There’s a delicious irony in the owner of Fantasy Island going public in spectacular fashion on the front page of Tuesday’s Fiji Sun to shake the Coalition government out of its fantasy that it can get away with installing its hand-picked lackey, Barbara Malimali, as FICAC Commissioner and destroy any semblance of independence at the corruption watchdog.
It is very rare for a business figure in Fiji to be so forthright in his criticism of any government. So we can be sure that Abbas Ali is speaking for a great many other business and community leaders when he describes the appointment as a “joke” and says he has lost all hope in the government.
These are comments that the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, would be extremely foolish to ignore. The government can rely on its toadies at the Fiji Times to ignore any story that portrays it in an unfavourable light. But as we remarked on Saturday, making an enemy of the Fiji Sun when it has lost patience with the Coalition’s chronic ineptness and corruption puts the government on a slippery slope to defeat.
If headlines like this keep coming – and they will – it is a contagion that will inevitably spread. And if it isn’t contained and contained quickly, this government – as Abbas Ali says – will go the same way as FijiFirst.
If the government has any sense of self preservation, Barbara Malimali should be sent packing. As one senior figure told Grubsheet, installing a self-proclaimed government supporter at FICAC who’d petulantly complained about not being given a job after the election is the most grievous assault imaginable on the independence of the corruption watchdog and the rule of law in Fiji.
And what was the President of the Fiji Law Society, Wylie Clarke, doing personally representing Barbara Malimali as her lawyer during the dramatic events of Thursday? What has that done for the independence of the Law Society and its ability to comment on the importance of maintaining the integrity of FICAC?
And what was the NFP stalwart, Richard Naidu, doing assisting Biman Prasad on the day the Finance Minister was meant to be charged with abuse of office? Is it true that Richard Naidu was telling senior ministers that it would damage the economy if Biman Prasad was charged on the day that he was holding meetings with the Head of the World Bank? And how much was that a factor in letting the Finance Minister off the hook?
Proper governance has completely broken down. Which is why tens of thousands of Fijians feel precisely the same way as Abbas Ali in losing all hope in a government that has scandalously lost its way and is incapable of knowing right from wrong.
Grubsheet is hearing from permanent secretary level that the actual exodus from Fiji since the election has reached 130,000. If this is true, then the nation is in the throes of a full blown crisis of confidence in the future and resulting labour shortages threaten Fiji’s ability to function.
Coupled with that are storm clouds on the horizon in our neighbours and beyond. The flatlining of the economy in Australia and the collapse of discretionary spending is sending a great many restaurants, cafes and other businesses to the wall. So it is a fantasy to think that this won’t have an impact on discretionary spending on holidays and visitor arrivals in Fiji.
Never before has it been so important for the nation to present an image of stability not just to keep tourism numbers up but to encourage investment and the creation of new jobs. And what do we have instead? In this front page snapshot, a Prime Minister wringing his hands about drug syringes at the Hibiscus Festival and presiding over a “joke” of a government facing collapse and in which “hope is lost”.
The assault on the institutions of state by Sitiveni Rabuka, Graham Leung and Siromi Turaga through the outlaw Acting Chief Justice, Salesi Temo, and their puppets – Nancy Tikoisuva and John Rabuku at the ODPP and now Barbara Malimali at FICAC – cannot go on. Well, it can because as Abbas Ali says, this government puts itself before the Fijian people. But a day of reckoning beckons as proper governance and the rule of law collapses. For the Coalition and the nation as a whole.
Incidentally, it is now two months since the Prime Minister said it was wrong for Salesi Temo to have cut off Christopher Pryde‘s salary and it still hasn’t been restored. Nor is there a date set for the Tribunal hearing into the allegations of misbehaviour against the suspended DPP a full 17 months after he was stood aside.
