Baledrokadroka Report does not even hold to account all the numerous iTaukei-led governments who have been in power in Fiji for 53 out of 54 years after independence in 1970. In this article, I produce some hard statistics from seven Fiji Bureau of Statistics national household surveys (for 1991, 2002-03, 2004-05, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2015-16, and 2019-20) so that Fiji Times readers can understand the nature of the “gaps” between iTaukei and Others (read Indo-Fijians) and how iTaukei welfare has been improving over the last three decades.

The colonial era and iTaukei

But first, note that the “wealth” that the Baledrokadroka Report refers to is that generated in Fiji’s capitalist economy. Remember also that it was the British colonial authorities who for a hundred years, as a matter of government policy, expected indigenous Fijians to remain in their villages, under the “supervision” of the chiefs, with even their land leased out to Others. There are lots of historical questions and answers here, not to be addressed in this article. But the readers can ask:

*Why did the British rulers do that knowing full well what the long-term consequences would be for indigenous Fijians?
* Why did the Fijian leaders (especially their chiefs) accept that policy when they could see the other ethnic groups struggling away to slowly build their families’ future based on the modern capitalist economy, even including the use of native land?
* What exactly did the chiefs do to improve the welfare of indigenous Fijian commoners even after independence in 1970, as I have asked in several of my writings on the failure of the GCC to foster iTaukei welfare (all ignored by the Baledrokadroka Report which is full of references to Baledrokadroka’s own writings).

In my revised Volume 2 eBook A Fair Go For All Fiji, because of the historical importance of this topic, I have added another Section I : “A Fair Go for iTaukei”, bringing together all my articles tackling the relative failure of indigenous Fijians in succeeding in the modern capitalist economy, including the impact of their communal culture, and lack of appropriate leadership from their chiefs.

Here I try to show with the limited data on my computer how the “Gaps” have been changing over the last thirty years, and surmise what factors might be responsible.

ITaukei Share of Population Rising

The first fundamental fact is that over the last thirty years the iTaukei share of the population (and all the households in Fiji) has been steadily rising because of the lower fertility of Indo-Fijians and higher emigration rates. The iTaukei share is currently over 62% and inexorably growing, while that of Indo-Fijians is now 34% and falling. From my population projections, by 2037, the iTaukei share will be around 72% and rising, and the Indo-Fijian share will be 21% and still falling. Graph 1 (above), based on census data from 1881 to 2017 and projections thereafter, show clearly these trends, and are confirmed by the Fiji Bureau of Statistics household surveys for 1991, 2002-03, 2008-09 and 2019-20.

That interesting intersection of the two curves in the middle is when for thee decades only, the Indo-Fijian share exceeded that of the iTaukei for three decades, and also when the rare Indo-Fijian dominated Governments were brutally removed by the coups of 1987 and 2000. Bottom line: that falling line for Indo-Fijians must lay to rest once and for all the BOGEY of Indo-Fijian domination of iTaukei, which morally bankrupt politicians have always used to justify their evil coups. I present here also other statistics which suggest that the economic Gaps against iTaukei are also being narrowed or even reversed, while their material welfare has been steadily improving.

Graph 2 (right) shows that the iTaukei share of Total Household Income (as estimated from FBS data) has been rising from 49% in 1991 to 53% in 2019-20. Conversely, the share of Indo-Fijians was generally falling from 50% in 1991 to 36% in 2008-09 before rising strangely to 41% in 2019-20 (yet to be explained- if the data is made available to me by the FBS).

I emphasise that this graph refers to only household income, not corporate income, for which the only source can be Fiji Revenue and Customs Services.

FRCS unfortunately does not provide data on taxable incomes by ethnicity (although it has provided me with data disaggregated by gender, which I gratefully used for an FWRM Report). Mr Malakai Niayaga, my former student, can surely remedy this given that he is the Chairman of the FRCS Board and was also for a while the Executive Chairman.

But iTaukei per capita income is Lower

Despite their larger share of Total Household Income, the iTaukei per capita income is lower than that of Indo-Fijians, although it is still rising over time (in nominal dollars).

WHY is iTaukei per capita income lower? There are several factors I present some statistics on.

ITaukei have larger families

The demographic facts indicate that iTaukei households, with very similar incomes per household as Indo-Fijians, have to support far more people in the household, because of their higher birth rates for decades.

Even though both iTaukei and Indo-Fijian birth rates have been falling for decades, Indo-Fijian birth rates have not only been lower, but falling faster as is indicated by Graph 4.

In 2019-20, iTaukei households were on average supporting 1.7 children aged (0 to 14) compared to the 0.7 children in Indo-Fijian households. Of course, these children cost the families for food, clothing, education, etc. without earning any income.

Indo-Fijian households therefore have far more income left over to spend on improve their housing, spend on cars and trucks, durable household goods like fridges and stoves, and even clothes and shoes.

But even in these areas, the statistics I have indicate that iTaukei households are showing huge improvements over the last thirty years (see Graph 5). This demographic factor has nothing to do with any Other ethnic group keeping iTaukei down.

The Employment Factors

The FBS household surveys (especially the Employment and Unemployment Surveys of 2004-05 and 2010-11 for which I have ethnicity data (but not the 2015-16 EUS), make abundantly clear that iTaukei have made enormous progress in their involvement in the modern Fiji economy.

