Sachida Nand and Shalen Kumar must be feeling very pleased with themselves, having been announced as assistant ministers by Sitiveni Rabuka on the very day their former leader, Frank Bainimarama – to whom they owe their political careers – was again convicted and is set to serve another prison term. Yet many Fijians will hold them in complete and utter contempt.
Nand and Kumar were elected as FijiFirst MPs at the last election in December 2022, when Frank Bainimarama’s party won the largest number of votes but failed to form government and the Coalition of the People’s Alliance, SODELPA and the NFP scraped into office with just one vote on the floor of the parliament.
As we all know, FijiFirst subsequently imploded as Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum also betrayed their supporters by taking home their bat and ball. But that doesn’t alter the obligation of Sachida Nand and Shalen Kumar to continue to uphold the values of FijiFirst and do their duty as loyal members of the existing Opposition, however much it has been reduced to a shell.
That obligation to the voters who put them there should have been faithfully upheld until a fresh election and a fresh mandate as MPs. Yet instead, these two low-lifes have been lured into the Rabuka government with the usual baubles of high office – the pay rises and perks that come with being assistant ministers in a government that has 22 ministers, 15 assistant ministers and only three government backbench MPs.
Let’s call them what they are. Turncoats and political whores. They have been bought off by the man whose policies they once professed to detest and oppose. And in doing so, they have betrayed both the values of FijiFirst and the tens of thousands of voters who put them in the parliament, which they entered solely by clinging to Frank Bainimarama’s coat-tails.
Their treachery will not be forgotten. Few of us were surprised when iTaukei former members of FijiFirst such as Ioane Naivalurua and Viliame Naupoto defected from the opposition to join the government. But for two Indo-Fijians to do so when Rabuka is shamelessly trying to alter the 2013 Constitution to entrench the rights of the iTaukei over the minorities is unforgivable.
Even now, the Coalition refuses to publicly guarantee that the common and equal citizenry and common identity provisions of the 2013 Constitution will be protected. This is after more than 100,000 people – most of them Indo-Fijian – have already fled Fiji since the Rabuka government came to power.
We know this is all perfectly acceptable to the Great Betrayer, the NFP’s Baimaan Prasad, who has refused to stand up for the rights of the minorities even when they have been described by his Coalition partners as “vulagi” – visitors in their own country. But for two Indo-Fijian members of the former FijiFirst to do so is an outrageous betrayal of the principles on which they were elected.
Sachinda Nand and Shalen Kumar are pariahs who have sold their political souls to the “Snake”. And when the next election comes around, they deserve to be consigned to the dustbin of history, where they belong. Truly the scum of Fijian politics.
And a reminder of the man of honour who remained and took a stand for principle.
UPDATE FRIDAY PM:
What makes this so much more contemptible is that Grubsheet understands that these appointments were engineered with the Prime Minister by that other traitor, Mosese Bultitavu, after the two “gentlemen” in question made it known that they were unhappy they had not been rewarded with ministerial positions.
So it has nothing to do with principle and everything to do with personal benefit and enrichment.
How ironic it is that the two most voluble opposition politicians in Fiji are operating from outside the parliament – Labour’s Mahendra Chaudhry and Unity’s Savenaca Narube, who has issued the following statement in a week in which parliament has been sitting but the parliamentary opposition has been almost invisible.
Democracy – to all intents and purposes – has ceased to function when those paid to oppose leave it to outsiders to do their jobs.
UPDATE MONDAY:
The opposition’s Premila Kumar responds belatedly to the two ministerial appointments, describing them as an “abuse of power”.
Who do we in Fiji look to hold these people to account?
The law fraternity leaders in Fiji are the scums of the earth.
Made worse by the racism in the itaukei ranks. As a itaukei it starts to irk my conscience.
Even discussing the drugs scourge among my itaukei breathren it’s like the topic comes back to the Indian boogeyman who are bringing in the drugs as the top dogs get away with everything while the small pigs who are the itaukei peddlers are caught, it’s like my itaukei breathren can’t get over the fact that there are serious social, cultural traditional problems within the itaukei people.
We make up the most people in Prisons by ethnic group,
We make up the most people who have NCDs and who have the amputations by ethnic group
We make up the most people who have AIDs by ethnic group
We make up the most people who are drug users by ethnic group
We make up the most people who are mentally challenged by ethnic group
We make up the most people who are begging on the streets of Suva and other towns
We make up the most people who are in poverty despite owning over 90% of the land
We make up the most school dropouts by ethnic group despite the overwhelming educational assistance by government over the past 20 years.
Itaukei are also increasingly migrating overseas in the last two years despite their itaukei dominated government in power.
Call whatever you like, there are serious social, cultural, economic problems facing the itaukei and it’s not mainly the fault of the Indian boogeyman.
