REVEALED: |  BULITAVU ACCUSED |
 15 August 2015: Mosese Bulitavu to Adi Litia Qionibaravi and others. Subject: E-mail that was sent to Tui Cakau at 11pm last night | TRANSLATION |
"After berating me for asking a question the Anare Jale Committee said that I had no evidence? That is true, I had no evidence at the time. But I was suspicious enough, that I asked the question which they did not answer and instead turned my questions into accusations. But now 16 months later, the evidence that proves my suspicions to be accurate has surfaced by way of an email sent to Adi Litia by Hon Mosese Bulitavu on August 15th 2015. Adi Lita Qionibaravi knew about Gaunavinaka all along, and withheld this vital and incriminating bit of evidence from both Anare Jale’s Investigating team and the Disciplinary committee" - Beddoes, 7 December 2017
"I recently came into possession of a copy of an email from Hon Mo Bulitavu to Adi Litia Qionibaravi and Sainiana Radrodro dated August 15th 2015 in which he stated that Hon Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu had been sent the same email at 11pm the night before. The contents of this email are telling and it allows me finally [to] be in a position to put together the missing pieces of the jigsaw called Gaunavinaka. All of the characters who participated in and helped orchestrate this abuse of due process remain in the party management today. All of us who were wrongly accused by Hon Mo Bulitavu were simply ignored. My only motivation for doing this at this time is to finally establish the ‘TRUTH’ about what happened and to expose those individuals who remain in SODELPA today who collectively fabricated the report called Gaunavinaka and orchestrated an entire investigation to hoodwink the unsuspecting members, into believing they were trying to establish the truth when in fact their investigation was an effort to ‘discredit; Hon Ro Teimumu Kepa, Hon Ratu Isoa Tikoca, the late Adi Laufitu Malani, our parliamentary staff and me." -
MICK BEDDOES, 7 DECEMBER 2017
  BEDDOES 'Although the Disciplinary Committee at a Management Board meeting did recommend the expulsion of Hon Mo Bulitavu in its final recommendations, Adi Litia fervently defended Hon Mosese Bulitavu and quickly moved a motion to Pardon him. He was made Deputy Whip' - Beddoes |   The Gaunavinaka Report that was published by Fijileaks on 20 August 2015. We will not disclose our source of the report |
BY MICK BEDDOES
INTRODUCTION
I recently came into possession of a copy of an email from Hon Mo Bulitavu to Adi Litia Qionibaravi and Sainiana Radrodro dated August 15th 2015 in which he stated that Hon Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu had been sent the same email at 11pm the night before. The contents of this email are telling and it allows me finally be in a position to put together the missing pieces of the jigsaw called Gaunavinaka.
My only motivation for doing this at this time is to finally establish the ‘TRUTH’ about what happened and to expose those individuals who remain in SODELPA today who collectively fabricated the report called Gaunavinaka and orchestrated an entire investigation to hoodwink the unsuspecting members, into believing they were trying to establish the truth when in fact their investigation was an effort to ‘discredit; Hon Ro Teimumu Kepa, Hon Ratu Isoa Tikoca, the late Adi Laufitu Malani, our parliamentary staff and me.
INTRODUCTION
I recently came into possession of a copy of an email from Hon Mo Bulitavu to Adi Litia Qionibaravi and Sainiana Radrodro dated August 15th 2015 in which he stated that Hon Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu had been sent the same email at 11pm the night before. The contents of this email are telling and it allows me finally be in a position to put together the missing pieces of the jigsaw called Gaunavinaka.
My only motivation for doing this at this time is to finally establish the ‘TRUTH’ about what happened and to expose those individuals who remain in SODELPA today who collectively fabricated the report called Gaunavinaka and orchestrated an entire investigation to hoodwink the unsuspecting members, into believing they were trying to establish the truth when in fact their investigation was an effort to ‘discredit; Hon Ro Teimumu Kepa, Hon Ratu Isoa Tikoca, the late Adi Laufitu Malani, our parliamentary staff and me.
- Sixteen months ago, I was accused along with the Leader of the Opposition Hon Ro Teimumu Kepa, the late Adi Laufitu Malani, Hon Ratu Isoa Tikoca and our opposition parliamentary office staff of gross abuses and mismanagement among other things.
