It isn’t enough for the President, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, to be an accused paedophile who impregnated a 15 year old girl with “special needs” who was the daughter of one of his retainers.
It isn’t enough for Sitiveni Rabuka to have made his chief the nation’s Head of State when Lalabalavu is a convicted treasonist who served jail time for his role in the 2000 mutiny.
It isn’t enough for him to have joined Rabuka in violating the Constitution by refusing to suspend his old friend and relative by marriage – the Chief Justice, Salesi Temo – when Temo stands accused by a Supreme Court Commission of Inquiry of perjury and obstructing and perverting the course of justice.
It isn’t enough for him to have usurped the Prime Minister’s constitutional role and made executive decisions, such as unilaterally confirming Temo in the substantive position of Chief Justice when he had no legal right to do so.
Now Ratu Naiqama demeans the nation by accepting a gift from China of a massive limousine used by Chinese Communist Party officials that is totally inappropriate for use in Fiji and conveys an image to the world that Fiji is in the clutches of Beijing and effectively a provincial offshoot of China.
It is the modern-day equivalent of the beads, mirrors and other trinkets that 18th century colonisers carried around in big chests as they sailed the Pacific trying to buy the favours of the natives. The only difference is that the Chinese don’t seek land (for now at least) but influence – trying to curry favour with Fiji in the great strategic power struggle currently taking place between China and the democracies for dominance in the Pacific region.
This particular bauble – gratefully received by the native chief – is a relatively cheap way to send a message to the Fijian people and the world that we are on the Chinese side – our Head of State riding around in the same carriage as Communist Party functionaries in China. It isn’t just huge and in questionable taste*. It is a symbol of Chinese influence in Fiji. And because the government didn’t pay for it, it axiomatically creates a sense of obligation to the donor.
What is wrong with the Toyota LandCruisers that have traditionally carried our presidents? They are a far more appropriate form of official transport in a developing country and are at least right-hand-drive and therefore compliant with local vehicle registration requirements. This beast has its steering wheel on the left, which marks the President out as the only citizen who is allowed to possess such a vehicle in Fiji and merely adds to the gross inappropriateness of having accepted this gift in the first place.
There is something decidedly pathetic in Ratu Naiqama dutifully posing with a Chinese embassy official as he is given the keys to his big new bauble. If it was a Toyota, would he go down to Asco Motors to pose for the customary handover photo? Of course not. But he happily goes along with a propaganda photo of a Pacific Head of State – the President of a beggar island nation – shamelessly on the Chinese drip.
There are many things wrong in the Rabuka era that make it imperative that this is a one-term government. But this is just demeaning. And very sad for anyone who cares about the image and dignity of our nation in the world.
It’s a Red Flag alright. That this President and this Prime Minister must go.
* More photos of the Hongqi H9 (“Red Flag”), which Car Sales Australia describes as “overtly ostentatious” and in “questionable aesthetic taste”.
While Fijians are busy looking the other way fanning the rumours that Indians are taking over their country and their land, the government works in the other direction to sell out the country and the land to China for cheap cars and trinkets.
A left hand drive car in the convoys that regularly force local drivers off the road as they drive at breakneck speed along narrow roads with lights flashing and horns blaring should really give cause for concern.
In the normal Toyotas, at least the drivers can see what they are about to hit, as they weave in and out with impunity. With this beast I’m sure it won’t be long before there is a serious accident when a local doesn’t react in time and gets wiped out by the Chinese Tank.
The victim or victims will then be transported to the hospital in the tray of a Police Hilux pick up, or the morgue, as is also common practice in this country.
Just what we need!!!
Nice Wheels.
No conversation will be private, I bet, if you get my drift
Trumpo probably watching and planning an invasion or regime change?!
As for baubles and beads, this lot is making hay while they still can.
Besides gullible Fiji voted them in and deserve every injustice meted out.
Those Indo Fijians who can are leaving . Who likes being discriminated against anyway ?
What I can’t fathom is why are the ITaukei leaving their shores in droves too?
Isn’t all this being done for them?
Or are ‘Some Animals better than Others ‘ as George Orwell professes
There is no happy ending folks.
Don’t leave it too late.
One scandal after another. Never stops under this Administration. God help Fiji!!!
