“Let’s get this car back on the road”, says Barbara Malimali‘s lawyer, Tanya Waqanika, as she insists that the Judicial Services Commission must reinstate her client as FICAC Commissioner after Justice Dane Tuiqereqere ruled that the Prime Minister removed her unlawfully.
It is an unfortunate analogy when it is clear to almost everyone but Tanya and Barbie that “this car” is a total wreck. In fact, It was never roadworthy in the first place because Malimali’s appointment was never lawful in the first place due to her multiple misrepresentations under oath.
Not that this worries either of them as they try to strong-arm what passes for the country’s leadership to put the wreckage of Barbara Malmali’s tenure as corruption watchdog back on the road.
It was Waqanika who reportedly leaked news of the forthcoming Judicial Services Commission meeting ( Wednesday February 18: see below) as a means to put pressure on the JSC and its head, the rogue Chief Justice, Salesi Temo, to reinstate Malimali as soon as possible.
The great lawyer that she is, Tanya Waqanika sees nothing wrong in the litany of her friend’s transgressions, including the fact that Barbara Malmali is a proven liar who cannot practice in one of our smallest neighbours, Tuvalu, because of professional misconduct. After all, she is iTaukei, as the unfortunate pair petulantly made plain during the CoI hearings last year. And who are “foreigners” to say that if you can’t get a job in Tuvalu because of misconduct, you clearly aren’t fit to head the corruption watchdog in Fiji.
As well as preying on the gormlessness of the local media to spin their tale that the wreckage of Barbara Malimali’s career is fit enough to “put her car back on the road”, the dismal duo is also reported to be on the offensive against the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, for recommending Malimali’s removal from FICAC and the President, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, for acceding to that request.
Rumours are reaching Grubsheet that Barbara Malimali is poised to lodge police complaints against both the Prime Minister and the President for abuse of office. And guess what, Fiji. The same source says they are doing so with the encouragement of the Chief Justice, who is said to be enraged that Rabuka and and his old friend and relative, Ratu Naiqama, had the temerity to usurp his powers of appointment, or what powers remain because of the PM’s refusal to appeal against Justice Tuiqereqere’s ruling.
Yes, incredibly, a woman who can’t practice law in Tuvalu and who the CoI accused of a litany of criminal offences that are being ignored by her friend, the Acting DPP, Nancy Tikiosuva, is evidently waging war on the two principal officers of state – the Prime Minister and President.
Abuse of office? A police complaint? Are Barbara Malimali and Tanya Waqanika stark raving mad? Not if the Chief Justice has put them up to it. If this proceeds, we will know for a fact what many people already suspect – that Salesi Temo is not only an accused perjurer and someone who allegedly obstructed the course of justice but is part of a conspiracy (with Waqanika and Malimali) to have the Prime Minister and President investigated and charged with criminal conduct.
Think about it. If any police complaint goes to the ODPP and is given the go-ahead by Nancy Tikoisuva, guess what again. It will be Salesi Temo who chooses the judge to hear the case. And where do we think that will all end, Fiji? Sitiveni Rabuka and Ratu Naiqama had better start thinking about their own positions.
Hell hath no fury than a woman scorned – goes an old saying. But when two women are scorned, it is more like Armageddon when they are now as empowered and as self-entitled as these two, with their glee club in the judiciary and old friends at the prosecution service in the form of drunken Nancy and her PAP-proselytising deputy, John Rabuku.
It is all becoming extremely serious for the overall integrity of the state. And the sooner the Prime Minister and the President wake up to the fact that the Chief Justice shows every signs of mounting a constitutional coup to assert himself as the real power in Fiji, the sooner this unparalleled threat to the rule of law will be thwarted.
Temo must go and go now. And as we’ve reported, he is said to still be in place only because he has the President and Prime Minister over a barrel because of a corrupt agreement between the three of them that the Chief Justice is going to send Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum to jail at the end of March, irrespective of the evidence against him.
At the same time, the “New Order” keeps on trying to nail the old with fresh charges of sedition now in the pipeline against Frank Bainimarama to put him back in jail. (see below). Seriously. These people are genuinely stupid. They seem to have no idea that a fresh trial of the former prime minister in the months leading up to the coming election will suit Frank just fine.
