So we now know the game-plan Sitiveni Rabuka and his Attorney General, Graham Leung, intend to use to alter the 2013 Constitution without having to fulfil its requirement for a referendum of voters, which would need to meet an approval threshold of 75 per cent to achieve lawful change.
As Grubsheet has reported for months, it involves going beyond the machinations in the parliament this week to get advice from the Supreme Court whether it can dispense with a referendum altogether, using the influence of Rabuka’s hand-picked Chief Justice, Salesi Temo, who he confirmed in the job on Christmas Eve.
We now know why Salesi Temo was chosen for the role of CJ – not only to remove the DPP, Christopher Pryde, to gain control of the nation’s prosecution service and install Barbara Malimali at FICAC to quash the corruption watchdog’s investigations into a slew of government ministers. Temo’s supreme task is to take an axe to the 2013 Constitution and surmount the insurmountable – advise that dispensing with a referendum of voters is lawful as long as a majority of MPs vote for change.
Today (Tuesday) will see a vote in the parliament on the second reading of Graham Leung’s Bill to reduce the current requirement for 75 per cent of MPs (three quarters) to approve changes to the Constitution to 67 per cent (two thirds). And all eyes are on the four ex-FijiFIrst MPs who voted with the government and its existing supporters to pass the first reading of the Bill last week.
Will they baulk at doing so again after coming under a storm of criticism, including accusations of being nagas (snakes) and doglas (traitors) for having betrayed the principles on which they were elected as Fijifirst MPs on Frank Bainimarama‘s coat-tails just over to years ago? We shall see. But the Deputy Prime Minister, Manoa “I’ll work harder if you pay me more” Kamikamica has confirmed that intense lobbying has been taking place to persuade the Gaggle of Four to remain committed to supporting the government by voting “yes” again today and getting others to join them.
A great deal hinges on how these four renegades vote in this second reading. Yet even more so when the Bill goes to its third and final reading because if they continue to vote with the government to abolish the 75 per cent threshold in the parliament for change, it will pass into law. The Coalition will need only 67 per cent of MPs to vote for any change to the provisions of the 2013 Constitution, including abolishing the common and equal citizenry and the common identity that are at its heart.
Yet even if this happens, there’s still a bigger elephant in the room – the current requirement for 75 per cent of voters to endorse the change at a referendum, something all sides concede would be impossible. So that’s where the Supreme Court would come in and shoot the elephant. It would advise the government that the 75 per cent referendum threshold is excessively onerous and on that basis, a referendum would be junked. Whatever you, Dear Reader, think about change, your ability to have any say would be removed.
On what basis would the Supreme Court decide this? We have a hint of what the Attorney General thinks might be a winning argument from the following article in today’s Fiji Sun – that none of the previous constitutions in Fiji required a referendum to change them so that sets a legal precedent to ask: Why should this one?
Graham Leung is careful to say that any change will be lawful. Indeed this is the main thrust of most of the domestic media coverage. But as usual, the lack of analytical ability on the part of local journalists means that the main game largely goes over their heads.
It will be lawful alright because the Supreme Court will say that the current impediment of the referendum can be ignored. And then presto. It’s the law.
But hey, guys. There is still a total wall of silence from the Prime Minister down about precisely what provisions the Coalition wants to change. Do they include getting rid of the common and equal citizenry (equal votes of equal value) and common identity (everyone Fijian) provisions that are in the way of re-establishing iTaukei paramountcy and would destroy the position of the minorities?
We’re still not getting a straight answer, though at least the Attorney General has cited some of the provisions the government envisages changing in this article in the Fiji Sun.
Note the following statement from the AG:
“Non-discrimination”? That’s as good as it gets. Nothing about whether the government intends to end the common and equal citizenry and return to the racially-weighted provisions of the 1997 Constitution in which the votes of the iTaukei were worth more than the minorities. And nothing about retaining the common identity, for the right of all Fijians to call themselves “Fijians” instead of the minorities being cast as “Fiji Islanders”.
And until that happens, the minorities in Fiji simply cannot support the government’s program to change the Constitution. Not now. Not ever.
The four ex-FijiFirst MPs must not betray the rest of us by siding with the government in its attempt to alter the supreme law. Because Sitiveni Rabuka and Graham Leung – plus their enabler and the biggest dogla of all, Biman Prasad – are wolves in sheep’s clothing. concealing their true agenda while they manipulate the institutions of state to re-assert the indigenous supremacy that has always been at the heart of their program.
An appeal to Sanjay Kirpal, Shalen Kumar, Sachida Nand and Rinesh Sharma: Please. Just don’t. Because you are playing with the futures of all non-indigenous Fijians and their descendants and putting that future at risk.
