There is suddenly a lot of hand-wringing about moral decay in Fiji, including on the front page of today’s Fiji Times where the new Chair of the Great Council of Chiefs preposterously blames the 2000 and 2006 coups. Nonsense. The moral decay in Fiji lies at the feet of our leaders who preach one thing and do another and the appalling example they are setting for the nation’s young people.
It beggars belief that the Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre and its head, Shamima Ali, can line up and be photographed with the Minister for Women and Children, Lynda Tabuya, to decry the level of domestic violence when Tabuya had “brutal” sex with a domestic violence abuser – her fellow Minister, Aseri Radrodro – in Room 233 of the Windsor Hotel in Melbourne last August.
That incident cost Lynda Tabuya the deputy leadership of the People’s Alliance after an inquiry found allegations against her of extramarital sex with Radrodro and drug-taking proven. Yet incredibly, she is still the Minister for Women and Children. And she shamelessly issues hollow statements about fighting domestic violence when she slept with the man who beat his former wife, the Prime Minister’s daughter, to within an inch of her life a decade ago and was only saved when her father found her in time to rush her to hospital.
Shamima Ali and the rest of the women’s movement know what happened. And they should be ashamed of themselves for turning a blind eye to conduct that would be totally unacceptable anywhere else in the world – consorting with a drug-using Minister for Women who slept with a domestic violence abuser and also raising not a word of protest about that abuser occupying the Education portfolio.
It is this complete absence of moral leadership by the women’s movement, as well the nation’s politicians and sadly our churches, that is a much more plausible explanation for the country’s moral decay than the 2000 and 2006 upheavals, which are now historical events that occurred before much of the population was born – 24 years ago and 18 years ago respectively.
That the head of the GCC, Ratu Viliame Seruvakula, would blame them for the current breakdown in moral standards and not the absence of suitable role models and proper national leadership in the present just goes to demonstrate how irrelevant the restoration of the GCC is going to be in restoring proper standards of conduct in the vanua, let alone the nation as a whole.
Fijians are sick of being lectured to by people whose own personal conduct doesn’t meet even the most basic standards of rectitude. The Coalition’s resident Minister for Bonking and Weed is in no position to lecture anyone about anything, least of all the drug threat. And the sight of her sex “toy boy” – the Coalition’s resident domestic violence abuser – lecturing the nation’s children about proper standards of behaviour is an obscenity.
If we are to have any hope of beginning to arrest the moral decay that is suddenly front page news today, both Lynda Tabuya and Aseri Radrodro must go. But so must Shamima Ali and those members of the women’s movement who seem oblivious to their roles as enablers and appeasers in accepting the unacceptable and defending the indefensible.
By their silence, they are just as culpable for the current moral crisis gripping the nation as the sanctimonious hypocrites at the top of government and a media that refuses to hold them to account. Until our leaders in all walks of life begin calling out bad behaviour instead of enabling it, nothing is going to change.
Suddenly moral decay is big news. Today’s Fiji Times front page…
But the moral decay is in the present, including at the heart of government.
Lynda Tabuya knew Aseri Radrodro was a domestic violence abuser and still had an affair with him.
The hand that almost took the life of his former wife shamelessly swears on the Bible as Radrodro is restored as Education Minister. A national disgrace.
Ratu Viliame Seruvakula should blame himself for partly contributing to the erosion of self pride and a decay in moral standards of the majority indigenous Fijian people.
He is the one while a serving officer of the RFMF introduced the phrase “ethno nationalism” in Fiji and in recurring mentions in the media he blamed so-called ethno nationalists for stirring up political instability in Fiji.
It gave the military justification for the very coups he is now blaming as a contributor to the erosion of moral standards.
Looked at it from cause and effect, the coups he referred to were effects, the causes include himself.
They say whenever there is political action at the grass roots you look to the top for its cause. And you’re absolutely right GD that the problem has always been those at the very top not following normal standards of morality and accountability.
We now have an ethno-nationalist government, but Seruvakula refuses to call them out.
He is as contradictory as the rest of them. Why Ratu Epenisa, the Vunivalu of Bau, put Servakula’s name forward to contest the Chairmanship of the GCC I don’t know.
He spent most of working life with the UN overseas and is out of touch with reality.
Also, it’s so sad and disappointing to see the short/selective reference span on the cause of moral decay. The decay actually started as a result of the mother of coups in 1987 – you will never be forgiven for it SLR. The coups of 1987 has been insidious leading to moral, economic bankruptcy changing the face of democracy and the country’s landscape. And now the father of the coups is our leader to potential destroy Fiji aided and abetted by the people who purport to have the credentials to lead Fiji. NFP is a partner in this now and has been giving the oxygen to this moral decay! We are maiming our country to death – far far away from what we once were and an envy of the world! What are doing to ourselves Fiji?
To be honest the whole thing is so sickening and frightening that commenting is even draining. How can they keep getting away with this behaviour? Don’t even start me on the minimum wage, drug abuse, crime and corruption.