Why? Because Bainimarama is about to burst onto the scene again as the inspiration and guiding hand behind a proposed new political party that even before it is registered, shows every sign of being much more of an existential threat to Rabuka and his sorry crew than anyone else.
There seems to be collective amnesia at the top that FijiFirst – even in its weakened state before the 2022 election – got more votes than any other party. And when another Frank-led or inspired force emerges with a multiracial agenda and a platform of efficient service delivery, the Coalition parties – with their chronic dysfunction – will be toast.
In short, they can put Frank (and Aiyaz) in jail to forestall any chance of them making personal comebacks in the parliament. But they can’t stop their former supporters from regrouping under new leaders to bring an end to Fiji’s stagnation and decline under Rabuka’s sorry rule.
With even former staunch FijiFirst critics such as Jioji Savou now openly saying on Facebook that whatever their failings, Bainimarama and Khaiyum were streets ahead of Rabuka’s rabble, making martyrs of them behind bars isn’t going to help the Coalition one bit. On the contrary. It is going to make their vindictiveness and the contrast between Bainimarama’s record and the woeful record of the Coalition even more stark, especially when it comes to service delivery.
FACT: Sitiveni Rabuka and Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu can’t even govern their own rogue Chief Justice or keep Barbara Malimali and Tanya Waqanika in check. So is it really any wonder that they have no hope of governing the country effectively and more and more Fijians are waking up to that fact every day.
“For whom the bell tolls” – wrote the poet John Donne.
Oi, Siti. Raica.
“It tolls for thee”.
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What Tanya Waqanika reportedly leaked to the Fiji Sun during the week, with the spin she put on it.
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The real agenda as Tanya Waqanika would have it.
Good ‘ol Vijay Narayan eh? One big free kick for Tanya Waqanika and Barbara Malimali and not a single challenge to their preposterous claims. Demonstrating yet again that the $1.7 million of public money paid to CFL for public interest broadcasting isn’t in the public interest at all.
Rest assured that there will also eventually be an accounting for this with a change of government, along with an inquiry into the conduct of individual media outlets under the Coalition.
And finally, the Coalition’s martyr factory that is playing right into the hands of Frank Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
When you scheme and plot, and put other schemers and plotters in power, the natural consequences are obvious, deserved and make for a great comedy skit.
It’s a pretty pathetic look when you think your only chances of winning an election is by putting your competitors in jail.
A spectacular year of comedy ahead.
I know it’s not over yet, and I fervently hope it won’t happen, but now you can see why I said what I did about Ms M a few weeks ago and you, Graham, said that you didn’t agree and all would be fine.
In any other country it would have been, but this is FIJI, and we all must remember that. Temo makes up the rules as he goes along and that suit his corrupt agenda and nothing will thwart his efforts, short of a fatal heart attack.
It’s a sad indictment of the state of this beautiful country.
Sorry but I did not say “all would be fine”. I predicted that Barbara Malimali would not be reinstated. Why? Because even the dumbest street cat in Toorak knows that she is carrying baggage that is too heavy for even her to survive as the corruption watchdog.
We are a matter of months way from an election in which the return of the Coalition parties isn’t guaranteed. On the contrary, they are on the ropes. And if the President is stupid enough to go along with a recommendation from Salesi Temo that Malimali be reinstated, you can bet your last saqamoli that they will all be facing charges of corruption under a new government.
These people are so dumb they don’t realise that what they have done to Frank and Aiyaz will, in all likelihood, soon be done to them. It’s as sure as the sun rises assuming there is a free and fair election, others emerge victorious, there’s another clean sweep of the institutions of state and the boot is once again on the other foot.
My bet is that Siti and his Ratu aren’t that stupid and will sacrifice Salesi Temo, Barbara Malimali and anyone else who puts them at risk of following Frank and Aiyaz into prison.