- We were all exonerated of any wrong doing by the Party’s own internal disciplinary committee, unfortunately this came after our accusers and their co-conspirators within the Party and management board mounted a series of outrageous public attacks with malice and disrespect especially against Hon Ro Teimumu Kepa and to a lesser extent us.
- What became obvious to all was that all of this was allowed to go on without any of the MP’s involved being cautioned or pulled into line by the President, the General Secretary, the Management Board or the MP’s. They were all silent!
- Although the Disciplinary Committee at a Management Board meeting did recommend the expulsion of Hon Mo Bulitavu in its final recommendations, Adi Litia fervently defended Hon Mosese Bulitavu and quickly moved a motion to Pardon him.
- Also, members of Ratu Kilipati Vakalalabure’s CBM constituency who were present at the meeting threatened the Management Board into forgiving Hon Mosese Bulitavu and muzzle the Report or they would walk out of SODELPA.
- All this was conveniently hushed up. Hon Mo Bulitavu was forgiven and promptly rewarded for his wrong doing and appointed Deputy Whip.
- All of the characters who participated in and helped orchestrate this abuse of due process remain in the party management today.
- All of us who were wrongly accused by Hon Mo Bulitavu were simply ignored.
COUPING: Adi Litia accused of couping against Beddoes. Here she is with the
1987 coupist and SODELPA leader Rabuka
1987 coupist and SODELPA leader Rabuka
| INJUSTICE In a letter to me dated April 16 2016, SODELPA General Secretary L.Q.Qionibaravi, outlined the 5 issues I was accused of and investigated for. Against each of these issues she included the findings of the Anare Jale Investigating Committee as well as the findings of the Disciplinary Committee. Their findings are so different it is clear that the Anare Jale Committee was out to find us guilty of what we had been accused of, whereas the Disciplinary Committee looked at the rules and the evidence and ruled accordingly. [Refer Example Table 1 below] |  Anare Jale |
1. The fifth issue referred to in Table 1 was made up by Adi Litia or the Management Board because there were not issues but 2 questions that I had asked the Management Board in my formal complaint against Hon Mo Bulitavu dated August 17th 2015. [Refer to Table 2 below]
2. The conclusions drawn by the Anare Jale team was obviously flawed because I never accused anyone, I just asked if anyone of them were involved, had knowledge of, or lent support to Hon Bulitavu.
3. After berating me for asking a question the Anare Jale committee said that I had no evidence? That is true, I had no evidence at the time, But I was suspicious enough, that I asked the question which they did not answer and instead turned my questions into accusations.
4. But now 16 months later, the evidence that proves my suspicions to be accurate has surfaced by way of an email sent to Adi Litia by Hon Mosese Bulitavu on August 15th 2015. Just 3 days after the Gaunavinaka report was leaked.
5. The final determination of the Disciplinary Committee was on December 5th 2015 meaning Adi Lita Qionibaravi knew about Gaunavinaka all along, and withheld this vital and incriminating bit of evidence from both Anare Jale’s Investigating team and the Disciplinary committee [Refer new email evidence Tables 3 & 4
2. The conclusions drawn by the Anare Jale team was obviously flawed because I never accused anyone, I just asked if anyone of them were involved, had knowledge of, or lent support to Hon Bulitavu.
3. After berating me for asking a question the Anare Jale committee said that I had no evidence? That is true, I had no evidence at the time, But I was suspicious enough, that I asked the question which they did not answer and instead turned my questions into accusations.
4. But now 16 months later, the evidence that proves my suspicions to be accurate has surfaced by way of an email sent to Adi Litia by Hon Mosese Bulitavu on August 15th 2015. Just 3 days after the Gaunavinaka report was leaked.
5. The final determination of the Disciplinary Committee was on December 5th 2015 meaning Adi Lita Qionibaravi knew about Gaunavinaka all along, and withheld this vital and incriminating bit of evidence from both Anare Jale’s Investigating team and the Disciplinary committee [Refer new email evidence Tables 3 & 4
THE BIG PICTURE
Armed with this new information I went back over the past 16 months and the sequence of events that led to the distribution of the “Investigations and Findings – Opposition Office Clean-up Campaign report that was later dubbed the Gaunavinaka report and the various encounters I had with people at different times. I wanted to as much as possible connect the dots and get to a position where I feel I can, beyond a reasonable doubt put the finger on who it is I think ‘Gaunavinaka’ was.
