The thaw in relations between Fiji and New Zealand continues with the announcement of a $2-million contribution towards preparations for the 2014 election. While the precise allocation has yet to be finalised, $500,000 will go the Constitutional Commission and the balance towards the process of voter registration and education.
The thaw has been gradual and incremental, beginning with tentative contacts months ago between the NZ Foreign Minister, Murray McCully, and his Fijian counterpart, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola. Their most recent meeting in Suva at the weekend was the most positive yet, at least judging from the effusive comments of Ratu Inoke, who said it “would be etched in the history books of both countries”.
For the normally cautious Foreign Minister to have made such a grand declaration, the atmospherics behind the scenes must have been extremely cordial. But Mr McCully, of course, has to be a lot more circumspect in his public statements and confined himself to being “happy” with the reform process in Fiji. The NZ Foreign Minister is caught between a natural desire for better ties to address the realpolitik in Suva and a domestic audience that ranges from sceptical to outwardly hostile about any accommodation with the Bainimarama regime.
There’s already something of a backlash in New Zealand over the revelation that its secret service agents uncovered an alleged plot to assassinate Prime Minister Bainimarama and his number two, Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum. You’d imagine that most New Zealanders would applaud the news given the appalling consequences if such a plan were to ever succeed. But NZ is a hotbed of anti-regime activity and incredibly, some of these individuals were asking aloud why such plots are illegal when it’s perfectly lawful for a New Zealand citizen, Christopher Pryde , to be working for the regime as Direct of Public Prosecutions. Yes, the lack of moral clarity among such people is breathtaking.
But while Murray McCully has to keep one eye on the voters back home, there’s no doubting the sincerity of his push for better ties with Fiji. What he didn’t say after his meeting with Ratu Inoke spoke just as loudly than what he did. Because he could have easily chosen to be drawn into last week’s unfortunate public spat between the Government and the Constitutional Commission over the question of immunity for regime figures when democracy is eventually restored. With the CONCOM head, Professor Yash Ghai, muttering about the risk of the Government’s plans “perpetuating a coup culture” and the Attorney General accusing the Commission of “undermining the justice system”, there are clearly some difficult days ahead. But the NZ Foreign Minister chose to cast it as a blip rather than a crisis – a sign in itself of how far the relationship has shifted. ”We weren’t going to see things (in Fiji) move overnight, but we are seeing things move in the right direction”, he said.
By not publicly taking sides, New Zealand is displaying a determination to keep the wheels on the reform process. Mr McCully said he’d be watching the situation closely, but he was happy with the process thus far. ”We’ve been given an assurance by the attorney general … that there would be freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of the media to report on the work of the commission,” he said.
Yet for all the positive tone of his visit, the Foreign Minister made it clear that none of it signaled any imminent normalisation of ties between NZ and Fiji. The so-called “smart sanctions”, including travel bans, continue and Fiji will still be suspended from the Pacific Forum. Mr McCully said that were there to be any change on this, New Zealand would only be acting in concert with Australia. Yet with every month that passes – and the 2014 election looms closer – that back down becomes more and more inevitable.
All of which goes to explain the current atmosphere of near hysteria on anti-regime websites at any weakening of the Australian and NZ position on Fiji. The wave of frenzied capital letters and exclamation marks in the comments columns are a clear sign that the Government’s opponents know it is coming. But they intend to scream all the way to election day and beyond.
This article has subsequently appeared in the Fiji Sun.
The huff and the puff only lasts for so long….its like a mini cyclone that comes and goes and does some damage, but if you stick to your ground, you will rebuilt.
I’m glad that the Fijian administration had stuck to own plans and timings for elections and did not allow the two regional bullies to dictate. Remember guys RESPECT.
Yes, the foundation for RESPECT has been layed down by this government, not for now but for the future as well. Swallow this Samoa….and this.
So what will happen to this movement for democracy shitters..??? Ok here is one scenario..
ANZ treat their own native citizens (the first peoples) with contempt and these so called democracy shitters think they can forever bid their support…..yes only when you still have some feathers left.
The democracy shitters leaders (most of them have been granted citizenship) will continue bleating knowing that they and their kins will never be allowed back in Fiji…..
