You only have to read the first two pages of today’s Fiji Sun to appreciate the irreconcilable forces at the heart of national life – Fijians preaching the importance of truth when we are a nation led by liars.
There’s the Commander of the RFMF, Major General Ro Jone Kalouniwai, meeting the Assistant Minister for Women, Children and Social Protection, Sashi Kiran, at a time when no-one, least of all the Commander, wants to be photographed with the mendacious first Minister for Women.
What are they discussing? The setting up of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to supposedly lay to rest the divisions of the past three decades and bring the country together. All well and good. But you can’t have reconciliation without truth. And on the same page is the mother of all lies from another chronically mendacious minister, the Attorney General, Siromi Turaga.
Steady yourselves, Fiji, and get this. In answer to a question from Niko Nawaikula about why nearly 100 prisoners are suddenly being released without explanation, Siromi Turaga tells the mother of all porkies.
“The A-G, in response, clarified that the FCS (Fiji Corrections Service) operates independently without any interference from him as the Minister responsible for Justice.
Citing Section 130(3) of the 2013 Constitution, Mr Turaga highlighted the FCS operates under the command of the Commissioner, who is not subject to external direction or control in matters of organisation, administration, deployment, and operations.
While the minister may issue general policy directions, the FCS aligns with broader governmental objectives independently.“
Altogether, Fiji. Kaila! This guy really thinks we are effing stupid.
Siromi Turaga has mounted a full blown assault on the independence of the judiciary, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Fiji Corrections Service. The Acting Chief Justice, Salesi Temo, and the Acting DPP, John Rabuku, does what he tells them to do and it is the same with the Corrections Service.
He has also mounted a full blown assault on the 2013 Constitution, specifically breaching it with the illegal appointments of John Rabuku and the judge, Alipate Qetaki, when both men are specifically barred from holding their jobs because they have been found guilty of professional misconduct. Yet the AG has the temerity to cite the Constitution in response to Niko Naiwaikula and pretend that he is bound by its provisions when it comes to the independence of the FCS. Rubbish.
Fiji is in the grip of the same institutionalised lasulasu-jhoot that existed in Stalinist Russia and still exists in Putinist Russia, the same lies and disregard for the truth that existed in Mao Tse Tung’s China and still exists in Xi Jinping’s China, that underpinned Nazi Germany or any of the great dictatorships that have caused misery for billions of people over the years. Worse, Coalition ministers think we are stupid. Like the great dictators of history, they think that repeating a lie makes it more believable. And make no mistake. Siromi Turaga is a liar when he says that the Corrections Service is independent, just as he is a liar when he says the ODPP is independent or the judiciary is independent. They are not.
The Commander of the RFMF surely knows this yet is prepared to go along with this mendacity, smile for the cameras with the hopelessly naïve Assistant Minister for Women and talk about a Truth and Reconciliation Commission.
Well here’s the thing, Fiji. A Truth and Reconciliation Commission will not work in Fiji. Why? Because I repeat: You can’t have reconciliation without truth. And truth has become a rare commodity in these islands and especially at the top of government.
We are a nation plagued by liars and led by liars. And on the same page as Jone Kalouniwai and Sashi Kiran is the definitive proof – the chief law officer of the state, hand on heart and with a straight face, telling the biggest of lies that our institutions of state are independent thinking the Fijian people are so dumb they will believe it.
As Grubsheet has observed before, Siromi Turaga is the absolute pits. And while he remains as Attorney General, this government simply cannot be trusted. In the same way that the Russian people and the Chinese people cannot trust their governments because their “truth” isn’t the truth at all. Shame.




It could be worse! The commander could be pictured with the biggest attention and clout seeker in Fiji, the dishonourable Minister for Women Madam LT (Lasai tuba)
The commander can take a trip with her down any merryland for we care.
Fiji Army becoming a national joke.
Truth be told. No woman wants her man in any room with our Jazebel of a jumped minister.
I just wanted to offer a strong word of support for Sashi. She grew a small non-profit, Friend Fiji, into a thriving entity that produces dozens of products and supports thousands of small agricultural-based families. It still continues successfully without her, a testament to her sustainable practices. She did it with pure grit and determination. She is exactly the type of candidates we want in government, those who put their heart our first and who match it with unyielding effort and determination.
Unfortunately, Sashi is a first termer, and as in almost any government, they generally are back-benched and forced to pay their dues while they learn the system and the backchannel ways. With so few elected women in Fiji, her Asst. Minister position is a great ‘get’ in her first term. But the real truth is, she is well-overqualified for it and she belongs running that Ministry with the other one serving as her Asst. and learning the art of hard work, HUMILTY and genuine commitment, to say the least.