What about racism in the Indian ranks? They too are just as bad.
These 2 pieces of smegma must be laughing all the way to the bank.
Their voters will never forgive them.
I guess Sachida Nand’s liquor store will now have more business from PAP and, his wife’s law firm will have more business from the PAP voters.
Back in the days Girmitiyas termed traitors as Jai Chands. Once labelled they were castigated and became pariahs. Cane Field justice could be quick and bloody and future Jai Chands thought twice about selling off their community. Baimaan and Sashi have normalised betrayals. Cane Field justice no longer exists. Interesting to see if the voters will bring out the Cane knives and come swinging at these bajaarau scum bags.
Baimaan is seen as the ‘biggest Jai Chand’ by the Indo-Fijian community. And rightly so. Just a few days ago, Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu issued a statement debunking Baimaan’s claim that “Indo-Fijians are safe and need not fear”. And guess what – during the parliamentary proceedings, Baimaan came out firing at Inia to the extent of attacking the Opposition Leader’s statement as seditious and creating ill-will. The good thing was that Jone Usumate countered that Badhiya Baimaan and put him in his place.
“ Sachida Nand and Shalen Kumar to continue to uphold the values of FijiFirst and do their duty as loyal members of the existing Opposition” – I disagree with this statement, Ayala and Frank cut and run and folded FFP so why are these two required to uphold the values of FFP?
Yes these two are opportunist and come next election the people will decide if they deserve another term in Parliament .
Love or hate Rabuka, he is smart on consolidating power, he has out maneuvered both ASK and Frank starting from just one vote single seat majority.
ATTENTION FIJI SLACKER:
You’re right. Your comment won’t be posted here, not because I practice censorship but because this is not a forum for personal vendettas.
An astonishing exercise in smearing someone that is totally irrelevant to both this posting and to current events. Spiked.
This is the byproduct of 2013 constitution.
Their party leaders jumped off the ship.
Can’t blame them ,as their made good use of political rules enriched in 2013 constitution.
Politicians are always there for opportunities and why not for some extra cash.
With both just over a thousand votes,these 2 ducklings gone swimming by themselves.
Mother ducks are fighting for their cases in court.
They have just signed their own political death warrant.
There is no way they are getting back in parliament come next election.
They are dreaming if they think PAP will give them a ticket. In the remote chance they do get it, no one will ever vote for them. Not the Indo Fijians they have just betrayed, and certainly not the Fijians who still see them as uncircumcised vulagis.
Just another 2 victims of the big Rabuka con.
People just need to wake up and see that nothing he does is for the greater good. It’s all about himself. Just ask the people in the high echelon of PAP. Including some sitting next to him in parliament.
Honestly you never know with Fijian politics. Who would have thought Rabuka would be PM again given all his baggage? And Bainimarama and Khaiyum taken to court with Bainimarama even being jailed? A couple of years ago, that would’ve been a “dream,” and now it’s reality.
Sure, some think Nand and Kumar are finished but history shows politics here can flip in a heartbeat. Despite the backlash, there’s still a real shot they could end up back in government (maybe as ministers or assistant ministers again)
Apart from Chaudhry and the Fiji Labour Party, the next election is really PAP’s to lose. And as annoying as it sounds, we have seen it before. Voters can have super short memories and will often overlook past mistakes for a couple of freebies.
Brother Anonymous.
They will come back in Parliament.
From experience of what they have learnt from their previous boss, distribution of free balloons, t- shirts,sulu,caps and flags will get them votes.
Also don’t pay suppliers if you lose.
Become bankrupt.
Rabuka’s now got the numbers to change the Constitution.
He already has the numbers to change the constitution because he now needs only two thirds of the parliament, not three quarters. These two traitors voted for change the first time when Rabuka almost made the three quarters threshold but was thwarted by one vote – that of Rinesh Sharma. With the threshold lowered thanks to the recent Supreme Court decision, the next vote is a foregone conclusion.
Unity Fiji Narube asks salient questions about our corrupt police, inept commissioner, and shenanigans relating to the CoI, and government honesty and integrity.
Well said, and good points raised instead of the mute “members of the opposition.”
Narube’s views, however, don’t carry any weight, nor will the words influence our corrupt government.
Narube must explain why HE and Unity Fiji fully supported the removal of the 2013 Constitution. Why Narube? Do you not support equal citizenry and protection of life and property of minorities equal to the itaukei?
Do you believe one race is supposed to be superior human beings, and the rest must be relegated to second-class citizens?
What is wrong with the 2013 Constitution under which you will again contest the 2026 election?
IF you win a seat yourself, you will swear an oath to serve and protect the 2013 Constitution. Your oath will be meamingless unless you accept the 2013 Constitution.
Unless you and your party publicly declare you accept and respect the current Constitution, stop your bulshit political statements. Or publicly explain and outline what is wrong with the Constitution and/ or what changes were/are you supporting?