Education: iTaukei have increased their share of Certificate/Diplomas/Degrees from 34% in 2004-05 to 47% in 2010-11, and I suspect well over 50% today. In the same period, the Indo-Fijian share has declined from 50% in 2004-05 to 45% in 2010-11 and I suspect probably less than 40% today.

Occupation Groups 1, 2 and 3: The iTaukei share of the top three Occupation Groups (Managers, Professionals and Technical Persons) remained at 47% between 2004-05 and 2010-11, while the Indo-Fijian share declined from 43% to 42% over the same period. I suspect that the iTaukei share of the top three occupation groups is well over 50% today.

Salaried Persons: iTaukei are well over 50% of all the salaried persons while Indo-Fijians are now less than 40%. This would of course be helped by civil service recruitment in favour of iTaukei as may be happening currently.

FNPF Contribution

While the Fiji National Provident Fund declines to publish any data by ethnicity, my indirect estimates from the Employment and Unemployment Surveys and those who state they contribute to FNPF, indicate that the iTaukei share of Annual Contributions has increased from 46% in 2004-05 to 49% in 2010-11, and is probably well over 50% today. Conversely, the Indo-Fijian share of FNPF contributions declined from 49% in 2004-05 to 45% in 2010-11 and is probably less than 40% today. Given the high emigration of Indo-Fijians, I suspect that the iTaukei share of Total FNPF funds is probably well over 60% today. The FNPF Board, who have declined to provide me with basic data, can confirm or deny my estimate.

But fewer iTaukei employers

Probably the only negative news in all these EUS statistics is that iTaukei are less than 10% of Employers who include the large self-employed business persons earning high incomes. Given that the iTaukei received little encouragement in the colonial era, even in this area here there has been great progress, especially with the successes of the Fiji Development Bank and the many government initiatives to encourage Small and Medium Enterprises in Fiji, especially in tourism.

Let us not forget the great success of Fijian Holdings Limited, a conglomerate of monopolies skilfully put together by a white entrepreneur, Lyle Cupit, long gone and forgotten by iTaukei business leaders today. There are many aspects of increased iTaukei involvement as employers and business persons which can be better estimated from FBS, FRCS and FNPF data.

iTaukei More Unemployed

One aspect which all the published statistics on employment and incomes completely fail to recognize is that iTaukei are more susceptible to “under-employment” and “effective unemployment”. From the Employment and Unemployment Surveys mounted by the FBS, you can estimate accurately (as I have done) the rates of “underemployment” by taking into how many hours per week the workers are actually working compared to the normal 40 hour week.

This is much higher than the oft-quoted Rates of Unemployment, usually reported as around 5% to 7%, (not consistent with the hordes of iTaukei youth hanging around in the towns of Fiji). iTaukei in Fiji are in many “self-employed” categories in the informal sector where they work much less than the full 40 hour week. When these unemployed hours are aggregated, the results are horrifying for both ethnic groups, but more so for iTaukei. The Rate of Effective Unemployment for iTaukei rose from a horrendous 34% in 2004-05 to an even worse 37% in 2010-11.

Even for Indo-Fijian workers, their Effective Rate of Unemployment rose from 27% in 2004-05 to 31% in 2010-11. I suspect that the numbers were worse in 2019-20 with poverty having risen. The bottom line is that when you are not working the full 40 hours per week, you are not earning in cash or kind (such as farm produce), and your per capita and total income will be less BECAUSE YOU ARE WORKING LESS.iTaukei workers and households cannot earn as much per week as Indo-Fijian workers and households, because they are working fewer hours per week. Whose fault is that?

What about Cultural Factors?

It is a fact of life that iTaukei society does not allow their members to be as “materialistic” as Indo-Fijians or Chinese are. ITaukei communal obligations are much higher than for Indo-Fijians. Whatever financial savings iTaukei have are less likely to be spent on acquiring houses, cars, fridges, TV sets, computers, household furniture, or other material possessions, than an Indo-Fijian household with the same income, but fewer children and less communal obligations. One can see such cultural differences at work even in Australia where new migrant Indian and Chinese families will buy houses rather then rent and go on annual holidays to Bali or Fiji. Despite that, Graph 5 shows that by all these important criteria, iTaukei were making significant progress between 2002-03 and 2008-09.

They are probably much better off today by all these criteria (and many others reported on by FBS Household Surveys) especially given that Indo-Fijian families have been emigrating and leaving the bulk of their assets behind- they certainly cannot take their houses with them, even if computers etc. can all go in the containers.

In the sixties, the distinguished Fijian academic, Rusiate Nayacakalau, had warned Fijians who wished to enjoy the material benefits of development,, that “they must now make the momentous choice between preserving and changing their way of life. The belief that they can do both simultaneously is a monstrous nonsense”. Sadly this brilliant and brave commoner academic was never given adequate respect by the chiefly leaders of Fiji who wished that commoners continue to pay homage to the traditional leaders even if it meant that their businesses failed.