So here are the facts:-
1. Sequence of events
2. By his own words, Hon Mo Bulitavu says that he, with members of the CBM and Naitasiri Constituency, spent time strategizing and soliciting support for the removal of Hon Ro Teimumu Kepa as Leader of Opposition and plans to discredit her closest allies in the Party and effectively pave the way for Sitiveni Rabuka to come in as Party Leader.
3. Hon Mosese Bulitavu confesses that he compiled a report which he leaked. And that he was given the blessing to do what he did by Ratu Kilipati Vakalalabure. The report he refers to was aimed at cleaning up the Opposition Office. So I assume he is talking about the 6-page report titled “Investigations and Findings – Opposition Office Clean-up Campaign” later known as the GAUNAVINAKA REPORT. There is no other report.
4. In the email he also reveals that he and some members of the SODELPA Parliamentary Caucus decided to endorse the Gaunavinaka Report, Initially they had hoped to have the matter investigated as an anonymous report, however I had drawn the GS’s attention to the fact that only registered member’s complaints could be investigated and Gaunavinaka was not a member. Shortly after I said that in the presence of at least 2 of the 5 complaining MP’s the joint letter was filed.
Armed with this new information I went back over the past 16 months and the sequence of events that led to the distribution of the “Investigations and Findings – Opposition Office Clean-up Campaign report that was later dubbed the Gaunavinaka report and the various encounters I had with people at different times. I wanted to as much as possible connect the dots and get to a position where I feel I can, beyond a reasonable doubt put the finger on who it is I think ‘Gaunavinaka’ was.
So here are the facts:-
1. Sequence of events
- August 12th: A 6 page report titled “Investigations and Findings – Opposition Office Clean-up Campaign” was released to selected media and SODELPA members. It included, a) a 3-page letter to the Leader of the Opposition and signed by the Tui Cakau with the subject “Disappointment on the Opposition’s Stand regarding Resignation of the Military Commander and Appointment of Viliame Naupoto to Act as Military Commander and b) a copy of the Parliamentary office’s bank statement.
- August 12th at 5.36pm in replying to Niko Nawaikula who emailed his concerns about how things were unfolding, Mo Bulitavu signed off as ‘Gauna’
- August 13th: The Gaunavinaka Report as it became known, was covered in both the Fiji Sun and FBC
- August 14th: The 5 MP’s filed their Complaint No 1
- August 15th: Hon Mo Bulitavu’s emails to Sai Radrodro and Adi Litia Qionibaravi [just released]
- August 17th at 9.30am Hon Mo Bulitavu emails details to Victor Lal of Fijileaks
- August 17th: I lodge my formal complaint against Hon Mo Bulitavu and the other MP’s
- August 19th: Their Complaint No 2 - Opposition Issues & Concerns
- September 8th: My response to the allegations in their Complaint No 2
2. By his own words, Hon Mo Bulitavu says that he, with members of the CBM and Naitasiri Constituency, spent time strategizing and soliciting support for the removal of Hon Ro Teimumu Kepa as Leader of Opposition and plans to discredit her closest allies in the Party and effectively pave the way for Sitiveni Rabuka to come in as Party Leader.
3. Hon Mosese Bulitavu confesses that he compiled a report which he leaked. And that he was given the blessing to do what he did by Ratu Kilipati Vakalalabure. The report he refers to was aimed at cleaning up the Opposition Office. So I assume he is talking about the 6-page report titled “Investigations and Findings – Opposition Office Clean-up Campaign” later known as the GAUNAVINAKA REPORT. There is no other report.
