Fiji continues its march into the abyss as the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, confirms that he is proposing his own chief – the Tui Cakau, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu – to be president of the republic after the incumbent, the Tui Macuata, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere, withdrew from contesting a second term.
Unless there is a rebellion in the parliament against the appointment, Ratu Naiqama will become the nation’s head of state at the end of the month within weeks of causing outrage as Speaker of the Parliament by making racially-derogatory comments about an MP of Melanesian descent.
He is totally unfit for the position of president, having been jailed for his role in the 2000 rebellion and suspended from the Parliament for two years back in 2015 for the following extraordinary comments about his distinguished predecessor as speaker – Dr Jiko Luveni.
A decade on, it is the Fijian people who are being treated as cavuka by Sitiveni Rabuka as he continues to inflict vutusona on the nation, degrading our institutions and installing his cronies and kai vata into positions of power and influence.
If this appointment goes ahead, Ratu Naiqama would become the first president or governor general in Fiji’s history with a criminal record who has seen the inside of a jail cell. He was sent to prison for his role in the 2000 rebellion (he was George Speight‘s minister for Fijian Affairs) but served only 11 days of an eight month sentence before he was released on a compulsory supervision order.
He has also been accused of arson. And by no less than Adi Koila Nailatikau – the wife of the former president Ratu Epeli Nailatikau and daughter of Fiji’s founding prime minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. She accused him of having ordered the burning of the Matailakeba Cane Farm in Seaqaqa – owned by Ratu Mara – during the army mutiny at Sukanaivalu Barracks in Labasa on July 29, 2000.
So Ratu Naiqama is patently unfit to be head of state. And the notion that a change of leadership to a “new generation” in the People’s Alliance would alter this outrage has been firmly dashed by an extraordinary comment in Thursday’s Fiji Sun by Rabuka’s presumptive successor, Manoa Kamikamica, supporting Ratu Naiqama for president.
Given the Tui Cakau’s sorry record, it is scandalous that Manoa Kamikamica would describe him as “very capable”, with “all the attributes required for the presidential position”. He is very capable alright – of racism, misogyny, treason and arson. And he also stands accused of having underage sex and impregnating a 15 year old girl – crimes that because of his chiefly status, have never seen him brought to account but have been the talk of the nation for years.
Kamikamica’s endorsement of such a man to be head of state is a sorry reflection of his own moral standards. His father, the late Jo Kamikamica – a politician and civil servant of impeccable integrity – would be spinning in his grave. On top of Manoa Kamikamica’s other failures of principle, including supporting more money for MPs when half the country lives in poverty, it is imperative that he never becomes the nation’s leader.
Parliament must combine to prevent Naiqama Lalabalavu from ever becoming our head of state. It is an insult to every Fijian and the integrity of the state is now very much in the balance. We cannot have a convicted criminal at the apex of the nation with such important constitutional duties to discharge, including being commander in chief of the RFMF.
It is high time for the Commander of the RFMF, Major General Ro Jone Kalouniwai, to use the powers available to him under Section 131 of the Constitution to inform the Prime Minister that appointing Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu as president would be a direct threat to the well-being of the Fijian people. This is not incitement for a coup but for Kalouniwai to caution and advise – his clear constitutional right.
Above all, every MP has the opportunity when parliament votes on the appointment next Thursday to reject it. And they must do so in the national interest or stand condemned themselves for having been a party to an act of collective moral failure.
We cannot have a head of state at the pinnacle of the nation with Ratu Naiqama’s appalling record without causing unprecedented division at a time when unity has never been more important. And rest assured that this appointment will be divisive. The signs are already there.
In today’s Fiji Times, the human rights activist, Shamima Ali, says Ratu Naiqama’s appointment as president is unacceptable. She also delivers a withering critique of the Coalition’s overall performance in a front page story that is the most glaring instance yet of widespread community disillusion with the government as all sides of politics begin to prepare for the 2026 election.