Or maybe they ARE that stupid. Yet as we’ve already seen: yesterday’s roosters can be today’s feather dusters. And today’s roosters can also be tomorrow’s feather dusters. Unless, of course, the RFMF intervenes to protect them all. And who wants to bet their last saqamoli on that?
So if I understand this correctly, and because of this ‘so called separation of powers’ it is only the President that can hire and fire top officials in government departments.
If this is how it works, he’s never going to get rid of Temo due to familial connections, so how is this going to work?
While Temo heads the Judicial Services Commission and claims the right to advise the President on who to hire and fire in the criminal justice system, he is appointed by the Constitutional Offices Commission headed by the Prime Minister.
All Rabuka has to do is advise the President that a case exists against the Chief Justice for “misbehaviour” – which he has so far refused to do – and the President can suspend Temo and put him before a Tribunal of three High Court judges to try him on the allegation.
An Acting Chief Justice can then be appointed, pending the trial of Temo, and preferably someone from outside Fiji, given the conflicting loyalties that already plague the system.
The same goes for the FICAC Commissioner. Barbara Malimali, in the event of her being reinstated because of the Tuiqereqere judgment, can immediately be suspended and also put before a Tribunal of three judges, as the constitution prescribes, and someone else appointed, also preferably someone from outside Fiji who doesn’t have proverbial skin in the game.
It just requires the Prime Minister and the President to do their bloody jobs and stop putting their customary obligations to each other (commoner and chief and the President’s family relationship with the CJ) before their duty to uphold proper governance and the rule of law.
They are now being closely watched and there will be a reckoning with any change of government. Of that they can be sure.
RFMF wont do sh*t. Kalouniwai is a chief, nephew of Kepa and as such he will toe the line. Frank and Qiliho will be charged on Wednesday for inciting sedition. And guess who gave out the statement against Frank and Qiliho? The RFMF personnel themselves.
Kalouniwai is not exactly playing hard-arse with the drug trade either. In fact he slapped down Brigadier General Manoa Gadai over his proposal that the military lead the drugs response.
We now have drug dealers like Zoe Maharaj-Moore charged with possessing “grenades”. The media doesn’t say whether these are lethal fragmentation grenades designed to kill or non-lethal stun grenades to try to thwart the invasion of drug premises.
But either way, how did she come to possess such a weapon? We need explanations from the RFMF Commander and a lot more assertiveness. Because the notion that the drug trade is under control is nonsense. And drug dealers aren’t sufficiently worried about the military when they ought to be.
Where did the grenade that was seized come from? Was it sold to Ms Moore by a rogue, corrupt element in the RFMF? Are there others out there in the hands of drug dealers to use against the security forces?
Answers please.
This whole mess was created by two men: PM Sitiveni Rabuka and President, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu.
They collectively allowed the appointment of Barbara Malimali and the Chief Justice, Salesi Temo and in doing so precipitated the series events and decisions that now face Fiji.
There are no excuses for what has occurred!
The solution would be for the President to decline any recommendation to reappoint Barbara Malimali and if the JSC were to present such a recommendation the President should suspend the CJ for misleading him in doing so. It is clear from evidence that Ms. Malimali either did not disclose her disbarment in Tuvalu, because of professional misconduct or the JSC chose to ignore it and recommend her anyway.
Like many, I wait to see what the outcome is.
You don’t get a defective car back on the road !!
If the car is so defective that it cannot be repaired, it should be left in the scrapyard and a new car acquired !!
Well said. Inarguable logic.
In Australian parlance there are bushpigs – the feral nature of these 2 put bushpigs to shame.
Car will be back on the road after that Semo stretch gets repaired. But no one knows when. Also, Malimali is a truck so cant go anywhere. In the meantime, Malimali can chill and enjoy coffee in that big mug.
In the Westminster parliamentary system, which Fiji is a part of, the Head of State is duty bound to act on the recommendations of his PM. The president has no discretion to reject advice that Rabuka gives him or initiate his own course of action.
I am not sure if the CJ acts in a parallel line of advice in Fiji. If Rabuka has any balls, he should do as GD has suggested. Suspend Temo and then Malimali, but maybe Temo has pictures of the Snake and a goat.