And an appeal to the nation’s lawyers. Please do all you can to thwart the supreme law being changed on any advice from the Supreme Court under Rabuka’s stooge, Salesi Temo. Because the whole things reeks not of justice but a massive stitch-up.
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POSTSCRIPT:
As the old saying goes. You can fool some of the people some of the time but not all the people all of the time’.
Memo Sitiveni Rabuka and Graham Leung: Raj Kumar, for one, is onto you.
The Leung changes. What MPs are again voting on today.
NOTE:
Any references by those submitting comments that the 2013 Constitution was “produced by the Taliban” will be immediately trashed. As will any attempt to stir up religious hatred.
You are wasting your time composing such vile rubbish. It is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
Rule of law my foot! More like bending the law a hundred times to fit their agenda.
I sincerely hope all of them get to face karma for what they are doing. Maybe they’ll get to come to our health facilities… give us a chance to help you experience the Fijian healthcare. The same facilities that you lot spent millions to come up with a so called master plan.
GD, after todays voting in parliament these 4 elected on FFP tickets can either become heroes or zeros.
Forget about Baimaan and his crowd. They will do anything to save his rear end being shafted by FICAC charges.
These four, can save the future generations of minorities that voted for them as FijiFirst members. They can save the indo-Fijian community or drown them. The big decision they have to make for future of Fiji. They will decide if Fiji will become a country of racial discrimination or a country of equality.
They should think of their ancestors who sacrificed their blood and sweat for the community.
I pray that Kumar, Kirpal, Nand & Sharma will not support Rabuka. If they support Rabuka then they will be remembered as the chamaars, the traitors. You will become an insult to us namesakes and the whole Hindu community.
Have some conscience. Please think hard before you say yes to money and Rabuka.
Wheels are in motion and these people in Parliament are there for themselves while masquerading as people of the people.
Most are so disconnected from the public and don’t know what the common citizenry confront everyday.
They will do anything to bring in their racist agenda to fruition at any cost while traitorous lackeys like those 4 and the Baiman will vote for them.
💯%, A Sharma.
Then plight of the Indo community apart from the daily ethno-nationalist racism is that the Indos are living in paradoxical times.
The fact that baimaan, chorcharan, ferriswheel agni, chutney sashi, mute lenora, pokerface pio, chamaars ignoramus shalen, rinesh, kripple brains kirpal, blissfully unconscious sachida, shameless shamima, and taxi roshika are all such a blight on Indo society seems lost on the Indo community.
Instead of being outraged and offended, the Indos seem to take no umbrage at this wholesale betrayal by their own.
Adding to the blight are “journalists” shalen, crooked talk vijay, kaidia kailoma stan, emeritus ass chamaar, viti wai naidu and the rest of the immoral bastards who are part of the cabal to further blight their own for pure greed and profit from selling out their own community.
The real paradox is in the face of causing all this grief and voting against their own interests, runts like chorcharan announce they will celebrate girmit in Labasa this year.
What is wrong with people?
Shame, shame, and more shame on all you bastards “celebrating” your own demise as equal citizens in a secular country –reinforcing the hideous notion of vulagi in your own country–soon to be a ‘christian’ state. Whatever that means.
Back in the day all you bastards would have your heads shaved, have charcoal rubbed on your faces, be sat on a donkey naked, back-to-front facing the tail — no, facing the ass of the donkey, and paraded into town followed by a jeering crowd.
Anyone in Suva got a donkey we can borrow?
Plenty donkeys inside parliament. Sit them on each other.
@WTF — hahahaha!! Too funny and too true!
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂
Best comment goes to WTF!
Go back to your whiskey or whatever it is you’re drinking – or smoking.
According to Ketan Lal who posted an article from the ladies – Tupou Draunidalo, Adi Sivia and Premila Kumar, no questions have been allowed in Parliament from yesterday to Thursday.
Also there are lots of Indian doglas coming out if the woodwork. It seems they love being hated. It keeps them in the news. They could not care less.
It seems a lost cause, I blame that the FFP govt in the last 4 years before 2022 got hijacked by agendas of greedy opportunistic people.
Bai after his heart surgery in 2019 or 2018 took a foot off the pedal in pushing the Public Service in service delivery to the people of Fiji.
People had to go through Kai as Bai took a step back, Bai who was too legalistic and had too much reliance on business people which painted a perception in the community in the Itaukei ranks that only a certain section of the country were benefitting from development.
The 4 traitors are crying to justify their treacherous acts in Parliament.
Bunch of traitors and sellouts of their community.