4. In the email he also reveals that he and some members of the SODELPA Parliamentary Caucus decided to endorse the Gaunavinaka Report, Initially they had hoped to have the matter investigated as an anonymous report, however I had drawn the GS’s attention to the fact that only registered member’s complaints could be investigated and Gaunavinaka was not a member. Shortly after I said that in the presence of at least 2 of the 5 complaining MP’s the joint letter was filed.
| 5. Hon Mosese Bulitavu claims in Paragraph 3 that he compiled the report, and that Hon Karavaki compiled the complaint. The words here that make the distinction of the two documents are ‘ivola’ (in P1) and ‘repote’ (in P3). It is interesting that during discussion I had with Hon Karavaki, he indicated he was just asked to put his signature on the documents and nothing else, however according to Hon Mosses’ email, Hon Karavaki was definitely involved! |  |
6. One of the emails was sent to Adi Litia Qionibaravi (who at the time was heavily involved in reforming the SODELPA Constitution and was a special advisor to SODELPA President Hon Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu. This email proves that Adi Litia knew that Hon Mosese Bulitavu had written the 6-page report titled “Investigations and Findings – Opposition Office Clean Up Campaign” known to us as the infamous GAUNAVINAKA REPORT.
7. The email Adi Litia Qionibaravi received from Hon Mosese Bulitavu in which he detailed everything was dated August 15th, just 2 days later on August 17th I filed my notice of Grievance against Hon Mosese Bulitavu and in my letter I asked if the General Secretary and/or Management Board, individually or collectively had any knowledge of, participated in, sanctioned or lent support directly or indirectly to the author of the report or any other individuals including Hon Mosese Bulitavu or the person known as Gaunavinaka.
8. They did not respond to this question, but thanks to Hon Mosese Bulitavu’s email, I now know that Adi Litia did have contact with Hon Mosese Bulitavu via his August 15th email.
9. Adi Litia I believe, drafted the Terms of Reference for the Independent Investigating Committee, and when I read the TOR it was obvious to me that Adi Litia had already decided that Hon Ro Teimumu Kepa and us, her allies were guilty. So the Investigating team led by Anare Jale operated on the basis that their mission was to find us ‘guilty’ of all the false charges.
10. Certainly that was the experience I encountered as far as my interviews with the committee were concerned.
11. According to members of our team who attended the Management Board meeting where the findings of the Independent Disciplinary Committee was presented, Adi Litia fervently defended Hon Mosese Bulitavu and moved a motion for his Pardon.
12. Members of Ratu Kilipati Vakalalabure’s CBM constituency [who I now know from Mo’s email helped him with the report and supported his actions] threatened the rest of the Management Board to forgive Hon Mosese Bulitavu and muzzle the Report or they would walk out of SODELPA.
13. That is what happened in that Management Board meeting and it was hushed up.
THE UNSOLICITED LEGAL OPINION
Adi Litia was the one who wrote a legal opinion and presented it to the Management Board
1. Adi Litia Qionibaravi has been agitating for regime change in SODELPA since the outcome of the 2014 Elections.
2. In fact she is the one who had written a Legal opinion and took it to the Management Board meeting, calling for Hon Ro Teimumu Kepa to step down and resign. Her logic being, Hon Ro Teimumu failed to lead SODELPA into government?
3. If we were talking about a fully functional democracy in Fiji, I would agree, but we are talking about a dictatorship and having to lead a newly established party out of 8 years of suppression and 'zero' representation and securing 30% of the seats in parliament and 28% of total votes cast in the 2014 elections.
That is what I consider an achievement against the odds, and to my mind it was definitely not a failure, Hon Ro Teimumu punched a sizable hole in the side of the Fiji First armory.
4. The only failure that Hon Ro Teimumu encountered came from within, and it came via the authors and coconspirators of Gaunavinaka and their collective effort to undermine Hon Ro Teimumu’s leadership at every opportunity to further their own agenda and not the greater good of the party and its members.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
It is now obvious to me that what we went through with the Gaunavinaka saga although unwarranted and unjust was just one phase of a multi phased objective which started out with Gaunavinaka to justify our removal, then came the amendments to the party constitution to give effect to their new ‘control’ strategy, followed by Rabuka’s election after a number of earlier failures.
Next will be the removal of Hon Ro Teimumu, and ultimately there will be a restructure and renaming of SODELPA and the re-emergence of CAMV. That’s what I believe their real objective is, and that’s the full picture as I see it.
