We now have conclusive proof that Professor Biman Prasad sold out the interests of non-indigenous Fijians by agreeing to a Coalition arrangement that put the interests of the iTaukei first.
There is no other explanation given the emergence of the Coalition offer made by the People’s Alliance to SODELPA as the price of securing its support to be able to secure the numbers to govern.
The document – signed by the PAP General Secretary, Sakiasi Ditoka – has been leaked to Victor Lal at Fijileaks. And following close on the heels of Victor’s leaked text messages from Lynda Tabuya to Aseri Radrodro once again underlines his importance as a local news breaker from far- off Oxford at a time when the Fijian mainstream media long ago betrayed the interests of the people.
The PAP letter is a chilling insight into the way that Biman Prasad and the NFP have betrayed their duty to their supporters to insist that their Coalition partners govern for all Fijians. It is all there in black and white – that the Coalition is for the iTaukei and no-one else.
This letter is already sending shock waves through the wider community and Biman Prasad is now under intense pressure to explain himself. No wonder he remained silent during the “vulagi” debate – the argument over the use of the iTaukei word “visitor” – that fundamentally questioned the right of non-indigenous Fijians to belong. The NFP leader has been party to an astonishing secret plan not to advance the position of all citizens but the majority population in Fiji. And the minorities deserve to be told why he agreed to support such a nakedly racist agenda.
On the evidence, Biman Prasad sold his soul and that of his party 14 months ago to obtain the prize of government. And there is no other way to explain it given the revelation of the contents of Sakiasi Ditoka’s Coalition offer to SODELPA.
“ We hope that SODELPA accepts our proposal and consider (sic) the collective obligations our parties owe our people through the protection and enhancement of i-Taukei rights and interests that our respective parties hold dear.These terms together with conditions that may be agreed to in the next few hours will be embedded in a Grand Coalition Agreement between SODELPA, PA and the National Federation Party that is also prepared and ready for execution.”
So what were the terms that Biman Prasad signed off on by committing the NFP to support an NFP/PAP/SODELPA Coalition?
Two have already been broken – appointing the Roko Tui Dreteki, Ro Teimumu Kepa, as High Commissioner to London as a prelude to her taking over as President of the Republic when Ratu Wiliame Katonivere’s term expires in September this year. We now know that the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, has reneged on that agreement ( see previous posting), that Ratu Wiliame is being given a second term as President and Ro Teimumu has walked away from SODELPA and reportedly intends to stand for the position of Chair of the Great Council of Chiefs. Her rage must know no bounds.
But it is the other provisions of the agreement that will alarm Fiji’s minorities because they confirm the lies that we were told by Sitiveni Rabuka and Biman Prasad that any Coalition was committed to governing for all. It was committed to governing for the iTaukei and this document is the shocking proof.
In section 5 (2) The PAP agrees to “the review and/or revocation of the 2013 Constitution subject to the Supreme Court legal opinion and advice to Cabinet”.
This proves that the Coalition never intended to abide by the Constitutional requirement that it can only be changed by a 75 per cent vote in the parliament and a 75 per cent vote in a referendum of all citizens of voting age.
It has emerged since the election 14 months ago that the Coalition is intending to go to the Supreme Court to advise it whether it can revoke or modify the Constitution and bypass the provision it stipulates. Where we stand with this right now isn’t clear, although the Prime Minister has reportedly confirmed to the Fiji Law Society that an opinion will be sought from the Supreme Court.
But none of this was in the manifestos of the three Coalition parties and they have no electorate mandate to follow this course of action. We now know that there has been a secret agenda to jettison or change the supreme law and the NFP has been party to it. It joined a conspiracy to deliberately keep the Fijian people in the dark.
And, of course, in the meantime, the Coalition has been wilfully violating the terms of the Constitution. Even as the Prime Minister preaches the importance of adhering to it, he breaks it by refusing to reverse the illegal appointments of John Rabuku as Acting DPP and of Alipate Qetaki as a judge. Neither man can lawfully hold their positions because the Constitution specifically bars them from doing so because they have been found guilty of professional misconduct.