My friend the late Dr Ropate Qalo who mentored his family business (Mucunabitu Iron Works) used to insist that MIW shareholders must keep their company accumulation goals separate from their traditional obligations (Reading 29 “Qalo’s lessons from Fijian Company MIW”, Volume 1 (The Challenges of Growing the Fiji Ecnomy”.)

No other chief has ever been brave or honest enough to emphasize that to the iTaukei commoners or their talatala.

What have iTaukei Governments done?

Do iTaukei commoners ever openly ask themselves, what have our iTaukei Leaders done for us to improve our economic conditions? Let us remember all the iTaukei Governments who have ruled for 54 years, except for just one year and one month, when they were viciously deposed by iTaukei military commanders.:

* 1970 to 1987: iTaukei Government (Ratu Mara)
* 1987 (one month): Indo-Fijian/iTaukei Government led by Reddy, Chaudhry and Bavadra.
* 1988-1999: iTaukei Government of Ratu Mara then led by Rabuka.
* 1999 (one year only): Indo-Fijian Government led by Mahendra Chaudhry
* 2000-2006: iTaukei SDL Government led by Qarase (in partnership with FLP without Chaudhry)
* 2007-2022: iTaukei Government led by Voreqe Bainimarama.
* Dec. 2022- iTaukei Government led by Sitiveni Rabuka (with minor partners Prasad and Gavoka).

Even during these periods, one should be able to document that enormous progress was made by iTaukei, led by commoners such as the late Laisenia Qarase who initiated their mataqali owned enterprises and was viciously punished by the Bainimarama Government for allegedly not declaring his family interests when he was CEO of the Fiji Development Bank decades ago (all iTaukei should read Qarase’s autobiography, very revealing.)

Today, the GCC Review Committee chaired by a former Military Officer (Jone Baledrokadroka) is telling Fiji that unless non-indigenous people understand and accept that iTaukei must have their fair share of Fiji’s wealth, there cannot be peace and stability in Fiji.

Are other ethnic groups being threatened with another coup? What have the other ethnic groups (and especially Indo-Fijians) done to iTaukei to deserve receiving this threat?

Is Government looking for statistics?

It is abundantly clear that there can be great progress in the monitoring the problems of iTaukei development through solid statistics which can guide constructive debates and solutions by Government and organizations like the Great Council of Chiefs. I acknowledge one Government Statistician (the late Timoci Bainimarama) who had the courage to foster such independent academic studies using FBS data and withstand political pressure, until he was forcibly retired (after which he soon passed away with a broken heart).

But are there Government Ministers today who know the value of relevant statistics to guide their difficult policy decisions, enough to adequately resource the organizations under their control, and to pay for expert consultants who can do so?

Waiting for their assistance and instruction are:
– the Fiji Bureau of Statistics
– the Fiji National Provident Fund
– Fiji Revenue and Customs Services
– the Ministry of Education
– the three universities

There may also be several PhDs which can be written on all the critical aspects of iTaukei development, based on hard statistical data, guided by a qase or two still alive, somewhere, although they should not hold their breath, waiting, for any response to their offers to do solid consultancies which will be value for money. Source: The Fiji Times, 27 April 2024

SUPREME REJECTION. As the Supreme Court judges decline to grant Saneem and Khaiyum 'Intervenor Status', we shouldn't forget that the case is not about 2013 Constitution but Section 105(2)(b) contained in it

27/4/2024

Basically, the three Supreme Court judges (having taken Judicial Oath and presiding under the 2013 Constitution of Fiji) have been tasked to rule whether the Fiji Court of Appeal judge Alipate Qetaki and acting DPP John Rabuku's respective appointments are legal or breach S105(2)(b) of the 2013 Constitution of Fiji.
If they rule that the two were not eligible for appointment, then by implication, it follows that Filimoni Vosarogo found guilty not once but three times for professional misconduct, cannot be appointed the Attorney-General of Fiji.
Fijileaks: We are of the firm opinion that lawyers found guilty by the Independent Legal Services Commission do not qualify to take up judicial positions.
We cannot cherry-pick one case from another by arguing that Qetaki and Rabuku's cases were less severe than, for example, Suresh Chandra's, who was found guilty last year and struck off from the roll of the practitioner's held by the Chief Registrar
Also, arguing that a breach is not the same as guilty is ridiculous.
It is like calling a Rose by Another Name.
As for Aiyaz Khaiyum and Mohammed Saneem, their bid to be intervenors makes a mockery of the legal process. Saneem never qualified to be the Supervisor of Elections under the law, and Khaiyum had inteferred in Suresh Chandra's position as Chair, Electoral Commission.
Unfortunately, Fiji has been deprived of hearing from Khaiyum, on the identity (identities) of those who drafted the 2013 Constitution of Fiji.

From Fijileaks Archives

Fijileaks: We wonder why the Solicitor-General Ropate Green had to hire a private law firm lawyer (Feizal Haniff of Haniff Tuitoga, and formerly with Munro Leys) to represent the S-G?