So thanks to Hon Mosese Bulitavu’s email we now know that the people involved in the Gaunavinaka saga included – Hon Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, Adi Litia Qionibaravi, Ratu Kilipati Vakalalabure, Hon Karavaki, Hon Kiliraki, Hon Bulitavu Hon Radrodro [Although recent developments indicate he may be on the way out], Hon Leawere, Mrs Sainiana Radrodro, CBM supporters and former CAMV supporters within SODELPA, all quietly waiting for the ultimate resurrection of CAMV and the demise of SODELPA,
Peter Waqavonovono got it right the first time, when he told me, at the very beginning, that all this was to pave the way for Rabuka and they are prepared to destroy SODELPA to do it
Mick Beddoes
Sabeto, Nadi
7. The email Adi Litia Qionibaravi received from Hon Mosese Bulitavu in which he detailed everything was dated August 15th, just 2 days later on August 17th I filed my notice of Grievance against Hon Mosese Bulitavu and in my letter I asked if the General Secretary and/or Management Board, individually or collectively had any knowledge of, participated in, sanctioned or lent support directly or indirectly to the author of the report or any other individuals including Hon Mosese Bulitavu or the person known as Gaunavinaka.
8. They did not respond to this question, but thanks to Hon Mosese Bulitavu’s email, I now know that Adi Litia did have contact with Hon Mosese Bulitavu via his August 15th email.
9. Adi Litia I believe, drafted the Terms of Reference for the Independent Investigating Committee, and when I read the TOR it was obvious to me that Adi Litia had already decided that Hon Ro Teimumu Kepa and us, her allies were guilty. So the Investigating team led by Anare Jale operated on the basis that their mission was to find us ‘guilty’ of all the false charges.
10. Certainly that was the experience I encountered as far as my interviews with the committee were concerned.
11. According to members of our team who attended the Management Board meeting where the findings of the Independent Disciplinary Committee was presented, Adi Litia fervently defended Hon Mosese Bulitavu and moved a motion for his Pardon.
12. Members of Ratu Kilipati Vakalalabure’s CBM constituency [who I now know from Mo’s email helped him with the report and supported his actions] threatened the rest of the Management Board to forgive Hon Mosese Bulitavu and muzzle the Report or they would walk out of SODELPA.
13. That is what happened in that Management Board meeting and it was hushed up.
THE UNSOLICITED LEGAL OPINION
Adi Litia was the one who wrote a legal opinion and presented it to the Management Board
1. Adi Litia Qionibaravi has been agitating for regime change in SODELPA since the outcome of the 2014 Elections.
2. In fact she is the one who had written a Legal opinion and took it to the Management Board meeting, calling for Hon Ro Teimumu Kepa to step down and resign. Her logic being, Hon Ro Teimumu failed to lead SODELPA into government?
3. If we were talking about a fully functional democracy in Fiji, I would agree, but we are talking about a dictatorship and having to lead a newly established party out of 8 years of suppression and 'zero' representation and securing 30% of the seats in parliament and 28% of total votes cast in the 2014 elections.
That is what I consider an achievement against the odds, and to my mind it was definitely not a failure, Hon Ro Teimumu punched a sizable hole in the side of the Fiji First armory.
4. The only failure that Hon Ro Teimumu encountered came from within, and it came via the authors and coconspirators of Gaunavinaka and their collective effort to undermine Hon Ro Teimumu’s leadership at every opportunity to further their own agenda and not the greater good of the party and its members.
CONCLUDING REMARKS
It is now obvious to me that what we went through with the Gaunavinaka saga although unwarranted and unjust was just one phase of a multi phased objective which started out with Gaunavinaka to justify our removal, then came the amendments to the party constitution to give effect to their new ‘control’ strategy, followed by Rabuka’s election after a number of earlier failures.
Next will be the removal of Hon Ro Teimumu, and ultimately there will be a restructure and renaming of SODELPA and the re-emergence of CAMV. That’s what I believe their real objective is, and that’s the full picture as I see it.
