GCC is not coming back (as long as Khaiyum-Bainimarama are in power). Motion to re-instate the chiefly body defeated: 29 NO, 16 Yes, 5 Not Voted

24/4/2016

12 Comments

Opposition Whip Ratu Isoa Tikoca:
“Never in the history of our country has the GCC been belittled, as done by this government.”

12 Comments

Sese

24/4/2016 10:18:48 pm

WHY ARE WE HARPING ABOUT CHIEFS (GCC) BEING BROUGHT BACK ETC WHEN WE HAVE MORE PRESSING ISSUES TO ADDRESS FOR OUR PEOPLE. OILEI SODELPA YOU KEEP BRINGING UP IRRELEVANT POLICIES. AND THE TIMING TOO....AFTER WINSTON YOU BRING THIS BILL MP GAVOKA??? WHAT A JOKE YOU GUYS ARE!

SESE

24/4/2016 10:19:50 pm

ARE CHIEFS SUPPOSED TO BE MORE POWERFUL THAN OTHERS? WHATS SO SPECIAL ABOUT YOU GUYS? WHERE IS EQUAL RIGHTS HERE?

Pita

24/4/2016 11:40:35 pm

In the military Tikoca built Irish crossings and barracks as a member of the engineer Corp. He has clearly not read up on his Fiji history. Ma'afu defied the Council of Chiefs meeting on Bau to discuss Cession to Britain. He rebuked British Consul General Sir JB Thurston before storming out of the meeting house with his church Minister, Reverand Joeli Bulu. Dugonoi or Navisa from Ra, leader of the milleniarust Tuka Movement and also Apolisi Ranawai, leader of the Viti Kabani mass movement publically ridiculed the Council of Chiefs as a puppet of the colonial state and a tool for white domination. The truth that Tikica fails to understand is that the Council of Chiefs was created by the state. And what the state creates so shall it erase if the institution serves no useful purpose. The Council of Chiefs was manipulated since the first Cakobau Government prior to cession right down through the ages through a succession of Fijian leaders right up until elements within the military set up the GS coup of 2001 and subsequent events that followed. The public has lost faith in this institution

Dekho

25/4/2016 12:55:18 am

Why then are other useless institution which have failed to deliver on their functions allowed to continue to exist?
The Fijian Military which failed to protect the citizens. Instead acting as the henchmen of the coupists and hounding citizens.
The USP which has forgotten what a university is meant to be, curbing academic freedom and kicking out critical academics who questioned the State and abuse of power.
The Fiji Football Authority . Nobody knows why it exists apart from the Officials who are parasiting on Fiji soccer.
The Media Development Authority which is bullshit. No development. only state sponsored control of the media.
All of these institutions should be shut down.

Dekho

25/4/2016 10:39:28 am

Include in that list of useless institutions in Fiji , the Human Rights Commission which has no guts to stand up against State abuse of human rights. And, made a donation to the PM Disaster Relief Fund to show they too were good boys .

Its About PAISA

25/4/2016 12:25:33 pm

YES PITA, you are right. GS coup of 2001, military nominated Interim PM at GCC meeting at the military camp threatened to form a new political party if the GCC will not support a united front.

As everyone wanted to have POWER but under their own, so GCC members refused to give absolute power to anyone.

So the Interim Government ran a FHL $20m debt write off. After having BOUGHT the 14 Provincial chiefs loyalty, they formed a new political party SDL so to go against united Fijian front SVT.

Then they used the Provincial Councils to unconstitutionally nominate candidates for SDL Party. This was a coup by taking away equal suffrage against SVT and PANU and others.

Incompetent FHRC as the constitutional WATCH DOG (kuli) slept on the job, blinded by refugee camps victory in Chandrika Prasad's case.

Then interim government followed another $20million + agriculture scam to buy all other Fijian votes largely against SVT, PANU while the Provincial Councils nomination kept control on traditional call to preferred party to vote for.

Its not Indians BUT all about PAISA. The Fijian chiefs destroyed visionary Fijian leaders time and again whenever MONEY became the front to decision making.

Problem is they have so much ego that they fail to REPENT, hence it seems their gods call is weakening them. Its not too late!

