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DOUBLE STANDARD FROM REGIME AND DIXON SEETO: "ARE YOU CAMPAIGNING FOR PROPOSED FIJI FIRST (THEFT) PARTY? IF NOT, WE WILL STRIP YOU OFF YOUR DESERVED SCHOLARSHIP!"

29/5/2014

8 Comments

 

"MTA (Ministry of i-Taukei Affairs) reserves the right to terminate your scholarship if a report is received from your institutes, or from a law enforcement agency concerning a breach of regulation"
Fijileaks Editor (editor@fijileaks.com): Who or Which Institution
reported the student's political activities?

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Tavenisa Tofinga was with the regime-backed Fiji National University

Recall this story in Fijileaks on 14 April 2014:

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"I own Fiji so you will get a six year scholarship. It doesnt matter if you had not applied or were rejected before - its called affirmative action for i-taukei students before the September general election. Its a gift from Fiji Theft Party"; with the Chairman of the Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Board, Dixon Seeto sanctioning the illegal bribe.
http://www.fijileaks.com/home/o-dictator-our-sovereign-how-majestic-is-your-treasonous-power-all-over-fiji-i-came-here-with-high-hopes-of-getting-an-accommodation-scholarship-but-the-pm-gave-me-a-full-scholarship-for-my-six-years-of-studies-scholarship-recipient-former-dr

PicturePDP leader
Anthony
PDP: Government Tramples on Youth’s Political Freedom; wants chairman of the loans scheme Dixon Seeto to explain why student was stripped of loan for supporting independent candidate Deo!

"The People’s Democratic Party condemns outright the denial of political freedom and rights to students who wish to participate in the political process of the country. As reported in the Fiji Times of Wednesday 28th May, a student’s scholarship has been terminated by the Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Board for simply supporting or being an activist with the Independent Candidate Roshika Deo. This Government has denied a large section of our community from actively participating in the political process including Unions, NGO’s and public servants. This is plain denial of fundamental rights and must be condemned. Scholarships must be assessed on qualifications, need and academic performance solely and not on one’s political affiliation. This is clearly a case of victimization. I am sure that if any student supported the government’s yet to be registered party, the student would probably be given a five year scholarship at once. This decision by the Board will instill fear in our young people and discourage them from participating actively in politics. It is not good enough for the Chairman of the Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Board, Mr. Dixon Seeto to refuse to comment on the issue. He has accepted the position and must be made accountable for the Board’s decision or for following instructions from powers that be.The students and the people of Fiji deserve to know why the scholarships given are conditional on students remaining politically neutral or support only one party. On one hand we have this government saying that people over 18 years are free to vote yet on the other hand make it a condition to remain politically neutral if they have been given a government scholarship. Where is the sense in this policy? Our young people must be encouraged to participate in the political life of our country. The PDP has a policy and rule that 20% of all its office bearers must be youth. It will also have youth candidates in its election line up. It is important that we do not only pay lip service to our young people but include them in the mainstream of the political life of our country. I call on the Chairman of the Tertiary Scholarship Board to explain why the scholarship has been cancelled and why the Board has adopted a policy to deny fundamental political rights to our young people. The PDP urges the Chairman to reconsider this decision and ensure that the student’s academic progress is not hindered in any way by this unfair decision. His scholarship must be reinstated." - Felix Anthony, PDP Party Leader

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8 Comments
Rajesh
29/5/2014 03:09:54 am

Where is freedom of choice /speech .No demcracy shame on this regime.
give this student back his scholarship.

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Fiji Thiefs Party
29/5/2014 02:10:34 pm

This Bainimarama Governemnt sacked NZ's acting High Commissioner from Fiji for denying a Fijian student right to continue to study in NZ.

Now same Bainimarama's government is taking the right of another Fijian student from the already approved scholarship to be withdrawn for participating in the electoral process that Bainimarama himself has declared and called all voters to participate in that process.

Where is the logic in this corrupt decision? Is there a new decree that students are not aware of?

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scoundrels in politics link
29/5/2014 03:32:38 pm

so much for all the phony talk about a "Clean up" campaign ( remember, that's what they called the Bainimarama coup?) they have been the dirtiest bastards in Fiji politics in Fiji's history. the foul, unpleasant, obnoxious odour of mendacity is all around them - in everything they have been doing since grabbing power - unlawfully.
what a rotten lot!
And they want the people to vote them back into power!!
Shame, shame, shame on all who vote for them!!

