*Fijileaks: Has anyone seen the Baledrodroka-Leung 'Report into the GCC'? Why wasn't the 'Report' tabled in Parliament?
*As we have argued for over four decades, the GCC is a colonial construct that was designed to hold down commoner i-Taukeis for the benefit of the British colonial government, and later the Chiefs, Thieves, and Others since 1970.
The Great Council of Chiefs will be appointing the council chair next Wednesday. This is one of the agenda items highlighted by the Minister for iTaukei Affairs, Ifereimi Vasu, to be discussed in the next meeting, apart from other agenda items. The Bose Levu Vakaturaga will now be responsible for appointing a chairperson from its members who will hold office for three years and will be eligible for re-election. Vasu further clarifies that the GCC will now be part of the decision-making process for iTaukei community-related issues and developments before it is taken to cabinet. “Now that the GCC has reinstated all the decisions and issues about the welfare of iTaukei communities, they will be taken by the Ministry to the GCC for them to decide and taken to cabinet for further discussions, but all agenda items will go through the Boselevu Vakaturaga.” Source: FBC, 21 February 2024
*For years, she was uncharitably and cruelly referred to as 'The Black Cobra' in the SODELPA party. A chronological diary of SODELPA will reveal how at every stage the party pushed, with her nodding, for her to become the President in 2024.
*As chiefly politics goes, she and other chiefs were only after the restoration of the Great Council of Chiefs, and hence their support for Coupist Sitiveni Rabuka, and for Sodelpa to go into coalition with PAP and NFP.
*We have no doubt that her name will be forwarded for her to become Chair, GCC as the 'kana loto' chiefs meet next week after a long spell drinking 'home brew under a mango tree'.
*She is most likely to face stiff opposition from the Speaker, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, who will oppose her nomination to be Chair, Great Council of Chiefs. Tribal politics, Fiji, TRIBAL POLITICS.
*Ro Kepa is also subject of FICAC investigation into the $3million Fiji Airways 'Fly Now, Pay Later' flight to Israel, and that she was allegedly one of the ten 'freeloaders' on the Pacific Voyager arranged flight to Jerusalem. They still owe Fiji Airways $2.6million in dinau.
From Fijileaks Archive, 21 December 2022
RO KEPA willingly played the game of Snake and Ladder in her pursuit to become PRESIDENT until RABUKA threw in his support for KATONIVERE to continue as President for another term. Now, she changes her hissing.
To avoid any doubt, I wish to place on record my full support for the Turaga Bale na Tui Macuata, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere and his Presidency; and confirm I am not a contender for the position of President.
Those are the words of the Gone Marama Bale na Roko Tui Dreketi, Ro Teimumu Kepa.
She says in recent weeks, she has become aware that her name has been circulated as a contender for the position of President when the current President, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere’s term ends.
Ro Teimumu says for the record, she is not a contender for the position of President, and if her name has been proposed, then it has been done without her knowledge or consent.
The former SODELPA Leader says she is particularly disappointed that SODELPA General Secretary Viliame Takayawa has made statements regarding this without the courtesy of seeking her view or even discussing the matter with her before issuing any statement.
She says to what she recalls, the position was initially offered by the People’s Alliance Party during the negotiation week at the first Management Board Meeting in December 2022 following the general elections, however, there have been no further discussions since.
Ro Teimumu says the position of President of Fiji is an important position as it symbolises our national unity and character and it should therefore be treated with the respect that such a position deserves.
She says it concerns her as Roko Tui Dreketi, that her name and title is being promoted as a challenger to the current President, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, and such unfounded statements could easily create a perception that the current relationship between the Tui Macuata and her or between the two provinces or Vanua o Caumatalevu and Burebasaga is strained, which is not the case.
Ro Teimumu says in fact, she believes the Turaga Bale na Tui Macuata has been doing very well since his appointment and she thought he handled the transfer of power skillfully, following the change of Government in 2022; which ensured that the will of the people and our electoral laws were upheld. Source: Fijivillage News
Those are the words of the Gone Marama Bale na Roko Tui Dreketi, Ro Teimumu Kepa.
She says in recent weeks, she has become aware that her name has been circulated as a contender for the position of President when the current President, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere’s term ends.
Ro Teimumu says for the record, she is not a contender for the position of President, and if her name has been proposed, then it has been done without her knowledge or consent.
The former SODELPA Leader says she is particularly disappointed that SODELPA General Secretary Viliame Takayawa has made statements regarding this without the courtesy of seeking her view or even discussing the matter with her before issuing any statement.
She says to what she recalls, the position was initially offered by the People’s Alliance Party during the negotiation week at the first Management Board Meeting in December 2022 following the general elections, however, there have been no further discussions since.
Ro Teimumu says the position of President of Fiji is an important position as it symbolises our national unity and character and it should therefore be treated with the respect that such a position deserves.
She says it concerns her as Roko Tui Dreketi, that her name and title is being promoted as a challenger to the current President, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, and such unfounded statements could easily create a perception that the current relationship between the Tui Macuata and her or between the two provinces or Vanua o Caumatalevu and Burebasaga is strained, which is not the case.
Ro Teimumu says in fact, she believes the Turaga Bale na Tui Macuata has been doing very well since his appointment and she thought he handled the transfer of power skillfully, following the change of Government in 2022; which ensured that the will of the people and our electoral laws were upheld. Source: Fijivillage News