Consider this, Fiji. Christopher Pryde’s “misbehaviour” was to be seen talking to Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum at a Japanese Embassy function in February 2023. (They’ve since added an extra allegation of unauthorised superannuation payments which Pryde denies). No suggestion of abuse of office. Yet now we have Barbara Malimali appointed FICAC Commissioner when she was actively under FICAC investigation for abuse of office as Chair of the Electoral Commission. And John Rabuku appointed Deputy DPP when he was found guilty of professional misconduct and after three Supreme Court judges ruled he couldn’t be Acting DPP.
One rule for the white man and another for the Coalition’s iTaukei stormtroopers? What other possible explanation could there be? The delay in hearing Christopher Pryde’s matter is not only unconstitutional but unconscionable. And a warning to any expatriate about taking a job in Fiji.
And what happened here? The Prime Minister’s assurances are worthless. Christopher Pryde’s salary is still unlawfully suspended, hampering his ability to defend himself.
As Australian lawyers with investors in the Pacific, we have been inundated with voices raising significant concerns about the state of the rule of law. The trajectory over the last 18 months has been worrying to say the least. We are only thankful that this latest debacle did not occur during the Australian Fiji business council meeting a week or so ago. That high profile lawyers are presiding over this debacle beggars belief. Good work has been dramatically undone, and any half decent lawyer implicitly understands the rule of law is more important than any client. Justice must be done and be seen to be done!
What a disgrace.
By 2026 it will be too late, our economy will completely crash. Debt up to ceiling level 15 Billion Dollars plus. Rabuka will disappear to his village without any conviction as he has played his cards right passing blame to others.
Only the guardians can save us if someone within rebels and makes the move.
The iTaukei led administration, is a predominantly overt racist party and its backers the military, had undermined and destroyed the civic society and disenfranchised the rest of Fiji’s communities, as a result of a fractured political system. The hard working, industrious Indo-Fijians have left Fijian shores in droves as a result of coups and discrimination against them. All to the detriment of Fiji, because of Rabuka’s coup in 1987 and the subsequent events.
Something similar is now happening. The high achievers, hard working, industrious Indo-Fijians have lost faith because they have been disenfranchised once again from politics. They have no role in the military, nor being appointed either as a PM or President, their futures insecure in land tenures, and are being treated less favouably compared to the others, after all they are “Vulagi’s” visitors, and therefore have diminishing citizen rights.
The future of Fiji is dire so long as the iTaukei’s continues to exercise unfettered power. There is a genuine need for power sharing. For Fiji to succeed, it needs a “consensus” government. But frankly, I can’t see that happening and therefore expect a severe demographic change taking place in not too distant future when hard-working industrious people of Fiji leaving in droves.
The dam wall is breaking, this government is going to rue the day they opened up the freedom of the media. Why? Their dirty linen is now being aired for the whole world to see. They were under the false illusion that the people would stay quiet given what the nation had endured for 16 plus years under the FFP. How dumb were they to even contemplate such an idea. They thought that they could get away with some minor discrepancies and misjudgements. Hah, as the saying goes; they have been caught with their pants down! Haha
Problem is people like Abbas also gave money to people like Manoa Kamikamica to fast track some complex matters of land lease/ownership that affects his wider marina development program.
So naturally he is even more disappointed because he is not getting what he paid for. There are a number of businessman who were duped by Manoa, Biman and others in the same manner. Almost all are regretting it unless you are the real big boys like Fiji Water, Lyndhurst, etc.
On the other hand while Abbas’s motivation for his observations on government performance may be self centred but it is nonetheless accurate.
Biman is saying that everyone has the right to criticise only because he was in tough spot last week. Trying to sound all accommodating.
You should hear the stories from the junior journalists about the dressing down they get and the complaints to their bosses should they dare to step out of line by asking probing or even fact finding questions or point out contradictory statements.
We were told that the media bosses were told that their journalists should stop asking questions of ASK after his court appearances because he used to use the opportunity to make comments about government performance and say alot about the goofs ups in the economy.
Biman used to get pissed off big time like spoilt 5 year old and therefore the directive. This is why you see that no journalists asks ASK any questions. This started some time back.