The Prime Minister’s backdown in appointing Pita Wise as ambassador to Japan when Wise was booted from the position of Sitiveni Rabuka’s permanent secretary for alleged sexual harassment must be repeated in the case of Ratu Naiqama’s appointment as president. And if Rabuka persists in appointing him, it will be time for the people of Fiji to take to the streets – orderly and peacefully – to send an unmistakable message to an increasingly capricious and erratic head of government that “enough is enough”.
It is less than three weeks since Shamima Ali called on the Speaker to resign for his racism.
A call echoed by the entire NGO Coalition. How can he now be president?
Manoa Kamikamica’s disgraceful defence of the nomination on today’s Fiji Sun front page…
And Tuesday’s original announcement by the Prime Minister…
POSTSCRIPT:
There is some suggestion that because Ratu Naiqama is Sitiveni Rabuka’s own chief, he would have had no option but to accede to any request by the Speaker to become president. Which if true, merely confirms the folly of having restored the Great Council of Chiefs to the preeminence it now enjoys under the Coalition.
It may even be that the Prime Minister will be hoping that parliament votes against Ratu Naiqama’s appointment. But who cares? This is a return to the chiefly kowtowing of the 19th century and is unacceptable conduct on the part of our elected representatives in a supposedly democratic nation in the modern age.
Thanks GD for highlighting this. Sadly this is the Fiji we have to deal with now. All due to one spineless and corrupt person, Sitiveni Rabuka. He has no limits to his actions and will to do wrong by the people of Fiji. He doesn’t care as long as his pocket is full. As he is, so is his ministers. What a bunch of crooks who can’t even stand up and say No! This guy you are proposing to be the next President is not fit to hold such a high office of integrity and responsibility. They are all dumb as timber. Sad days ahead for Fiji if this guy is made President. Where is Biman?
Native Fijians won’t be affected by Naiqama becoming president. Instead they’ll be happy.
@Slacker –I think you may be meaning to say, thrilled. Overjoyed. Excited. Unbridled joy. Ignorant pride. Exuberant arrogance.
@Slacker Native Fijian here and I’m not excited but angry at why this moron who uses a walking stick to be the next president of Fiji.
Will he be the next Mr Magoo to the lame duck one we have here in the US.
But Graham, impregnating a 15 yo girl was in the past! In fact, everything he did which you mention was in the past. What is more, whatever the PM did was also all in the past!
And that is why the PM still here.
So all of that which you mention makes the Speaker the most qualified person for the job. The people of Fiji would agree. You must start thinking the Fijian way. They are special people with a special way of thinking. The right way.
It is incredible this hedonistic slant that plays out in Christian life in Fiji. All that matters is who I tell you I am today. Past patterns of behaviour (that often predict future) don’t matter, nor do current actions. All that matters is who I say I am today, and how much I get out of the current moment by taking advantage of power and putting a positive spin on it. There’s a childishness to it that, combined with power, is dangerous.
A convicted criminal must never represent Fiji as Head of State. Such a shame for Fiji.
To spite the Indians, it is to be announced on the eve of Diwali as everyone knows how the Indians get frightened and upset. The itaukeis will be happy as they don’t care a bit as long as it’s someone they can identify with. They don’t care for their or their children’s future as long as it’s an itaukei leading the country . Oh and on Diwali I hope the parents and leaders please ask their children not to disturb the prayers of Indians by demanding for sweets at exactly 6pm and swearing and throwing stones at homes if we run out of the same. Remember this time around whilst we don’t mind sharing things are expensive.
I’ll Be Back!!
It’s becoming very obvious that rabuka is finishing off what he started in 1987… unfortunately this time around, we were foolish enough to give him a legal and democratic pathway.
Firstly I commend the President for choosing to step aside after his first term. A wise decision given the despicable state of governance and leadership … no one wants to be head of state or anywhere near this government as they continue to slowly self destruct themselves and lower the bar of service, transparency and good governance with every passing minute they are in power.
