There’s an unwritten rule in politics just as there is in journalism – politicians and journalists shouldn’t sue. Because rectitude isn’t the preserve of either, neither enjoy the public’s trust, reputations are as easily lost as made and litigation is a lottery in which nothing that happens in a defamation action is guaranteed.
We know from the actions of Biman Prasad‘s lawyer, Richard Naidu, that he hasn’t learnt any of these lessons because as a former journalist himself, he threatened to sue Grubsheet for defamation two years ago but didn’t carry out that threat – a fact that I remind everyone on the anniversary of his pompous “I have the means” letter to me every November 2nd.
So if Naidu hasn’t learnt his lesson in relation to me, it is little surprise that he advised his client, the sidelined NFP leader, to commence defamation proceedings against the former prime minister and Labour Party leader, Mahendra Chaudhry. Yes, Fiji, a politician facing serious criminal charges suing another politician and guaranteeing more “walks of shame” before the cameras outside the courts in election year.
Mind you, Chaudhry is also suing Biman Prasad for defamation – demonstrating decidedly thin skins on the part of both. But the difference is that Chaudhry has arguably nothing to lose because he isn’t in the parliament facing imminent judgment over his performance for the last three years and Biman Prasad is.
The defence of both men is presumably truth and it will be up to a judge to decide whether their reputations have been traduced enough to deserve damages. But it is a monumental act of folly on the part of Biman Prasad in particular, whose thin-skin is well known and self-righteous rejection of any criticism has already got up the noses of many of the NFP’s traditional supporters.
The basis of any defamation action is that you have a reputation to defend in the first place that warrants a judge finding that the person who has criticised you has damaged that reputation and it deserves to be restored with a declaration of blamelessness and suitable compensation.
Does Biman Prasad have a reputation to defend? Let’s see again what the Opposition Leader, Inia Seruiratu, said about him in his excoriating commentary on the Coalition we published yesterday under the heading “The Collapse of the National Federation Party”.
“…we cannot ignore the political tragedy unfolding within the National Federation Party. A party that brands itself as the champion of Indo-Fijian rights now stands stripped of dignity, influence, and credibility.
Its leader has:
• Stepped down from Cabinet,
• Sent to the back benches of parliament; and
• Now faces criminal charges before the courts.
This party was elected largely by Indo-Fijian voters, yet once in power, it betrayed the very people who placed their trust in it. There has been nothing productive, progressive, or transformative delivered to its voter base.
Instead, NFP has reduced itself to a political accessory of the Prime Minister, a yes-man party, devoid of courage, independence or principle. In doing so, it has lost all moral authority, parliamentary credibility and political relevance.“
We have to assume that Biman Prasad won’t be calling Inia Seruiratu as a character witness. But none of this does him any good in persuading a judge that he is a paragon of virtue with an unassailable reputation, no matter how much Richard Naidu tries to confine the case to the alleged libel itself.
Then there is the grounds for the action itself – Mahendra Chaudhry repeating allegations against Biman Prasad that have been well-canvassed at Victor Lal‘s Fijileaks and are in the hands of FICAC and the Police.
FICAC is already prosecuting Biman Prasad for allegedly making a false income declaration to the Electoral Office by failing to declare a directorship and is reportedly investigating other matters, including funding to the Girmit Institute, which is the subject of Prasad’s action against Chaudhry.
Where this will go, time will tell. But perhaps the biggest question of all is why Biman Prasad would bring on a defamation action in the courts when we are now months away from polling day. It isn’t just the spectacle of dirty laundry being aired on both sides as Fijian voters weigh up whether Prasad or Chaudhry are worthy of their votes come election day. It is a basic question of who has the most to lose.
Once again, the difference is incumbency. Biman Prasad is fighting for his political life. Yet he will be parading before the media outside the courts on two matters – the FICAC case against him of grave criminal conduct while also trying desperately to defend his reputation by suing his principal political opponent for defamation. And with no guarantee of success on both counts.
Worse, he has committed the cardinal public relations sin, which is to elevate your opponent – to give them free oxygen and free publicity. Who is going to be damaged most in these proceedings? It isn’t Chaudhry whose “secret millions in foreign bank accounts” isn’t news and for which he has already been brought to account in the courts. It will be Biman Prasad if Chaudhry and his lawyers can prove that the NFP leader abused his position in government.
It is folly of the first order and proof conclusive that Biman Prasad and his lawyer are political amateurs who are putty in the hands of someone as wily and experienced as Mahendra Chaudhry in the dark arts of politics.
Just as they have with the tax holiday for Fiji Water, Biman Prasad and Richard Naidu have scored another spectacular own goal. And given voters even more reason to conclude that hubris will be their undoing and that they – and the NFP – have totally lost the plot.
Further proof that Richie Rich is both overrated and mediocre and that Baiman through his own cowardice and betrayal is beyond saving.
Just imagine, getting into bed with the same person who wanted to lovo him in 1987.
Now that same man is going to screw him and them again after having used them.
I will not be surprised if they still do not realise it or are just too embarrassed to admit the reality. They do not realise they are still being used. These are a highly qualified prominent lawyer and the other one is a professor – Fiji style.
But one thing is for sure, they definitely deserve what is coming to them.
Biman was highy respected before elections but his U turn on all his promises has made him Baimaan. He went against indo-Fijans. He raised VAT. He increased public debt. He appointed an unqualified Liberian to TELS Board. He was so loud in his pre-election speeches that ” we will reduce ministerial pay by one third “straightaway””, etc but to the contrary he started to collect the massive pay rise for Ministers.
If he genuinely opposed the pay rise then he should have at least explained to people on how much extra pay he was receiving and he should through direct payroll deductions have donated to NGOs and published this information every pay day. This should have saved his face and in fact would have made him very popular.
This bugger has lost all respect now. He fooled people. He got elected due to people’s dislike for Bai and Kai Govt. He took advantage and filled his pocket. But this fool forgot that Almighty is watching who have showed Baimaan a goal post to make his own goal.
Highly respected? Now that is a moot point.
His voters were not his voters but the same stubborn hindis (generation in – generation out) who will vote for the NFP leader simply because he is NFP leader – regardless of whether he is screwing them over and, the lure to the gullible of $5 lamb chops.