The massive backlash against Lynda Tabuya on social media over her bungled attempt to remove Alexandra Forwood and others from Facebook has prompted the Information Minister to try to deflect the onslaught by highlighting the importance of her other portfolio – climate change.
Apropros of nothing, the Minister for Disinformation, Bonking and Weed has issued a statement saying that “Fiji cannot afford to be absent” from the latest COP summit in Turkey in November and the “Pre-COP” gathering that will precede it in Fiji. Who said the country ought to be absent? As far as Grubsheet can ascertain, no-one.
Of course, Fiji cannot afford to be absent, not least for having presided over COP23 nine years ago. Yet it is equally important that we must not be represented by Lynda Tabuya. Why? Because her scandalous conduct – of which the blow-back from conspiring to ban government critics from Facebook is just the latest – presents a clear and present danger to the nation’s ability to have its case for decisive climate action taken seriously.
These meetings will be weeks away from the election that will decide the fate of Sitiveni Rabuka‘s government. And Lynda Tabuya sees them as a springboard to establishing her own claim to leadership by using the global exposure her participation would bring as a means to increase her personal vote.
You can see it now. Dressed to the nines with her familiar “look at me, look at me” coquettish demeanour, the Minister will strive to be the centre of attention. But she will demean the importance of Fiji’s message to the world about the need for urgent climate action because it will be all about her. Let’s face it. The record tells us that she simply can’t help herself.
Months out from the meetings, Lynda Tabuya’s attendance at COP31 is already attracting public jibes on social media that she is stressing the importance of her being there as a means to enrich herself with per diems – the lucrative travel allowances she is fond of accumulating on her multiple trips abroad.
She attracted national attention after a trip to South Australia last November when she claimed travel allowances from the government despite her Fijian hosts going public to reveal that they had paid for all of her accommodation and food. This double-dipping is illegal and Tabuya should have been investigated and prosecuted. Yet such is her hold on the mainstream media in Fiji that it wasn’t even publicised except on Facebook and Grubsheet.
I know from personal experience – having attended two COP summits and associated Pre-COPs – that the level of hospitality by national delegations is such that it is rare for ministers especially to incur any personal expenses at all. Yet we already know from the existing comments on social media that public attention won’t be on whether Lynda Tabuya is an effective advocate for climate action but how much she will be pocketing in per diems.
Then there will be all the attention – much of it bound to be negative – on her personal demeanour, dress and conduct. This will invariably include speculation about a repeat of the events in Room 233 of Melbourne’s Windsor Hotel in August 2024 – the “weed”, Jack Daniels and brutal rogering by Aseri Radrodro that was officially designated a “sex and illicit drug scandal” by no less than the Prime Minister himself when he removed her as deputy leader of the People’s Alliance.
God forbid that any of this should come to the attention of the global media. Yet that is a distinct risk that has the potential for Fiji to come to world attention for all the wrong reasons – not our clamour for climate action and the means to build resilience but the lurid conduct of our Minister for Climate Change. It simply must not be allowed to happen.
So here’s an appeal to the Prime Minister to keep Lynda Tabuya away from COP. Who can he send in her place? It doesn’t have to be a minister. It could be someone designated as Fiji’s special envoy for climate change who is an expert on the subject and already commands respect in global forums – both prerequisites Lynda Tabuya simply doesn’t meet.
By far the best person would be Luke Daunivalu – the outstanding international diplomat who was chief negotiator when Fiji chaired COP23 in Bonn in 2017. He is across all the issues – including the vital subject of climate resilience funding. And unlike Lynda Tabuya, he has close contacts in the UN system and other governments, having been Fiji’s permanent UN representative in Geneva, and close regional contacts having been a highly successful high commissioner in Canberra.
Daunivalu is personable, low-key and highly respected in global forums and UN member governments. And if the Prime Minister feels he really needs a cabinet minister there, he should send the former climate change minister, Mosese Bulitavu, to sit by Daunivalu’s side. Together they would make an effective duo and most importantly, are bereft of controversy and scandal, with the ability to unite all political parties and all Fijians behind the climate fight.
It is utterly perverse that given the existential threat posed to Fiji by climate change, that Lynda Tabuya should be leading that fight and it simply isn’t acceptable to any right-minded Fijian. If you want to have any chance of winning the coming election, Prime Minister, do NOT put her at the head of Fiji’s COP team. She is a gross liability, not least because you personally found her guilty of a “sex and illicit drug scandal” and stripped her of the deputy leadership of the PAP, only to bring her back to lead the fight for the nation’s very survival.
And then there is that video – the one she made when she was co-chairing the government’s Anti-porn Task Force. Is that to be handed around at COP? In the way of these things, there’s a distinct possibility that it might. And it just isn’t worth the risk.
Your favourite pet isn’t even any good as Information Minister. The first rule of effective communications in government is not to elevate your opponents. But what has happened? Alex Forwood is now back on Facebook and being cast as a national hero. And all thanks to Lynda Tabuya.
In classic fashion after the debacle of trying to silence free speech, Tabuya is trying to shift the debate to her role as climate warrior. It must not be allowed to work.
Derision on Facebook and we are still four months away from the Pre-COP in Nadi.
When it comes to expenses fraud, after all, Lynda Tabuya has form…
And finally, just a fraction of the backlash on Facebook in support of Alex Forwood and flailing the Minister for Disinformation, Bonking and Weed.
If you can’t see how damaging this is to your position, Prime Minister, you are doomed.
Pray God that includes Lynda Tabuya’s head on a plate.
——————————–
WARNING TO READERS:
The following is obviously AI generated and a fake. But amusing nonetheless.
More serious are the implications for the government of this readily available technology as the political atmosphere heats up.
Tabuya and her Online Safety Commission – headed by her nephew – will be apoplectic.
Alex Fwd
Alexander Fwd
Alexander the Great
Alexander the Superwoman
If anyone didn’t know who she is – now everyone knows! Thank you collision implosion govt Information Minister for making Alex known ” far and wide, for evermore. For Fiji. Ever Fiji.
And may her sword quash the harlot with many heads who has eaten aeroplanes, eaten free chow and claimed un-incurred expenses. Leave no expense spared Alex and Viti in dealing to this monster with the colourful horn rims around her eyes.
Climate change – Change of Collision Govt.
All investments for Tabuya is justified to her and her only.
It is her investment for the future. And that of her husband or ex husband or now current husband.
The scammer couple need to be winning at all costs.
The taxpayers will pay for it.
Fijians are such fools Graham.
All they see is fancy cars and clothes and they are sold to this woman for a pittance.
Lynda Tabuya and her husband left behind a trail of financial destruction in the United States where they defrauded ordinary people of their life savings. Fiji is such a shameless country that Lynda has become a minister in government. This is possible in a shameless government. FICAC should closely scrutinize Lynda and her husband’s business, Pacific Building Solutions.
Why are they getting all the major government contracts? Does it have to do with Lynda’s position in government? That’s a legitimate question. Given their past dubious business record, are they employing some underhand tactics? Is Rabuka also in on the deal? Is he turning a blind day because of the Rolex watch he received from them?
We know that Lynda is in politics to make money because the first thing she did was to move a bill to increase MP salaries and and get duty-free cars. A greedy, lying, conniving and pretentious woman who conned voters. We must ensure that she never gets into Parliament again. She’s pathetic and useless. All she’s concerned about is to use a position for her own advantage.
Well, Minister for Brutal Sex does like to turn the temperature up whenever she can, though this is the opposite aim of beating climate change.