With the swearing in of a Constitutional Review Commission on Friday, the Fijian people are being hoodwinked into thinking that mere changes are being contemplated to the document that the Supreme Court has ruled remains the supreme law in Fiji. Not so.
The secret agenda of nationalist elements of the Coalition government – backed by the Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga) – is to abolish the 2013 Constitution altogether and without telling us precisely what is wrong with it or what would replace it.
The Acting Attorney General, Siromi Turaga, told parliament that “any amendment process will be lawful, transparent, consultative, and guided at all times by the national interest, in line with the Supreme Court’s decision”. That decision was that the 2013 Constitution is the supreme law and can only be amended by a two- thirds majority vote in the parliament plus a referendum at which any proposed changes must be approved by the majority of voters.
The use of the words “amend” and “review” mean alterations to the existing Constitution, not its abolition and replacement by a new supreme law. Yet that’s precisely what is being planned away from the public gaze – Siromi Turaga’s soothing assurances masking a secret agenda to scrap the 2013 Constitution altogether.
How do we know that? Easy. Because the argument has been laid out in exquisite detail by the closest thing we have to a public intellectual in the iTaukei establishment – Ro Naulu Mataitini, the former UN staff member, newspaper columnist and member of the GCC as one of the high chiefs of Rewa, the Vunivalu of Nukuitabua.
It is imperative that every Fijian reads and digests Ro Mataitini’s latest attack on the 2013 Constitution in yesterday’s Fiji Times (see below) to understand the gravity of the threat he outlines to the rights of the minorities and every Fijian who values democracy.
Ro Naulu doesn’t want a review of the Constitution or any amendment. He wants the whole thing scrapped. What does he want in its place? That is the most worrying aspect of this entire exercise.
He is candid about one thing. That the chiefs – hereditary, unelected, neutered by Frank Bainimarama and restored by Sitiveni Rabuka – must have their power entrenched in a new supreme law.
That could easily be one referendum question without the proverbial baby being thrown out with the bathwater. But no, the whole thing has to go. And Ro Naulu glaringly fails to answer the most basic questions on the lips of many members of the minorities in Fiji, who make up a third of the population.
1/ Would this mean an end to the common and equal citizenry (equal votes of equal value) and the common identity (everyone “Fijian”)? Because that’s what characterised the 1997 Constitution which the GCC, the People’s Alliance and SODELPA wanted restored until the Supreme Court rejected the notion last September.
2/ Would this also mean an end to the secular state – of the separation of religion from governance – and the introduction of a Christian state, which is the favoured position of indigenous nationalists, including senior members of the Methodist Church?
Let’s ask ourselves a couple of very basic questions, Fiji.
1/ Why do Ro Naulu Mataitini and other members of the GCC continue to refuse to say precisely why the 2013 Constitution should go, beyond the fact that is was imposed by the previous government? They claim its provisions disadvantage the iTaukei. Which provisions disadvantage the iTaukei?
2/ More pertinently, why are our elected representatives – the Coalition that won government three years ago on the floor of the parliament by one vote, the barest of margins – continuing to avoid telling us precisely what alterations they want made to the 2013 Constitution? Does it include abolishing the common and equal citizenry and the common identity? Does it include abolishing the secular state? They just won’t say.
Ro Naulu Mataitini says any referendum on the constitution must have only one question. “Do you agree that the 2013 Constitution of the Republic of Fiji should continue as the Supreme Law of the Land? Io(YES) Sega (NO). Nothing else”.
Really? So at the end of a scare campaign that has raged for years that the iTaukei are being disadvantaged and a bout of pre-referendum scare-mongering and outright lies, it is “Io” or “Sega”? What do we think is going to happen, Fiji?
Ro Naulu could be honest with us and tell us which bits of the 2013 Constitution are wrong. But that would not serve his purposes or the purposes of a government that crows about transparency yet is totally opaque on the issue of constitutional change.
Make no mistake, Fiji. We are being conned. Read on and be afraid. Be very afraid. Because this isn’t just about restoring hereditary privilege and reinforcing the power of the elite but a clear and present danger to the rights of those citizens who aren’t indigenous or aren’t Christians.
It also happens to be a clear and present danger to the rights of those iTaukei who don’t want the chiefly system enshrined in law because they believe it is inherently undemocratic, entrenches an unelected and unaccountable elite and is holding the iTaukei back from joining the modern world.
Read on…
Well he would say that, wouldn’t he?
The sugar coated version of what is planned, according to Siromi Turaga.
Are the members of the new Constitutional Review Committee strong enough to resist the nationalist juggernaut?
A very timely and candid analysis, GD.
The concerns are also reinforced by the attributes and caliber of the people who have been appointed to carry out the exercise.
