Barely 72 hours since Grubsheet’s article on Siromi Turaga white-anting his successor as Attorney General, Graham Leung, Turaga is at it again – parading his resentment at being removed by the Prime Minister as chief law officer of the state.
He tells the Fiji Times that his supporters have questioned the reshuffle on the basis that Siromi Turaga is an elected politician “who worked hard to be here” whereas Graham Leung “just walked in” as the first non-MP to be appointed AG.
“I hope that we can still work together”, says the man who was shunted aside to be Minister for Justice, casting doubt on whether that will definitely happen in a way that is highly destablising to the government.
In the way of politics the world over, it isn’t a direct attack but a subtle undermining. “I’m quite happy”, says Siromi Turaga. Whereas he is clearly seething with resentment and has given an interview to a newspaper in which says ” it’s my supporters who are unhappy”. Just who is Siromi Turaga kidding?
The full article below but here’s the relevant extract:
“He said he would work with Mr Leung when the need arose despite the initial reservations from Mr Turaga’s supporters.
“Most of our work overlap and I hope that we can still work together.
“There have been questions coming in like, I was an elected minister, he isn’t, and why did this happen? “Comments like we worked hard to be here and some just walked in.
“But despite that I am in good spirits and I am happy.”
Yeah, and pigs fly.
As he reads the Fiji Times this morning, Graham Leung is going to be even more lugubrious than usual.
And poor Ana Mataiciwa. The Supervisor of Elections was reckless enough to figuratively dance on Siromi Turaga’s grave two weeks ago by criticising him and the Solicitor General, Ropate Green Lomavatu, for their delay in doing anything about the infamous “glitch” on Election Night 2022. Bad move. Dracula wasn’t dead. And he is actually now on CFL-Fiji Village saying that he will lead a “review of the electoral process”.
The story quotes Graham Leung as having said that the Elections Office comes under the Minister for Justice, not him as AG. But clearly no-one told the Elections Supervisor when she shot her mouth off before Turaga’s body was cold. He is very much alive and despite having been recently confirmed in the SOE’s job, Ana Mataiciwa can expect to have her extremities probed.
Grubsheet reported three days ago that the Grinning Assassin is unhappy and had already begun white-anting Graham Leung. And now comes the proof. Of course, HE’S not unhappy. His supporters are. Rubbish. It has taken just a fortnight for the private resentment to spill over Into the public arena and add to the instability and chaos that have become the hallmark of this government.
It was a shocking mistake for the Prime Minister not to remove Siromi Turaga out of Suvavou House altogether to give Graham Leung clear air to make the changes that are so desperately needed. But of course he couldn’t because of those unhappy supporters of Turaga’s.
These supporters are iTaukei fanatics insisting on radical changes to the Constitution, including the removal of the common and equal citizenry, the common identity and the secular state. Apart from signalling their displeasure at his removal, the Grinning Assassin is also sending his successor a none too subtle message using the cover of his “supporters” to get on with it.
Poor Graham Leung. Sent into a hornet’s nest. And poor Ana Mataiciwa. She will pay for not being able to contain her delight at Siromi Turaga being removed as AG when he hasn’t gone anywhere. Look at that face. Brooding. Seething. Plotting.
Yeah, right.
Poor Graham Leung. He’ll be even more lugubrious than usual.
He looks like poop.
Graham Leung is experienced, seasoned and knows how to navigate and articulate and Siromi Turaga can sing and dance all he wants, he was removed as he was incompetent and not fit to be the AG.
I can never get over the idiocy and gilded egos of Fijian politicians when they talk of their support base. Most of them only got 1000 votes or less. That not “supporters”, that’s just your friends and family.
and even then it’s most often a case of the emperors new clothes!
The real problem here is the PM. All these issues are only confirming and cementing the fact that the PM needs to retire permanently. Scary thought indeed as there is no rational, Cold headed, and sensible person to take over. Oh hang on, I forgot Tabuya. My bad
Siromi just happens to be right on this one, Rabuka accompanied Siromi in a PAP campaign on Gau Island prior to the general election and endorsed Siromi publically as “his man”
Voters of Gau would be justifiably bewildered by Rabuka’s ditching of “his man”, as they were there and saw with their own eyes and heard with their ears Rabuka’s strong affirmation of Siromi.