BOOT OUT: We find it alarming that the two above Judges remind us how the United States Constitution came into existence and yet have no qualms about sitting in the Supreme Court to interpret a section of the 2013 Constitution of Fiji

*The Respondent (John Rabuku) faces one allegation of Professional Misconduct, contrary to section 83(1)(g) of the Legal Practitioners' Decree 2009. The particulars of the allegation are stated to be that:

"Mr. John Rabuku, a legal practitioner, failed to respond to a complaint lodged by one Janette Kapio within the time stipulated in the notice issued by the Chief Registrar pursuant to section 105 of the Legal Practitioners' Decree and thereafter failed to respond to a subsequent reminder notice issued by the Chief Registrar pursuant to section 108(1) of the Legal Practitioners' Decree which conduct was a contravention of Section 108(2) of the Legal Practitioners' Decree 2009 and was an act of professional misconduct."

ILSC ruling on JOHN RABUKU, 30 July 2013

*With that background of the severity of the offending and the calling into question the suitability of a member of the profession ignoring both legislative stipulations and a request from the Regulatory Head of the Profession, a great deal of anxious thought was given to this Respondent's dereliction of duty and its consequences.

He appeared before the Commission displaying a complete lack of remorse and quite arrogantly sought to shift blame for his non compliance on to the nefariousness of his client.

Utter disdain for one's client, no matter what be the reason, does not absolve a practitioner from failing to answer the Chief Registrar's enquiries in respect of that client.

The Commission regards this practitioner's failure to respond as very serious indeed and having found the allegation established on the practitioner's own admission, would make the following orders by way of penalty.

ORDERS
The Respondent is publicly reprimanded.
That the Respondent be suspended from practice for a period of three months from the date of this judgment.
The Respondent is fined the sum of $500 to be paid to the Independent Legal Services Commission, such fine to be paid by 30th of August, 2013 and failure to pay by that date will result in a further two months' suspension of his practising certificate.

30 JULY 2013
JUSTICE PAUL MADIGAN
COMMISSIONER

FROTHING at the mouth against RADRODRO and his domestic violence saga moons ago while cheering for Rabuka to topple the Bainimarama regime and become Prime Minister smacks of sanctimonious hypocrisy

25/4/2024

The bogus racist indigenous nationalist who carried out not one but two coups, and is hiding behind the immunity he granted to himself in 1988, is responsible for the torture, beatings, and RAPE of Indo-Fijian women - mothers, daughters, sisters and wives of Indo-Fijians.
It was his two racially motivated COUPS that gave i-Taukei men the green light to break into Indo-Fijian homes after the 1987 coups and carry the Indo-Fijian women into bushes and RAPE then, vaginally or anally.
And yet in the 2022 elections, Rabuka's cheer leaders wanted him to win the election and become Prime Minister once again.
Unlike Radrodro, we are surprised the Wise family didn't beat the shyte out of Rabuka for denying, despite the DNA test, that he was the father of the Fiji Times reporter Margaret Wise's son.
Today, Pita Wise is sitting in PM's office at Sitiveni Rabuka's side; and only last month was writing letters to SODELPA regarding the party's demand for the re-instatement of Radrodro as Education Minister (see the letter at the end of this posting below).
As we pointed out, when Radrodro walked into the bedroom and found the naked man on top of Rabuka's daughter, that man turned out to be a nephew of Ratu Inoke Kubuabola, one of Rabuka's co-coupist in 1987, and still Fiji's High Commissioner to New Zealand.
That is the reason why Sitiveni Rabuka never pressed any criminal charges against Aseri Radrodro.
In any event, Radrodro could have claimed 'extreme provocation' in law - which is a partial defence because the law demands an immediate incident of provocation as a trigger to a loss of self-control - finding Rabuka's daughter and Kubuabola's nephew naked, bonking each other.
Similarly, if Radrodro's wife had walked into Room 233 at the Windsor Hotel and found Radrodro and Lynda Tabuya 'brutally bonking each other' and she then beat the shyte out of the two, and smashed up the hotel room, she could have relied on the law of 'extreme provocation'.
Having stated the above, we still CONDEMN all forms of Domestic Violence, and still want to see the day the ageing racist monster is put on trial for crimes against the Indo-Fijians in 1987, including the vaginal and anal RAPE of Indo-Fijian mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters at the hands of his sex-fuelled fiends.
They didn't even spare a 75-year-old Indo-Fijian grandmother - Rabuka's rapists raped her in front of her family in the house.
That is why we have never accepted Jai Ram Reddy and Mahendra Chaudhry greasing Rabuka's political ball - for them it was all about power and NOT justice for the crimes Rabuka and his henchmen committed against the Indo-Fijians.
*The 1997 Constitution was a charter for IMMUNITY to Sitiveni Rabuka, later the same Immunity inserted into the 2013 Constitution of Fiji

ADULTERERS Sitiveni Rabuka, Aseri Radrodro, and Lynda Tabuya escape the good old-fashioned lashes for ADULTERY

Tuiteci on Rabuka's Adultery

President in-waiting and Rewa High Chief Ro Kepa's son's RAPE and PORNOGRAPHIC activity case from 2015 ends in a bizarre twist in 2024. Three counts of rape dropped, name suppressed, MEDIA not reporting

23/4/2024

BIZARRELY, Fijilive reports that 'the son of a prominent chief and politician has been sentenced to three years after pleading guilty to two counts of producing pornographic pictures involving juveniles'.
In 2015, Fijileaks, Fiji One TV and FBC had reported that Ro Kepa's son Filipe Tuisawau Kepa had been charged with three counts of rape and one count of pornographic activity.
Now, his name has not been revealed nor any explanation provided about the three counts of rape charges he was facing in 2015.
We wonder if Coalition and the Attorney-General colluded to suppress the identity of the KEPAS although the case was widely discussed in her village, and many of her subjects punished her at the 2022 polls.