The itaukei grab for power and posturing for self importance is revolting – they are greedy and hungry for themselves and use the people and culture as a front & a tool used to feather their own nest(s).
But the reality as they have proven time and time again in their current term in Government is that they will side and collude and cover up for each other (yes including forget conveniently, be unaware, bend the rules, and not follow through on matters of urgent governance and fairness like court cases and due process ).
Let time reveal how this house of cards comes falling down… it is just a matter of time … Everyday is divine revelation and exposure of who they all are as individuals by their character and leadership choices. Not to mention demonstration of their own levels of professional competency or lack of.
Bring on 2026 elections …
We deserve better than this state of play that we are currently being served.
Game over Coalition Government – we will not and cannot be fooled anymore . Talk is cheap and your deliberate choices while having “power and position” are testament of who you truly are and what you stand for as individuals and political parties … shame on you all !
Who else will have the dignity or common sense to walk away now while they have a chance to redeem themselves well before the next elections ?
Sometimes it can be “Imposter Syndrome” which dictates whether you stay or walk away.
Definition Oxford Languages: noun: imposter syndrome.
The persistent inability to believe that one’s success is deserved or has been legitimately achieved as a result of one’s own efforts or skills.
Wikipedia: Clance and Imes defined impostor phenomenon as “an internal experience of intellectual phoniness”.
Additionally – While the PM says the current Pres withdrew from being nominated again – who is to say he wasn’t pushed out to make room for another of the chosen ones.
In local parlance, the natives say ‘fake til you make it’.
The PM and this shambles of a Government continue to lower the standards of Fiji and its people with this woeful nomination for President.
The nominee, a former member of SODELPA, (a party in decline) does not meet the standard required by s.83 of the Constitution. As a former member of Parliament who was suspended for two years he does not meet, in my view, the requirement of s.83(a) of the Constitution. This section says:
(a) has had a distinguished career in any aspect of national or international life, whether in public or private sector.
His time in Parliament was not distinguished and his suspension lengthily, hardly meeting the standards expected of a head of state.
If they were serious about equality, then they would nominate a woman as the next Head of State!
Perhaps the former leader of SODELPA Ro Teimumu Vuikaba Kepa who is paramount chief of the Burebasaga Confederacy. She was the first Fijian woman to serve as Leader of the Opposition and previously held the position of Deputy Prime Minister in the Qarase-led Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) government from 2001 to 2006.
As for a revolt in Parliament I think not. The opposition are spineless or compromised (depending on who you talk to) and the minor parties in the coalition are too intent on the power and money they currently reap to challenge.
Ro Teimumu the Israeli vodo loto you mean? While I was hardly a fan of Voreqe and co.,I enjoyed his suggestion to the GCC to go drink home brew under the mango tree…
👏 👏 👏 👏 👏
We do ourselves no favours by calling people of Kepa’s and Naiqama’s ilk, “HIGH CHIEF” or “PARAMOUNT CHIEF”.
They’ve exhibited once already that they’re in it to maintain the status quo, maintaining their relevance by subjugating their subjects in a constant state of constant emotional trauma, that the minority Indians will steal their land and its resources.
And they did a pretty decent propaganda number on Frank and ASK to demonise the duo and the FF party in the lead up to the elections.
Two years later, we have a government that is riddled with scandals, ministers who can’t keep it in their pants as well as ministers who can’t keep their legs closed, ministers in cahoots with known drug dealers, a downward spiralling economy, a PM who seems senile, corrupt ministers who should be behind bars and the list goes on.
But lets rejoice because we’re about to have a paedophile president.
Do we need a president who is an alleged pedophile, a racist and a foul mouth. I read Ratu Naiqama’s condescending talk down to MP Aliki Bia recently and thought it was unbecoming for the Speaker of the House to speak the way he did.