You called for the return of the now dead racist 1997 Constitution in joining the government’s petition to “review” advocate the return to 1997. You must explain yourself and your party’s stand/position in this serious matter.
Unless you publicly make clear your position, and IF you win a seat, your oath will be as hollow as your outrage in your statement above.
Put up or shut up. OR do you plan to reject the 2013 Constitution again and call foe 1997 again?
Stop playing hide and seek with the electorate. Stop being another snake sans sona rolex.
Practice as you preach: a more honest and trustworthy Fiji is worth fighting for!
I guess it underscores the lack of any ethics, principles and values in our current crop of politicians. It is all about themselves, to hell with the country or the people who voted for them. Make hay while the sun shines.
They are obviously too ignorant to see that they are selling their souls to advance Rabuka’s ethno-nationalist agenda.
We have had people in the past accused of that: the Ahmed Alis, Viay R Singh etc even MP Chaudhry, Irene Jai Narayan and Krishna Datt etc etc who were accused of this traitorship but they came with great credentials in terms of their qualifications, record and stature. And, on hindsight, their maneuverings were based on strategic insight and and an end goal.
No one would distinguish these two stooges: Sachida and Shalen, who should be renamed the two “Shits”, from a bar of soap.
Perhaps the rearrangement is also part of Rabuka’s wider agenda to make the PAP less dependent on the other traitors: Agni, Baiman and Charan, who are all warped in scandals of their own.
Interesting how the very people Rabuka has coined “vulagis” and once said they needed “to be converted to Christianity or gotten rid of” are the very people crawling on their fat bellies to suck his toes.
Most of the Indo-Fijian community have labelled these two as “doglas” and curse the ground these men walk on. They are the pariahs of the community who sold out their supporters for a few paltry coins. Wouldn’t put it past these two blokes to play the role of pimps and send their mothers out for some coin…
Politics makes for strange affiliations , look at JD Vance, was a harsh critic of Trump, google and you tube him during Trumps first run and first term in office and you will see what he had to say about Trump, fast forward to 2024, he is Trumps VP.
Need I say more.
How many donkeys are there in Fiji who would attend functions and go and listen to speeches by these leeches. That includes all the G11 traitors who have become ministers based on a handful of votes. The only reason they are there is because of Bai. What sort of conscience or mindset and satisfaction would these people have? Their character is highly questionable. Their wives and children and their parents should be ashamed of them.
In fact I am ashamed for them and I would not be seen within 10 miles of all of them let alone in the same room. In fact they are the type who would sell their mothers and daughters for a few pieces of silver.
In any case, I believe all the G11 appointments are illegal and unconstitutional. The pedo Speaker at the time allowed this whole shit show to happen. Why hasn’t anyone questioned this whole circus. The whole thing does not represent the outcome of the election and the wish of the people at the time. This parliament is unconstitutional and anything passed in this parliament is illegal. Anything that ministers have done is illegal.
The whole world is running out of good leaders who are visionaries and are building stuff, making lives better for the people. All leader are too self centered either too far to the right or too far to the left with WOKE mentality, cancel culture etc.
Perhaps. Modi is the only leader who is propelling India, building a nation of infrastructure, digital economy, expanding India’s geopolitical reach has lifted so many of India’s people out of poverty and continues to surpass the country’s GDP growth. Nay sayers will say he is building a Hindu nationalist society , in a way he is but the entire country is benefiting from all the development and progress.
Was in Mumbai 20 years ago and was there again this year, it’s not the same Mumbai, it’s becoming modern, cleaner and livable city .
“The Prime minister might as well turn the entire parliament into a club of ministers and assistant ministers. I have no hope left in the Prime Minister. He is openly holding people of this country in contempt by abusing the mandate the people of Fiji have given him in the last election.
He is doing everything but governing the country in the best interests of all its people. He is playing politics instead of developing our economy, providing consistent leadership and improving the quality of lives of our people. We were stupid and ignorant to feel that this man has changed after 1987. He doesn’t walk his talk. But that’s him and we hold ourselves responsible for that error of judgment.
What is shocking though is complete silence and acquiescence from elected officials who we felt will stand up and demand accountability and just governance. We thought they represented the hopes of current generation and stand up for the people. Shockingly they have all jumped onto the gravy train that Rabuka established to achieve his political goal or were they always part of his agenda and hoodwinked the people.
Is there any cabinet or assistant minister who can stand up and say I will not accept this position because it does not serve the interest of our country and places financial burden on taxpayers? Does even any member of parliament can stand up and say this is wrong and I will not accept this position because my people have not voted for this level of governance. Prime Minister has a political agenda and he knows that dangling carrots in front of ambitious MP’s will serve the purpose. Doesn’t even one MP realize that this is not good and against the people who elected them. Are you openly showing that you can be bought so easily and cheaply that you insult the very people who have put you there?
