“Trust me to ensure that the interests of all citizens are protected”, says the Snake. Yeah, sure. Just like you protected them in 1987 and most recently when you allowed your supporters to call non-indigenous citizens “vulagi” – visitors in their country.
Sitiveni Rabuka doesn’t like the Labour Party leader and former prime minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, pointing out the bleeding obvious – that the Supreme Court decision making it easier for him to change the 2013 Constitution poses a threat to non-indigenous Fijians. But it does.
1/ Lowering the threshold for a parliamentary vote to change the Constitution from a three quarters majority to two thirds means that the ruling People’s Alliance and its allies already have the numbers to fundamentally alter Fiji’s supreme law.
2/ Lowering the threshold needed for a referendum of all voters to green-light those changes from three quarters to a simple majority means that the government only needs just over 50 per cent of the electorate to vote “yes” and change is assured.
Given the dominance of the iTaukei over other ethnicities – two thirds of the population to one third and falling as the minorities head for the exit – even the most numerically challenged can see the obvious. That none of the provisions of the 2013 Constitution are now safe.
The 75/75 formula that Frank Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum put in place to guard against precisely what has just taken place is going, going, gone. And on both counts, Sitiveni Rabuka now has fundamental change within his grasp. Which is reason enough for the minorities to be alarmed.
Why? Because the Prime Minister’s party – the People’s Alliance – went before the Supreme Court arguing for a return to the racially-weighted 1997 Constitution. And let’s be in no doubt what that would have meant had the judges gone along with it.
- An end to the common and equal citizenry and a return to indigenous paramountcy, with iTaukei votes being worth more than those of other citizens even though the iTaukei are the majority race in Fiji and own more than 90 per cent of the land.
- An end to the common identity – all citizens having the legal right to call themselves by the English word, Fijian, instead of “Fijian” being the preserve of indigenous Fijians, while the rest of us would be known as “Fiji Islanders”.
- An end to dual nationality and the right of Fiji-born citizens to remain Fijian even if they gain the right to be Aussies, Kiwis or any number of other nationalities. Tens of thousands of Fiji-born citizens have availed themselves of this option and it is as precious to them as the common and equal citizenry and the common identity.
- The restoration of the power of the chiefs across a broad front, including a right of veto on the head of state and to actually choose a vice president. Plus the right to be consulted on everything else.
All this – and a lot more – was what Sitiveni Rabuka’s People’s Alliance wanted. It was their formal submission to the Supreme Court hearing. So for the Prime Minister to now say that the minorities have nothing to worry about when he has been given the opportunity to change the existing supreme law is simply an insult to our intelligence.
Of course we have cause to be worried. Because you’ve got form, Buster – not only your coups of 38 years ago to establish indigenous supremacy and allowing the minorities to be called visitors in their nation of birth but in the last couple of weeks, a formal application to the Supreme Court for the restoration of a racist Constitution that would turn the minorities into second class citizens all over again after 12 years of equality.
Mahendra Chaudhry alone among non-indigenous politicians has had the guts to call you out – the tell it like it is. Which is why the minorities, en masse, are swinging to Labour. Because alone of the existing political parties, it has taken a vigorous public stand for equality while Biman Prasad and his NFP act as enablers for those who want to erode the rights of Indo-Fijians and the other minorities.
Yes, there are politicians in the parliament such as Premila Kumar and Ketan Lal who are champions of equality and iTaukei like Jone Usamate and Semi Koroilavisau who share the same principles. But when the minorities look around for support, who are they seeing with Frank and Aiyaz now heading for stretches in the slammer?
Answer: The octogenarian warhorse who looks 15 years younger and has become the effective opposition leader from outside the parliament as Inia Seruiratu sits on his hands – giving the distinct appearance of having been bought off with a doubling of his salary and a house.