There surely must be other suitable candidates for president then this person. The people of Fiji deserve a better president and better leaders at that.
Haha….yes, you’re back alright. Welcome back, Mr D! You didn’t miss anything. Vutusona dina. Well and truly phoc’d.
Hi GD,
With respect, I find this development deeply troubling – and so have been many others. It accelerates the erosion of democracy and fairness, which were the last hopes for the country. True leaders should command respect and inspire for the right reasons—credibility and integrity are key.
Trump’s recent claim that all criminals have been pulled into US from around the world, and that the world is now free from such threats, doesn’t reflect reality. Many still lurk within our own borders, scheming under the guise of national interest. If the current regime wants to leave a meaningful legacy, it must confront this truth.
Fiji is fast marching towards a failed state, and the signs are becoming harder to ignore. It’s a critical moment for leadership to act before it’s too late. Thank you GD for providing this forum for us to be able to freely raise our concerns hoping our voice gets heard.
Welcome back, hope you had a good break. Have missed my early morning read for the past few days. Keep up the good work. And thank you.
Glad to see you back. To reduce stress on yourself, no need to reply back. Simply don’t post dumb comments either to save yourself time from morons.
Rabuka has covered himself well in a way he can do anything he likes.
He will have a president (head of executive) who is his chief, he has his own illegal head of Judiciary and he himself( a treasonist who has never been tried and enjoys immunity under the constitution) as head of government. All three estates of government are in collusion and not independent.
The fourth estate, the media and press (with the exception of Fiji Sun), which has an important watch dog function, is openly siding with the government by turning a blind eye to all the wrongdoings.
Then you have independent institutions like DPP and FICAC headed by people of government’s choice and not on merit, worsening the situation further. Where can citizens of Fiji go to seek justice?
Of course, you have inefficient and unproductive police force which is clueless about modern policing. Let’s not talk about the military. They have been good at either doing the coups or assisting with it. Now that they have a role under the constitution, it has no balls to keep the government in check through its advice to the president. The current president is the worst one we have, and his imminent replacement is like taking us ” from the frying pan into the fire.
Ratu Naiqama’s nomination as president is highly questionable as GD has rightfully described how low-down and demeaning his character is.
Being a Commander of Chief of Fiji Military Forces, he will have an easy access to them to do whatever he wants to do. How can Fiji trust a person like him, as head of executive?
It will be a remiss if I don’t comment on the Biman, who has jaundice eyes. He can’t see the wrongs being done especially with the vulagis. Why should he? He is right now busy with his 55 member delegation to COP 29 on which he has 6 cabinet ministers and two assistant ministers. This shows how incapable this government is.
He was even quick to justfy that 95% of the cost is met by external sources.
Can he be also swift enough to tell his Coalition partners why not nominate an Indo-Fijian to be head of state? This will also mean a change – something they have been harping about and also provide evidence that they pro multiculturalism. If New Zealand can do it why can’t Fiji.
Is it expecting too much for the President to be a non Ratu…to be a non Chief i taukei. Male or Female. As for the speaker – someone even just a little more professional in the job would raise the standard above what it currently is.
Nothing surprising from these bunch of racist idiots. They have now done a back track on Pita Wise appointments after much uproar. Why was he picked in the first place?
This person was mediocre middle manager during his days in NLTB, was an average parliamentarian with SODELPA, an alleged pedophile, a misogynist and a racist who thinks he is an elected representative to make his views known in parliament whilst being the speaker is definitely not fit to be the Head of state.
He was also the one that told Rabuka to withdraw his earlier nomination of Ratu Wiliame Katonivere 2 weeks ago.
Now we know the reason.
He definitely is the most powerful person in Fiji right now.
Fiji is getting from bad to worse.
Let us see what the next episode brings.
The print media in today’s both dailies reported on thr distrust people have of the Government and its institutions. This decision by the PM and his coalition government confirms that finding.
