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GOONDA RAJ TAKES OVER FIJI: DADA Aiyaz Khaiyum uses three of his minions (who barely got 1,000 votes) to unseat Professor Biman Prasad as PAC chairman - Sudhakar takes over after motion by Mohammed Dean

11/5/2016

14 Comments

 

The two FFP MPs were supported by Alexander O'Connor (another reject) with SODLEPA's Aseri Radrodro not VOTING; Radrodro had started the ball rolling when he slammed SODELPA leader Ro Kepa for putting forward NFP leader Prasad as PAC chairman; Some in SODELPA cannot see beyond race - its like asking Adolf Hitler to stop hating the JEWS!

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Excerpt from Gaunavinaka Report

"I was today voted out as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. It is obvious why I was removed as Chairman. My removal is not a surprise. After all that is what this Government wanted and enforced changes to the Standing Orders in February in our absence. I have also resigned as a Member of the Public Accounts Committee following today’s meeting." - Professor Biman Prasad, NFP leader; see FULL STATEMENT BELOW

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May 12, 2016
 
NFP Leader voted out as Chair of Public Accounts Committee
 

Statement by the NFP Leader Honourable Professor Biman Prasad

 
I was today voted out as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee.
 
It is obvious why I was removed as Chairman. My removal is not a surprise. After all that is what this Government wanted and enforced changes to the Standing Orders in February in our absence.
 
This goes against the  norms of transparency and accountability in most Commonwealth jurisdictions. It also violates the standards  and resolutions adopted  in respect of developing democracies by the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) and Inter Parliamentary Union (IPU) of which Fiji is a member.
 
Changes to the Standing Orders have further eroded parliamentary democracy, transparency, accountability and good governance. Again this was pushed through by Government when the Standing Orders Committee did not agree to the changes.
 
This  is the most serious example of usurping parliamentary democracy. Two specific changes will make a mockery of our democracy already struggling to find its feet more than 18 months after the general elections.
 
For example, the requirement of 40% approval in Parliament for petitions being brought to Parliament by MPs on behalf of the people, to be referred to the relevant Standing Committee, means that at least 20 MPs need to vote in favour of the petition being given the attention and importance that it deserves. A petition has already been derailed in April.
 
The Opposition has only 18 MPs and with the suspension of Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, is reduced to 17. We have seen in the last 18 months that no Government Member except on one occasion has voted for an Opposition Motion. And in the lone case, the member who voted in favour of a motion on NCD – Non Communicable Diseases, is no longer in parliament.
 
Therefore the people’s voice has been suppressed. It is farcical of Government MPs to brag about being given the mandate of the people in large numbers when the same mandate is being abused to ride roughshod over them.
 
The other serious change apart from a few other controversial changes is to change the chairmanship of the Public Accounts Committee, which has always remained with the Opposition since Independence and is the practice in 67% of Commonwealth Countries.
 
It now means that Government can elect its own Chairman because it has majority members on the Public Accounts Committee – just like other Committees.
 
One has to ask the Government why the change? Why is the Government frightened that an Opposition Chair is leading the scrutiny of Auditor-General’s Reports?
 
The role of the Standing Committee on Public Accounts has been diluted. Standing Order 109(6) states that the “The committee must only examine how public money has been dealt with and accounted for in accordance with the written law and must not examine the merits of the underlying policy that informs public spending”.
 
PAC has now just become a toothless Committee. One can see from the calendar of meetings of standing committees that today’s meeting was one-off for the month of May with no further meetings this month.
 
My removal was expected because the Attorney General accused me of politicizing the Committee. If thoroughly scrutinizing Auditor General’s Reports and seeking information about controversial expenditure like payment of consultancy to an Accounting firm for a study into the operations of Rewa Dairy leading to its sale, miscellaneous expenditure of Head 50 and payment of salaries of Cabinet Ministers through an Accounting Firm is politicizing the work of the Committee, then taxpayers of Fiji can no longer expect any discrepancy highlighted by the Auditor General to be scrutinized and highlighted.
 
If a Government policy leads to abuse and wastage  of funds, the Committee should have every right to highlight it and raise it in Parliament. With the change in the Standing Orders restricting the role of the Committee to basically only browse through reports, this scrutiny will not happen. This is ridiculous and a grave injustice to the taxpayers of Fiji.
 
Verbatim of the Sanding Orders Committee of 2nd November 2015 reveal that the Attorney-General vigorously argued for a change of Section 117 of the previous Standing Orders, claiming the current Chairman (Biman Prasad) was politicizing issues saying “That is why PAC is losing its mana…”
 
The amended Standing Orders, first adopted by Parliament in October 2014 and later in December 2014 stipulate rules for election of Chairperson of Standing Committees. 117(2)(a) state “the Standing Committee on Public Accounts may only elect an Opposition Member as Chairperson”.
 
The amendment sought by Government completely deleted Section 117 of the current Standing Orders, including 117(2)(a) that requires the appointment of an Opposition Member as Chairperson at all times.
 