There have been further breaches through the refusal to convene a tribunal to hear the allegations of misbehaviour against the suspended DPP, Christopher Pryde, and the suspended Police Commissioner, Sitiveni Qiliho. Plus routine breaches of the provision relating to a secular state with the holding of Christian church services in the civil service. And perhaps the worst breach of all – the violation of the supreme law relating to a common and equal citizenry with the extraordinary program of workplace ethnic cleansing in the civil service and offices of state, including people being specifically sacked because of the colour of their skin.
This has all been green-lighted by the NFP, with not a word of protest from Biman Prasad or any other NFP Coalition minister. It is a full blown assault on the rule of law and the rights of non-iTaukei Fijians. And those who committed themselves hand-on-heart to represent us have remained silent.
It is both morally reprehensible and politically stupid. Because the Ditoka letter provides us with the “smoking gun” evidence that the NFP is merely being used in the lead-up to the predominantly iTaukei parties cutting it loose.
Section 5 (4) refers to “strong endeavours to unify all iTaukei parties to fight the 2026 elections under one banner”.
There’s the proof that the PAP and SODELPA intend to go it alone whether the election is fought in 2026 or in June this year – the earliest a fresh poll can be held. They will do everything they can to ensure that Biman Prasad and his motley gang fail to make the 5 per cent threshold to get any seats at all. And given the manner in which the NFP itself has already alienated its traditional supporters, that is arguably already a forgone conclusion.
The minorities in Fiji have been tricked by Sitiveni Rabuka and his goons and betrayed by Biman Prasad and the rest of the NFP. At the same time, the opposition FijiFirst is in disarray and in the throes of a power struggle in which Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum is trying to reassert his control over the party. So the notion of simply switching sides whenever a fresh election is held and stampeding back into the arms of FijiFirst is a highly unpalatable option for most thinking voters.
So what happens next? The tragedy for Fiji is that more and more people are voting with their feet – an mass exodus of citizens migrating to the greener pastures of Australia, New Zealand and other countries where they know their rights will be protected. The iTaukei parties are so stupid that they think that this will solve their problems and that the iTaukei stranglehold on government will be complete. But the bigger picture is increasing labour skills shortages and a shrinking tax base that can only worsen the growing perception of Fiji as a “beggar nation” dependent on foreign visitors, foreign aid and foreign remittances from Fijians living abroad. (See Frank Bainimarama’s weekend statement below)
It is time to wipe the smile off Biman Prasad’s face and consign him to the dustbin of history. Because he has truly been “Baimann the Great Betrayer”. And he deserves to pay for that betrayal with his political life.
Shameful!
They will do well to remember that Fiji is a multinational multiracial country and not exclusively itaukei.
Treat everyone equally.
It is surely a sad affair for many non-itaukei who call fiji home, once where everyone was treated equally and we were all called Fijians, not second grade or third grade citizens of our own country. Itaukei supremacy and advancement seems to be the only agenda this government is concerned about and nothing else. It also sad to note, Graham, that you had supported this lot pre 2022 elections. What a change the people of fiji have been given. GB fiji
Yes, I bitterly regret having urged people to vote for the NFP. I seem to have chalked up many regrets. Maybe it’s time to walk away.
It’s not time to walk away but time to take it away from them what you’ve help them gain. Ordinary Fijians are suffering daily not only with cost of living & rise in food price but the level of violence against them. People are getting attacked, robbed and even murdered in daylight yet nothing seems to be getting done about it or any improvement on it. Level of security is at an all time low to the extent 60 to 70% of the crimes are not getting reported due to fear of victimization. One doesn’t need to be a genius to figure out why the level of migration is so rapid as people have lost all hope and faith in the current administration.List can go on and on but I assume you would be pretty abreast with this already GD.
No, you’re doing a great job holding the government to account.
You should be paid from the budget allocated to the Opposition party.
The power of the Media..to influence. For better or for worse.
Who trusts Biman?
No one.
He was a tick on that contract for self promotion and power. He, like this Coalition, has nothing to show as a progress.
Interesting revelation Graham.
Very testing times in Fiji and quite worrying.
Also shows what Sodelpa is about. Out goes Kepa, in comes the copy of the Coalition proposal. Timely coincidence to benefit her. These guys pitching a war amongst their own i-taukei people. Shameful. All is lost. Time for a snap election Fiji.
Biman the Betrayer wanted the mantle of Deputy Prime Minister at any cost. He wanted it to enhance his own status while he could because there is a snowball’s chance in hell of him returning to office at the next elections and he knows it. Don’t expect to hear a peep from him because he will never put anyone else’s interests above his own personal ambitions. Biman will go down in history as the most ineffectual, uninspiring and self-serving Indo-Fijian politician.
