The grave injustice and illegality of the treatment metered out to the suspended DPP, Christopher Pryde, has been like a “broken record” in these columns in recent weeks – to use the description of one of our critics – but finally our campaign to get the local mainstream media in Fiji to embrace the story has paid off. And in spectacular fashion.
Both newspapers – the Fiji Sun and the Fiji Times – have the Christopher Pryde saga on their front pages today (Thursday) after Grubsheet has castigated them, day in day out, for not treating the story seriously. We’ve been especially critical of the Fiji Sun for ignoring the story altogether until the New Zealand Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, castigated the suspended DPP for appealing to him for assistance by copying in other relevant parties when that is perfectly normal under such circumstances.
Christopher Pryde didn’t ask the NZ government to “intervene” with the Fijian government as an act of interference in Fijian sovereignty. Of course New Zealand telling Fiji what to do would have been inappropriate. As a Kiwi citizen, Pryde asked Winston Peters for “assistance” – for help – to enable him to continue to fight for justice after the Judicial Services Commission unlawfully cut off his salary and made it impossible for him to defend himself against the allegation of misbehaviour against him which after 15 months, still hasn’t been heard despite it being a constitutional requirement.
Christopher Pryde wasn’t asking Winston Peters for some kind of highhanded neo-colonialist “telling off” of the Fijian government. He was asking in desperation for him to perhaps have a quiet word to the Rabuka government about the importance of the rule of law being followed and for financial assistance to enable him to pursue justice. Because having had his salary severed illegally, Christopher Pryde simply cannot afford to defend himself any longer. And that is a personal tragedy for him and a national scandal that ought to be causing deep shame in official circles but isn’t. Winston Peters should have grasped all of this if he had any empathy for a fellow Kiwi in distress. And his inability to do so reflects very poorly on him and on the New Zealand government.
Grubsheet is acutely aware that we have beaten Christopher Pryde’s drum for weeks. But it is the same thing we did when the FijiFirst government unlawfully sacked the former solicitor general, Sharvada Sharma, in violation of the Constitution and left him unable to defend himself until Richard Naidu and Jon Apted at Munro Leys came to Sharma’s aid, which was to their great credit. Pryde doesn’t have the same pro bono deal and has been paying his lawyer, Adish Narayan, out of his own pocket. So that when his salary was cut off, his vulnerability went to an entirely different level.
Finally, the local media in Fiji seems to have grasped the issues. And the Fiji Sun, in particular, has turned on the Coalition government and come to Christopher Pryde’s defence in a manner that is to its great credit. I apologise to the Sun publisher, Rosi Doviverata, for my strong criticism of her and the paper last week. They may have been slow to grasp the wider importance of this story but they have made up for it today with a stinging editorial by Naisa Koroi that perfectly captures the wider issues and that the Coalition and the JSC ignore at their peril. If only Fred Wesley at the Fiji Times would do the same.
Read on Fiji and be grateful that in this instance, the horse might have had to be led to water, and in an admittedly heavy-handed fashion, but is now galloping forward and holding the Coalition to account in a manner that we can only hope produces an outcome that serves the interests of justice, not just for Christopher Pryde as an individual but public confidence in the criminal justice system as a whole.
Vinaka!
Fiji tax payers have some big questions and our legal eagle elite has been part of the total collapse in standards. As you point out only Devanesh is holding his head high, everyone else got snouts in the trough. Very disappointing for tax payers who expected more standards than last lot, not less!
It is an employment matter indeed. Redress is sought through via the appropriate employment dispute channels – it’s just that the employer who is the state is not playing ball! By dragging its feet in appointing the tribunal to hear the case > inordinate delay in facilitating a hearing and binding outcome.
The media is potentially more effective in resolving conflicts than those whose roles require them to carry out that function > by highlighting the issues and bringing them to light in the court of the public.
Well done to the media and communications warriors.