The new amended Section 117 states    a standing committee at its first meeting must elect a chairperson and deputy chairperson. This therefore applies to all standing committees including Public Accounts Committee. The amended Section 117 (3) also provide for majority committee members to outvote and replace the committee chairperson and deputy chair person provided they have served at least 12 months in their respective positions.
 
The Verbatim of 2nd November 2015 shows the Speaker (Dr Luveni) asking the AG “what is the problem of having this Opposition as Chair of PAC Committee that we should change this now?”
 
The Attorney General replied that it should not be prescribed as to who the Chairperson should be saying “Chairman from the Opposition will try to politicise the matter and that is what has been happening unfortunately with the current Chair…  these Committees need to be de-politicised”. This is nonsense.
 
Dr Luveni replied that having an Opposition Member as Chairperson “has been a plus for Fiji” and that this was told to her by other Parliaments.
 
The AG is on record of having lamented about the work of the Committee in July last year, two months after I tabled a Consolidated report of PAC on the Auditor-General’s report from 2007 to 2009. That report has not been debated one year after it was tabled. The Fiji Sun of 22nd July 2015 reports the AG as saying  “it was premature to have a standing committee in Fiji on corruption because political maturity was lacking”. He said there has been a culture in Fiji of standing committees being used for political point scoring. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said this would not work for a standing committee on corruption, because “enquiries of corruption need to be dealt with apolitically and, with confidentiality.
 
Despite the non-agreement  in the Standing Orders Committee, Government went ahead and amended the Orders in accordance with its wishes.
 
PAC was truly a bipartisan committee and I thank Honourable Aseri Radrodro and former members Honourable Semi Koroilavesau, Honourable Sanjit Patel and Honourable Balmindar Singh for their honesty, transparency and hard work as well as complete cooperation with me. Their work in a bipartisan manner has been exemplary.
 
I have also resigned as a Member of the Public Accounts Committee following today’s meeting.
 
Biman Prasad
Leader
 
May 12, 2016


FIJILEAKS HAD TOLD YOU YESTERDAY:

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From Fijileaks Archive

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Dean's contract was extended for another year til 23 August 2015; the next day, 24 August, Education Minister Reddy ORDERED Education Ministry to transfer Dean to Dr Saukhat Ali Sahib Campus in Nadi

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Teacher to Politician?: Dean resigned without giving any reasons for his resignation to MOE; in fact, he was planning to contest election on FFP ticket!

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http://www.fijileaks.com/home/insider-appointment-reddy-to-ministry-of-education-transfer-ffp-election-loser-mohammed-dean-to-dr-saukhat-ali-sahib-campus-in-nadi

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14 Comments
Dictor
12/5/2016 12:09:37 am

This is continuing entrenchment of dictatorship. The dictators dont realize that no dictator has transited to civilian life with ease; none. The same will happen to these ones. Unless they re-educate themselves in virtues of democracy and adopt democrary.

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THE BLAME GAME
12/5/2016 12:46:19 am

I think we need not proportion blame lest we ourselves become entwined in the issue of race politics. Radrodro along with other Sodelpa MP's in denouncing the position taken by Ro Teimumu, must have taken party politics first at heart, afterall PAC is a huge weapon for anyone. Should NFP have been in the position of Sodelpa....would they have considered Radrodro to be the Chairman of PAC? Or would they have opted that their party, because its political mileage rather than race, be the Chair as that gets them the better advantage for the next elections just around the corner? Alas but whatever has occurred anyway, is a shame and a sad indication that democracy is indeed dead and confirms that politics is a game of the dirty.

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Re Focus and Re Group
12/5/2016 12:54:51 am

Yes, Blame Game - you are right.

Mistakes were made and opportunities made us blind

Lets all unite and bring down this FFP (Khaiyum) government

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Thinker
12/5/2016 04:11:23 am

What a sad day for so called Democracy.

Shame on Indo Fijians who voted for FLP.

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Alo-Baigan
12/5/2016 09:24:18 pm

What we are witnessing is not a Government but a 'Goondament' in action. A Goondament with of a Party with a STOLEN name.

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genius
12/5/2016 05:46:21 am

People of Fiji have to wake up now before it is too late ! A small group of people in government are reaping us off. Most corrupt government ever! Now all positions in public service will be advertised and filled with qualified people according Arseneel Sudhaarkaar! PS Provincial Development has no qualification and other military goons in the public service! Get the paper pushes out first followed by unqualified and uneducated MPs and Ministers of Fiji first. We are ruled by a bunch of idiots !

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Welcome Home
12/5/2016 06:05:21 am

Walter Bagehot must be turning in his grave! We could see this coming on and that is why a resignation is the only decent and right course of action in Good Faith to ensure that all decent and right-minded people are transparently informed as is their lawful due. A Parody of Democracy!