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Tuma
29/5/2014 03:39:10 pm

A chance for the aspiring political parties to come to the rescue and assist this student. Now wouldn't that be something. Buy his vote and his mums and maybe his relatives and their relatives [The current regime is doing it shamelessly anyway, albeit with Tax payers funds and illegally]. Think of it as "Paying it Forward".

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scoundrels in politics link
29/5/2014 04:02:28 pm

It is right for the PDP leader Felix Anthony to ask Dixon Seeto the chair of the Loan scheme to respond to this case of political victimization of a student.
But we don't really need any clarification from Mr Seeto because we know he is a man who is simply doing the Bainimarama military regime's bidding.

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new and better fiji link
29/5/2014 05:51:20 pm

this is the "new" and "better" Fiji the thug ruler promised the people when he stole the country's government ?

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regime puppet link
29/5/2014 07:06:52 pm

nobody should be fooled by the fancy title : chairman of the tertiary scholarship and loan board that Dixon Seeto carries. He is a regime lackey. that is what needs to be kept in mind to understand where he is coming from on this issue.

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Silence is not always golden VC Rajesh Chandra and Dixon Seeto
30/5/2014 12:08:11 am

Letter to Editor (The Fiji Times, Fiji Sun, Ashwin Raj) (30 May 2014) (shorter version sent)

USP Scholarship termination and basic human right to political activity

Dear Sir,

In recent years the Bainimarama Government has been proclaiming proudly that by lowering the voting age to 18 they are strongly encouraging young people to be involved in the politics and governance of the country.

A necessary corollary of that must be that young people (including students) not just vote but be involved with political parties, policy issues and campaigning with voters to get their views across.

Indeed, the world over, students are at the forefront of political activity, and often radical activities, such as opposing wars, opposing racism, protecting the environment, and even being the youth arms of political parties.

The Bainimarama Government might even be hoping that the frequently and selectively maligned “old politicians” will be replaced by fresh young politicians, with fresh ideas.

But wait.

The media has reported (FT 28 May 2014) that a student’s scholarship at USP has been terminated by the Tertiary Scholarship and Loans Board because he had been allegedly associating himself “in political agendas” (according to the letter from Secretary to the TSLB, Ms Tofinga).

The letter from TSLB made a number of other puzzling allegations implicating USP and the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs:

2. “and as per clause five of your award letter, you are required to abide by your institute’s rules and regulations” (i.e. presumably USP’s rules and regulations)

3. “the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs has zero tolerance for behaviour contravening those aspects” and the “MTA reserves the right to terminate your scholarship if a report is received from your institute” (i.e. presumably from USP).

The student told the media that his actions had in no way contravened his bond agreement; he was not aware of any reports from off-campus that would put his scholarship at risk, nor of any report from the university; that as a youth, he had the right to make political choices as guaranteed under the Bainimarama Constitution; that his GPA was above the minimum required to retain the scholarship, and there was no mention from either the university or TSLB of rules against political involvement. All pretty reasonable, I would think.

But Mr Dixon Seeto (Chairman of TSLB) refused to respond to media questions by claiming that “all applicants’ information was confidential”. The Vice Chancellor of USP (who is also a member of the TSLB), referred all questions to the TSLB.

Very nice. For them.

But as a taxpayer whose taxes help pay for these scholarships, and to whom both the TSLB, USP and the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs are accountable, I would request:

(a) the Chairman of the TSLB (Dixon Seeto) explain to the public exactly why they have terminated the scholarship.

(b) the Vice Chancellor of USP to explain whether his institution wrote any report on this particular student to either the TSLB or to the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs.

(c) the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs to explain what has been their role in this termination and on whose advice.

(d) the TSLB, USP and the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs explain whether scholarship holders are allowed to engage in lawful political activity, as a basic human right under all of our constitutions.

(e) the Students and Staff Associations at USP explain whether the basic human right of USP students to engage in political activity is a legitimate area of concern to them on which they should act?

Professor Wadan Narsey
Suva

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