The Chair is known for Rabuka’s naked support, not just as his lawyer but close confidante. Is that the best legal mind Fiji can offer to this critical exercise? He is obviously chosen to carry through the blatant racist views of Rabuka and the President.
Unaisi Baba has already established her credentials as an ambitious ethno-nationalist who ran to Rabuka for cover when her corruption and racist actions were under the microscope at FNU. Now she owes Rabuka big time and knows that her survival relies on her naked support for Rabuka.
The two Indo-Fijians chosen to show a semblance of balance are lamentable choices given what the community contributed over the years through the likes of A D Patel, S M Koya, Brij Lal and many others.
Obviously, Kohli was chosen given his closeness to the dubious Charan jeat Singh and Salesi Temo. Neelesh is an established side-kick of Biman Prasad. He was rolled into the Finance Ministry while retaining his influence at USP pursuing Pal’s agenda on behalf of BCP. What do these characters know about constitution making and what record do they have standing up for the rights of Indo Fijians?
And what an insult to the many constitution review commissioners Fiji has seen since Rabuka’s 1987 coups. The likes of Yash Ghai, Tomasi Vakatora, Paul Reeves, Brij Lal who read like who is who not just in Fiji but on the international stage.
All the more reason for the minorities to take the cue and look at places which give integrity, respect and rights to all their citizens.
Let these bastards know a simple fact—any attempt to remove/revoke/replace or even attempt to change the 2013 constitution will amount to a coup d’état.
Simple.
This bastard is espousing sedition at the minimum and must be charged accordingly.
A simple definition of sedition online includes the act of inciting people to resist, rebel, or commit treason against an established government, authority, or constitution through speech, writing, or organization.
That is exactly what this C has been espousing for a while now.
Where are all the nationalist who complain long and loud about how illegal the events of 2006 was yet strangely omit 1987 and 2000? Hypocrisy at its highest!
Where are the lynch mob against Voreqe Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum now who are trying to nail them at all costs?? The cat got your collective mofo tongue?
And yet this fker walks free beating the drums of sedition and coup d’état loudly and regularly.
One could bet the farm if one Indo said half publicly what the bastard “enlightened” Christian itaukei runt is writing so publicly, that Indo would be languishing in prison already.
Publicly state what EXACTLY you want changing in the 2013 constitution and put to a referendum. Nothing less.
Anything short will be treason, sedition, a coup d’état.
This is what happens when only kilavata and vuvale rule the roast. The common man (all people) get shafted.
Do they -all these monkeys from the same tree- ever stop to think they’ll all be dead and rotting in the ground in 20 years max? Then what?
It’ll be the turn of the next group of village idiots from the next tree to have a go at this same old fked up tunnel vision.
No apologies for the French. It is no longer time for kid gloves nor pussy footing. No longer the time for “polite discourse” or intellectually and politically correct dialogue.
Not with this lot of imbeciles and hard core ethno-nationalists who don’t understand or simply refuse to listen and are intent on committing high crimes to advance their agendas.
The views of Naulu are extremely racist and xenophobic no matter his pretensions of intellectual gravitas.
Ironically, the 2013 Constitution, and its electoral big man politics is what brought this Colliding Government upon us. And the review Committee is as shambolic as its members are a masi polo lot with no credibility whatsoever.
Ram Puker does it again. Removing any Constitution and entrenched ethnonationalist agendas as a replacement will not serve the Itaukei rank and file. Never has. Never will.
Ro Naulu is not an apolitical member of the GCC as disclosed in one caption above.
He is still very much involved in the backrooms of PAP. He was one of the founders and a major financial contributor during the formation of the party.
All his articles push the PAP nationalist agenda, although some recent articles appear to be critical of the Coalition government and the PM directly.
I am disappointed with Doctor Fatiaki, Conway Begg and Mere Nailatikau who have just tarnished their distinguished reputations and careers joining this review committee. It is a sham as rightly pointed out by GD.
I don’t know much about the other members except the Vice Chancellor lady and the Sevuloni lawyer. Both seemed to have made the news a lot recently for the wrong reasons.
Ro Naulu’s assertion that the current Constitution is the root cause of “our people suffering” is totally misdirected and shallow. The suffering has nothing to do with the dismantling of the GCC.
People fail to understand that the Constitution did not take away any rights or any powers from customary chiefs. The Chiefs remained chiefs.
The Constitution took away the GCC, the assembly of chiefs created by the Colonial powers and funded previously by governments.
Ro Naulu is basically saying that Chiefs will only perform their chiefly duties to look after their people if they are members of a centrally funded assembly that attends meetings, kana keke, cocktails and get sitting allowances.