As a prominent Indo-Fijian told me last week: “No-one is going to vote for the NFP because Biman has betrayed us. And unless a new force emerges in the coming months, I think everyone is going to vote Labour”. If he is right, that means the NFP doesn’t make the 5 per cent threshold next time (presuming the electoral laws aren’t changed ) and Labour storms over the 5 per cent and into the parliament.
Only one thing can change that. Make that two things, though when trust has evaporated, it is probably too late.
1/ Sitiveni Rabuka and Biman Prasad make public statements that the minorities are not “vulagi” – visitors – but genuinely belong in Fiji and the iTaukei must find another word to describe them.
2/ Sitiveni Rabuka and Biman Prasad make public statements that the common and equal citizenry and common identity provisions of the 2013 Constitution are safe. And the Prime Minister gives a cast-iron guarantee that he will protect them and they will not be part of any vote in the parliament and any referendum.
But guess what, Fiji? These two jokers have had plenty of opportunity over the past two and a half years to reassure the minorities and they haven’t. On the contrary, Biman Prasad remained mute during the “vulagi” debate and the Prime Minister’s PAP has just gone to the Supreme Court arguing for a return to the indigenous paramountcy that underpinned the 1997 Constitution.
All of which means that Mahendra Chaudhry is set to ride a wave of minority support all the way into the parliament whenever the election is held. Because he is standing up for non-indigenous Fijians when almost everyone else – with a handful of honourable exceptions – has abandoned them.
If Chaudhry comes to the defence of Khaiyum and Bainimarama, over 80,000 Indo Fijians will vote him in
You need to learn to write better. But then again, nothing much can be said since you were born in Fiji.
Whenever whatever Fijians lack in gets pointed out, they start their drama instead of improving themselves.
This is the result of hanging out with Fijians. Your standard in everything becomes low.
I guess now Graham will try to enlighten me. Perhaps my comment will not be allowed.
Yes, I have a lot to learn from you. I will try to do better.
“A soft answer turneth away wrath” …… best response from our award-winning journalist.
I would appreciate if you wrote screenplays for American Pie instead of writing about politics. Raunchy Teen Comedies and Teen Sex Comedies are the best movies. Movies aren’t funny anymore. If you wrote Teen comedy then perhaps it could bring a change. Think about it. You will be known as a Fijian writing comedy movies in Hollywood. As for me, I am already practicing my Teen Sex Comedy writing. I worship American Pie.
I am surprised your comment was allowed. You really do seem like a slacker with your boring and drab writing style. You spiel makes zero sense. Please go drink home brew under a mango tree and spare us your nonsense.
You exist only in my imagination.
The continued assault on the minorities in Fiji is going to escalate as we head to the polls based on wholesale changes to the 2013 Constitution. The international community and those entrusted to enforce equal citizenry in the RFMF have turned a blind eye to this blatant breach of human rights.
The exit gates as GD points out is not the option for all in the minorities. Instead we have an increasingly impoverished group among minorities especially Indo Fijians with a small elite cashing in on the remittance based consumerist Fijian economy.
MPC has the right conditions for a two pronged platform to appeal once again for international scrutiny and pressure on Fiji while speaking out on behalf of the minorities.
Problem is MPC only cares for the ‘Indians’. (his words) in the ethnic minority category.
There are other ethnic minority groups in Fiji that he fails to acknowledge.
The stage is now set for constitutional change as per Rabuka ‘s dream. Malimali, Waqanika, and Valenitabua are now on the Methodist church committee to change/amend the churches constitution. They will insert clauses aligning Christian state and other ideas to go with the changes in 2013 Fiji constitution. Read Victor lal’s article on fijileaks. And that bull frog had the nerve to put on Facebook that a Hindu religious ceremony in Suva was causing a traffic jam.
And digressing a bit, if the itaukei have no love and respect for their own, don’t expect them to look at the vulagi kindly. Read the terrible comments on social media on the murder of a gay doctor.
Come on, pull your head out of your AR – E !
The words of sympathy for the gay doctor exceeds the derogatory comments.
Stop vilifying the i’taukei..
