The Fijian Government’s Facebook page has reached a new height of absurdity with a post today that treats the Fijian people as complete idiots. “Please avoid falling victim to fake news”, it says. “Only trust it if you see it on the Fijian Government page first”.
I cannot recall a single instance in four decades of reporting throughout the world of a democratically elected government saying: “Trust us, we’re a government. And only believe what you read if you read it from us first”. In the Fijian context, this means that anything you read in the mainstream media can’t be believed unless the government reports it first. This includes its acknowledged propaganda arms – the Fiji Sun and Fiji Broadcasting Corporation.
What on earth is going on at the Department of Information for this Orwellian idiocy to have taken root? Is it the work of Vatis, the young team of Arnold Chanel and Damien Whippy? And did they seek advice from their sound-alike masters at Qorvis?
One can only surmise that this has the imprimatur of the Minister for Communications, the AG, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum. But is he now so devoid of judgment that he would approve of a democratic government trying to hoodwink its own people with methods that would shame an autocracy?
Perhaps it’s a crude attempt to deflect attention away from two upcoming stories on Grubsheet, the first on Friday (September 11) that details the Military Council’s call for the AG’s removal for his handling of the last election. Or one the following week (September 18) which reveals Frank Bainimarama’s designated successor.
If it’s the AG, of course, you are not supposed to believe it until you read it on the government’s Facebook page. In fact, you mustn’t believe anything unless you read it on the government’s Facebook page. And if it’s not the AG, you’re meant to believe it even less.
Welcome to La La Land.
Normally enjoy your stuff Graham but have seen this messaging throughout covid as a counter to misinformation regarding the virus (5G and what not). Off the mark this time sir don’t let the AG get you paranoid.
Desperation has kicked in now that the secrets are coming out and being received to the public
Graham Davis-are you in Fiji? No! How about you leave us alone and focus in the country you are in. Else if you are so concerned about Fiji do come and live here and write all the drama you want.
Max
Don’t shoot the messenger as he is speaking truth to power
” … a democratic government trying to hoodwink its own people with methods that would shame an autocracy…”
Is that what we have in post coup Fiji? Or, is it a case of an autocracy hoodwinking its own people with the pretense of democratic governance?
If you ask human rights defenders ( not Ashwin Raj! ), civil society activists, and independent media people the answer will make that clear.
What’s with the paranoia, Grubby? Do you have any idea the damage fake news regarding COVID-19 did here? You are not that important, not in Sydney and surely not in Fiji.
This is what Fiji gave Graham Davis:
* Opportunity to rub shoulders with royalty i.e. Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Would he have had this opportunity in Australia? No.
* VIP invites to all events hosted by the diplomatic community in Fiji, from the residences of almost every Ambassador to farewell dinners, Independence Day celebrations at every single High Commission and Embassy. Would he have had this level of access in Australia? No.
* Lived in the GPH and the Holiday Inn paid for by Government (taxpayers, us) to work. Was he living this life in Sydney? No.
* Very expensive goodie bags with top shelf alcohol from the diplomats here for every Christmas etc. Was he ever sent such things in Australia? No.
* He travelled only business class, nothing less than business class travel for him, travelled the world with the PM. Did he have this back home? No.
* Is Graham able to afford all these luxuries by himself? Maybe not. But he most certainly does not have the recognition he enjoyed in Suva. No one knows him in Sydney. He does not get invited to parties hosted by Ambassadors anymore. Does he miss that? If you know Graham Davis like I do, I would say, YES.
So, Graham Davis is not here to run down FijiFirst. He is wanting FijiFirst to win but the AG to be removed. Why? You would note how strategically he has been praising a few Ministers within Government? With the AG gone, he is hoping those Ministers will side with him and convince the PM to get Graham back, boot out Qorvis and pay Graham $800,000 to $1m every year.
Everyone here lapping up what he is writing, do not get your hopes high. Graham only wants the high life back.
Grubby, to employ the catchphrase made famous by “Goodness Gracious Me” (you might not know this if you grew up American), so how big is his danda? He may very well be a shell of his former self, but what does any of the things you enumerate have to do with the FACTS in his blogs? Aren’t you just guilty of playing the man, as we used to say when we were children? Play the ball – and by that I don’t mean pocket billiards or your mapolo (as we also used to say when we were children).
Graham Davis clearly enjoyed the high life in post coup Fiji. Who made that possible for him and why? Is that what the ” clean up ” coup was about ? Getting people like Graham to come from abroad to live it up in Fiji often with the Fijian tax paying public picking up the bill?
Shame on the ruling mob in post coup Fiji for letting that kind of shit happen on their watch.
Who else enjoyed, still enjoy, Graham Davis kind of high life in Fiji courtesy of the post coup rulers?
It’s like the AG is losing it there with that kind of message.
That is VATIS 100%..
If you were really raped by ashwin raj why did you go to FBC and not the police? Come clean or ashwin raj should sue you.
Shalveen Raj, what on earth are you talking about? I know Ashwin Raj and he has never been anything other than a total gentleman in my presence.
Looking forward to the next set of blogs and to sharing it with everyone I know!
Aiyaz’s paranoia levels must be sky high for all the trolls to be coming after you.
Amateur hour really from the VATIS boys.
I read in the literature on Poverty in Fiji that at the time that Graham Davis and company ( the coupists ) were enjoying the high life in Fiji over 34 percent of the people of Fiji were languishing under the national poverty line with a significant percentage of others at risk of falling into poverty.
That’s something that might not have featured prominently in the grand plans the usurpers and their apologists were embarked on whilst creating ” true democracy ” in the ” new Fiji “.
That’s understandable.
The laity want a change.
Max relax. This is information that we don’t normally read about. What is actually happening behind the corridors of power.