1. Bainimarama said the chiefs should not have any place in politics. He disbanded GCC. Ram buka brought back GCC as high priority. Rabuka stated last year, after the release of COI report, that he wanted CJ to be removed. He said he cannot take this action because he cannot upset his high chief, the president. He has gone against the constitution of the country.
2. The old model cars were always admired for their durability. They did not have many features. But they were shamelessly strong. They could be banged from all different directions, but it did not dent them, they did not feel them. So “let’s get this car back on the road and move on”, TW (the Auto Lawyer)
3. Who said there will be a fair election. More on it later!
Institutions or Individuals? The Question Fiji Must Answer
Democracies do not fail because of one election cycle. They weaken when institutions quietly lose independence.
Recent public debates surrounding the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption, the findings and controversies emerging from recent Commissions of Inquiry, and the perceived inconsistencies in executive leadership have placed institutional integrity at the centre of national conversation.
This is not about personalities. It is about principles.
When anti-corruption bodies are perceived as politically aligned—whether fairly or unfairly—public confidence erodes. An oversight institution must not only act independently; it must be seen to act independently. Without that perception, every decision becomes suspect.
When commissions of inquiry reveal procedural irregularities, gaps in governance safeguards, or questionable appointment processes, the issue is not scandal—it is systemic design. Strong democracies respond by strengthening rules. Fragile ones normalize the weaknesses.
Equally concerning in any constitutional democracy is inconsistency in executive conduct. Leadership requires predictability in standards. If similar actions are judged differently depending on political proximity, citizens are left asking whether merit or loyalty is the governing principle.
A justice system perceived as politically influenced ceases to be an anchor of stability. It becomes a source of uncertainty.
And when opposition voices face legal, political, or administrative pressure that appears disproportionate, democratic competition itself begins to narrow.
These concerns are not partisan. They are institutional.
Fiji deserves:
1. Clear separation between political leadership and oversight institutions
2. Transparent and merit-based appointments
3. Consistent ethical standards across all branches of government
4. A justice system insulated from political perception
5. A political culture that tolerates scrutiny
The next general election should not simply be about personalities or short-term promises. It should be about institutional architecture.
Voters must ask:
1. Are our institutions stronger today than they were five years ago?
2. Do we trust oversight bodies to act without fear or favour?
3. Are standards applied consistently, regardless of who holds office?
Democracy does not collapse in dramatic moments. It erodes when citizens accept inconsistency as normal.
The ballot is not a weapon of anger. It is an instrument of institutional correction.
Fiji’s future will depend not on rhetoric, but on whether voters demand governance that is principled, transparent, and accountable.
Excellent. You have nailed the principles. But is the practical implementation of those principles now too late?
Fiji’s institutions of state have arguably been corrupted to the point of no return. And the “winner takes all” nature of Fijian politics means that even with a change of government, it is almost certain to be pay-back time, with a new government installing its own people to continue the cycle of retribution while they place their own snouts firmly in the trough. Only for the whole cycle to begin again in another four years.
I personally find it extraordinary that the likes of the Prime Minister, the President, the Chief Justice and a whole lot of other individuals like Barbara Malimali can’t see the locomotive bearing down on them. As ye sow, so shall you reap. And their day of reckoning is now potentially just months away.
The problem with this constant tug-of-war for the spoils of power is that the country is in a state of arrested development. And it is ordinary people – those without connections to the top – who inevitably suffer the most.
Where are the genuine men and women of principle? Doubtless wondering right now whether it is even worth contesting the election. Because so many would-be candidates are only in it for the money and to dispense patronage themselves. Does anyone even think about the national interest anymore? It is all about horsetrading and divvying up the spoils.
GD,I tend to think that all hope for Fiji is lost (I hope I am wrong).
I hope all your work is not an exercise in futility.
“But all the knowledge in the world is of no use to fools.”The Long Road Out Of Eden.The Eagles.
The country is a shadow of what it was prior to the 1987 coups.The talent pool is very shallow.
The next election will bring another set of rent seekers and miscreants to have their turn.
