So, Fiji. We now have an accused perjurer and obstructor of justice as the nation’s head of state as the Chief Justice, Salesi Temo, takes over as Acting President during Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu‘s absence in the United States.
It ought to be the cause of national shame. But such is the perverse nature of governance in Fiji almost three years into the Coalition’s tenure that an alleged criminal (Temo) taking over from a convicted criminal (the Tui Cakau) has come to be regarded as normal.
Happy Fiji Day! Not that there is much to celebrate. The unholy alliance of the PAP, the NFP and SODELPA have propelled the nation into the gutter, trashed our institutions, rewarded wrongdoing and have no answers to the almost complete breakdown of our social fabric – drugs, corruption, rampant HIV, violence and the routine abuse of women and children.
As the old saying goes – and we have used it so much it has become a clichΓ© – the fish rots from the head. And our tolerance of wrongdoing on the part of our leaders has had the inevitable consequence of the rot spreading to the body. So that as we commemorate the 55th anniversary of Fiji’s independence, the state of the nation has never been more parlous.
We can’t crack the million mark in terms of population because so many people are leaving disillusioned. Our national debt – which the Coalition promised to reduce – is mounting and our tax base is shrinking. Basic services such as health and education are in crisis. Many of our police are corrupt. Many of our children are drug-addled and preyed on as sexual playthings. Discipline has broken down in our schools and institutions. We have never had more government ministers and permanent secretaries with their snouts in the public trough. And we are led by a Prime Minister who refuses to say where he got his $150,000 gold Rolex when more than 50 per cent of Fijians live in poverty.
It was not the dream of our founding fathers (and mothers) at Independence. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara must be spinning in his grave. So must Jo Kamikamica as he sees his son, Manoa, accused of the most serious corruption imaginable – using his position to fix a corruption investigation.
There are rumours that Ratu Mara’s son – the new Tui Nayau, Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara – is poised to establish a new political party pledging to clean up the mess and fulfill his father’s legacy. Maybe by next Fiji Day, we will at least have a modicum of hope that the nation can be rescued. But after the failure of FijiFirst and the even more dramatic failure of the Coalition, hope is in very short order. Except…
A glimmer has emerged – a small shaft of light – as the existing Opposition – now little more than a rump as many of its members have been bought off with ministerial positions – is asserting itself and standing up to the bullying of Siromi Turaga, Salesi Temo and Temo’s thug of a lawyer, Isireli Fa.
These anti-democrats are using the threat of legal action to try to gag the opposition from insisting that the Prime Minister and the President must do their duty and suspend the Chief Justice ( and now Acting President) after the Supreme Court Commission of Inquiry accused him of perjury and obstructing and perverting the course of justice.
Fortunately for the rest of us, the Opposition is doubling down in the following statement by one of the new heroes of the moment, Jone Usamate. They will not be cowered, Usamate says. Thank God for that.
It is at least something to celebrate this Fiji Day. Because there is precious little else to celebrate. Will Salesi Temo as Acting President insult the nation by insisting on presiding over the Fiji Day military parade? Probably. Because he has already demonstrated that he has no shame. Will the RFMF Commander, Major General Ro Jone Kalouniwai, salute him? Probably. Because the military under Kalouniwai has already tolerated the intolerable.
Mercifully, we still have men (and women) of valour and honour who genuinely care about the state of our beloved Fiji. So this Fiji Day, let’s salute what remains of our opposition. And a man of principle in the form of Jone Usamate.
UPDATE FRIDAY AM:
Plus more cause for hope – an IMPORTANT GRUBSHEET ANNOUNCEMENT.
Starting on Sunday, we have a new columnist on Grubsheet – an exciting new talent from the vanua.
He’s chosen the name CommonMan because that’s what he is. And with the nation at a crossroads, what he has to say is destined to play a significant role in the lead-up to next year’s election and beyond.
Here’s a preview:
“As a 45-year-old father, husband, farmer, commoner, member of a land-owning unit who has lived in the village all my life, I am saddened that it is mostly the views of our educated elite that is considered the genuine expression of iTaukei concerns.
I step forward not as an instigator or troublemaker but Β as a common man wanting to change the narrative. I step forward with muddy feet and calloused hands but a clear heart. I step forward to speak for those who have been spoken over. To write for those who have been written off. To stand for those who have been left behind.
Because the CommonMan in the vanua deserves a spot at the table and a voice“.
The debut of CommonMan this Sunday, October 12.
Don’t miss it.
It’s a Monty Python movie of epic proportions!
Happy Fiji Day all.
Sadly there is nothing to celebrate. Since the return of the rapist, racist, and corrupt coupist Rabuka, the country has been truly fu*ked. The number of ministers and assistant ministers on the payroll at the tax payers expense for a small country like Fiji is just absurd. The vote buying, nepotism, and cronyism is at another level.
We have a President in the form of a Pedo with a criminal history.
