We await the appearance tonight on CFL-Fiji Village of the RFMF Commander, Major General Ro Jone Kalouniwai, with more than usual interest after the conviction of his predecessor, Frank Bainimarama, and the almost certain prospect of the ousted prime minister going to jail.
It seems highly appropriate that the program is being sponsored by the Ministry of Health. Because the collective blood pressure of a significant portion of the population has risen sharply with some of the reports emerging today about restiveness in the ranks.
A Grubsheet reader informs us that a large number of serving RFMF personnel were at Frank Bainimarama’s house last night.
“The former PM was visited by the Fiji Navy. Past and present and it was a full house at his residence! They know their former Boss is being witch hunted and want everyone to know they support him through thick and thin!”
What is the Commander’s attitude to this act of defiance against the courts by his own personnel? Are these people going to be disciplined? Or is it OK by him that those loyal to Frank Bainimarama should show solidarity with him?
At the same time, Grubsheet has been told that senior officers at the Camp have been holding meetings to discuss what the attitude of the RFMF should be in the event that Frank Bainimarama is sent to Naboro when he is sentenced next week. (March 28).
Has the Commander been involved in those meetings? Has he sanctioned those meetings? Or are these rogue officers loyal to Bainimarama who might also be willing to defy him? Because sections of the military certainly made it clear in the wake of Bainimarama’s election defeat that there were two lines that must not be crossed on pain of intervention – jail Frank or release George Speight.
These are legitimate questions under the circumstances and it is to be hoped that Vijay Narayan isn’t intimidated by the Major General and asks the pointed questions we need answered.
The Commander has embarked on a public relations campaign to convince the Fijian people that the RFMF has changed under his command, including the accompanying story in today’s Fiji Times. But the chasm between the spin and what is actually happening has become a disturbing feature of life under the “new order” and it is high time for some genuinely straight talk.
Public confidence and national stability depend on it.
The problem is that there absolutely no honour and trust amongst the military. Bainimarama has bought the military with a price that has the present commander as the meat in the sandwich.
Or the Military knows too well how this will likely go pear-shaped in few days time and Fiji will suffer immensely.
The Commander is a professional. Any junior officer thinking of defying him and the judiciary and creating more chaos is very short sighted and will pay the price. And so are those getting worked up at the prospect of Bai going to jail. He was corrupt and to jail he belongs. He and Speight both and anyone else thinking of doing anything stupid. Life in Fiji is hard as it is and we don’t want to take Fiji backward. He should be jailed so we can have an end to this coup cycle.
What does the Commander think then of those defying the supreme law of the land – the Constitution?
While on the coup cycle, its corrupt, defiant father and his chief lawyer are running to and fro seeking whom they may devour.
How about Rambo…the person who divided and destroyed fiji and sunk NBF
Can we send Rabuka with Bai to prison? A coup is a coup, right.
Not another coup……….people can we all bloody settle!!
Trues up no moe “Naita” songs to be sung for coup leaders like for Rabuka in 1987.
Oh come on, we Indians just love being raped, beaten up and being forced to listen to “NAITA” songs during these upheavals. Has all the tribes done their Bati thingy already as yet or are there more 4th form failures wanting to be PARAIMINISITA out there.
Military has no role in civilian matters and matters of the state. If those loyal to Frank stages a mutiny or a coup to overthrow the current commander or takeover Government, then they should very well do that in a coup coup land but they will once again take Fiji back 50 years.
It’s a well know fact that Frank and ASK manipulated the law and made new laws to Govern their needs, they ruled with new laws and not by rule of the law. Now it has caught up to them and they must face the consequences and like everyone else follow the process and the law like they expected everyone they prosecuted to do the same.
They now must do the same , go to jail and await appeal.
The RFMF was taken over by the Navy leadership. Now the military leadership is where it belongs that is with the actual army officers. Officers who are unhappy can resign.
Didn’t the vindictive Bainimarama send Laisenia Qarase to jail through some trumped up charges?
The evidence coming to light now points to the corruptness that existed under FB’s watch as PM. So why shouldn’t he be held to account? If it was the ordinary citizen, we would be have been in the slammer already.
What’s good for the goose, is good for the gander.