The bulk of the people seem to be disengaged from their Civic duties and politics,spending too much time on drinking grog, watching rugby and porn on TV.
Imagine the results if they chose to spend their time on constructive pursuits.
If Fiji becomes a no-go zone for tourists (high crime and HIV rates )then the county’s goose will be really cooked.
FNPF appears to be a significant investor in this sector.
Recently they were patting themselves on their back for crediting a “record “8.75% into their members’ accounts.
Check the Canster website for what the top performing funds in Australia paid out last year.
One would hope that the authorities are not using this as a cheap source of funds for their pet projects.
I hope I am not being overly pessimistic and there are good talented people waiting in the wings to pull the country back from the abyss.
We live in hope.
I hear you and completely agree that the cycle of patronage is damaging, especially for ordinary citizens. One approach that could address these structural challenges is a constitutional review, which can embed rules that endure beyond any government — independent judiciary, merit-based public service, and stronger checks and balances. Countries like Georgia (post-Rose Revolution), Indonesia (post-Suharto reforms), and Singapore show that even deeply compromised systems can be reformed over time. While not a quick fix, this provides a real path toward breaking the cycle and ensuring the national interest is protected.
Now that is a constitutional review worth supporting. Maybe we can kick-start something like you suggest – to enshrine genuinely independent institutions and meritocratic selection in the supreme law, with prescribed penalties for violations.
It’s certainly better than the absurd notion that the 2013 Constitution needs to be altered to give the iTaukei more rights than other citizens and end the common and equal citizenry and common identity.
It is greed, nepotism and patronage that is destroying the nation’s integrity from within, not equal rights for all citizens.
And don’t forget corruption!
And yet Chris Pryde, despite being cleared of all the false allegations, still can’t return to Fiji, claim the salary that this government is withholding from him, nor resume normal duties.
With Tudravu “full chow” as the ComPol, its apparent the Fiji Police Force have become the gestapo for the current government and will ensure any complaints against the people in power never see the light of day.
“Where are the genuine men and women of principle?” G Davis
Thousands upon thousands, going about our business.
With jobs, with families.
Providing food on the table, a roof over our heads and participating in the fabric of our society – work, school, sport, religion, family, friends, Vanua, settlement, neighbours. Life !
The expectation is that these people, the vast majority, will participate in a FAILED , supposed democratic system, that is anything but.
A system that expects good people to give up and risk a good life in a gamble to be voted into a Parliament where one must compromise one’s values and dignity.
Dignity, that must be cast aside, as one goes out and beggars oneself for votes.
Values, if they ever got past the post, most certainly must be ditched when one enters house of compromise – lies, betrayal, greed, hypocrisy………..
For the 15 or so regular anonymous commentators and 2 or 3 willing to post their names on this blog, 200 or so regular readers, in a nation of 500,000 adults (18+).
Democracy , governance, the Westminster ” system” , that ensures the people have the least amount of agency and so withdraw from frustration. The perfect system for the elite – a religious, fatalistic society that accepts the stories fed to them that underpins the agenda that the elite require for their thriving.
WE have come to the END of the road!
The elections this year, OFFER NOTHING TO THE PEOPLE !
The gangs of Fiji. Which one will prevail ?
WE have the old rotten dinosaurs , yikes, and the younger generation of politicians we had hopes in, seem to be nothing but clones of the old rotten dinosaurs.
What is the solution?
I have suggested a One Party State. Silence, 500,000 adult voters, crickets !
Leaders of 10, 100, 1000. ……… Every man shall enjoy the fruit of his vine, coconut. Before you see RED, no this is not communism, it is participatory DEMOCRACY !!!!
Communism with Chinese Characteristic = Government control of social Capital and pure capitalism for everything else, just like we Fijians have had the past 50 years, but without the discipline of the OPS.
Yes, Fiji
where government owns and controls nearly everything.
FNPF, Fiji Post, Telecom, Vodafone, Fiji Airways, EFL , WAF, FRA, AFL, Fiji Pine, MHL, TLTB, Copra Millers, FSC, SPF, + + +…….