Baiman is in there for himself and to appoint and promote interests of his close friends into govt positions. He is never in it for grass root and poor people especially Indians. Fiji has gone back 25-30 years where indigenous rights come first and everybody else thereafter. It also serves right for liumuri kaindia who betrayed Bainimarama at the polls after all he did for them giving them equal rights and equal citizenry which they will never get hereafter. Those Indians who can migrate should not delay cos there’s nothing in there for them and their children under this coalition govt who openly promote extreme indigenous views, aspirations and appointing undeserving itaukei into govt positions.
Not a fan of Fiji First but there was a reason that they didn’t sign up with SODELPA. Who were the advisors and lawyers who let this agreement fly?
The crazy thing those people were so desperate to see the back of Aiyaz they threw the whole country under a bus. Classic playing of the man not the ball by sad little men with their little axes to grind.
We monitored the negotiations and it was evident that Sodelpa was being bullied. There was no negotiations but threats against Board Members. The ruling govt couldn’t do anything as Police were mostly PAP supporters .
Bogus Board Members who were PAP people from the North were placed on the Sodelpa Board and forced onto GS Len Duru. That’s the extend of darkness and evil that enveloped that process .
Why do you think we are in this state? A government that came in through lies and threats! Go figure Fiji! The worse is yet to come !
It would be great if an esteemed economist would provide a cost to Fiji of that agreement with SODELPA. As an uneducated guess it looks like it cost Fiji around a $bilion right from the signing. The Economist should then cost in tax holidays and mass migration to work out the scale of the financial disaster. It would be an interesting exercise and I wonder what the cost is to international reputation too? Prof Waden Narsey has said he came out of retirement cos he’s worried about reputational costs but what are the economic costs? $2bn, $3bn or more? It’s travelnowpaylater’nomics
Many of us are aghast at the role NFP is playing against some sections of the Fiji community – even against the Indo-Fijian (and esp the people of Girmitya origin) on which NFP was formed. Our DPM-NFP was recently in Ayodhya and accorded much reverence because of his heritage. I sincerely hope he did represent the Hindus of Fiji after reading the above concerns that the NFP of today is indeed different and works for only one community in Fiji. If this is true that they do not care about the so-called ‘vulagis’ why the Ayodhya trip? This would be contradiction to the politics they are playing in Fiji and misrepresenting the actual running of the govt to the outside world. Did the DPM-NFP represent the Fiji Govt and sincerely all the Hindus of Fiji? I sincerely hope there is some divine intervention in the leadership to provide the much needed guidance so NFP goes back to what it fundamentally stood for. Shri Ram Lalla will find it very difficult to forgive the cheap, self-serving politics at the enormous expense to all! Show some courage & commitment to make a positive difference and honour the long, distinguished service to Fiji as provided by the highly respected former leaders through the DNA of NFP. Give us some evidence – so we all get some renewed hope!
Thank you Fiji First for not joining forces with Sodelpa. That itself is still a win for all Fiji First voters who believe in equality for all.
What did Sodelpa have to gain from $90m USP funding scheme?
Dumb as dumb can be!
Shows the level of intelligence for this government.
Make a bigger banner this time for Ahluwalia when you guys welcome him back into Fiji. He needs Rabuka garlanding him with Biman opening the door for his car.
Oh! These men make me feel sick.
Nevermind the Fijians in poverty and hardship. Please give graciously to Ahluwalia.
That whole agreement is about power and what benefits individuals rather than the country.
All parties have a lot to answer.
The government is rotten to its core.
Reminds many of the 1980s nationalist i-taukei racist movement.
Fijians, leave while you can.
I am telling you this as an i-taukei person.
The place is about to get worse.
This is not a country for democracy nor equal rights.
These Ratu’s and Adi’s will eat this country up.
Biman, kethna baimaan hai tum.
Yahi bacha raha.
Fin girmit kateh alah time hai humlog keh.
Muh nahi dikhana coming election.
You and Richard Naidu.
Qali qali keh kuttah hai tum logh.
Translated:
Biman, how baimaan are you?
Is this all we left with?
Another era of re-girmit slavery and discrimination days.