But, but uluigalana, the itaukei really are especially crude, boorish, mean, cruel people who know no mercy when it comes to ostracizing their own leave alone the others.
The LGBTQI community is vilified, made fun of, and endlessly parodied at all itaukei events from a simple village kava session to weddings and parties and the rest of it. And the crowd roars it approval every time all the time.
And all of this cruelty is endorsed by dimwitted rapist bible thumpers trying to justify casting the first stones. Hallelujah.
Kyrie eleison.
I will vote for MPC as long as he rules out any role in his govt for his boci lawyer son.
I am keen to see how they will spin the narrative of removing equal rights and the Fijian name for all.
My best guess is they’ll say something like: “You are different and deserve your own identity and rights. The previous government took away your unique identity (vulagi) by forcing the Fijian name on everyone. We are now correcting that and giving your identity back.”
And Biman—a man with no b—l, will no doubt bow to his knee’s to Rabuka on this and try to sell this nonsense to Indo-Fijians. Sadly, he might even succeed, because there are still plenty of so-called educated people blindly supporting him despite all the red flags.
Of course you are different from the indigenous people of this land. Even one of your ilk(MPC) referred to you as ‘Indians’.
Why are you ashamed of your ethinicity?
Stop the obfuscation. Be proud of who you are. And stop vilifying the i’taukei whose culture and traditions are a virtue to Fiji’s natiinal idemtity.
The Supreme Court made an advisory opinion it does not becoming binding and neither doesn’t provide Sitiveni and authority or power to make changes to the Constitution.
The Judiciary does not have the legal authority to make amendments or provide for the amendments.
Common Law cannot make these constitutional amendments. The Constitution of the Republic of Fiji is the supreme law and it overrides all common law.
It is concerning that the Fiji Law Society have not made a statement on the decision by Sitiveni to make the amendments and their views on the content of the SC advisory opinion.
Almost 99% of reactions to the SC opinion including Grubsheet is of the opinion that the SC Opinion is binding, perhaps if we spoke more of it being not binding and that the provisions of the Constitution are not subject to common law amendments we may just pull his head in.
Unfortunately, you are absolutely correct but the majority of the Supreme Court are foreign judges, including Justice French, the former Chief Justice of the High Court of Australia. And as such they have given the green light to the Coalition to do as it pleases.
So good luck trying to win an argument in Fiji that the “opinion” is illegitimate beyond the protestations of Arthur Moses, the counsel for the Fiji Law Society in his submission last week.
Why isn’t the President of the FLS, Wylie Clarke, saying anything? Because all he cares about is saving his own bacon by discrediting the Ashton-Lewis COI.
I see his matanivanua, Charlie Charters, is boasting on Facebook that a whole lot of documents are about to be dumped. And you can bet your bottom dollar that these will discredit David Ashton-Lewis as part of their campaign to derail the COI.
The criminal justice system in Fiji is a joke.
I’ve said it before and I say it again: don’t worry. Biman and NFP have this covered. Biman is the greatest leader for Indians Fiji has ever seen. He is selfless and sacrificed his USP career to represent and protect Fiji Indians. A fine and noble leader. We are in good hands.
You people are all getting your knickers in a twist for nothing. As long as Biman is there everything is fine.
Both Biman and NFP will give Chaudhry and FLP a walloping in the coming election. You mark my words.
GD is fear mongering. Reading GrubSheet will give you stress, ulcers, early death.
DON’T WORRY. BE HAPPY! BE BIMAN!
Are you from the same government propaganda unit as Lynda Tabuya? Hopefully you at least have your clothes on. But you are definitely smoking the same stuff. Talk about deluded.
I want to know where you buy your weed from, it’s pretty damn good quality.
Biman and noble? Ask his wife and she will tell you how noble he is.
Wisdom and experiences tells most of us to never trust a person who says “trust me.”
Trust is earned. It’s not an entitlement. Once it’s lost, it takes years or decades to rebuild.
I will never trust Rabuka!