So if China is Communist, so is Fiji, except we do not get the benefit of a OPS.
After WW2, Japan , India, Singapore, were beneficiaries of One Party States that the people voluntarily supported and participated in.
They became economic tigers. For India, from a country that suffered the vagaries of climate and mismanagement to a Nation that could feed itself and export food. Today its an economic tiger, but missing social benefits that should accrue from its economy, but it is no longer a voluntary OPS, that it first marched into the world with.
China CCP survived Mao, as Russia survived Stalin.
Chinese Communism with Chinese characteristics, or should we say Fijian characteristics, is beyond anything humanity as experienced. With its One Party State, it can plan 10, 20, 50, 100 years ahead. Its Civil and Public servants are under management and direction of the people, they are not LORDS of the people.
To reach a place that allows for the people to have agency in their governance, not a ONE Minute encounter in a ballot booth with a piece of paper every 4 years, will never happen voluntarily under the present system and Constitution unless the RFMF who have the Constitutional mandate to intervene for the welfare of the people of Fiji.
Fiji will not survive as a successful stable country, the country we all loved if we continue with this Westminster multi party insanity. Its past its use by date . Nothing can be clearer than the example set by the West, who used to have a semblance of democracy. I have cited the Asian Tigers, I cite Fiji, for its first years under the Alliance Party and Rt. Mara. 17 years of constant consistent policy under one leader. One leader who had to deal with constant rebellion , subversion and blackmail. The present system is hateful to peaceful leadership and undermines our every cultural sensibility.
To have any hope of stability for our country I believe an OPS can provide it.
A State sanctioned, financed, One Party State that is built on a minimum sized cell of 10 to a maximum of 25.
Implementation of Section 121. T&A Commission – District Guardian Councils.
Put the Constitutional Assembly back into the Constitution – review of Constitution put into the hands of the people, not politicians.
We are a Nation riding a train into the maws of the devil, into a tunnel of darkness.
The RFMF can either step up and perform its duty which this nation pays handsomely, or do nothing and cannibalise our economy, stealing the food from out of the mouth of babies.
Yes, Ian, good for you for speaking your mind and being willing to put your name to what you have to say.
I don’t agree with you about a one party state, which equates to a dictatorship of one form or other. Either a benevolent one or a tyrannical one but “big brother” all the same. But I certainly agree with you that Fiji has generally careered off the tracks – “a nation riding into the maws of the devil, into a tunnel of darkness”.
I agree with you that there is an army of men and women of genuine principle in the community. It’s just that they have abandoned politics to the craven and self interested. And it is the hypocrisy that is especially galling – speech after speech from these jokers – and again from the President today – preaching high-minded ideals of unity, integrity and transparency when their conduct is precisely the opposite.
Maybe we just have to hit the very bottom – a failed state effectively run by shysters, gangsters and drug barons – before people cry “enough”. But if we had an army of people even half as passionate as you, that would be something to celebrate.
Ian,
We can see where you are coming from, and admire you for being prepared to put your name to your comments.
But I’m afraid a one party state isn’t the answer. Remember that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.
There has to be accountability, responsibility and those with better ideas being given a turn. Look what happened when Ratu Mara’s and Bainimarama’s rule went to 17 and 16 years respectively, and their mirrors on the wall cracked…
There are many systems of government and countries tend to get one they prefer or deserve, depending on how long and hard they fought for it. And that’s the point: a seemingly perfect constitution won’t work unless there’s ownership, investment in it and determination to make it work.
In other words, there has to be good political culture backed by conventions of behaviour with a will to make it work.
Included in this are a passion for fair play and a rules-based system; passion to stand up for your political opponent’s voice to he heard; passion to ensure the institutions work as they are supposed to; and passion to make sure the weakest in society are taken care of.
Fiji can have all of these things and a bright future. People just need to want it enough, to demand it and then fight for it through the ballot box. May the best team win.
Vinaka.
In response to GD and Anonymous 16th Feb
Is this is the future?;
“Maybe we just have to hit the very bottom – a failed state effectively run by shysters, gangsters and drug barons – before people cry “enough”.” G Davis.