From Fijileaks archive, 13 October 2015

A TALE OF TWO AFFIDAVITS. Sitiveni Qiliho, the BRTUAL Enforcer to Begging Convict before acting Chief Justice Salesi Temo. Qiliho wants Temo to recuse from Bainimarama-Qiliho case over Rabuku appointment

23/4/2024

Fijileaks: Legal Gymnastics available to A-G Siromi Turaga

If the Attorney-General SIROMI TURAGA has any legal rope up his sleeves, he could relieve John Rabuku as acting DPP until the Supreme Court has ruled on Rabuku's appointment.

The decision could pave way for TEMO to send both, Coupist Frank Bainimarama, and his violent enforcer and side-kick Sitiveni Qiliho, to PRISON in May.

We cannot see Salesi Temo recusing himself from the case. The Fiji High Court judges have refused to recuse themselves in past cases.

If jailed, Bainimarama and Qiliho can appeal from behind iron bars of the Naboro Prison to the Fiji Court of Appeal.

On 4 August 2020 our founding Editor-in-Chief while re-examining Qiliho's affidavit to the High Court to confine the deposed Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase on Mavana Island, noticed that Suva lawyer and former SODELPA MP Tanya Waqanika had witnessed Qiliho's affidavit.

Waqanika (right) to Fijileaks* (4 August 2020):
"I can confirm witnessing an affidavit back in early 2007 and I believe it was Qiliho’s affidavit. It was witnessed in the presence of the now DPP- Mr C. Pryde (Solicitor-General) and Ms Ana Rokomokoti. I witnessed the affidavit at the AG’s chambers."

The failed Sodelpa candidate Ana Rokoomokoti is now FNU's Head of Law School

A TALE OF TWO AFFIDAVITS, Now in 2024:

From Fijileaks Archive, 26 January 2015

PAP should join forces with FFP to ward off SODELPA threat, says NIKO Nawaikula, former SODELPA MP and convict. 'Rabuka can resign, bring FFP into coalition, force another vote for PM under Constitution: S93(4)

21/4/2024

"My option would be to start cultivating a relationship with Fiji First on the basis of my firm and sincere belief that the sunset clause policy & annihilation of itaukei cultural identity was personal to Bainimarama & K[h]aiyum."

WHAT ARE RABUKAS OPTION - NOW THAT THE COALITION IS THREATENED BY SODELPA
Nausori 20.4.24

Rabukas government has been plagued by lack of oomph from his Ministers due to lack of qualification, training or mere incompetence, despite qualification and training.

Approaching the 2nd year much of its mandates expressly stated in Party manifesto has not been addressed including something as simple as repealing all anti-taukei laws.

In my opinion he sits in his office quietly disappointed with his team of Cabinet Ministers.

The looming threat from Hon Aseri suspected of voting against him for PM cast a heavy shadow.

Likewise, if a vote of no confidence is to be done, Hon Aseri is first suspect to plan it.

But the problem of SODELPA is secondary to the need of achieving the mandates of Party Manifesto under that most essential oomph we all want.

For that to happen under a strong and effective cabinet team what will you or what will any one do if he were PM.

My option would be to start cultivating a relationship with Fiji First on the basis of my firm and sincere belief that the sunset clause policy & annihilation of itaukei cultural identity was personal to Bainimarama & Kaiyum.

They gone & its gone and no one in FFP hold that view anymore.

Once satisfied Rabuka can resign, bring FFP into coalition and force another vote for PM under S93(4) of the Constitution.

With a new coalition government, SODELPA sidelined to opposition and replaced by FFP, he selects a very strong Cabinet that can work together to form a strong government with oomph we have been missing all these time.

From Fijileaks Archive, 1 February 2024

TROJAN Horse: Tanya Waqanika, having voted as Sodelpa Management Board member for the party to join coalition with PAP and NFP, continues to meddle in Sodelpa party politics despite being on statutory ATH Board

19/4/2024

Amalgamated Telecom Holdings Limited (ATH) was incorporated as a public company on 10 March 1998 as the vehicle through which the Fiji Government’s investments in the telecommunications sector were consolidated for the purpose of privatisation under its public sector reform programme.
Waqanika, under the PPR [14], is prevented from meddling in SODELPA's internal politics or in opposing Aseri Radrodro's election as SODELPA leader. She has clearly breached the PPR Act.

In one of her last few acts, the late businesswoman and former SODELPA MP, Dr Mere Samisoni, in June 2023, had sought legal advice to get former Sodelpa MP Tanya Waqanika removed from the Sodelpa Management Board (Private e-mail communication with Fijileaks* Editor-in-Chief, 11 June 2023).
The late Dr Samisoni argued that by attending the Sodelpa board meeting and speaking for her own motion to be on the Sodelpa HR Committee, Waqanika was breaking the statutory board and political party rules, for Waqanika was 'now* sitting on the ATH Board'.