So thanks to Hon Mosese Bulitavu’s email we now know that the people involved in the Gaunavinaka saga included – Hon Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, Adi Litia Qionibaravi, Ratu Kilipati Vakalalabure, Hon Karavaki, Hon Kiliraki, Hon Bulitavu Hon Radrodro [Although recent developments indicate he may be on the way out], Hon Leawere, Mrs Sainiana Radrodro, CBM supporters and former CAMV supporters within SODELPA, all quietly waiting for the ultimate resurrection of CAMV and the demise of SODELPA,
Peter Waqavonovono got it right the first time, when he told me, at the very beginning, that all this was to pave the way for Rabuka and they are prepared to destroy SODELPA to do it
Mick Beddoes
Sabeto, Nadi
 Table No 1: Adi Litia’s reference to a ‘fifth issue I was accused of”  Table 4: Page 2 Copy of email from Mo Bulitavu to Sainiana Radrodro and Adi Litia Fijileaks: We are yet to obtain comment from Mosese Bulitavu |  Table 2: Questions I asked on August 17 2015 that Adi Litia converted into accusations and her Fifth Issue. TRANSLATION Many people are blaming the Fiji sun for discrediting the party however the truth is that the caucus has been at the root of it all. We have been made a fool of as we have not been involved in any decision making. Our thinking is that Ratu Yavala comes in as replacement to the opposition leader. If the inquiry is not well conducted hon Aseri Radroro's role in PAC will be weakened. We have no more confidence in the opposition leader or whip. Many people are asking as to who is the author of the (Gaunavinaka) report, I am requesting that the party deals with this issue. We have asked GS to stand up straight and she is awaiting a decision from you. My apology for the negative light cast on the party and your name (Desperate times needs desperate measures) The caucus at this time is minus us. I am requesting your decision be straight and clean. Wishing you all the best. Your obedient servant, Mo |
From Fijileaks Archive, 20 August 2015:
http://www.fijileaks.com/home/gaunavinaka-report-bulitavo-tells-ro-kepa-stop-your-selfishness-and-deceit-and-wait-for-sodelpa-internal-inquiry-ro-kepa-mp-bulitavo-collaborating-with-fiji-firsts-propaganda-arm-the-fiji-sun-to-smear-me
From Fijileaks Archive, 10 December 2015:
DISCIPLINARY COMMITTEE REPORT
Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa today broke her silence on the ongoing issue of the Mosese Bulitavu, Aseri Radrodro led Gaunavinaka report.
Ro Teimumu said she attended the SODELPA Management Board meeting held on Saturday 5th December [2015] when the Disciplinary Committee tabled its final determination and recommendations on the Bulitavu, Radrodro Gaunavinaka Report.
Ro Teimumu said Mosese Bulitavu, Aseri Radrodro and others made damaging and false accusations against her and others with their discredited document.
The Disciplinary Committee involves senior members of the party and the lawyer in the group is a respected member of the legal fraternity. The following is what the Committee recommended:-
On financial mismanagement, the members reaffirmed that the claims were false and unsubstantiated, and dismissed all allegations against me, Hon Ratu Isoa Tikoca, Hon Salote Radrodro, Laufitu Malani and Mick Beddoes.
They recommended the expulsion of Hon Mosese Bulitavu.
That is essentially what the Executive Summary of the report spelt out.
Compare the facts of the Executive Summary that I have outlined with the official statement issued by the General Secretary of SODELPA and it becomes obvious that certain officials in the party have for reasons best known to them, hidden the truth from our people.
This is totally unacceptable and it goes against the basic principles and values of the party and sadly these elements were missing from the Management Board's decision and media release which were made without the concurrence of all of its members.
The Disciplinary Committee had full powers to make its recommendations and in the interests of justice and fairness and to maintain its impartiality the Management Board should have fully endorsed the recommendations.
After the tabling of the Disciplinary Committee’s report I, and others, who had been exonerated were asked to leave the meeting room.
What followed was the Management Board's 'pardon' of Hon Mosese Bulitavu for his reprehensible and disloyal behaviour. The pardon came after northern delegates threatened to leave SODELPA if Hon Bulitavu was expelled as recommended.
This decision by the Board is regrettable because they allowed themselves to be blackmailed. There is no evidence to indicate any of our accusers made any apology and neither had any of them shown remorse. Decisions made under 'threat' are flawed and compromised. Once this type of precedent is set, a political party exposes itself to further threats. It puts itself on a slippery slope.
No one is forced to become a member of SODELPA and neither are members forced to stay with the party. If they don't like the outcome of the party's Disciplinary Committee, they are free to resign.
SODELPA members have been looking forward to the resolution of the dispute involving the discredited allegations by Mosese Bulitavu, Aseri Radrodro and others. The Disciplinary Committee did the task entrusted to it.
However the Management Board’s actions in ignoring the recommendation on Hon Bulitavu has brought SODELPA into greater disrepute.