We keep beating the drum and nothing changes.
As for tourists who keeping bleating how much they love the “Bula smile” etc etc. Bula smile my butt. Bula and hold your handbag and watch yourself. Fiji 2024 is a dangerous untrustworthy place. I note we having a growing PNG “rascal” group as well.
People are not safe!!!
So sad and angry.
The people of Fiji, the normal decent people, need to rise up together and demand that these corrupt, immoral, lying members of the government be removed. Some of them should be in jail!
Resist, refuse, revolt!
Yes Graham, it almost made me vomit to read the news and Lynda Tabuya’s media statement on the government Facebook page yesterday. Shameless idiot she is.
Exactly, If people were to voice their opinions in person, get some major international media coverage for all the world to see, on these lies and atrocities, change would have to happen! Imagine the embarrassment when it airs in US and Aus. Which are important to the PM.
Tourism would take a hit. Nobody want to go places where there is no justice and upholding of the law. I for one avoid those kind of places. It’s way too risky.
It’s so simple.
But who’s willing to stand up outside the govt with signs for a better Fiji? Imagine if the outside world really knew how bad it really is!
If ordinary people are not willing to stand up and speak up then nothing is going to change. There is no pressure to do/ be better. They know this and they know the people are in their hands and they can do anything.
Do you ever hear the govt suggesting/ talking about cutting back on kava and alcohol consumption? People that are lazy are also very easy to control and manipulate. Also because kava is an important export.
We know there is alcohol abuse and diabetes and these are killers but so little is said.
Fiji allowed 16 years. Now it’s happening again but people don’t want to act. People think it’s so much better… that’s what’s keeping people silent. Sadly the country is slipping away even further. Would they ever speak up against “ one of their own?”.
Is this another issue?
Yes, coups did contribute to moral decay. Remember 1987 when homes were looted, burnt, women raped. That’s moral decay you shites.
Lynda wants to investigate and help a woman and her kids now! Shame on you. Nation’s worst Minister ever.
You abuse other people’s children for your glory and PR mileage. Shameless cow.
Shamima, don’t get me started. Raking in millions from donor funds and very selective in her calling out. Didn’t see her call out on Lynda’s leadership.
You women make me sick. Vomit material.
Light a candle in your life first before preaching and abusing donor funds.
We need another CLEAN UP.
Keep calling out Lynda.
1 day old post on her Facebook page on the same matter gets 160 likes only. That’s telling that Fijians are not buying into her garbage anymore. It’s come to a bang of a halt. People are seeing though her.
Thank you GD for speaking the truth and holding these so called leaders accountable.
This is the beginning of the end for Fiji…or what is would look like.
They say the fish decays from the head down. The leaders have no morals, the people will follow suit.
For those still contemplating, there was and there is no better time to migrate.
Shamima gets close to a million dollars a year just from NZAID.
I can tell you one thing.
There is no NGO in New Zealand doing the same work that will recieve such a decent investment. And that’s NZAID only. Then there is Ausaid that showers millions more into Shamima and other NGOs.
What have these NGOs delivered truly? Only Fijians can tell us that.
Nzaid and ausaid only did an external review of their funds once. So they have very little to hold themselves accountable for. The donors are equally responsible for the failures.
Lynda Tabuya let me get this straight you are claiming to be fighting domestic violence by sleeping with a wife basher?! This is an odd way to influence children to stay away from violent individuals.
And you even said you’d love nothing better but to live with him. I don’t hear you saying he never beat his wife. I don’t hear you telling women it’s ok to walk away from these disgusting monsters. When you said to Aseri that you are very different. No i don’t think so. Your lust for power is like him and your immorality is just like him.
You are nothing, just a big show to gather votes. Nothing to offer besides a pose. No solutions, , no action.
Fooled no more. People are waking up.
They all know it wasn’t AI after all as you told your people. Nice try. You thought they’d be too stupid to know the difference.
You jet set and drive a fancy car and drink expensive bottles of Jack while bonking on govt dime, you are sinking the country. Did you not think you needed to show restraint, this job was not for you to live a luxurious life. How anyone can “ follow” you still.. only the very unsophisticated who wanted to “know” you and “like” you but even they have seen the light. Justice will prevail.
All these women are so proudly standing in a picture with a whore! So proud and so shameless. The message I get is “Just look at us, how stupid and shameless we all are”! There must be a lot of mothers there.
In a free country people have the right to be stupid if they so choose. I just wish they did not make that choice. But in Fiji, they make that choice shamelessly and proudly so! Must be the water in Fiji. Or it must be the genes passed on from their parents. I think it is the latter. And what is even more sad is that these women will pass on their stupid genes to their “churen” and the cycle perpetuates.
There isn’t going to be a revolutionary social change in Fiji.
Not enough selfless or morally convicted locals.
Too busy toiling to make a living or on the other extreme saying the right words to keep in with the trendy society groups comprising Business, NGOs, diplomatic crowd and the like.