Biman and Co are too lamu (frightened) to listen to rational and intellectual criticism based on facts and the law.
But GD all we can do now is become part of the spectator group while the house crumbles. The longer it takes to crumble the more screwed up our country will become and even if we have the oppurtunity to have a right government in place, it will take ages to build up any level of confidnece.
We are f…d
No wonder Journalist Shayal Devi did not probe the Commander beyond Vosarogo, and ask about the Constitution-violating show happening at the ODPP, especially on the appointments of Rabuku and Tikoisuva. And on ACJ Temo too. Who knows, perhaps the rest of Shayal’s probing story will come later?
https://www.fijitimes.com.fj/army-chief-stands-by-warning-over-vosarogos-a-g-appointment/
Yes, planning a detailed story on this, which will ask why the RFMF Commander sees fit to intervene on some issues and not others. There is a fundamental inconsistency here. Little Jone is all over the place.
Little Johnnie wont be there for long. Naliva will replace him once he and others get back from hiding in Australia. Stay tuned.
Yes – it was a glaring inconsistency – the Commander only honing on the F Vasarogo matter of appointment and ignoring the other big issues he was silent on. And listening to his rationale for wanting to increase the size of the RFMF – paleeze spare us!
Bula Graham, lets not forget. The biggest crime of this government is to allow Lynda Tabuya to still be a Minister and still be ANYTHING in government for that matter. A wet fart she is, if ya ask me.
There is truth in the saying,” a nation should be ruled by law not by lawyers.”
Our bunch gives the profession a bad name.
Just a bunch of nincompoops.
Only a fool would follow their advice.
The failings of the Government have been exposed. Not by its usual critics but by a respected business leader, with more than just a knowledge of what is happening on the ground. He is entirely correct in his criticism and the dumb or outrageous appointments made to the likes of FICAC, ODPP and others.
One comment has already highlighted the effect on business confidence when the Rule of Law is being diluted by those in Government and the Judiciary. Keep it up and the business community both in Fiji and elsewhere will withdraw its investments and look to other locations to operate in.
As the economies of nations such as Australia and America have slowed and could end up in recession if the economic conditions remain as they are. So, this will see discretionary spending fall and with-it things like travel and holidays either postponed or cancelled as will the intention to invest or expand business.
The exodus of expertise, knowledge and knowhow from Fiji continues and must now be getting to a point where it starts to impact the country and its ability to function let alone grow.
But of course, the Government will continue its dumb and awful decisions, appoint cronies and lackeys, and Ministers and their every present advisor(s) and hanger(s)-on will continue their world travel.
When Siromi was AG and agreed with JSC for the appointment of Rabuku despite his clear ineligibility to be DPP, I genuinely thought Siromi is a dumbass lawyer. Then we have Graham come in as new AG and endorse Barbara as FICAC Comm, when she is being investigated by the very body she’s been appointed to head. It’s bloody amazing. Graham too is a dumbass lawyer!
Temo, Siromi, Graham combined, they’re all a bunch of dumbasses. It’s not that they have absolute contempt for the rule of law and focus purely on ethno nationalism and itaukei supremacy (yes, Leung too, he thinks he’s itaukei), they’re actually incredibly dumb.
Now go back to the times between 2013 to 2022. Never happened under ASK. Nothing of this nature. He was no one’s referree. He was never a part of such appointments or engulfed in any controversies of this nature. As someone rightly said in the comments on GD’s earlier article. He cared too much for this country. People didn’t deserve someone as sincere, faithful and honest as him.
I’ve been watching the exodus of ‘Vulagi’ from Fiji, expats included. There has also been a frenzy of new investors buying up property and moving to Fiji based on the illusion of a new and better government. The iTaukei have spread the word afar about the new and wonderful Fiji where everyone is now happy. Those investors are yet to discover what they have really bought into. Some are already nervous while others will be in for the shock of their lives once the reality sinks in. Fiji better start manufacturing those kava happy pills on mass.