The suffering of our people is caused by much deeper issues, the general decay of the moral fabric of our society starting from the family unit, the deep seated problem of self-entitlement because we are landowners (kana loto mentality) and failing to adapt to a changing environment in a capitalist economy and a globalized world.
Part of this adaptation is to gradually shift away from this quasi-feudal system that we glorify and continue to hold onto when it is no longer relevant.
It is only being championed by the very people who benefit from it. The chiefs, the elites and the well connected.
Let the rest suffer.
Talk about vested interest.
These suffering would still have occurred had the GCC not abolished.
The only vacuum the abolishment of the GCC created was the vacuum in the members pockets
As an Indo Fijian, I believe that Nilesh Goundar and Kholi make a strong combination. They have a strong record of serving the community.
Nilesh is Biman’s prodigy. Biman as we know is the finest economist mind the country has ever produced. He is a fearless politician and a very intellectual academic. Fiji and its people are fortunate to have someone of Biman’s caliber. Indo Fijians are lucky to have Nilesh in their corner. Like his mentor Biman, he too is a lion!
Same with Kholi. As someone pointed out he is a friend and longtime associate of Charan Jeath Singh. And Charan, as we know, is a very ethical and contentious politician who is totally devoted to his Indo Fijian people. His record speaks for itself, never mind what his jealous detractors (like GD) say. These people are not there for the money or the fame but purely out of a sense of service to the nation.
They are the Mahatma Gandhis of Fiji🙏
Yes, Bro. keep drinking the Kool-Aid.
“These people are not there for the money and fame but purely out of a sense of service to the nation”? Pull the other one.
Mahatma Gandhi they are not.
Maha Gandu they are.
I think your spellcheck was wrong to correct
Hi Graham
Methinks this chap is pulling your leg, otherwise calling these Uncle Toms Mahatama is mindboggling!
On a serious note the so called minorities in Fiji have been made irrelevant unless they gravitate towards a coalition of sorts with moderate, nonracist Itaukei.
Otherwise Fiji is on a slippery slope towards Tribalism and Feudalism if the current lot are relected
Interesting times ahead
See my latest article. It has suddenly got very interesting indeed.
Where are our so-called Constitutional experts? Jon Apted, Richard Naidu et al. Maybe too close to the action now to be considered objective anymore.
No international expert to give the committee some semblance of authenticity and credibility.
The committee is stacked with known racists, Rabuka supporters and NFP people with a few token objective members.
Just another futile exercise that will cost taxpayers plenty of money and part of the PAPs re-election campaign.
Just to divert attention from the real problems that Fiji currently faces.
Please voters, do not get conned again by these people when you go and vote the next time.
Don’t take seriously these dumb Mataitinis. None of them were successful in their careers. To get attention and to become relevant they now bring their racist qualities for attention.
This racist Mataitini is no intellectual. He can barely string a coherent sentence together without ChatGPT.
He is spewing out these cheap ChatGPT articles like crazy and Fiji Times is giving these prominence.
This shows how mediocrity has become the new order in Fiji.
I think that’s unfair. He is clearly an articulate and accomplished writer. And I doubt whether ChatGPT would easily be able to master all the local-specific issues. One never knows, I suppose. But I personally think this is all Ro Naulu and it is authentic, not artificial.
Incidentally, he currently has another article on the Fiji Sun website. So he is clearly flooding the space with GCC supportive material.
Graham, you need to fiddle around a bit with ChatGPT, Gemini, Grok and other AI tools to understand what they are capable of.
AI learns through its interactions with humans, and I can assure you that its understanding of local issues is way better than 95% of Fijians. These days, Fijians have more interactions with AI than with search engines like Google and AI learns from each of these exchanges.
All Naulu Mataitini has to do is to feed his warped, chauvinistic views into chatGPT through prompts and chatGPT comes up with sophisticated arguments to support those positions. That’s how AI works.
You can tell from a mile away that every single word that Mataitini has ever published is generated by ChatGPT. He is so inept that he evens uses ChatGPT to write his comments to posts on Facebook.
The day that Mataitini fronts up in forum and speaks on an issue is the day that I would believe that he can actually comprehend 50% of the things he has published.
Mm. I will defer to your obviously superior knowledge of AI. I don’t go anywhere near it beyond Google searches that now automatically use AI. It is the enemy of creativity.
Even Victor Lal is now resorting to AI to generate his articles on Fijileaks. Which is such a pity for a good writer like him.
But I guess most people don’t want to go the hard way if such tools as LLMs are at their disposal.
Really? I must get him to show me how. As in “please ChatGPT, write me a grubsheet opinion piece in the vicious, arrogant, smart-arse and high-handed style of Graham Davis attacking so and so?”
Do you think it would really work?