Besides, there is nothing wrong with Fiji, just smile and pose for the next social media upload.
If moral rectitude were a condition of entry in the GCC and parliament both houses would be empty today.
Leaders sexual escapades have been long whispered among the lower classes. We have examples in both house of leaders with lists of illegitimate children as long as your arm.
So who do you blame if that sort of behaviour cascades down to society?
If there is moral turpitude in society Mr Seruvakula should first clean up his own GCC house, then deal with the much publicised Room 233 issue in Parliament before pointing a finger at the rest of us.
Me tekivu I jerusalemi (clean up yr own house first)
Dodonu sara, so true Clean Up. And then there is no one in the leadership who can see the problem nor have the interest to clean up because they are blinded by what to milk from the system for themselves while they can!
1987 started it all when our current PM opened that Pandora’s Box of lawless and immoral behaviour at the highest levels becoming the norm. The genie was never put back in the bottle. But no mention of 1987 in this FT article.
Fiji Media now says they are free. They have moved up the index of being a free media.
My concern remains on their articulation of what freedom means for them versus what is ethical reporting means.
They cannot hold leaders accountable.
I remember talking to a senior media specialist about women and violence. And was then told in the middle of an interview that they couldn’t take the story to air because there was a decision by top officials not to. A blatant abuse of power for broadcasting leaders higher up and the journalists left to say that they cannot report on the abuse. Such is freedom.
And then there is Lynda Tabuya episode of looking like a good leader in a snakes clothes.
The moral decay of Fijian society starts from home. It is the parents/guardian’s/extended family’s responsibility to teach children acceptable human behavior, morals, values, what is right and what is wrong and basic life skills. Sadly, this hasn’t happened in the last two generations.
You cannot blame any coups for that. While the coups have definitely contributed to it, the horse has well and truly bolted by then. And why only blame the 2000 and 2006 coups?
And why haven’t the parents fulfilled these basic responsibilities? It’s because they are spending too much time doing church activities, socializing and doing vanua obligations. There is no family time where these teachings are instilled.
It is unfortunate that the two bodies (lotu and vanua) that should be complementing the parents in fulfilling this very important function are the very ones that are negating it.
You only need to talk to teachers to hear about the abhorrent behavior of our children. It appears that the parents have delegated their responsibilities to the teachers.
Sit at any urban center bus station and watch their behavior. Equally in village settings where school aged teens are drinking kava with parents and elders when they should be doing homework. Their behavior including language is appalling. And these are the so-called future of Fiji.
For the Chairman of the GCC to blame any coups shows that he does not understand the root cause of the problem. So what hope do we have in solving it when we do not know the causes?
If the parents have done their jobs, we will have a hard-working population that has morals, understands what is right and wrong and will not be blindly supporting our current bunch of morally corrupt politicians and so-called role models.
Instead, we have a bunch of self-entitled, lazy (just waiting for govt handout irrespective from which govt, or from overseas remittances) sigidrigi loving generation who won’t take any responsibility for their actions. But happy to blame everyone else. Especially the “vulagis”. Its all their fault.
Linda Tabuya is nothing but a fake ass poor excuse of a woman! Bloody twat!
She brings shame and disrepute to all intelligent and God-fearing Itaukei womenfolk the world over, past, present and future!
Stupid Shamima seems to be tagging silently along! What a farce! Big time moral decay in your own backyards!
Is this a Homewreckers Convention photo shoot you stupid lot are posing for in the above picture?
You bunch of shameful idiots thinking yourselves self-entitled female advocates for violence against women, make me sick! Fake-ass b*tches!
Disgusting doesn’t even begin to describe what you bunch of feminine fools really are!
Ulukau levu, vakamadua qai vakasisila!
Just when you think you can’t get anymore grossed out.
Launch investigation Rodrodro,, Shamima, Tabuya…
Please somebody launch a fresh investigation.
Get them out. Somebody here has the power to do something.
Disgusting display of narcissism.
Daily posing, lots of time on hands to self promote instead of helping. How many articles in the paper, just get to work and stop wasting tax payers dollars.
Please can they spare us seeing their lying ugly faces. If they were really out working they would not be doing stories and posing for group photos.
I wonder if all the insular itaukei know is to “blame the vulagi?” The resulting external focus of control prevents self-reflection and development, as well as calling out their own. Until this shifts, Fiji will always be third world hoping to be developing nation. Never first world.
Shame
Neither the last government nor this one have any
Shamima and Lynda are birds of the same feather, while others in the photo will most likely copy paste them! Enablers here are the politicians, NGOs, media plus of course, development partners. All are guilty, silent, ticking boxes to secure more funding and thus collaborating on Fiji”s downward spiral. Isa, no mercy from them.
Fiji has the highest number of UN and other key agencies that should safeguard children and women against violence. What are they doing?
It is now certainly worth investigating all these agencies and how much have they invested into Shamima and other NGOs over the last decade. Kana loto useless lot.