Can I respectfully make the point that it is not “an employment matter”. It is a constitutional matter. The constitution lays down a course of action that must be followed when a senior officer of state such as the DPP is accused of misbehaviour and that has simply been ignored. And to compound the injustice, the DPP’s salary has also been severed in breach of the supreme law.
Having said that, your comments about the media are spot on.
u clearly have not read the constitution..if u did u will realize the President can sack Christopher pryde l. He made a mistake by going to the media about his problem. Now the State of Fiji has replied.
It is you who can’t read. Christopher Pryde can only be “sacked” if a tribunal of at least three judges hears the the allegation of misbehaviour against him, finds him “guilty” and then recommends to the President that he be removed.
Conversely, if they find that the allegation is not proven, they can recommend to the President that his suspension be lifted and he is reinstated.
You are simply spreading disinformation. Ratu Wiliame Katonivere is not an executive president and cannot sack anyone. So pull your head in.
It’s Winston who has decided it’s an employment matter. So in respect of NZ response that’s it, whether correct or not. Employment matter or constitutional non compliance or both, it’s the dominant party in this, the Fijian state and it’s judicial arm that is not playing by the rules. It is not a level playing field! NZ is not interested in pressuring the Fijian authorities to play by its own rules. If Fiji adhered to its own constitution the matter would take its due course and be resolved – but at least one party does not want to play by the rules of employment or constitutional process. So it is of no consequence to call the matter an employment or constitutional issue for NZ to participate in subtly or directly. External pressure be it media, citizens or anyone foreign or local, who can exert influence should speak up when blatant injustice is occurring.
When a physically stronger spouse is physically harming a weaker partner, it is not of any use to spectate and say it is a domestic matter for the parties to resolve themselves – when one party has greater power than the other and can ignore proper rules of conduct. Some outside influence is needed until the stronger party can behave in an acceptable civil manner. The behaviour of certain parts of the Fijian administration should serve as a warning to others who may by their choice place themselves in a position able to be disadvantaged, prosecuted or persecuted without fair cause by Fijian authorities and there may not be too many if any at all who would stick their necks out to support them should similar injustices be perpetrated by Temo and Co. Who are the known and masked hidden partners in Temo and Co is anyone’s guess.and how widespread is their membership board and floor? One hopes it’s only a few renegade loose cannons and the bad apple rot has not reached inside the whole bag.
Well done Graham for finally backing the media into a corner where they had to report on what is occurring. My only issue is that the media are watering down Rebuka’s accountability. I guess there is a lot of fear & pressure around publicly acknowledging his agenda, so it’s easier to pretend he intends well & it’s everyone around him’s actions mismatching his intentions that are the problem. I don’t buy it.
Outstanding persistence. Well done. Your late dad would be proud of you for seeking out the truth. Chris Pryde deserves better as does a number of others who have worked in the ODPP.
Every accused brought in front of the criminal justice system rightfully deserves a lawyer regardless of the allegations and evidences against them. Also regardless of whether its a typical matter or of national political interest.
Only difference is that grubsheet used their platform to expose the injustice done to Bainimarama, Qiliho, and now, Christopher Pryde.
But not even once did you mention Kishore Kumar Publication who was refused by the Legal Aid Commission. The same Legal Aid that was brought to give legal representation to the condemned who cannot afford for one.
I don’t believe grubsheet is neutral.
Yes, Kishore. Good luck with your own legal travails. In your own case, I think a lot of it has been self inflicted. What you did to Lenora Qereqeretabua wasn’t very nice at all. But you’re right. We all deserve access to justice, including you.
Righto, so here goes the whole shibang. PM has absolutely no clue and no idea what’s happening in his own government, that cluelessness has now dribbled down the ranks and no body really cares anymore. The ministars still fly around the country in flashy vehicle that have heavily tinted windows. I recall this bunch of losers calling out the now defunct FFP for doing the same. What a bunch of hypocrites. What this government doesn’t understand is that there is under swelling of the ordinary citizens wanting this government gone. Soon and very soon the people will have their say.