This ongoing disorder and dysfunctionality within the party executive must stop now, we cannot and must not allow disloyal members and disruptive elements to hold the entire party to ransom. The only benefactors to this deliberately created crisis continuing is Fiji First and we must all oppose this vigorously.
I call on all our loyal party supporters to rally behind us and help me bring about a change in SODELPA away from its current secretive, divisive and destructive stance to a more credible, accountable and transparent party.
Authorized By:
Hon Ro Teimumu Kepa
Opposition Leader Ro Teimumu Kepa today broke her silence on the ongoing issue of the Mosese Bulitavu, Aseri Radrodro led Gaunavinaka report.
Ro Teimumu said she attended the SODELPA Management Board meeting held on Saturday 5th December [2015] when the Disciplinary Committee tabled its final determination and recommendations on the Bulitavu, Radrodro Gaunavinaka Report.
Ro Teimumu said Mosese Bulitavu, Aseri Radrodro and others made damaging and false accusations against her and others with their discredited document.
The Disciplinary Committee involves senior members of the party and the lawyer in the group is a respected member of the legal fraternity. The following is what the Committee recommended:-
On financial mismanagement, the members reaffirmed that the claims were false and unsubstantiated, and dismissed all allegations against me, Hon Ratu Isoa Tikoca, Hon Salote Radrodro, Laufitu Malani and Mick Beddoes.
They recommended the expulsion of Hon Mosese Bulitavu.
That is essentially what the Executive Summary of the report spelt out.
Compare the facts of the Executive Summary that I have outlined with the official statement issued by the General Secretary of SODELPA and it becomes obvious that certain officials in the party have for reasons best known to them, hidden the truth from our people.
This is totally unacceptable and it goes against the basic principles and values of the party and sadly these elements were missing from the Management Board's decision and media release which were made without the concurrence of all of its members.
The Disciplinary Committee had full powers to make its recommendations and in the interests of justice and fairness and to maintain its impartiality the Management Board should have fully endorsed the recommendations.
After the tabling of the Disciplinary Committee’s report I, and others, who had been exonerated were asked to leave the meeting room.
What followed was the Management Board's 'pardon' of Hon Mosese Bulitavu for his reprehensible and disloyal behaviour. The pardon came after northern delegates threatened to leave SODELPA if Hon Bulitavu was expelled as recommended.
This decision by the Board is regrettable because they allowed themselves to be blackmailed. There is no evidence to indicate any of our accusers made any apology and neither had any of them shown remorse. Decisions made under 'threat' are flawed and compromised. Once this type of precedent is set, a political party exposes itself to further threats. It puts itself on a slippery slope.
No one is forced to become a member of SODELPA and neither are members forced to stay with the party. If they don't like the outcome of the party's Disciplinary Committee, they are free to resign.
SODELPA members have been looking forward to the resolution of the dispute involving the discredited allegations by Mosese Bulitavu, Aseri Radrodro and others. The Disciplinary Committee did the task entrusted to it.
However the Management Board’s actions in ignoring the recommendation on Hon Bulitavu has brought SODELPA into greater disrepute.
This ongoing disorder and dysfunctionality within the party executive must stop now, we cannot and must not allow disloyal members and disruptive elements to hold the entire party to ransom. The only benefactors to this deliberately created crisis continuing is Fiji First and we must all oppose this vigorously.
I call on all our loyal party supporters to rally behind us and help me bring about a change in SODELPA away from its current secretive, divisive and destructive stance to a more credible, accountable and transparent party.