Fiji should brace itself well.
This is not sitting lightly in RFMF.
Honorable or not, we do not want Bai to go in prison because like Rabuka who is given a lifeline with immunity and keeping all like Mr I Don’t Know this, Bai will open the can of worms like never before. Both these men are safe outside and for the general safety of this country in terms of prosperity. Unless Rabuka wants to go in with Bai.
Hold no assumptions but be ready that there is a group of women who are taking Rabuka to ICJ. Be very wary Fiji.
All this will turn into a nasty outlook for Fiji under silent snake Rabuka. These men are there for themselves.
Should have been interviewed by Cam Slater than the useless Vijay Whatever. He is one looney journalist.
Graham, can you do Fiji a favour, well the loonies of CFL, and send them a list of questions to ask, please.
Top of mind is what has RFMF got to say about Presidents sex scandal and that of Tabuya. When will these officials be removed from Parliament and what the actual f**k is RFMFs role in Fiji.
There’s speculations that Ro Jone Kalouniwai received a hefty salary increase that has made him stay on Coalitions side and ignore everything happening in FIJI
An illegally appointed ADPP throwing his weight around.
The Commander needs to get into action fast or this could easily turn into a civil unrest of all sorts.
To those who followed Rabuka and praised him you can now learn and see how history unfolds before your eyes.
You know what a civil unrest can create?
Well just brace yourselves because it ain’t looking pretty.
And these men will not rest till someone is crucified without power.
Be very careful.
@counselor you express noble thoughts but I hate to be the bearer of bad news: the coup cycle will not end, not now, not ever. Check Thailand, Sudan, and most of the African continent. We are not too far from that standard. In fact our first coup–a silent coup, if you will, was in 1977 when the then governor general refused to appoint a govt from the winning side. A precedent was set, and the dreaded cycle was set in motion, giving tacit approval to refuse to respect election outcomes. Since then, the rest as they say, is history. For one to not realize or acknowledge how far back the current bonking, weed, ethnic cleansing and the utter and complete disregard for constitutional norms has set us back illustrates how we don’t learn from our history. No coup per se is needed to marginalize, sectionalize and demonize parts of any population. And yet we as a people are sleeping with our eyes wide open. P T Barnum said something about suckers.
As for the charade of radio ‘interviews’ with Cmdr Facade – don’t invest too much political capital in whatever is said. For Cmdr Facade too has sold his soul to the devil and will not let go of the teats of privilege.
Rank and file in the military know the people who instigated the chaos in 2000 are back in power.
They will not accept such people to drag Fiji into the oblivion like what we saw in the 1990s leading up to the 2000 and the early 2000s under that racist Qarase..
Kalouniwai has forgotten as a young officer who were the real enemies. A little reminder to him that he can see the current government side of parliament.
If people want to see who caused the 2000 political upheveals see who is leading the rubbish rabble of a government in parliament.
Well they voted in 2022 and now they have to eat the crap they voted for.
Fijivillage 5pm news bulletin invited listeners to the “candid” interview of the RFMF Commander tonight.
Correct Graham, we really hope that it will be truly candid, truthful and hard hitting, without fear or favor.
And if Veteran Vijay struggles, he would do well to watch, learn and apply lessons from Tim Sebastian’s BBC Hardtalk interviews on YouTube.
GD, How is going to the “Last Supper” in defiance of the Courts ? If the convicted individual gets incarcerated, and it seems likely, this may be the last time for friends to say goodbye in a free environment…visiting him in prison not quite the same.
This is a laugh. That show is anything but straight and the bloke running it has a political axe to grind. You may as well get the Grinch to guard the Christmas gifts.
Even if the Comm. RFMF doesn’t believe another coup can/will happen, there’s nothing in the rule books stopping a bloke below him from doing it.
Rabuka (who holds a doctorate in coups) was well below the rank of a Commander when he carried out his first assault on democracy in Fiji so people should fall over in surprise if something happens.
Frank has never in his life served a full term of duty in the Middle East .
His only term was cut short after he was esent back to Fiji prematurely for drunkenness.
Don’t know why current supporters in the Navy and Military want to support him.
They are as different as chalk and Cheese