This is what I want to avoid. I live and have children and grandchildren living in Fiji.
“But I’m afraid a One Party State isn’t the answer.
(Remember that ” power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. ” Lord Acton. )”
Every government has to have power or not function. If you give some thought, imagination to my proposal, I believe it will be the best tool to avoid “corrupt power”.
As part of my suggestion, a One Party State ( OPS), need not be forever. Just 4 or 5 election cycles. 15-20 years.
The OPS would need to be brought about by the intervention of the Military, NO OTHER WAY. No doubt the Military would undertake wide consultations on how a OPS system will work.
With the implementation of a Constitutional Assembly ( Part of draft Prof Ghai Constitution), there would be continuous monitoring of the Constitution and the OPS as part of our “electoral system” going forward.
There is a fundamental difference between trying to “impose”, an ideology, of communism, which requires outright force and elimination of counter ideologies and elements, VERSUS, implementing a ” participatory democracy” to achieve development objectives, creating multi-generational political aptitude to carry Fiji forward for next 50 years. We must break this cycle of “gangsterism”, lay down a foundation of democratic participation in our population. The OPS principles are then practiced by the adults of the population and taught and practiced in schools.
Only then can commentator , ” May the best team win”, realise his bright future.
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Warden Narsey recently called for 50% representation in Parliament by women.
To my mind that is lunacy.
Apply some intellect and dose of imagination and you will see that what I propose will allow for full representation by the populace in governance at all levels. Since the demographics show 50% of the population is female, they only need to participate. Moreover, considering their stake in the game, their discipline fostered by their raising of children and organisation of family, they have the complete ability and motivation to lead, so in fact they have no need of a quota to govern. 85% of the population is under the age of 50. Need I say more?
In any case, the OPS “system”, does not work on individual charisma or egotistical narcissistic endeavours, it simply works by giving voice to every member of the public who makes a resolution at Cell/ Committee level and that if the resolution is carried, researched, budgeted, it is implemented, irrespective of who is the leader. In fact the Cell/Committee, District, Divisional Assembly, National Assembly. Central Committee, leaders are nothing but conveyors of the resolutions of the People. If they fail to do so, they are gone. No games, no blackmail – gone, by Real Party Discipline.
I give an example: I am a member of a Cell/ Committee of 10 or more.
I then propose a resolution ;
a. extension of EFL grid to my settlement. Passed by my Cell. Our Cell leaders takes this resolution to a meeting with other Community Cell leaders. They Agree, subject to the following process
(i) Research done by EFL. Costs determined.
(ii) Taveuni Assembly meets and determines priorities – which village , settlement, area that the power will be extended to and timelines.
Another proposed resolution from the Cell for example.
b. extension of feeder road into farm lots.
c. trade school on island
d. Summer schools for Urban children. Support for human ” treasure”, people who know every tree in the forest and fish in the sea. Learn your dialect, learn your environment.
Party requests submission/ resolution on Opening of Russian Embassy in Fiji and Fijian Embassy in Russia or in Jerusalem.
My point is that the Cell can discuss anything and put this forward for resolution
I could go on and on.
I envisage a revolution, an enervated populace working together.
However, this is NOT something the present elite would favour when they already have a system where all one needs to do is curry favour with the “gang” in power, – engage in nepotism, exploit affiliations, and provide a gold watch.
Meanwhile:
1. The loose cannon ferroz ghulam mohammed going on with $33m digger samabula forklift sarrim to get 6k signatures for new party. These guys have nothing better to do….how these lunatics will enter parliament???
2. Malimali and Tanya barred from unnecessary publicly asking on matters before court such as when is the elections and who is FICAC Boss
3. Seruiratu says Kai is not behind his people first party. Yet to see though. I feel Parmilla in touch with Kai. Just look at her style of public statements. If they win, they will be surrounded by kai’s uncles zarrin thief, aunties nooru banno, crooked mahmooʻoood khan, loud mouth fayyeeeee yeee, drugggieee Musa, all waste timers in so called propaganda oriented women in business group
4. Rambooka yet to give another statement saying “I am not aware”.