And so, as expected, the party with the most number of seats in the parliament is no more - the once mighty FijiFirst dead and buried and its remaining MPs merely to decide whether they will stick together as an informal bloc of independents in the parliament or join Sitiveni Rabuka in government. Today's de-registration of the party Frank … [Read more...] about # THE END OF AN ERA. FIJIFIRST GOES NOT WITH A BANG BUT A WHIMPER
# THE INK IS DRY. NOW GET ON WITH IT (UPDATED)
The new Attorney General, Graham Leung, responded to the Supreme Court “opinion” on Friday that the Acting DPP, John Rabuku, is ineligible to hold the position by asking everyone to “wait until the ink is dry” before expecting anything to happen. Well it is now Monday morning. And the ink is well and truly dry on the finding that John Rabuku cannot … [Read more...] about # THE INK IS DRY. NOW GET ON WITH IT (UPDATED)
# THE HORROR OF THE NATIONAL BANK SCANDAL SUDDENLY REVIVED
Alarm bells have been triggered in senior business circles about a little known aspect of the Budget announced on Friday in which iTaukei will evidently be able to have access to tax free incentives for business ventures. In an interview with the Fiji Times on Saturday, the Minister for iTaukei Affairs, Ifereimi Vasu, said he was "very happy" … [Read more...] about # THE HORROR OF THE NATIONAL BANK SCANDAL SUDDENLY REVIVED
# ENOUGH SAID
# ANSWER. NO!
The Labour Party leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, reminds us that Biman Prasad was advocating a $5-an hour minimum wage six years ago in opposition yet has failed to fully deliver that again in his second budget since he gained control of the economy. The nation's lowest paid workers are getting a 50 cents an hour increase to $4.50 from August 1 and … [Read more...] about # ANSWER. NO!
# A DISGRACEFUL BETRAYAL. THE COALITION PUTS MPs BEFORE THE POOR (UPDATED)
The stage is set for prolonged industrial conflict as the Coalition government raises MPs salaries by as much as 100 per cent yet has failed to agree to union demands for the minimum wage to be increased to $6 an hour. The Finance Minister, Biman Prasad, has announced in the Budget that the minimum wage will go from $4 an hour to $5 an hour but … [Read more...] about # A DISGRACEFUL BETRAYAL. THE COALITION PUTS MPs BEFORE THE POOR (UPDATED)