Authorized By:
Hon Ro Teimumu Kepa
 We won't be surprised if Ratu Isoa Tikoca is not given SODELPA ticket. The Gaunavinaka Report had accused him of undermining |  |
On the other hand, Whip-Ratu Isoa Tikoca (MP) a fall out from Bainimarama’s administration being Ambassador to PNG and the master-mind of the iTaukei Foundation established at the Bosevanua in Bau to sign a memorandum with the government under the United Nations Declaration for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) with intention to undermine the Yanuca Resolutions. The Yanuca letter was endorsed by the Vitivou Forum Inc. and the Fiji Native Tribe Congress to prove to the ILO Convention 169 Committee of Experts that the argument by the Bainimarama government that majority of indigenous Fijians had accepted the reforms directed to remove their group rights through the adoption of the People’s Charter is not true, indigenous peoples were not consulted of the imposed changes. Both indigenous groups are co-chaired by the Leader of the Opposition and Tui Cakau, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu (MP) with many heads of chiefly domes in Kubuna, Burebasaga and Tovata Confederacies. Opposition Whip-Ratu Isoa Tikoca (MP) after he was sacked and his passport held until he fully settled the money he used for his son’s tuition fees who was studying in Australia, presented his iTaukei Foundation concept to negotiate on behalf of Tailevu province to the Government, but failed to convince Bainimarama. He brought his concept to SODELPA and was allowed to present it the party headquarters trying to convince the party with Bainimarama’s abusive emails. It was only in January, 2014 that Ratu Isoa Tikoca (MP) entered the SODELPA movement - Reclaiming Fiji. How can these individuals be trusted and given very key decision making positions at the Opposition Office? -
The Gaunavinaka Report
"It is unfortunate to state that the appointment of Richard Naidu as the Opposition’s nominee was the decision of the Leader of the Opposition alone and did not reflect any consensus with the caucus or the party. She pushed her way through to get her choice despite members of the caucus suggesting other nominees...In the recent resignation and the appointment of the new RFMF Commander, the Opposition Office acted without the direction, knowledge and permission of the party by publically saying in the media that the acting appointment of Viliame Naupoto as new Commander was ‘in order’ because it was procedurally agreed at the Constitution Commission. The Leader of the Opposition and her nominee Richard Naidu made a blanket undertaking that the Chairperson is allowed to make interim three months appointments. The President [Ratu Naiqama] had expressed his disappointment and questioned the Leader of the Opposition in a written letter on 3 August 2015 on the validity of the position of the Opposition Office taken especially one done without his understanding, without consultation as to the position of the party." - THE GAUNAVINAKA REPORT |  "Without the consultation of the caucus and the management board of the party she announced that the leader of the National Federation Party [Biman Prasad] is the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. The Leader of the Opposition gave away a key position of every opposition majority party that will give the National Federation Party (NFP) mileage for the 2018 elections. The conspiracy was later revealed to be created by Laufitu Malani and Eci Kikau of the NFP. This is a serious breach of the party constitution."  |
"Without the consultation of the caucus and the management board of the party she announced that the leader of the National Federation Party [Biman Prasad] is the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee. The Leader of the Opposition gave away a key position of every opposition majority party that will give the National Federation Party (NFP) mileage for the 2018 elections." - Gaunavinaka Report
"Ratu Sai" was responding to allegations against Sakiusa Raivoce in the Gaunavinaka Report. Raivoce is on the Selection Committee to select SODELPA candidates for the 2018 general election
From Fijileaks Archive, 20 August 2015:
UPDATE: "I have read your latest statement in the blog-site and I agree with the report, because that is the amount the SODELPA Opposition Office in Parliament borrowed from me. I did not even ask for an interest, they offered it to me. I don't know where the $30k and the $10k interest came from as reported by Gaunavinaka." - Sakiusa Raivoce to Fijileaks
Fijileaks Investigation Team's finding:
* Raivoce paid for the Opposition Office staff wages & petty cash from the date that the General Secretary of Parliament terminated all staff on 9 January 2015 until the Opposition received their $225,000 deposit.
* Raivoce stepped in to provide a bridging loan and Sodelpa agreed to the nominal interest rate in exchange.
* Sodelpa provided a wage listing and petty cash reimbursement each week and he advanced the money.
* In March Sodelpa refunded him $13,261.24 plus 5% interest of $663.07. He was paid $13,924.31 in total.
* Had Raivoce not stepped in, Sodelpa would have had to close the office or ask the staff to work for free.
* Raivoce had agreed to loan $10,000 initially and the interest was to be $500
The SODELPA selection committee deliberating on applications for the 2018 lineup at the party office. Raivoce on the left of Laisenia Qarase
 "I prepared the GAUNAVINAKA Report and organised its leak as our mouths have been shut." | TRANSLATION |
"The Caucus has decided that a letter of complaint, already drafted by Karavaki, be forwarded to the GS [General Secretary of SODELPA, Adi Litia Qionibaravi, on the leadership in the office. I state here that the caucus masterminded operation Gaunavinaka. I prepared the report and organised its leak as our mouths have be."