Waqanika later lost her membership of the Sodelpa Management Board.

On May 1, 2023, the ATH Board announced Waqanika's appointment as a member of the board. Another report said she was appointed in April.

Former Social Democratic Liberal Party member of Parliament, Tanya Waqanika has been appointed to the board of Amalgamated Telecom Holdings Ltd (ATH). ATH has 100 per cent shares in ATH (Kiribati) Ltd, Elandia Technologies Ltd, Amalgamated Bluesky Telecom Holdings, Telecom Vanuatu Ltd, Fiji Directories Ltd, Vodafone Fiji Ltd, Telecom Fiji Ltd, FINTEL and ATH Global Ltd.

Clearly, Aseri Radrodro as SODELPA leader is riling Tanya Waqanika

Tomorrow will be Sodelpa’s AGM where supposedly, the party members will approve the appointment of Hon Aseri Radrodro as Party Leader.

I was quite amused when I read the Sodelpa’s media release (issued early this week) issued by the General Secretary, Viliame Takayawa, that the Management Board had unanimously endorsed the Party Leasership of Radrodro.

The definition of unanimous means “everyone in agreement”. It is a fact that the endorsement of Radrodro as PL by the MB was not unanimous - the Sodelpa Youths and the Western Sodelpa MB did not endorse Radrodros appointment. There were 2 or 3 other MB reps representing their respective constituents who also did not agree.
It’s important that the party members on the MB or any board for that matter, must voice their opinions. With the new appointments of some Sodelpa MB members, I wonder whether they realize that the fate of the nation is in their hands as their continued “silence on the board is acquiescine”.

I am grateful that my tau, Seremaia Tuiteci, is the vocal voice that’s leading the charge (on behalf of the Western Sodelpa MBs) against the decision to remove Hon Gavoka. I would like to see the Sodelpa Western party members to turn up in numbers at tomorrow’s AGM and vote against the unconstitutional removal of Hon Gavoka- come and support your Deputy Prime Minister and put an end to this madness and mayhem. Your vote and support for Hon Gavoka is a support for the Coalition Government.

Tomorrow’s outcome can create instability to the Coalition & this is what concerns me.

For Radrodro to say that he respects that MB’s decision and that he is a party man and is happy/content being a back bencher is just utter BS!!!. It is common knowledge that the couple now control the MB- after all, the President and the 3 VPs are their appointments . Whoever controls the Management Board, controls the Party and what I am witnessing is a total disregard for “what is for the greater good for that nation”.

Something tells me that the Radrodros are not looking at 2026, they are looking at destabilizing the Coalition asap. His only chance to get back into Cabinet (despite the Hon PM confirming that he will not reinstate) is not with this Coalition Govt but with the Opposition. You do not need a snap election to change the Govt - all it needs is the Sodelpa MB issuing a party directive to their sitting MPs to vote for FFP & the Opposition walks casually across the floor & becomes the Govt ( of course you will need a Vote of No Confidence for this to succeed). That’s how easy it is to destabilize the Coalition.

The Coalition should be alert. The mere fact that the MB has given a directive to Hon Gavoka to relinquish the Ministry of Education portfolio shows the recklessness, stupidity & lack of understanding of the 2013 Fiji Constitution where it clearly states that only the PM appoints and removes Ministers.

As long as the Radrodros have control of the party, they will keep pushing to have Aseri back in Cabinet. Quite frankly, I do not know the facts behind the FNU saga and had the matter been handled properly & confidentiality, there would have been some hope of him being reinstated back as the Minister. Too late now, the horse has bolted.

The only one that benefits from the unconstitutional removal of Hon Gavoka are the Radrodro couple. The party does not benefit now and ever as his party leadership means the demise of Sodelpa. The couple are seen as FFP supporters & they will always be labeled by me as the Judases of Sodelpa.

I respect everyone’s decision to support a party, I have friends/ family members who are FFP party members and there is absolutely nothing wrong in their democratic decision to support their party. What I detest are the Judases- they sit with you, dine with you, wink at you and all along, they do not support what is the greater good for the nation but what is beneficial to themselves only.

Like many who have left the party, we can only pray that common sense prevails tomorrow.

GAVOKA, GAVOKA, GAVOKA All the Way
*These Sodelpa Ba West lot want Gavoka to remain as official party leader despite FICAC investigating him over the 'Fly Now, Pay Later' Fiji Airways charter flight scam to Israel.

From Room 233 in Melbourne to Sodelpa leader? Lynda Tabuya's game plan might come true at Sodelpa meeting on Saturday (tomorrow)

DISPUTED HERITAGE. Fijileaks: It has been repeatedly alleged to us that Radrodro is from LOMANIKORO in Rewa, and not from Naitasiri

BUTT OF JOKE: Seremaia Tuiteci's take on Rabuka's Kama Sutras

"I am grateful that my tau, Seremaia Tuiteci, is the vocal voice that’s leading the charge (on behalf of the Western Sodelpa MBs) against the decision to remove Hon Gavoka. I would like to see the Sodelpa Western party members to turn up in numbers at tomorrow’s AGM and vote against the unconstitutional removal of Hon Gavoka- come and support your Deputy Prime Minister and put an end to this madness and mayhem. Your vote and support for Hon Gavoka is a support for the Coalition Government."
TANYA WAQANIKI on her Facebook page

Finance Minister Biman Prasad has deliberately misled Parliament and the nation on the status of the $2.6m still owing to Fiji Airways on the $3m charter flight to Israel last September.