What Rabuka should have said was he supported Siromi as a candidate, but when he becomes Prime Minister he has the right to decide where he will put him.
Rabuka is well known for dragging out a Tabua and apologising at the drop of a hat. Itaukei protocol demands that he apologise to Siromi’s supporters, not just on Gau but in Lomaiviti.
I have a feel’n in terms of electoral politics Siromi has come out ahead on this one.
But was there no expectation that Turaga would have to perform once he became AG? He hasn’t been sidelined because the PM doesn’t like his kilavata but because he is hopeless.
Question – which government departments come under these 2 separate portfolios? I would imagine the AG’s role to be much bigger and considered much more senior is that correct?
Siromi is a dead body lawyer. Both non performing and a laughing stock on pay rise. Rabuka shift him and demoted to lower chambers. Looking at his bad mouthing the seasonal veteran lawyer I won’t be surprised if he is kicked out.From Malani family perspective he’s a conniving thief and nationalist that will destroy this coalition government.
Rabuka and some other powerful interests may not be pleased that the ousted Siromi will be leading investigations into the infamous “glitch” on counting night at the last election,
We had unexplained glitches that changed the course of events in the 2014 and 2018 general election, but what occurred in the 2022 general election appeared to be a “double glitch.”
The unadulterated truth may not be to everyone’s liking and Siromi is the “go to” person on what is likely to be the most talked about issue in days to come.
Wait for it. Fiji will see the real Siromi.
Men, men, men.
More men.
More ego.
More stale patriarchy.
More sense of entitlement.
Less work.
Less improvement.
No good change.
This has been Fiji from 40 years. Just men filled spaces of demanding and fighting over power.
And then comes one woman. She might as well be a man too.
Less work, more pay.
Less improvement, more chaos.
And all these men together cannot handle that lone woman.
Graham Leung is the first non-MP to be appointed AG under the 2013 Constitution, while the late Qoriniasi Bale was an earlier “just walked in” AG who was first appointed through the Senate back in 1984. There may have been others before him. But importantly, both these appointments were constitutional, and this point should be remembered especially by Mr Turaga’s supporters. Who knows, that could be a constitutional reform to be pushed by the group, to ensure the AG’s position is reserved only for MPs and that there be no more non-elected or “just walked in” AGs.
For Siromi and the ethno-nationslists backing him, Leung is a ‘vulagi’ and has no right to displace him.
The AG had to change to someone who was much more robust and learned as the coalition governments tenure had moved into uncharted water’s with the demise of the ffp etc. It was not enough anymore to keep seeking outside advise but to finally have someone competent on the inside to steer the coalition government through a potential constitutional crisis. That alone was way above turaga’s comprehension.
Khaiyum (as much as we all hate him) set the bar high as far as articulation and presentability goes. With hand on heart and with much respect to the gentleman turaga never got anywhere close to that bar. Leung is at that level if not higher and well read.
A critique for the coalition government MPs. Please dress as public officials of stature. Someone needs to advise them that image and personality is the basis of re-election. If you cant speak good english on TV at least dress like a government minister for goodness sake. Ditch your all the colours of the rainbow shirts it should only be and always be white shirts for all business matters. Quite an eyesore seeing ministers meeting foreign delegations in a bula shirt and jacket…I give down!!
Well Mr Turaga is certainly not helping his case. He needs to do some research and pay attention to detail as Mr Leung is certainly not the first non-elected person to become AG in Fiji. And you can’t blame your non-performance on your supporters. They got you there. You’re supposed to perform to show them their trust was well placed.
Mr Turaga probably says how can a kai china half caste bump an itaukei. Thats just criminal and the ethonationalst are jumping up and down crying like a baby 🤣
The Supervisor of Elections is supposed to be a law graduate. For someone of such background, to be clueless about the top of her reporting line means that her dues, when we they come will be just. I jus5 hope that she has the protection of another role elsewhere as a mouthguard against the deserved kick to her teeth that the Grinning Assassin no doubt has planned. Otherwise, she can always tend to the teitei. Rabuka apparently found God behind a Dali plant and started talking to Him/Her, so all may not be lost. Fijians always seem to find God on their side (except in 7s rugby).