If the Fijians of Indian and Other ethnic ancestry who made Fiji their home are so concerned about their status in the country they should do something about the recent moves to change the constitution.
Itaukei who valued equal rights and equality for all took action against their brethren in 2006 led by Bainimarama and only itaukei people have gone to jail recently due to actions of the FFP government namely Bai and Qiliho.
All groups suffered during the dark days of 2000 from the Indo Fijians farmers and shop keepers who lost their livelihoods and some of their women were raped.
Loyalist itaukei soldiers and police officers lost their lives in the line of duty in enforcing the rule of law and bringing the country from the brink under the leadership of Bai.
Other ethnic groups who have grievances against the current governance then they should step up or shut up and accept their fate. Since the 2022 elections no such moves or voices have been heard from the other ethnic groups, as their elites were the ones who voted for this government and supported it.
Now they will become 2nd class citizens in their country of citizenship.
The itaukei have done enough of bloodletting within their ranks.
We have to remember that about 15% to 20% of itaukei voted on election day voted for Bai. Other 30% voted for other candidates but do not necessarily support Rabuka and PAP. Some of those 30% even loathe Rabuka and PAP.
So what about the other ethnic groups actions and reactions? For goodness sake these other ethnic groups control the economic life of Fiji.
^For goodness sake these other ethnic groups control the economic life of Fiji.^
Perhaps true. The otherside will react the only way they know and can. In fact the modus operandi is their default reaction. Resort to violence, burning and looting, pillaging businesses, destrying lives and livelihoods.
Rabuka and his band of fellow entho- nationlists will bus the thugs from villages and the hinterlands to do the damage.
Rabuka will not hesitate to again release all serving prisoners to join the fun marshalled by non-serving and pardoned criminals. The devil snake has previous form.
The police will sit on their hands.
The military will not be sitting idle then. The military will quickly jump in under the pretext of “restoring law and order” and “protection of life and property ” as they further perpetuate violence and detentions at the barracks.
The innocent will be beaten senseless, Indo homes and families will again endure unspeakable harm and terrorized no end.
We seen this movie before.
A Shama is correct.
Furthermore, in their own self-interest it is imperative the four vote for integrity, for ethics, for democracy, and be rewarded with a blessed afterlife by their good intentions.
If they side with Rabuka, for the rest of their lives they will suffer the hate and condemnation from the disaster they created, and on their death beds they will be condemned to purgatory.
Karma
They will be siding with the people of Fiji who want to amend the 2013 Constitution.
They are heroes and deserve to be lauded.
Rabuka harping on about democracy in the Parliament in his address this morning.
Trying to change the Constitution without following the Constitution is undemocratic in itself.
If the Parliamentarians are not doing what their voters voted for then they need to face their full wrath and especially the FFP traitors such as those 4.
If principles of democracy are not adhered to then people have the right not to adhere to the actions and decisions of the government due to it’s undemocratic decision to change the constitution.
Yeah, by the same token people also have the right to reject the supreme laws shoved down their throats without their consent by an unelected Government in 2013.
Be thankful that the change is being handled with civility in parliament and not violently on the streets
People voted in the 2014 & 2018 elections despite calls for boycott.
The calls of boycott was to boycott the underlying law that enable a election which is the 2013 constitution.
Over 80% registered Voters voted in 2014 and over 70% in 2018 elections. Indirectly assenting to the 2013 constitution.
The Indo Fijian Community have the financial means and the resources to bring weapons that could devastated these country.
Some dumb idiot you are, they control the supply chain infrastructure of this country and Procurement abilities around the world.
Itaukei are only good at playing rugby with no figment of imagination in running a business or organisation and no wonder the FRU goes bankrupt every year because they are supported by bankrupt people.
Just see how the Fijian Drua had to be set up Bainimarama had to seek sponsorship from a foreigner and Indo Fijians to set up the outfit.
The itaukei should be thankful that the Indo Fijians community did not get their financial prowess to fight against the Itaukei racism and discrimination.
Be thankful that the Indo Fijian community are not utilizing their huge Financial prowess to violently react to these racist Coalition Government.
I dont give a shit even if these morons in parliament so choose to burn Fiji to the ground.
Open a buisness, make money and get it out from here. No matter what, Fiji is going down really quickly.
The four defectors from G17 group- Kirpal, Shalen, Sachida, and Rinesh call themselves independent, but are they really independent? No, they are not because they have been influenced by itaukeis, in particular Bulitavu, to go against their own Indo-Fijians. They have been brainwashed to the extent that they had to give in.