The charter company Pacific Voyager (WABS Pacific PTE LTD), has defaulted on every agreement it signed with Fiji Airways.

The minister should have been man enough to lay before Parliament the truth about how Fiji Airways was pushed into undertaking the charter in gross violation of its charter policy.

The truth simply is that a few influential Sodelpa people and the charter company arranged the charter with what has now proved to be a clear intention to defraud the airline.

Fiji Airways was cajoled into a charter agreement the terms of which charter company did not intend to honour. In keeping with the Airline’s policy, the agreement should have been revoked and the deposit of $100,000 forfeited.
But that was not done. Political influence was used to ‘persuade’ Fiji Airways to enter into another agreement called the Deed of Forbearance and Guarantee under which the outstanding charter charges were rescheduled to be paid as follows:

22nd September 2023 $300,000
28 September 2023 100,000
21 December 2023 700,000
26 February 2024 900,000
30 May 2024 900,000

The charter company (WABS Pacific) and the guarantors, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem and Truth Harvest Church (both unregistered companies without TIN numbers), have defaulted again by not meeting the payment dues on 21 December 2023 and 26 February 2024 totalling $1.6m.

That being so, where did the Minister get the idea to tell Parliament that $1m was expected to be paid by the end of the year through monthly instalments expected to start this month?

It is evident from the chain of events in this sordid charter affair that it was a well planned scam which was eventually to be taken care of through political intervention.

Fiji Airways is just as guilty as the perpetrators of the scam by going along with their plot and entering into bogus agreements with the defaulters.

Had a proper due diligence been done on the charter company as claimed by Minister Prasad, Fiji Airways would never have signed an agreement with it.

Labour had also questioned earlier whether Fiji Airways Board was aware of the deal and had approved the actions of the airline’s executives.

There are too many footprints in the sand Minister Prasad for you to cover up. Why not just be honest and admit the scam?

SODELPA Management Board members (13-12) 'Giveth their VOTES to PAP-NFP Coalition and its them who can 'Taketh it Away'. So Rabuka, his side-kick GAVOKA, are wrong to argue that Rabuka's prerogative stands

18/4/2024

In December 2022 all three parties - PAP, NFP and FFP - went up to Sodelpa headquarters and presented their offers to the Sodelpa party.
In a nail-biting result (13-12) the Sodelpa Board Management accepted PAP's offer which included three Cabinet portfolios (Education, I-Taukei Affairs and Tourism; also high commissionership, ambassadorship and board positions).
It can be argued that when Sodelpa signed the Coalition Pact with PAP and NFP, Sitiveni Rabuka had partially surrendered his prerogative that he has in the Constitution (92, a,b) to appoint and dismiss Ministers.
He had appointed Aseri Radrodro as Education Minister, Viliame Gavoka as Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister, and Ifereimi Vasu as i-Taukei Affairs Minister not out of his own volition under s92 a,b but because he had surrendered his prerogative when he had signed a Coalition deal with Sodelpa in December 2022.
Hence, those three Cabinet positions are the preserve of Sodelpa, whether Aseri Radrodro is reinstated or remains as a backbencher.
Rabuka cannot reshuffle those portfolios and hand them to non Sodelpa Members of Parliament.
We thought that common sense would have dictated that Radrodro remained a backbencher while leading Sodelpa as its party leader.
Naturally, in any legal challenge the court will have to decide if the Coalition pact was a 'contract' between Sodelpa, PAP and NFP and must be honoured or the prerogative vested in Rabuka as prime minister reigns supreme - Constitution (92, a,b) trumps the 'Coalition Contract'?
We wonder if the 'Snake' or 'Duna' Rabuka and his legal advisers had conned Sodelpa and its management board in December 2022 when they agreed to all of Sodelpa's demands, knowing that once Rabuka became prime minister, he could find refuge in the 2013 Constitution's prerogative clause, which he is now waving in the face of Sodelpa.
Importantly, the Coalition pact does not state that a Sodelpa Cabinet Minister can hold two ministerial positions simultaneously.
Since the Sodelpa Management Board members had voted to join the Coalition, they have the democratic and party right to pull the rug from under the Coalition's feet and join, if they choose to, with FFP after any Vote of No Confidence in Parliament.
We had warned of the dangers of going into Coalition with Sitiveni Rabuka, for he has a history of breaking promises and agreements. In any case, we had pointed out the 'Bad Omen' awaiting SODELPA

From Fijileaks Archive, 23 December 2022

STOCKHOLM SYNDROME is a condition in which hostages develop a psychological bond with their captors during captivity.
TANYA WAQANIKA is no longer a member of the SODELPA Management Board and is sitting on the ATH Board.
Her social media posts against the Radrodros' justify her removal from the Board. She cannot be seen to be meddling in political party affairs.

SODELPA has decided to go into a coalition government with the People’s Alliance and the National Federation Party.

SODELPA Vice President, Anare Jale has just announced that 13 management board members voted for the People’s Alliance/NFP while 12 voted for the FijiFirst.