The Judicial system is corrupt from the top down with the CJ abusing and flouting the system as he pleases. We’ve got an Acting AG who truly is acting – coz he knows jackshit about the law. An incompetent buffoon. And let’s not forget the quality of the Ministers in govt. We have druggists, marriage breakers, cheaters, home wreckers, and those who will sell their sole and the country just to make a quick buck.
The media has been silenced and bought through lucrative deals. Vijay Narayan spews lies and faeces each time he opens his mouth. Stanley is just happy to get some money being the govt puppet.
The list of issues are endless…what is there to be happy about.
Happy Fiji Day π«π― π π π No Malice No Matter What. FIJI
Pathways!
Lalabalavu = Prisoner – Pervert – Paedophile – President
Temo = Perverter (of Justice) – Perjurer – President (Acting)
Ph*ck!
The Commander RFMF and those parade have no option but to salute whoever the elected Government of the day decides to put on the dais. It’s the Government’s problem, not Kalouniwai’s.
There is a saying in the military that one salutes the rank and position, not the man.
Shalom Shabat
Then it is an insult not to him but the nation.
Not to the nation, as many do not like the current shenanigans
Its an insult to the Government of the day led by Rolex Rambo.
Let’s be clear on that.
But in practice when they are in civilian clothes they get the same salute. So what it means in Fiji they salute the person.
The salute is the military sign of showing respect to higher authority.
I can salute my grandmother if I want
Happy Fiji Day to FNPF pensioners.
Your pension safe under the stewardship Biman and Rabuka, and dodgy board members appointment by Biman, such as Adhish Naidu, Attar Singh and Dakshesh Patel β not so, if the following expose from Transparency Fiji is anything to go by:
The ππππ π΅πππππππ π·πππππ πππ ππππ (ππ΅π·π) holds a 25% stake in Higgins Holdings (Fiji) Pte Ltd, the parent company of Fletcher Building Fiji, and owns 100% of Dubbo Pte Ltd, which operates the Westin Denarau Island Resort.
As you may recall, ππππππ π―πππ ππππ π³ππππππ (ππ―π³) acquired the remaining 25% of Higgins Holdings in August 2024, following the initial announcement in June 2024 and completion after regulatory approvals.
It would be insightful to review the shareholdersβ agreement governing Higgins Holdings (Fiji) Pte Ltd to better understand the terms binding its investors.
A key question arises regarding the ongoing contractual dispute between Fletcher Building Fiji and Dubbo Pte Ltd: Did this conflict emerge after the August 2024 acquisition, or was it already developing at the time FNPF proceeded with its investment at the Higgins Holdings level?
If the issue predated or coincided with August 2024, what rationale did the FNPF board use to approve the deal despite potential risks?
π¨π πππ π΅πππ π, an architect and board member overseeing FNPFβs resort projects, has faced scrutiny over his appointment.
Critics have pointed to his past financial challenges and alleged political ties to π«πππππ π·ππππ π΄πππππππ π©ππππ π·πππππ ) , questioning his suitability for managing high-stakes investments.
The FNPF board should publicly explain why this acquisition represents a sound investment for membersβ fundsβperhaps directing this query specifically to Mr. Naidu for clarity.
Broader concerns include FNPF projects being executed at inflated costs, which in turn fund high expatriate salaries in Fiji. How does this benefit FNPF or FHL stakeholders in the long term? This doesnβt even factor in potential corruption risks associated with large-scale spending.
Corruption appears pervasive in such operations. Even local participants may benefit from smaller shares of irregularities, while expatriate executives secure larger gains.
Ultimately, projects overrun budgets by millions due to a lack of competitive tendering and oversight. A notable example is Fletcher Building Fiji sourcing items like structural steel from unrelated entities, such as a South African refrigeration company, raising red flags about procurement practices.
Additional governance questions persist: Why hasnβt Daksesh Patel been removed as FNPF chair, given his prior appointment under π¨ππππ πΊππππ -π²ππππππ and the FijiFirst Party?
Furthermore, why appoint individuals perceived as aligned with Biman Prasad, lacking evident business expertiseβsuch as Attar Singhβto the board?
These decisions warrant transparent justification to ensure the fundβs integrity and member interests are prioritized.
It is time for the πΉππππππ π©πππ ππ ππππ (πΉπ©π), as the prudential regulator of our sole retirement fund, to conduct a thorough audit of the Fiji National Provident Fund (FNPF), covering all aspects of its operations, including corporate governance and decision-making processes.
The RBF MUST enlist the expertise of the π¨πππππππππ π·πππ ππππππ πΉπππππππππ π¨ππππππππ (π¨π·πΉπ¨) and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand to assist, as such audits exceed the current capabilities of RBF personnel.
Jone Usamate is correct in speaking up for accountability but itβs really hollow coming from someone who surrendered accountability and never questioned Frank and Aiyaz who were allowed a free run to abuse and not be held accountable.
Jone is no authority on accountability.