And where is the Minister of Finance? Didn’t he tell the Prime Minister that given the current state of economy and state of poverty in our country we cannot afford to keep feeding carrots to greedy people to fulfill our political agenda while our people are starving? Didn’t he tell Rabuka we can’t pay additional ministers.? He compares himself with AD Patel and SM Koya. They must be turning in their graves.
The main thing is those we elected don’t care. They have moved their children and family abroad and will hang around here fooling the people and when the heat in the kitchen will become unbearable they will leave and let people suffer the consequences of their decisions.
Today I don’t blame the Prime Minister. He has lost it. But those who are jumping on the gravy train should have some self respect and conscience to say this is wrong and against the wishes of the people who elected us. Self interest has become so glaring and obvious.
As I said in previous post, we have set a new standard of governance that is taking the country to dark ages. Our fight along lines of Indians and Fijians are providing explicit support and ammunition to our lawmakers to push through their political and personal agenda. There is no hope with this government because silence from those whom we had hope is deafening.
Every day that passes I feel we are losing any hope of reclaiming our country.
People of Fiji, watch their faces and look into their eyes as they go and take their oath!”
Thank you for posting what Nirmal Singh has said. I couldn’t agree more with him and tens of thousands of Fijians will feel the same.
It is sickening to see how many snouts are now lined up at the trough when so many of our fellow citizens are living in poverty. I personally just despair. And the only comfort I have is that Nirmal and many others feel exactly the same.
Lynda Tabuya thought she would do me terminal damage by getting Meta to kick me off Facebook and cut me off from my 30,000 followers. But Nirmal and others fight on. And I salute him for his integrity in doing so, which will have been at considerable personal cost.
We can do a lot better, Fiji. And we must fight, fight and fight on for a return to decency in public life rather than the self interest that is destroying our beloved nation.
Was Naivalarua one of those in parliament with ramburqah in 1987?
Io. It was when he was a young man. The tragedy is that instead of holding Rabuka accountable now, he has abandoned Frank Bainimarama to side with the “Snake”.
I like to think – because I once respected him so much – that he has joined Rabuka to keep the bastards honest from within. But I wonder. We shall find out soon enough.
In the meantime, we need to side with Naivalurua and Rusiate Tudravu in their fight against the drug traffickers. Because this is a cancer eating away at the national fabric and unless they win, we are all doomed.
I’d like to see Fijians get destroyed. After all, they’re immoral people.
No, some of them are immoral people. The vast majority are decent citizens looking for proper leadership. And who instinctively know the difference between right and wrong. That’s whose side I am on and so is any right-thinking Fijian.
There are mutterings on social media that Tudravu is not entirely as innocent as he appears.
There are mutterings about a lot of things on social media. It doesn’t mean they are true.
Elections can’t come fast enough so that the whole system can be reset with new representatives of the people.
I suspect that PAP will walk in with a decent majority, that is my sense from what I hear on the ground taking to people , but hey 16-18 months away from election is a lifetime in politics, anything can happen.
Same old sh*t, different day.
If anybody thinks that an election under this Westminster multi party system is going to improve anything is delusional or worse, such as, not having a functioning brain.
How can this system of ours work when it relies on funding from the Capitalists, since there is no longer a labour movement, and the elite of the elite in our society, the lawyers, have proven to be the lowest of the low.
The only squeak of opposition comes from outside of Parliament in the form of the old dinosaur MC. Another wash, rinse, try.
I like to think those of us who were between the ages of 15 and 25 were the inheritors of Independence. Well haven’t we farked it up good and proper. No hope for Fiji until we are all farking dead. Where is Stalin when you need him.
It is taking tooooo long, and the infection, virus is spreading down to the next generation.
SLR, like the SLR ,( self loading rifle ) is an old gun that reached down to young models to shoot forth the flame of Ethno Religious Nationalism. Bereft of any vision for the nation other than a self serving sales pitch to an electorate of ” ain’t it awful ”
Blah, blah, blah, blah………………………………..
SYSTEMS,SYSTEMS, SYSTEMS
Just perfect, election 2026, same O, same O
Vinaka Viti
You look at your “Representative” and realize you are no longer being represented; you are being managed. Your anger is a problem to be polled, your disappointment a data point to be spun.
“Circumstances have changed.” (The circumstances being their bank balance.)
It’s a brutal truth: to a betraying politician, a voter is not a constituent—they are a rung on a ladder. Once climbed, they are forgotten, until the next election cycle when the ladder needs extending again. Then, the soulful gaze returns, the hand is gripped, and the whole beautiful, farcical, insulting dance begins anew. The only thing more astonishing than the audacity of the betrayal is the fact that we’re still surprised by it.