Fijileaks: Since the 2013 Constitution is still in force, the Coalition's Chief Law Officer Turaga must be read the constitutional 'religious act' that Fiji is a Secular State. Even the RFMF, in its 100 page submission to the Yash Ghai Commission in 2012 (incorporated in the 2013 Constitution), demanded for a SECULAR STATE. So, why is RFMF Commander QUITE?
From Fijileaks Archive, 2012, to Yash Ghai Commission:
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MIXING TRADITION WITH POLITICS AND LAW: Turaga has changed his Facebook profile, and now he is proudly seen with the newly installed Vunivalu of Bau, Ratu Epenisa Cakobau. We would strongly advise both of them to keep their tradition out of national politics. And, if Ratu Epenisa embarks on the old bad habit of chiefs trying to hold the nation to ransom, the RFMF must come hard on him and the Great Council of Chiefs. For in their submission the RFMF wanted GCC abolished:
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"Siromi Turaga bears an uncanny resemblance to his predecessor, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, in his inappropriate use of government social media for personal aggrandisement and advantage. But at least Khaiyum kept his fundamentalist Islamic views and his practice of the Muslim faith off the government platforms. And he had the sensitivity not to be pictured like some privileged twenty-something brat boasting about being on their way to La-La land. With this posting, his replacement is already there." Grubsheet
By GRAHAM DAVIS, Grubsheet
We can be sure that the 30 to 50 per cent of Fijians who are living in poverty will be mightily impressed that the Attorney General and chief law officer is "feeling relaxed" as he enjoys the good life at the top of government. In this case, 30,000 feet above the Pacific on his way to Los Angeles.
The new Coalition government has started to develop the same sense of hubris as the old - the same viavialevu, vei beci, "look at me" smugness that the Fijian people rejected at the last election. This includes a conga line of ministers heading for foreign parts and posting of their adventures on Facebook while people struggle with cost-of-living pressures and water cuts at home.
Siromi Turaga is a particular offender in having no idea how to keep the private separate from the official - posting multiple entries on his official Attorney General's page that have nothing to do with his official duties. Here he is in the pointy end of a Fiji Airways Airbus with no mention of why he is heading overseas and why it is in the national interest - merely that he is "relaxed" amid luxurious surroundings most Fijians can only dream of. O vinaka, AG. Is this designed to inspire others less fortunate to dedicate themselves to public life?
Even a cursory examination of the AG's official page sees him chronically garlanded, grinning from ear-to-ear and feeling "blessed" or "wonderful" in all sorts of settings. Some of these are public events and others are not. Yet there is something decidedly unsettling when the chief law officer of the state also dispenses biblical tracts urging people to embrace "the Lord" when the Constitution - the supreme law he presides over - specifically lays down that Fiji is a secular state in which church and state are separate and no one religion is favoured.
Siromi Turaga bears an uncanny resemblance to his predecessor, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, in his inappropriate use of government social media for personal aggrandisement and advantage. But at least Khaiyum kept his fundamentalist Islamic views and his practice of the Muslim faith off the government platforms. And he had the sensitivity not to be pictured like some privileged twenty-something brat boasting about being on their way to La-La land. With this posting, his replacement is already there.
Memo Siromi Turaga: You are not being paid to be "feeling relaxed", "blessed" or "wonderful". You are not being paid to boast about your high life at the top or to use government resources to proselytise your own religion. You are being paid to improve the circumstances of every Fijian and not just your own ethnic and religious group. And if you don't learn that lesson and make a rapid descent from your lofty perch, you'll be going the same way as your predecessor and his Puppet.
The Fijian people voted in December for change, not more of the same. And this kind of thing is undoubtedly why Grubsheet has been getting multiple private messages from readers expressing disappointment and even a degree of hostility about the Coalition government's performance. To be fair, this excludes the Prime Minister and it is time that he uses his authority to bring some of his wayward cabinet charges into line. Or move them. The Attorney General demonstrably lacks judgment - a fatal flaw in any chief law officer.
And with that winning smile, might be better placed serving Fiji Airways passengers than being served.
We can be sure that the 30 to 50 per cent of Fijians who are living in poverty will be mightily impressed that the Attorney General and chief law officer is "feeling relaxed" as he enjoys the good life at the top of government. In this case, 30,000 feet above the Pacific on his way to Los Angeles.
The new Coalition government has started to develop the same sense of hubris as the old - the same viavialevu, vei beci, "look at me" smugness that the Fijian people rejected at the last election. This includes a conga line of ministers heading for foreign parts and posting of their adventures on Facebook while people struggle with cost-of-living pressures and water cuts at home.
Siromi Turaga is a particular offender in having no idea how to keep the private separate from the official - posting multiple entries on his official Attorney General's page that have nothing to do with his official duties. Here he is in the pointy end of a Fiji Airways Airbus with no mention of why he is heading overseas and why it is in the national interest - merely that he is "relaxed" amid luxurious surroundings most Fijians can only dream of. O vinaka, AG. Is this designed to inspire others less fortunate to dedicate themselves to public life?
Even a cursory examination of the AG's official page sees him chronically garlanded, grinning from ear-to-ear and feeling "blessed" or "wonderful" in all sorts of settings. Some of these are public events and others are not. Yet there is something decidedly unsettling when the chief law officer of the state also dispenses biblical tracts urging people to embrace "the Lord" when the Constitution - the supreme law he presides over - specifically lays down that Fiji is a secular state in which church and state are separate and no one religion is favoured.
Siromi Turaga bears an uncanny resemblance to his predecessor, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, in his inappropriate use of government social media for personal aggrandisement and advantage. But at least Khaiyum kept his fundamentalist Islamic views and his practice of the Muslim faith off the government platforms. And he had the sensitivity not to be pictured like some privileged twenty-something brat boasting about being on their way to La-La land. With this posting, his replacement is already there.
Memo Siromi Turaga: You are not being paid to be "feeling relaxed", "blessed" or "wonderful". You are not being paid to boast about your high life at the top or to use government resources to proselytise your own religion. You are being paid to improve the circumstances of every Fijian and not just your own ethnic and religious group. And if you don't learn that lesson and make a rapid descent from your lofty perch, you'll be going the same way as your predecessor and his Puppet.
The Fijian people voted in December for change, not more of the same. And this kind of thing is undoubtedly why Grubsheet has been getting multiple private messages from readers expressing disappointment and even a degree of hostility about the Coalition government's performance. To be fair, this excludes the Prime Minister and it is time that he uses his authority to bring some of his wayward cabinet charges into line. Or move them. The Attorney General demonstrably lacks judgment - a fatal flaw in any chief law officer.
And with that winning smile, might be better placed serving Fiji Airways passengers than being served.
*TURAGA WAS FLYING ON THE COAT TAIL OF BAINIMARAMA CLAN
From Fijileaks Archives