Does it have wheelchair access as well? I remember also that France had donated 2 helicopters after 1987 coup. They both crashed which also crashed the Air Wing of the RFMF. Australia has donated navy patrol boats and many had the similar fate.
What’s the operating cost of this donated car? Plus is there anyone in Fiji who can maintain it for safe use? For public safety – forget the President.
“It isn’t enough for him to have usurped the Prime Minister’s constitutional role and made executive decisions, such as unilaterally confirming Temo in the substantive position of Chief Justice when he had no legal right to do so.” In view of this the CJ’s appointment should be invalid and all decisions that he has made should be reviewed by another judge/s.
Fiji the “Fools Paradise”.
This is China’s intelligence gathering mechanism. Suggest some IT expert in Fiji go over the electronics of this vehicle!
Good point. They also say modern Chinese vehicles can be controlled from China and can be immobilised electronically in the event of hostilities.
I think that is quite fitting, an immobile president in an immobilised car.
Will be like the country, not going very far at present.
But hey, that’s FIJI, the way the world should be!!
It’s a fuel guzzling beast. Where are the advocates for climate change and environment. Are they not going to lecture this man for accepting this gift. Absolutely shameful.
Obviously the Chinese priorities are to pamper and reward the highest level of the political hierarchy at a personal level, without paying any heed to the wider economic and social issues challenging the majority of the people of Fiji.
Remember how it paid for the GCC trip who returned laden with gifts, Rabuka’s visit to China, donation to Lynda Tabuya Kadavu club etc etc.
It is interesting that the President’s official response statement had nothing much to say apart from help fighting malaria (really, this has been a WHO initiative going back decades), COVID 19 support (India provided more in vaccines) and aha the ongoing support to maintain the Government House and its surroundings. With its cheap goods and workmanship, a new industry has been created which sees the Chinese continuously maintaining those fences, and the building itself. This is all for the benefit of one person.
We haven’t heard or seen Chinses support for climate change, renewable energy, relocation of vulnerable coastal communities etc. And they have benefited from the huge amount of money its companies have received from the infrastructure projects.
And we still have to pay for our massages at the mushrooming Chinese parlors around Suva.
No conscience. No insight. No shame. No intelligence. No wisdom. All Red Flag.
I wonder if the vehicle has a Chinese Kill Switch??? Power and control in play.
Maybe we could get all of those mentioned in the CoI into it and then hit the switch!
But does the car come with spare nappies? If not the whole thing is a complete failure and totally inappropriate as it defeats the purpose it is meant to serve!
So America in return, slaps a $F20K Visa application fee on Fijian wannabe visitors to the US. Not to mention the 25% tariffs on our exports, then removes the UN ambassador to Fiji, cuts funding to WHO and other UN agencies that Fiji depends on etc etc.
The Chinese saw the emerging faultlines in the US position in Fiji and the Pacific and have moved in to fill the vacuum created by the US itself.
I am not fan of China, but the opportunities they are seizing have been presented to them on a plate. Can you blame them?
Yeah, but they are not serving Fijians, they are serving one person. But the imbeciles in Fiji do not reliase that. Everyone is just too busy being struck in awe at the trinket being presented as a gift. Did you see all the reams of tapa cloth which they were going to wrap around the car in. It must be a traditional and cultural thing to wrap a gift in these cloths. Bloody Third World mentality.
Three to four times each year, you go through your China/Communist rant whenever China pours money and influence into Fiji. Ho Hum. Yawn again.
Am sure that vehicle is a second hand one used by some middle ranking Chinese communist official back home.
Lets hope its an EVM. The Great Ratu can fit his entire village in there, not to mention the lovo meat and paulisami, an esky or two for the soft drinks ….
What on earth could the Chinese govt want in return. This end of the South Pacific is a shit hole. You sound like a neo-con blubbering away about nefarious clandestine intent when all this time, it the Americans who are real culprits.
If Fiji was located inside Taiwan, you have every reason to question Chinese motives.
The last time I looked at the world map, Fiji is still located nowhere between Sydney and Hawaii. Unless the Chinese are hell bent on running Fiji’s health system, fix up the drug crises, and reduce poverty and petty crime, lets say this is just a gift. Like how Australia gifted Fiji naval ships (which the RFMF duely wrecked).