Jale says they are ready to be part of the government with PA and NFP.

SODELPA Leader, Viliame Gavoka says democracy has won and they have observed the process to it’s fullest.
Gavoka says it was very close again and came down to the wire.

He says they went into it fully committed ensuring that they have the best for the people of the country.

Gavoka says there was one invalid vote and they could not determine the intention of the voter.

He also says only the legitimate constituency representatives attended the meeting today.

Jale says their next step is to work on their coalition agreement, and this will be signed in the next few days.

He says they have issued the written directive to the SODELPA MPs Viliame Gavoka, Aseri Radrodro and Ifereimi Vasu to vote for the agreed nominee for the People’s Alliance/NFP/SODELPA for Prime Minister and Speaker when Parliament sits in the next few days.

As we had predicted in December 2022, Rabuka and his side-kick Viliame Gavoka are now singing a different tune, dismissing the SODELPA Management Board as irrelevant in the running of the Coalition government.
These two are wrong. The coalition agreement negotiated was voted by 13-12 of the Sodelpa Management Board members, and as in Job,
'The Lord Giveth, and the Lord Taketh it Away

Speaking to fijivillage News, Gavoka says he has highlighted the fact in his letter that it is the Prime Minister’s prerogative to decide on cabinet appointments and Gavoka cannot be responsible for relinquishing a portfolio and appointing a minister.

Gavoka also says there are some real issues within SODELPA and signs of desperation.

The management board had stated in a letter to Gavoka to comply with their directive by today and failure to comply will invoke the disciplinary procedures, which may include actions up to and including suspension or expulsion of Gavoka from the party roles.

The letter from the SODELPA Management Board to Gavoka states that the board deliberated on the matter and directs Gavoka to relinquish the position of Minister of Education and facilitate the reinstatement of Aseri Radrodro to this role.

The board says according to the coalition agreement, SODELPA holds the portfolios of Education, Tourism, and Civil Aviation.

The SODELPA letter states that the directive by the party’s management board to reinstate Radrodro to the Minister of Education is in alignment with maintaining the proportionate allocation of portfolios as agreed upon in the coalition commitments.

*SODELPA MUST CHOOSE WHAT IS BEST FOR THE PARTY AND NOT WHAT IS BEST FOR PAP, NFP and RABUKA and PRASAD.
After all, FFP has 26 seats, PAP 21, and NFP, 5.

SACKABLE: If Rabuka becomes Prime Minister, there is NOTHING stopping him from sacking the THREE SODELPA MPs (especially Aseri Radrodro with whom he has a long running family feud) and replace him with Ro Kepa who is fourth in waiting under the d'Hondt system, and is PAP's choice for President and High Commissioner to London.
It is no doubt that the SODELPA defectors to PAP 'stole' thousands upon thousands' of the party's votes [including PAP leader Rabuka], leaving SODELPA to now re-build its grassroots base. The last EIGHT left behind the party in tatters when they fled as soon as Parliament was dissolved and election announced.
They left the party foul-mouthing its leader Gavoka, the members, and the party - describing it as
'A HOUSE OF GHOSTS'

DISGUSTING unhygienic filth in plain sight at CWM Hospital. Its no more Vale ni Bula (House of Life) but Vale ni Mate (House of Death). Fiji Water got seven-year tax break. GCC gets millions to rebuild their 'Vale ni Bose'

17/4/2024

Fijileaks Founding Editor-in-Chief: Those of us who were born at the Colonial War Memorial Hospital in Suva (see a portion of my birth certificate above) are shocked and revolted at the continuing deterioration of the CWM hospital.
The Coalition government gave Fiji Water a seven-year tax break and yet expectant mothers were sent home recently from the CWM maternity ward because of water shortage.
Patients are told to bring their own beddings, sheet and pillows - and at times, its their relatives who bring their food and feed them.
We are also told that the state of the rest room at the Maternity Ward is unbelievable - one would think that they make sure to keep the restrooms clean, but no.
We really need leadership that genuinely cares for the people but there is something about power that once people have it, they tend to pursue self glory and the people are exploited for that purpose. Pathetic.
These set of photos sent to us by a hospital visitor at the weekend reveal the filth in plain sight as one walks past one of the wards to the Beqa Ward and Children's Ward.
Appalling does not describe it. Its just disgustingly shocking.
Where is the CWM hospital's HYGIENIC TEAM and Health Minister?

Fijileaks Archive, 26 January 2022

Fijileaks: While our poor are limping around the villages and towns with
unfixed knees, the COUPISTS and the rich in Fiji (finding $8million to donate to the FFP) have always flown abroad to get their health, hips, hearts, teeth,
buttocks and knees fixed and stitched up.

The millions to build the GCC complex plus the tax break for Fiji Water, are sources of revenue that could have been diverted to address the collapsing and deteriorating conditions at CWM.
It would have been to the national interest, to delay the GCC complex and use the millions for the upgrading of the public hospitals. The more urgent task is the upgrading and improving of the public hospitals, as they daily deal with matters of life and death, not so the GCC.
*Something is seriously wrong with the current leadership, its priorities are all confused and self serving is what they really are about.

<<Previous