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Alibaba
12/5/2016 06:16:59 am

Here is a plain honest fact about Fiji. Frank and Kai are in control because we have let them take control. Second fact if we do not do anything now or at least if the opposition does not plan something now we the sensible lot will loose the 2018 election again. These are the facts. We can all spew as much hate against everybody from Muslims to Indians to anyone else you want to vent your anger at these facts will not change. The Military is the only ones responsible is so far as the FF government getting into power is concerned and the block heads who voted them in are the secondary parties in this.

The opposition in particular SODELPA needs to stop worrying about the freaking GCC who are responsible for the mass we are in now by supporting the first coup. If they were as wise as they were perceived to be than they should have told Rabuka to go back to the barracks and hand power back to Dr. Bavadra. For Christs sake we will be colonizing Mars soon well at least the developed world will, the least we in Fiji can hope for is a better health service as one of the many things we need to fix. Point is we have far greater challenges ahead of us than the GCC. SODELPA needs to get in touch with the young i-taukei and when you speak to them the last bloody thing in their mind is the GCC. In my opinion the following needs to be done:

Kepa must resign ASAP. She is for the lack of a better word a dinosaur living in the dark ages.

SODELPA,NFP,FIJI LABOR AND ALL other parties must de-register.

A new party must be formed with a new younger educated leader preferably i-taukei who is not racist and looks at every citizens future entwined with the others.
Biman becomes deputy and a whole lot of new blood from all walks of life must be invited to join a strong multiracial party.

Campaign must start right away with detailed misdeeds of the government printed in vernacular and English distributed through all mediums social media in particular. The party must reflect the ethnic makeup of our country and must been seen as strong and unified.

To defeat FF the above must be done or their is no hope. Their must be only 1 opposition party so as not to confuse voters. Too many parties will ensure that the people vote for the devil they know which is really basic psychology and that will be Frank.

Either the opposition unite behind a progressive and liberal multiracial party or Fiji suffers that is the stark reality.

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Thinker
12/5/2016 09:14:16 am

Alibaba, I like your suggestions BUT tell me why you want an Indo Fijian as deputy Pm?

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Welcome Home
12/5/2016 06:33:35 am

There are greater fish to fry just now! Another woman in Fiji has been consigned maimed and dead in a garbage bag. Partially burned, it seems. What incompetence! Almost as incompetent as forcing out the Chair of the Public Accounts Committe, who had the nous to RESIGN telling why he was dispensed with. This is a charade which is familiar. Meanwhile women are almost daily hacked to death or violently assaulted in every manner thinkable in their homes by those deemed to be 'their intimate partners'. Professor Biman Prasad has more pressing business to attend to. He will be thanked for his undivided attention. Fiji Village now has the courage and moral drive to present daily reality with assistance from FWCC. The enormity and scale of this suffering has eluded scrutiny or countenance in Fiji but it is known of by employers, dependant children, terrified neighbours and anyone with the guts to open their eyes to unmitigated evil and injustice. By comparison, what may a gutted, disempowered, illegitimate PAC achieve?

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Bahuki
12/5/2016 12:28:00 pm

Since the dictatorship in disguise is not afraid of kicking out anyone they don't like or whom might be seen as a threat, the cronies with their two kingpins of Frankie and AK-47 clearly trust no one but their own.

Nepotism just doesn't get old and I don't think it will anytime soon.

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Alibaba
12/5/2016 07:20:50 pm

Thinker.I am assuming from your question that it should be perfectly fine for an Indo Fijian to be PM. As an Indo Fijian myself and a person who loves this country i agree. However i am also a realist. In my opinion Fiji at this stage may not be ready for a non indigenous PM. I think the backlash may derail the parties ability to win the election as indigenous votes will be crucial to win. I may be wrong and stand to be corrected. I am on the ground with people everyday and i do think that people are changing however it may be a few years yet when race will not be a factor in politics.

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Learn lesson from history
13/5/2016 10:23:45 am

Unlikely coalitions to unseat a common enemy will not last...especially as long as SODELPA racists with their extremist, fundamentalist agendas are in the mix. Bainimarama, in fact, is the leader that has greatly made race irrelevant in Fiji. For example, from 2001-2006, the parliament was polarized on racial lines. There were politicians like caucau blatantly making racist statements and no iTaukei in parliament was protesting that. Today, that ethnic polarization is gone....we have ro kepa supporting prof. Biman for example. This state of affairs is due to Bainimarama, otherwise the race politics of SDL and labour would continue to this day.

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Welcome Home
13/5/2016 06:31:09 am

Once a general realisation has 'kicked in' of the seriousness of a potential increase invades of Zika Virus transmission on the economy of Fiji, the racial profile of a PM or Chair of PAC will be completely beyond the point. The U.S. SurgeonGeneral has issued Guidelines from The Whitehouse. It is now proven that sexual transmission is a pathway to infection: by men to their contacts. NOT (yet) by women. Pregnancy complications are to be expected apart from microcephaly. Neurological cases of GuillanBarre syndrome may also be experienced. The cost implications are potentially great and American Samoa is already implicated. With rape now so prevalent, it would be wise for the Public Accounts Committee members remaining to up their intelligence.

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