The blind followers will await their bridging visas…and will make more noise to get them….and finally join the que to support services for gov’t benefit until they can find “suitable” jobs…..when you join the que, remember nobody cares if you are a chief or not…..or whether you are Ului, Bale, Singh, Patel or Ratu.
Oh Patel….yes….ummm ok for another day.
Maccas will always be open.
The democracy shitters will go to the Island shops on alternate Saturdays to buy their pre-made Samoan LOVO
Me, I will enjoy my LOVO and Jungalee murga in Fiji under the coconut and mango trees…
maybe Komai will be joining me….
On a serious note it’s not too late for a dialogue…come join the conversation……don’t follow blindly.
This blog has been having an impact by pointing out that although undesirable, the coup is a reality that has to be dealt with in a proper manner so as to minimize long-term socio-economic damage and make recovery easier.
Short-sighted, myopic and self-interested subversives associated with the previous SDL government were calling sanctions, revolutions, assassinations, bombings and what not. All unnecessary, destructive and counterproductive, especially when Fiji was moving towards a settlelement and when Fiji has always solved its problems peacefully.
Hate mongers like Mark Manning, Mere Samisoni, Terry Tevtia, Wilson, Rajesh Singh, Uli Mara, Suliasi Daunitutu and Baledrokaka at ANU who have been directly, indirectly and impatiently calling for intervention and violence are the real threts to the future of Fiji.
Hopefully Australia and NZ will stop listening to them, and others like SDL supporter Fraekal and the naive Brij Lal, who have developed a hero complex, and are milking the situation for their own ends, such as to get expelled and build a name.
It seems that NZ is now able to see past all these hidden agendas.
Coup opportunists come in all shapes, sizes and forms. Sometimes these opportunists are so transparent. It is whispered that a certain ANU professor with ties to Fiji deliberately got himself expelled from the country so that he could wear it like a badge of honour.
Eap, the rats have to soon start hiding in aus/nz because after 2014, Fiji will have democratically elected government and they will have powers to extradite the rats and theirs who are hiding in aus.nz who have many cases to answer from trust money stealing, gov corruption and to other crimes.
If they somehow manage to pay lots of QC, s and manage to not get extradited, they will never get to step on the Fijian soil until they are breathing.
And guess what. I will enjoy my twice yearly visits to Fiji, go and swim in any part of Fiji as I please and enjoy lovo with chand, until I can make my move semi permanently there.
Oh it feels good.
Strange that you mentioned about QC….now see the irony here.
ANZ is actively not allowing members of its judiciary/legals from being part of the Fiji government but does nothing to stop its QC’s representing the accused against the government.
Please correct me on this.
I wonder what will happen if these QC’s are not allowed represent the accused..not allowed into the country…..let the local lawyers do the job….I mean just reverse the process and see what happens…..food for thought perhaps.
Please enlighten us Petelo.
What gibberish are you talking about now Chandy? Stop jabbering away and go and wash my dishes. After that, go and mow my lawns.
Samoa’s position remains clear. Coup-botherers and coup-apologists are scum of the earth.
The 2014 elections will be a sham and we’ll probably end up with another coup in 6 years time. Time to start shagging eachother so that the indians and palagis can assimilate into Fijian culture so everyone lives happily ever after.
Petelo, are you and Terry Tavita one and the same? Because it sure looks that way. The same obsession with “shagging”, of casting your neighbouring islanders as servants and the same weird view of the world. Perhaps you are his alter ego, the “nicer” Terry who doesn’t overtly display racism and act like a frenzied bull in a China shop?
Just wondering.:-)
Samoa is a sham; an autocracy dressed up as a democracy; so well disguised that Samoans are not even aware, or not bothered; ‘champions’ of democracy like Petelo are in denial about their own situation, but quick to lecture Fiji.
First clean up your own backyard.
Hahahaha… even Samoa’s chiefly system is democratic. All title holders are elected by their aiga to represent them in the village councils. All paramount titles are elected by the various district orator groups and heads of clans. Most paramount titles take years to fill because all clans must agree to the election.