Suva City is occasionally littered with vehicles sponsored by the Japanese Govt for example too. (Its advertised on the car door).
Let the Great Ratu ride on this monstrosity.
Ho hum. Yawn again. Another gormless pro-Chinese apologist. And this time an Indo-Fijian one.
May I remind you that China is a dictatorship run by the Communist Party in which the people they enslave have no say in the nation’s direction. Whereas the US, Australia, India and, for the moment, Fiji, are democracies in which ordinary people can vote their governments out.
Got it? If not, I can’t help you. You have clearly been brainwashed into accepting authoritarianism over the freedom to choose.
Great Ratu – must have been your daughter he impregnated.
Good investment by China in intelligence gathering. I wonder whether Fiji has technical expertise to do a thorough sweep of the car!
The visuals are very close to Idi Amin’s Uganda…poor suffering while he was all blinged up to the hilt.
Both Daniel n Uluiqalau are…well, people. Who gives us headaches with humor thrown in. Harmless.
Not so the limo for the pedo. If potentially harmful, it could end up as fair exchange for a much desired and actively sought military/naval base in Fiji.
Kadavu? Tapouni? – sorry, Taveuni! Sabusabu up north? (Watch out Ian!) In fact, Ian is a hard-core communist one-party man who’ll readily roll out the red carpet for the Rwd Flag limo and the red flags.
The limo donors also have long established inroads with the porn and weed queen, the Fijian Chinese lady ye of joy, and the kung fu-gang up at jhandi ghar (flagstaff).
Gas guzzling beast: Who cares? Pedo doesn’t. Sona Rolex doesn’t. Tax payers don’t. All is well.
We know well too that the pedo prez’s house is bug infested galore, which the red flags constantly fix while doing maintenance work. Wink, nudge. What’s a limo between friends?
The gcc delegation was given the red carpet treatment with plenty of foot massages with happy endings. So, they should not have too much opposition to a piddling military base in their neck of the woods.
Speaking of woods, the red flag would as happily harvest forests too to clear land for a base.
Not that the chiefs can tell the wood from the trees anyway.
The red flags donate a truck or two to the gcc to smooth things over.
No amount of saber rattling by NZ, OZ, US, UK (Keir is a joke, with farage desperately trying to play a miniature frumpy trumpy) and the EU have thus not been able to impede the Chinese juggernaut in the Pacific.
Oh, and our local media led by the obese for the obese and poo-poo are beholden to Xhinhua and CGTN, so there will be no red flags for the Red Flag on that front.
The stage is set to ferry the big shots in the Red Flag limo to the groundbreaking ceremony of a military base soon.
If you think Greenland and Iceland are tough enough, the orange baboon will be hard pressed to find Fiji on a map.
Is Fiji really going to vote this lot out?
Have my doubts.
When it comes to voting,mob mentality prevails and rational behavior is cast aside.
Besides rational people are voting with their feet and won’t wait around for wishful thinking to become reality.
Have been around long enough and seen too many elections and dashed hopes to be optimistic, apologies.
Move on is my thought and let them do as they wish.
They do so anyway.
They will let the Chinese takeover, as long as it’s not a Fiji Indian in charge
Talk about cutting off one’s nose….
Wow. We are so important to the Chinese. Never look a gift horse….
I wish more Chinese come to Fiji so they can eliminate the indigenous population. Kai INdia will keep moving out of Fiji. Dumbs natives will continue to suffer.
Every kid in Fiji must understand – crime pays in Fiji if you have the might. Might is Right.
An Armoured Hummer ( with the obligatory black tints)from the US state dept please. Maybe that’s in line for the PM.
Chinese are smart. This H9 that will be “wrecked” within a few months or at best a year or two, will be cheaper to replace and re-gift than a $20 million navy patrol boat. And they will get great “mileage” out of the gifts (bribes).
Oh my lord please buy me a Hongqi H9, all my allies drive Porsches and Mercedes Benz’s.
It’s a local culture of “Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth.”
And it’s 2026 The Chinese year of the Horse. Take all the gifts you can. Free car. Free ticket to anything. Free chow. Free ride. Someone overseas rich fella big boss will remit the cheque for the blessings.
(Sarcasm humour)