It’s a stark sign of the sorry state of Fijian democracy that we sent a whole lot of people to parliament at the last election in 2022 who haven’t reflected our choice at all when it comes to constitutional change.
More Fijians voted for Frank Bainimarama‘s FijiFirst than any other party, whose core foundation was the 2013 Constitution. Others gave the NFP five seats believing that its principal role would be to keep the bastards honest whoever won. Yet none of that has been reflected in the way the majority of MPs – 38 of them – voted in favour of Sitiveni Rabuka junking the 2013 Constitution.
Frank Bainimarama, of course, failed to take government by just one vote on the floor of the House. And when FijiFirst imploded and he and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum left the parliament, the remaining MPs had a clear duty to keep reflecting the views of those who’d sent them there. Not Frank and Aiyaz but the voters. And to honour the principles they had stood for.
Fat chance. And the level of that fundamental betrayal of trust – of not living up to the promises made to electors in 2022 and defending the principles on which they were chosen – is the most stark feature of the way individual MPs voted last night to change the supreme law.
It isn’t just those turncoats who abandoned the remaining former FijiFirst MPs and were bought off by Sitiveni Rabuka – individuals such as Ioane Naivalurua and Viliame Naupoto and, unforgiveably, the Indo-Fijian defectors Sachida Nand and Shalen Kumar.
What’s notable about last night’s vote is how the remaining opposition voted – in the case of the formal Opposition Leader, Inia Seruiratu – who gets $200,000 and a house to OPPOSE – choosing instead to abstain and allow the Prime Minister to get his way.
Those nine abstentions included Seruiratu’s fellow MPs Parveen Bala, Hem Chand, Virendra Lal, Alvick Maharaj, Joseph Nand, Vijay Nath, Rinesh Sharma and Jone Usamate, who we might have expected to also take a stand for principle but didn’t.
Those abstentions have allowed Sitiveni Rabuka to triumph and pave the way for the abolition of the 2013 Constitution, which these bastards swore to uphold. Not to amend it for the common good and in line with the principles on which they were elected but stand aside and allow the chiefs to lord it over the country, the abolition of FICAC, for our children to be again beaten in our schools and the break-up of Fiji with an independence vote for Rotuma.
Yet the real bastards are those in the NFP who Fijians chose to keep Frank’s bastards or Siti’s bastards honest irrespective of the result in 2022 yet have sided with Rabuka by voting “yes”.
They are the real turncoats and traitors to the people – Biman Prasad, Pio Tikoduadua and Sashi Kiran (Lenora Qereqeretabua chose not to vote at all) And if they vote with Rabuka again at the third reading of the constitution bill in a month’s time, inshallah, they will feel the wrath of the electors when election day finally comes.
Grubsheet made a plea earlier in the week for the nation’s MPs to honour the wishes of those who put them in the parliament in 2022. That was all they had to do. Yet only five in the ranks of the opposition examined their consciences and did the right thing.
They are the genuine heroes of this vote – Semi Koroilavesau, Faiyaz Koya, Premila Kumar, Ketan Lal and Viam Pillay.
The Faithful Five. Those whose leader again abandoned them (first Frank Bainimarama and now Inia Seruiratu by choosing to sit on the fence) and in the sure knowledge that all was lost, still kept the faith with their electors and honoured the wishes of those who voted for them four years ago.
They deserve our heartfelt thanks and to be rewarded come election day. As for the rest. Next to frigging useless.
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How MPs voted:
For — 36: Alitia Bainivalu; Aliki Bia; Mosese Bulitavu; Sakiasi Ditoko; Viliame Gavoka; Esrom Immanuel; Manoa Kamikamica; Sashi Kiran; Shalen Kumar; Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu; Ioane Naivalurua; Maciu Nalumisa; Sachida Nand; Viliame Naupoto; Ratu Josaia Niudamu; Biman Prasad; Sitiveni Rabuka; Aseri Radrodro; Kalaveti Ravu; Penioni Ravunawa; Taito Rokomatu; Jese Saukuru; Charan Singh; Lynda Tabuya; Pio Tikoduadua; Sakiusa Tubuna; Alipate Tuicolo; Naisa Tuinaceva; Ro Filipe Tuisawau; Tomasi Tunabuna; Siromi Turaga; Ratu Rakiuta Vakalalabure; Iliesa Vanawalu; Ifereimi Vasu; Jovesa Vocea; Filimoni Vosarogo.
Against: — 5 Semi Koroilavesau; Faiyaz Koya; Premila Kumar; Ketan Lal; Viam Pillay.
Abstained: — 9 Parveen Bala; Hem Chand; Virendra Lal; Alvick Maharaj; Joseph Nand; Vijay Nath; Inia Seruiratu; Rinesh Sharma; Jone Usamate.
Marked “not voted” — 3 Sanjay Kirpal; Lenora Qereqeretabua; Isikeli Tuiwailevu.
The Faithful Five:
“We can be heroes. Just for one day.”…
Beyond disappointing.
It will be interesting to see if any of these votes change after thorough debate. There has not been the time to process/digest all of the information and hidden dangerous details in this constitution. MP’s had better make use of this 30 days period to see what it is they are voting for rather than have their tired brains rush over detail.
It is also interesting to see the Commander finally taking stand about the extension of the Immunity clause.