Don’t show your face coming election.
You and Richard Naidu.
You are both of no value like those useless village dogs.
ASK was right when he said Biman only wants a vehicle with laal batti (red lights). All these politicians play the same card and the voters fall for their words over and over again. Same old rhetoric of “Indians will steal your land”.
Baimaan would be lucky to secure a few votes under the NFP banner come the next election. I wouldn’t be surprised if he decides to switch to PAP just to keep his otherwise dead political career alive. Anything to stay in power
With only thinly veiled agendas and no wisdom or social conscience, this government has been given enough rope, as they say. They’ve tied their own noose and the rest will be sad history. A punishing lesson for all, but some will never learn.
Hi Graham, Can you please submit the proof that Biman signed the same Agreement as was signed between RABUKA AND SADELPA as you disclosed?
We want the truth nothing but the truth.
How strange. Why would I have proof that Biman signed the agreement? Of course, I don’t. We don’t have to see his signature on the agreement. It is between the PAP and SODELPA. But it is reasonable to assume that Biman must have been aware of it if he was getting into bed with them. And if he wasn’t, then he still needs to explain himself. Because he either knew or was tricked into being at the hand-holding session that sealed the deal. We now know what was in the PAP offer – changing or revoking the Constitution, indigenous rights and the iTaukei parties fighting the 2026 election under the same banner. Was Biman in on the joke? Was he aware of what the PAP offered and SODELPA accepted? And if he wasn’t, why isn’t he now objecting in the strongest possible terms? The fact that he is remaining silent is all the confirmation we need that he knew and it was the voters who were tricked.
I’m no fan of NFP leader. However the leaked document shown as ‘Hard Evidence’ is an offer or proposal from one party PAP to another Sodelpa to consider being a coalition partner. Why would NFP sign this particular document if they are not a party to it?!! It would be out of order for the contents to be revealed to NFP wouldn’t it?
NFP is referenced in this document as being another political party that may be part of A Grand Coalition agreement, possibly with further negotiated terms in this overarching agreement. Did PAP have a seperate and different offer and agreement with NFP? If the “Grand” ( read grandiose!) Coalition Agreement contained the full contentious intentions of PAP as disclosed to Sodelpa then NFP as a party to it, has been fairly lampooned here. But such ‘trivial’ matters may have been overlooked in pursuit of the baubles of high office and the vindictive saintly mission of getting rid of Fiji First at all cost. Now those ‘costs’ are being realised.
By the time this offer was made, the PAP were already in a Coalition agreement with the NFP. They had campaigned together as such in the lead-up to the election. Did Biman Prasad know that this was the offer the PAP was making for the three of them to get into bed together after the election? Of course he must have.It was to be a three legged stool and all three legs would have needed to be planted on the ground with the same program.
If he didn’t know, he should have. And when he found out that this was the basis that the PAP was wooing SODELPA, he would have surely said ” well, I don’t agree with some of this. So if that’s the basis of your deal, I’m out”. It didn’t happen, it hasn’t happened and it is axiomatic that NFP supporters have the right to feel betrayed. They did not vote for any of this yet Biman Prasad went into government with these things having been decided as the basis on which that government would be formed.
So it is hard evidence at the very least that the NFP went along with a program which it didn’t have a mandate from its supporters to pursue. And it is why it is now causing a great deal of angst behind the scenes. Let’s hear it from Biman Prasad whether he was told or not that this was the basis of the PAP offer to SODELPA. And if he wasn’t, why not? When did he find out about it and why didn’t he take a stand and object?
Biman Prasad is a flat earther. He has a potolmic view of the world and condemns anyone who dares say that the world is not flat but a globe that revolves around the sun. What’s important to him is not creating full employment or solving the poverty problem in Fiji it is protecting the status quo and impressing his masters at the international development agencies like a billy can boy delivering rice, dahl and roti to his white sadars in the cane fields in colonial times.
The voters wanted a Messiah to save the country, they saw what they wanted to see in the 3 headed horse…with some obvious intentional sweet deception during the campaign spin. A particular advertorial video clip comes to mind where a major party leader promises to look after a minority ethnic group post election ..the fox promising the chicken security, if the chicken helped to give the fox the keys to the farmyard padlock.
Well we have been short changed all right…only got the MESS part of messiah ! Couldn’t help this word play.