We need only look back to the way Lorna Eden, the most qualified ministerial candidate perhaps in our Nation’s history, was kept on the sidelines when she was in office a few elections ago. Lorna ran a decades long tourism association, she managed a division in a national airline carrier, she owned and operated a very large hotel and yet her voice was reassigned from Tourism to Housing (???) and ultimately was put on ice. My guess is she lost heart with the constant forced subjugation, but I do not know. I fear Sashi is facing the same patriarchal and certainly matriarchal (LT?) forces.
So, no blame on Sashi here, she is paying her dues and making the necessary contacts and required public engagements. Her time will come, in this term or the next. Let’s envision Lenora and Sashi and a few more of Fiji’s most talented women (Lorna come back!) combining together and becoming a political force wherever they land in the next election.
Absolutely agree on Sashi Kiran, she is so worth voting for.
I don’t much about FF’s MP Lorna Eden’s sterling credentials and would like to know more. Found this piece of news on IB that she was forced to resign.
https://islandsbusiness.com/news-break/assistant-minister-forced-to-resign/
Fiji is being screwed up by the father of all liars, RABUKA.
Throw him and all his colleagues in jail for good , problem solved.
Sashi Kiran – kudos to you first.
It is an immense undertaking and one that you have endeavoured well.
But as Graham has said, there is not truth till truth holders are of recognised and legimate positions in Fiji, namely the current ADPP.
A truth and reconciliation task force is not to be taken lightly. The TOR has to be agreed by people of honour and overseen by people of highest degree of integrity. I don’t think there is a single soul in Fiji’s government with those qualities. Certainly not the PM and the Minister for Women even at lower taskforce level. Not even your ADPP can endorse the taskforce given his questionable appointment.
We are talking about truth and reconciliation. Sashi will remember well how women who were victimised were mocked in Feb 2023 by Lynda Tabuya and that made international news. Given that, who will come forward to share? And how will the country safeguard those who will share the information and the information itself? We have just seen your Minister for Women abuse information on a child abuse case this month. She cannot be trusted with anyone and any sensitive information.
How are people to trust anyone in Fiji, including the Cabinet, Army, Fiji Police, and others leaders right now.
I am STRONGLY DISCOURAGING our Indo-Fijian women from sharing anything with this government. Unless you want to be slapped with “Give me the Police report and the facts” by Tabuya.
This is more fishing for information and ridiculously setting victims up for self popularity by a socialist government.
Sashi, may I also add. Many of us are tired of this Girmit Day related stuff. We have acknowledged and we have moved on. There are better things to do than waste money and through corrupt practices like giving funds to Biman’s wife. So we are done with all this kitchdi.
Thank you, but no thank you Sashi.
Seriously, pardon the pun but truth and reconciliation commission my a$&@!
There is no integrity in this government, it’s rotten to the core so please spare us the “smoke and mirrors” drama.
Sashi, whilst you did meet the favour of Manu voters who put you where you are, you are seriously failing them. Your “go with the flow” attitude, same as other nfp cronies, will not go down too well in history.
You people dare not take a stand when your people are being outright wronged – what does that say about you?
The Commander is well aware that the scarlet woman a.k.a Minister for Women is the low life who slept with his sister in Law, Sainiana’s husband in Room 233 as Mrs Radrodro slept in their room at the Hotel Windsor in Melbourne.
A decent and professional human being, Ro Kalouniwai meets Madam Shashi Kiran. How effective though the Truth & Reconciliation Commission will be is yet to be seen.
Damn all the other truth.
I just want to know one truth now.
Why the heck is my taxpayer fund paying for that drug user and taxpayer funded abuser Lynda Tabuya?
That woman needs to go now.
Sack her already.
Child abuser.
I am taking it that Fiji will stop all its peacekeeping duties abroad given Fiji’s stance on Palestine.
Fiji’s Prime Minister is fine with women and children dying aimlessly.
He should not feel bad at all.
He was once the abuser who did the same.
This shit of the Prime Minister in Fiji should be stripped off his immunity medal and taken to the International Courts of Justice.
This is where his truth will be exposed.
Do not. And I repeat to the indo-fijian in Fiji. DO NOT take part in this truth and reconciliation. The PM is now busy killing women and kids elsewhere. His cycle of abuse will never stop.
Good job, MP Sashi!
Respect.