Everyone is harping about a pedo being the President. Wait till George Speight becomes prime minister. I could see this president coming a long time ago and I can see Speight becoming PM. He will be very popular, I can tell you.
Why werent all these allegations about him brought up before when he was apointed Speaker? Suerely the man is not fit to be Speaker in the first place.
But then, with the history of appointments by this government , the more dodgy you are the more qualified you become for a position. That includes the PM.
Speaker’s replacement after he is sworn into Government House by the Constitution-violating A/CJ is easy to identify. PM has at his disposal another 2 ex-prisoners to choose from: Qaranivalu and George.
A FB interview by Letitia Shelton and the victim of an alleged rape attempt by a Church leader has gone viral. Can Letitia also blow torch the Presidential nominee’s victims? Hopefully these victims are willing to come forward.
If Naiqama becomes the next President of Fiji then his title will be His Excellency Vutusona Naiqama President of Fiji
Lalabalavu impregnated his caretaker’s 15 year old child at his private chiefly village home above the main Somosomo village. His caretaker and his wife have been with him for years and so Lalabalavu had seen the poor girl since she was born!
Fiji Village reports a huge tick in the box for Shamima and her FWCC gang for calling on the Coalition last Fri to withdraw Pita Wise as nominee for Fiji’s Ambassador to Japan. PSC Chair has confirmed Wise is out. So FWCC and their donors will be happy.
Well done, Shamima! But you’ve got a long list of high profile perpetrators to work on. So for now, it’s from the Ambassadorial to the Presidential nominee, please, before Parliament convenes next.
She can start with the directors of Communications Fiji Ltd. If she really cares then she can speak about Tabuya and her abuse on the child whose video Tabuya circulated.
But she will not.
Take my word.
Shamima is the worst thing that could happen to women in Fiji.
Kana loto donor money crew.
The prime minister’s aim is to maintain the lowest standards as has been set by this government since it came into office two years ago. The aim is to make Fiji a true blue Banana Republic.
So the more dodgy a person, the more qualified he or she is for an important position in the country. There is established history under this government.
Only the lowest standards is good for Fiji and Fijians.
Interestingly, that is what the people seem to want. If the people did not have low standards, these things would never happen in the first place.
What he did in 2000 in Labasa shows that he is an opportunist. And was rightly jailed for that. But impregnating a minor is something else. It shows he thinks more with his third leg. A President is a symbol of unity, should be above reproach and a person of impeccable qualities. While other positions we can consider that not all are perfect, the highest office of the land should be beyond reproach.
I must admit I now give up. It seems Rabuka is busy with pay backs to his chief, his tavale Wise and so on. Moce mada.
The longer this coalition stays in power the more shit we can expect.
Most people aren’t even bothered anymore. When you speak to Biman or Rabuka, its like throwing stone in shit, its more likely to land on your face than anything happening to the pile of shit.
Fiji government is a pile like that. No use complaining. Just sit back and enjoy the destruction.
GD, next time you driving over the Harbour Bridge, pls yell out Rambuka and Naiqama, DVV (drau veivutu). Hahaha
Now that it’s out there that he raped and impregnated a minor, he should be investigated and charged together with her parents. Where is the girl now. Her life has been ruined. Did she further her education, what about her mental and emotional health. Same as when Rabuka’s daughter was beaten. It was swept under the carpet. Why are women treated like this by these men?
GD touched briefly on Naiqama’s role as a speaker. The speaker’s role is to maintain the decorum and orderly conduct of parliamentary sessions. He/she acts as a neutral figure ensuring that the debates are conducted within the rules and that members are treated fairly. He/she is expected to refrain from participating in debates or expressing personal opinions on issues discussed in Parliament.
However, recently there have been instances where the current speaker had gone beyond his role and made direct comments on what MPs should or should not say, even publically scolding them. At the August/September 2024 session as per Hansard Report, the speaker commented on the need to weaponise the police force to combat drug issues. This remark gets into policy debate which is not the speaker’s responsibility.