Rajend Naidu

25/4/2016 10:59:00 am

Editor,
Charged for Threatening to Use Force to Remove Government
We learn from Aljazeera news this morning 26/04 that the leader of the Economic Freedom Party Malema is to be sued for saying in a television interview that he is " running out of patience with Zuma's ( corrupt) government" and would remove the ruling South African government through " the barrel of the gun" if need be. When asked to clarify he said he meant that " literally". The South African ruling ANC party said Malema's statement was " inflammatory, treasoness, dangerous and seditious and inciting violence".
It would be good for us to keep an eye on how this case unfolds in South Africa because it has a direct bearing on democracy and the rule of law as its central tenet.
Something we have repeatedly forgotten in our recent history and resorted to doing what Malema is only currently threatening to do.
Sincerely,
Rajend Naidu

Number Crunching Time?

25/4/2016 11:31:44 am

How many Indigenous Fijians and Indians were in the Government side that voted against the GCC?

I doubt Indians will vote against the GCC's return as they would rather abstain than to vote against it.

On-Song

25/4/2016 02:54:28 pm

Serves them right for raising the GCC issue in Parliament where they don't have the majority-not a good move SODELPA!!! In simple thoughts why not just get the Chiefs to form their own Council, fund themselves and administer their own affairs? As has been said, the State formed the GCC, funded it from public money and always had the right to scrap it. The Fijians of today comprise of many parts with the majority still under the leadership and influence of the Chiefs. I say to you, go ahead and create your own Council and let it rule over your lands, territories and fishing grounds without interference from Govts. present and future!! if survival is what you want....and then it becomes nobody's business how you rule yourselves; especially if you're self-funded. If laws & decrees are then put in place to make it illegal for Fiji's Chiefs to meet then you best know what to do to claim your rightful place and heritance in this country. Personally, I just don't see why your chiefly business has to be debated in a national forum at all nor in a House that should never have been involved, except demanding some accountability for its funding of the GCC. The SODELPA needs to go back to the Vanua and sort things out there and not in a forum such as Parliament that only ridicules the concept.

CANADA BOY

25/4/2016 08:07:08 pm

Why is SOLDEPA still running with the GCC
issue
Do they not know that their stance on Fijian and indeginuois issue was a loosing election platform
They have to talk about what matters to Fiji voters right now and GCC is not an issue on the radar screen as the new generation of Fijians have for the past 9 years lived without GCC and to them GCC does not make any difference
Come on SODELPA you can do better or you need a new leader who can think dynamically and strategically and win the next election and not clinch to loosing election issues

GCC as NGO

25/4/2016 09:13:04 pm

Will the Chiefs in parliament resign for holding position in their proposed GCC as was the case with 1997 Constitution? What really were SODELPA proposing? Certainly GCC cannot reconvene.

Like On-Song said above, maybe an incorporated society with 14 provincial council chiefs to setup an NGO is the way to go.

Objective for the NGO is to have twice a year social gathering to meet up with all heads of chiefs. In their social gathering they can chat with the group how they have been able to empower their subjects to persevere for self sufficiency and how they are supporting the government of the day as part of their bi-annual grog party.

Tomasi

26/4/2016 12:23:58 pm

Thank you On Song. Excellent thoughts and well put. Sodelpa MPs need to think out of the box. In fact, they must learn to think out of the Parliament and its constraining rules, protocols and horizons.

Our chiefs existed before any Fijian nation was even formed. Our chiefs existed before any Government was even conceived. Our chiefs were absolutely independent of any external authority prior to any Colonial Government. As such, the chiefs and their people understood the need to remain strong and responsive to any external threats. They also had their own extensive and intensive networks of social and political alliances.

The GCC will rise again, despite the many differing opinions of people. Simply because chiefs have been our own families and relatives and our traditional leaders from time immemorial. The system of Government is founded on foreign laws and principles which were largely imposed by our colonial rulers to make their government function most effectively.

The GCC will rise again, despite the efforts of Khai and Bai because their basis of power and influence is much more solid and legitimate than Khai and Bai. The Bible as it relates to man;s history, recognizes and legitimizes the need, role and functions of chiefs and heads of families. Unlike Bai and Khai, the Chiefs ahave been part of our family and social and political systems for many hundreds of years.

The current rulers/dictators will certainly continue to do all that is possible to stop any move of having any other persons or groups of people to make decisions.The current Parliament is an excellent example and a major political statement that Bai and Khai want to be the only power in Fiji. They have absolute power. Any threat to that huge concentration of power as represented by the GCC or Trade Unions, or Academics or gods must be dealt with raoidly without reservation. But, Khai and Bai, mark words, a new body of chiefs will rise, who are more wiser and stronger than you and your government. People who really care and respect all our different ethnic communities and the rule of law. Your time is quickly coming to an end. Soon you will be held accountable for the manner in which you have abused your power and trampled on the rights of indigenous and other communities of Fiji.

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