He has shown time and again to be incapable of telling the truth or honouring his promises. If he and his Government were trusted you would not have an exodus of people and with it a declining revenue base. Any attempt to marginalise the minorities will see a further exodus and decline.
As for Biman and the NFP they have sold out their support base for money and perks, and to the idiot who posted they are great you are living in a fantasy world. They will not survive beyond the current Parliament.
“He has shown time and again to be incapable of telling the truth or honouring his promises.”
– Absolutely correct.
@Tosso Biman you are indeed, delusional as Graham Davis says.
Are you aware of the level of hatred and derision against Biman amongst his own people? He is truly the most hated Indian leader in Fiji’s history.
People are calling him a gaddar or betrayer for good reason. He has sold out Indian rights for the perks of high political office.
he has done nothing to defend Fiji Indians or stand for their rights. He is a meek leader who is at pains to not offend or anger PAP or Fijian ethno-nationalists.
He has not only sold out the rights of Fiji Indians but also acted against the national interest and interest of resource owners by granting Fiji Water a seven year tax holiday, not to mention increasing vet to 15% only to decrease it later as an election gimmick. A betrayal of hang the highest order.
Biman was was always condemning Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum only to turn out to be his clone copycat. Biman’s budgets are derived from Khaiyum’s playbook and sinking the country further into debt just to keep himself in power by distributing election freebies, something he also used to criticize the former government for.
Look at Biman and you realise that he is a poor imitation of Khaiyum, a cheap fake. At least Khaiyum’s budget struck a balance between consumption and investment in infrastructure. Biman is simply doling out huge amounts of taxpayer funds to indigenous Fijian causes, largely for for consumption, thereby increasing their dependency, even as the tax threshold decreases due to migration. This is why he is described as the worst Finance Minister in Fiji’s history.
Have you heard him speak? It’s enough to put one to sleep.
Once a former NFP leader claimed that Ratu Mara would be willing to open toilet doors just to get some prominence. in fact, that is truer of Biman than any other leader in Fiji’s history. Biman will happily open toilet doors just to be garlanded and deliver a boring speech.
Chaudhry is much older than him but he would make for a far better Finance Minister and leader. He remains the true leader of Fiji Indians especially in times of adversity.
As Someone said earlier, Biman is not fit to polish Chaudhry ‘s shoes.
From the grapevine i hear that in 1999 had Rambo’s team won our very own BP was earmarked to be the FM.
If correct, a lot of questions won’t need to be answered
There’s a bittersweet taste in my mouth. I’m enjoying that there’s freedom to say what’s on your mind, perhaps even ridicule people in power in Fiji. At the same time, it’s the hardest part to know that Rabuka’s vision is not moving into the modern era but go back to the past, where dumb transition and culture is messing up everything that’s wrong in our Viti. I for one think we need to move on from a racial worldview in Fiji politics and toward a more equal society. Unfortunately, the present cohort of political masters aren’t bold enough to make it happen.
Welcome to fiji which will have two class of citizens of Fiji .
GD u are 100% right, with the Supreme Court recommending a lowering of the threshold to change the constitution to 2/3rds in parliament and a simple majority in a referendum, it forgot that the taukei comprise more than two-thirds of the population and because it will be sacrilege for them to go against their chiefs, Rabuka will do what he did in getting objectionable elements passed such as the same sex marriage provision in the 1997 Constitution that nobody had asked for, by first getting the GCC to declare their stance, the rest of the itaukei like a bunch of schooling mullets will just follow along in subdued acquiesence. Freehold land, equal and common identity and equal citizenry will all go flying out the window. Moce Viti, I can already hear the jungle drums beating.
Hi GD or any other,
Can you or your associate obtain the most recent population statistics by age and race. That can help people understand what the reality is on the ground. Perhaps a case can be filed for an indefinate injunction or any other remedy that any Court in Fiji has the Jurisdiction to do so. Perhaps the Supreme Court can review its own decision based on this new information if that helps.