Another concerning moment occurred when speaker referred to two MPs of Solomon Islands decent ” please , make up you two’s mind whether you want to be Fijians or want to go back to Solomons because I will not sit here and listen to all these diatribe going on that you all mistreated, etc cetera, because I say, no, it is totally different”. (Quoted from Hansard Report of 6 September 2024).
The Hansard Report of September 6th, 2024 is linked below. The Speaker’s response to MP Aliki Bia plea for the Solomon Islander descendants- read from page 1892. A glimpse of the tiny and foul mind that resides in that head. And some have the temerity to utter the word “unity” in the same sentence when explaining the reasons for nominating this man President of Fiji.
The worst of it:
“ The way they live is different. That is what honourable Tubuna is saying. Some they do not have toilets, yes, Naviavia is like that.”
“ So, to say that you have been mistreated, honourable Bia, I take exception to that, and I do not fully agree with what you have said,
because you have been offered seats in the House, the Parliament of Fiji.”
“ Please, make up you twos’ mind whether you want to be Fijians or want to go back to the Solomons because I will not sit here and listen to all these diatribe going on that you all mistreated, et cetera, because I say, “no, it is totally
different.”
https://www.parliament.gov.fj/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Daily-Hansard-Friday-6th-September-2024.pdf
And Rabuka thinks this man is suitable to be our head of state – a great unifier who is above politics, bringing every Fijian together irrespective of ethnicity and religion?
It is utterly perverse and I am tempted to think that the PM is either gaga or mad. Except that Manoa Kamikamica is the same. Both of them are unfit to lead.
The dumb shits of Fiji. Rabuka and his looney next President in making. La la land team.
Lice Movono and by extension her employer propping senile Rabuka’s choice of a rapist and paedophile as president. Movono and ABC are party to the lowering of ethics and standards in Fiji. Instead of questioning it they using culture and tradition to justify it. Everyone who knows Lice knows that she is shallow but it seems that ABC is even shallower! This is her tweet on the matter: “To learn how a Fijian president is nominated & selected learn abt traditional leadership structures. To understand how & why chiefs accept & support a nomination, learn about confederacy politics and the intricacies of how historical vanua alliances came about.”
Lice is an overrated journalist! She has no credentials. Her view on who is to be President or not is based on ethnicity-nationalism views and not on the values of the constitution. That’s the first test of a knowledgeable journalist which she had failed miserably. The selection of President should be and only be based on the principles enshrined in the constitution. There is a saying that grandmothers from Lice Movono’s village always say, me kua ni dau sika na noda weli (mind your own business to things according to your traditional rank).
There is a saying that grandmothers in the village from where Lice comes always say: Me kua ni dau sika na noda weli (basically mean mind your own business or do not provide an opinion on things tha t
I think there is some logic in the PM’s nomination for president. The logic is obviously that he is a dickhead.
In fact all his decisions have that explanation. And he is a proud dickhead.
What the actual fu@k are these Ratus doing in Fiji! Is this a Ratu show now!
Get off all your power hungry attitudes and go and serve your people in the village where poverty is glaring hard for attending.
It is so shameful that Fiji is going through all this. I am in Samoa and Fiji is a laughing joke at every event here. Totally lost its mana that Bainimarama had created over the years. The PM and all its ministers are the talk of the Pacific. Added to that list is the absolute lack of respect for VC Ahuwalia. He has been the highlight of the conversations here.
Note posted on a Cemetery Gate:-
Pause a moment, as you pass by.
As you are now, so once were we.
As we are now, so shall you be.
Chief. Chiefly. Holy. Untouchable. Like a god. A god ??
Will the NFP vote against this travesty? My vote for Lenora Q has been totally wasted with her smiling acceptance of numerous moral injustices against the people of Fiji.
Here’s your chance Lenora to redeem yourself or be forever damned!