Poor Pio Tikoduadua won't like to confront the fact but the ghost of Jone Vakarisi hovers over this week's gathering of South Pacific defence ministers as an example of what not to do in our celebrated "ocean of peace". See, it has now been more than five months since the accused drug dealer was killed while in the custody of the RFMF at the … [Read more...] about # WELCOME TO FIJI, PACIFIC DEFENCE MINISTERS. WHERE OUR MILITARY STILL GETS AWAY WITH TORTURE AND MURDER
# COALITION OF THE UNWILLING. THE PRIME MINISTER’S PLAN FOR A “KIRISIMASI CONSTITUTION” TRIGGERS A MASS COMMUNITY REVOLT
The Rabuka government enters the week of the special parliamentary sitting on Tuesday to table its new draft constitution facing almost universal opposition to its plan to rush it into force on Christmas Eve. A range of political parties including the formal Opposition in the parliament and the government's own coalition partner - the NFP - … [Read more...] about # COALITION OF THE UNWILLING. THE PRIME MINISTER’S PLAN FOR A “KIRISIMASI CONSTITUTION” TRIGGERS A MASS COMMUNITY REVOLT
# PORTRAIT OF A THUG. THE “BAD APPLE” IN THE JUDICIARY IS THE CORRUPT CHIEF JUSTICE HIMSELF
The fact that cocaine can disappear from the High Court during criminal proceedings is bad enough. But the response to this travesty by the Chief Justice, Salesi Temo, can only compound public alarm about the state of the judiciary under his leadership. Angry and humiliated by an astonishing breach of security on his watch, Temo has lashed out … [Read more...] about # PORTRAIT OF A THUG. THE “BAD APPLE” IN THE JUDICIARY IS THE CORRUPT CHIEF JUSTICE HIMSELF
# SITIVENI RABUKA ACCUSED OF TRYING TO STAGE ANOTHER COUP IN A FURIOUS RESPONSE TO HIS PLAN FOR A NEW CONSTITUTION BY CHRISTMAS (UPDATED FRIDAY AM)
As Grubsheet predicted, the Prime Minister has stirred up a hornet's nest with the announcement of a parliamentary vote and a referendum that would deliver a new constitution by December 24. The first and most provocative criticism has come not from one of the political parties but from Nilesh Lal - the respected head of Fiji's most influential … [Read more...] about # SITIVENI RABUKA ACCUSED OF TRYING TO STAGE ANOTHER COUP IN A FURIOUS RESPONSE TO HIS PLAN FOR A NEW CONSTITUTION BY CHRISTMAS (UPDATED FRIDAY AM)
# SO NOW WE KNOW. THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO USE ITS NUMBERS IN THE PARLIAMENT AND THE ITAUKEI MAJORITY TO PUSH THROUGH A NEW CONSTITUTION BY CHRISTMAS
A year after the Supreme Court ruled that the 2013 Constitution is the valid supreme law in Fiji, that constitution is set to be dumped by Christmas. How? The answer is contained in just three sentences in a government Facebook statement yesterday that much of the mainstream media hasn't yet noticed but is already sending shock waves through … [Read more...] about # SO NOW WE KNOW. THE GOVERNMENT PLANS TO USE ITS NUMBERS IN THE PARLIAMENT AND THE ITAUKEI MAJORITY TO PUSH THROUGH A NEW CONSTITUTION BY CHRISTMAS
# FURTHER TO OUR PREVIOUS STORY, FIJI’S HIV CRISIS GOES GENUINELY GLOBAL
Only the Coalition would think it could go to an election with any credibility at all when its response to the escalating incidence of HIV infections in the country has been so woeful. As we reported in our previous article, Parliament is being recalled for a special session next Tuesday yet it isn't about the HIV crisis but to fast-track the … [Read more...] about # FURTHER TO OUR PREVIOUS STORY, FIJI’S HIV CRISIS GOES GENUINELY GLOBAL