@ Petelo,
I’m glad that you joined this conversation and I can assure you that though being an idiot, you have improved somewhat in conversational english…not much….but enough to get you going.
You know Petelo, between you and me I reckon that bigger idiot boss of yours,…what’s em name…oh yes Terry…his brain has been shagged stupid. Now just keep this between you and me or else he will leave you out of your threesome with Tui.
Anyways how’s your plantation going…funny things happening there!!!
Oh I remember…you plant Petelo and get Terry…..isn’t that correct.
Oh who cares.. when they’re from the same plantation and fed the same manure…
Cheers Petelo!! as always in anticipation of an enlightened response.
I think your lease on my front garden is about to come up for renewal. In the interests of competitive bidding, I think you’ll need to show why it has weeds in it now, before we can consider any new application for lease.
I hope NZ ask for full transparency when their $2million is funnelled into Bainimarama’s coffers. Otherwise, he’ll use it to buy more guns for his tinpot army.
What a great olive branch it would be to drop the travel bans on “appointed” positions to boards etc. it has never been productive even when NZ and Aus where so much against the takeover. Now that the “thaw” is here, why not allow the best people here to get involved without them having to worry about family and medical issues in NZ and OZ?
I am glad that at least Wellington took note of some of my points,ideas and opinions that was requested specifically by the acting NZ high commissioner to Fiji back in November 2009.
Hello Vinny,Chand and everybody!! sorry ive been away I still have to blog some more of my thoughts and opinions on other issues.Just to start off,stakeholders need to renegotiate on new terms of the masteraward in the sugar industry as a means of finding common ground on cane leases.
@ wilson,
Well I’m glad New Zealand listened to you and I hope in future Australia will also.
You must have fine points.
It’s just that they don’t listen to us.
I thought I just gave my $1 bit in writing I was in the NZ High Commission for sme other reasons and the thoughts just sprang up in my mind
@ wilson,
Well thanks wilson, I’m sure NZ Embassy would have put your notes in a “Classified TOP SECRET File” only intended to be opened when they have run out of ideas.
Well done.
By the way could you also write some fine points for the Samoan Gov’t.
Chand,
I suggest we leave the Samoans alone.they are not the problem here.I hope you will spend your energy and intellect on coming up with ideas for nation building as we move forward.I don’t care what the NZ High comm or NZ government do with my paper or ideas.The fact remains that they asked me if they could forward those points I raised to Wellington.The NZ government is in the loop now helping Fiji.I would be more interested in what you think on the two issues I have raised above and on other issues I will be raising which cut through to the very fabric of daily lives in Fiji.meantime enjoy the olympics
@ Wilson,
Listen mate, I’ve dealt with you before and I know of your duplicity and I don’t take you seriously….quite frankly.
So for you to subject me to your whims viz some sugar talk is a nay nay.
I choose what subject I need to discuss (mainly on the postings of Graham) and if there are responses on this blog site, it is an open slather for me.
I choose my responses to subjects and nobody tells me so. This I do within the confines of some guidelines as posted by Graham sometime a go.
What think you Petelo.
Chand and Vinny,
These are some other thoughts for nation building
1.The master award is configured in such a way that 70 percent of the sugar proceeds go to the growers and 30% to the millers.At its peak the FSC and government gets about $200 million minimum in sugar sales.The critical factor thats forgotten in the equation are the landowners or landlords.As I said in an earlier blog it was not until the ALTA leases were expiring or nearly expiring only then the thoughts of landowners came to mind.Just one thought here,why not the powers that be take out 10% from any future sugar proceeds and give that to the ITB for distribution to landowners for lease payments? I raised this idea with a close friend in the labour party some years ago.His reaction was that ” We as a party will reject that ,because it will immediately raise the UCV of the land ” I said ” so what? ” But I think it is an idea still worth exploring
2.The issue of our children helping each other out at schools and tertiary institutions.Given that Indo Fijians and other races and of course a lot of i taukei children work hard to be where they are at that level.If government can recognize that as their IP and so if government can establish a national tutorial system whereby Indo Fijian students and others who are willing can be paid for taking part in a tutorial system by taking others for tutorials.Government can always scap it if it is abused or not used up well
i HA