But it’s never too late. They may have made their decision on the spur of the moment and based on any personal differences with the former leaders of FFP but this is not about them, this is about the constitution of Fiji that has given the indo- Fijians, including them, so much respectability and protection which was never there before the 2013 Constitution.
By voting in favor, they will compromise the lives and the status of all Indo-fijians. They will forever become subservient to the Itaukeis. I am sure they wouldn’t want to do anything like that where the efforts of our girmitiyas will go to waste.
So our humble plea to the four will be: become heroes by voting against the Bill and not being counted as traitors with selfish people like Biman, Sashi, Agni, and Charanjeath who have already succumbed to Rabuka. Indo Fijian Community doesn’t expect anything better from them.
The jigsaw pieces are slowly falling into place and I can see why Rabuka booted out Turaga from the AG’s position – he simply wasn’t smart enough to play through or, was trying to push his own racist agenda too quickly.
Either way, Leung was brought in to quietly work in the background and make all the necessary preparations to allow the constitution to be changed illegally. The Indo-Fijians saviour party (the dogla NFP) has gone mute. Either Biman has a new concubine (lets not forget what transpired in India) to keep him busy or, he has decided to let the Indians in Fiji suffer while he reaps the rewards. For someone who likes to claim he is a man of the people and faith, he is doing everything to go against the principles of his faith and has betrayed his people badly. He, along with his cronies need to be hurled out onto the streets after the election, and cowdung smeared on their faces.
The four doglas’ probably asleep with both eyes open, given the huge amount of hate currently spewing on social media about their decisions to support a racist government which is doing everything it can to implement iTaukei supremacy while everyone else becomes a minority – a vulagi.
The doglas have sold out their communities and forget their parents and children will also be seen as aiding and abetting a racist government. Given they’re all of Hindu faith, I am sure they will face some public backlash the next time they show their faces at the temple. If someone were to walk up to them there and spit in their face, the person should be accorded the highest honors and heralded as a champion.
And so, the Indo-Fijians and other non-iTaukei groups in Fiji are all going to have to suffer in silence as a group of rogue Indo-Fijians collude with a group of racist iTaukei baboons to tear their rights asunder, to live in Fiji as equal citizens and have a say in the development of the country.
It should send shudders down anyone’s spine because this is exactly how the racial profiling and persecution of Jews began in Nazi Germany; the only difference here in Fiji is that Rabuka and his baboons have not started implementing policies where non iTaukei’s need to wear an armband showing they are not iTaukeis and mandated to live in defined segregrated communities. Or perhaps, this is only the beginning and somewhere, someone is making a concentration camp for things to come later?
If you are still in Fiji and not an iTaukei, you should be packing and fleeing with your families.
Who had the say in 2013 constitution?
Who were author’s of it ,anyway?
Million dollar questions????
Yash Ghai consulted the people but his version of the Constitution did not include the immunity clauses for coup makers which is why it was thrown out.
But most of what Yash Ghai put together is there in the 2013 constitution.
Also over 80% of registered Voters voted in the 2014 Elections despite calls for boycott due to boycott the 2013 constitution and over 70% voted in 2018 election as well. Indirectly supporting and assenting to the 2013 constitution by participation in the elections.
So what comes first?
Horse or cart?
Election then constitution or constitution then Election .
Constitution approved by a tick even without reading or knowing about it.
This constitution is just like the 1990 constitution of one Sitiveni Rabuka and Isikeli Mataitoga.
Shoved down people’s throats, however, a consultation with the people gave us an amendment act referrred to as the 1997 constitution . Remember the buzzword ” consultation “.
There are 2 lawyers now judges in the Supreme court of Fiji who have lined up a judge/QC from Australia to vote the other 2 judges out at the Supreme bench to make a pronouncement that the current constitution is flawed. That will give the government the right to “correct” this constitution.
Believe me, this is from the Judge/QCs own mouth.
Political drama making fools of citizens of these country
Rinesh voted against the amendment today. So kudos to him! No 75% for you Rambo!
Yes, what a guy. Foreman material for sure.
The donkeys in Suva upon learning of the parade of traitors, self serving leaches etc have fled to the sanctuary of an animal shelter. These normally pliant beasts – they did not want to be encumbered with the unenviable task of bearing such trash on their backs! (The final straw was that Pramesh Sharma was to be one of their passengers). They bolted straight in the direction of SPCA Walu Bay.
These Coalition folks are a joke – the country has numerous pressing problems which remain to be addressed. Basic necessities like medical care, water and food is lacking however the power-hungry bunch are they’re obsessed with changing the freaking constitution!
Cool “Vitian says” as SPCA provide basic medical attention, deworm, deflea, and desex animals before adoption. Just what the racist Rabuka supporters need.