Ro Naulu has been writing for a while now. Mainly on his Facebook page. Only a few articles make it to the Fiji Times or Fiji Sun.
I believe his articles are authentic and not artificial. And he has had a distinguished career as a soldier and later a security expert for the UN and is a high chief in his own right. The 2nd highest Chief in the province of Rewa.
He recently wrote an article about his qualifications and work experience in reply to some people who started questioning the authenticity of his articles.
He is articulate as GD has stated and some of his articles are thought provoking and he offers some genuine solutions to some of the problems Fiji faces today.
However, most of his articles pushes the extreme right ethno nationalist agenda of the GCC and elements in PAP. Which is basically the removal of the current constitution, return of all ownership of land and sea to the native landowners and GCC having more powers in national governance.
That, we should not agree with.
If that eventuates, it will be the end of Fiji as a nation as we know it.
N Mataitini – pumps out lots of verbosity … razzle dazzles the Itaukei with words and cliches and so he becomes an expert. His Anti-Americanism is breathtaking. He can’t see anything clearly in his blind and clouded racism vision.
Only in an organization like the UN with its DEI policies would someone like him have made progress up the ranks..and what a mess the impotent UN has caused, except when it’s caused by indigenous non white natives like from Fiji…then they are made out to be accomplished individuals.
Naulu – Nah, no thanks. One hopes that his understanding of geopolitics, global security and intelligence was better then his recent commentary on State and Private Superannuation fundamentals and the FNPF pension revision issue.
To digress slightly and bring to GrubSheet’s attention. The State prosecutor, Laisani Tabuakuro Shit Show, as reported by FijiLink on their FB page:
Thursday 12 March 2026 – Day 4 of the Neil Sharma, Frank Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum trial.
Thursday, 12 March 2026 was yet another day of incompetency by the DPP’s Office. State prosecutor, Laisani Tabuakuro once again clearly showed her lack of professionalism and immaturity.
In fact on Thursday she went further and accused the very measured and upright Judge Honourable Usaia Ratuvili of giving preferential treatment to Wylie Clarke – just because the Honourable Judge was applying the law and she did not like it.
As a result of Laisani’s uncontrolled rage and unwarranted and unprofessional accusations against an upright Honourable judge, it was a massive embarrassment and disaster for the DPP’s Office.
This now begs the question whether after she made unfounded allegations against the judiciary without any proof, will the Attorney General take exception and to protect the reputation of the Judiciary perhaps move contempt proceedings against Laisani? Will she be disciplined by the Chief Registrar on his own voilition or will she be reported by the Fiji Law Society to the Chief Registrar?
If she thought the judge was biased then she should have made a proper recusal application. That is proper and a professional step to take. She nor any lawyer should willy nilly make such accusations without merit and clearly outlining why there was a supposed bias. Lawyers cannot chuck tantrums because they don’t like or cannot handle what the judge says.
This prosecutor has time and time again in this case and others acted with impetulance – in other words be child like, sulk and get into tantarums – when she does not get her way even if what she is saying is all nonsense, irrelevant, making things up as she goes along or does not like the way the direction like the way the proceedings is headed.
By way of background, the three days before Thursday had not been going well for the DPP. George Langman as a state witness when he took the stand could not remember many things and he gave contradictory statements. It appeared to some, including our journalist sources who were in Court that Laisani and Langman were making things up as they went along. She got rid of Langman very quickly .
The second witness Wakanivesi who has been in the stand as a witness for the past 3 days and much of the evidence that Laisani wanted to introduce through him was hearsay. Wiley Clarke objected on a regular basis, which Laisani was not handling well. Wiley Clarke had made it known to all in the Court that this would arise since he tried to through a separate application deal with or get rid of all the hearsay evidence before the trial started. Since his application was not successful, he has to raise his objections as the trial went along.
Laisani did not like this and started to get frustrated and agitated. She forgot that the role of any lawyer, in particular a defence lawyer is to raise objections with the judge.
What further frustrated the DPP is that they tried to introduce evidence which had not properly obtained. In other words there was no search warrant. The witness Wakanivesi initially said that he didn’t think there was a search warrant but after lunch changed his attune. That is how Wednesday ended.
On Thursday Laisani started attacking Wiley Clarke and made personal remarks against him. She accused the upright, impartial and Honourable judge of being biased – she basically lost the plot. In this panic mode of hers because she knows her case is not going well, she said she wanted a ‘mistrial’.
Everyone now and we hear that also in the legal fraternity, are talking about this prosecutor’s incompetence, attitude and behavior. In fact the very tolerant and docile Honorable judge had to at one stage on Thursday morning tell Laisani:
‘Sit down Ms Tabuakuro. Behave yourself.’
None of the mainstream media organizations reported this reprimand statement of the Honorable Judge, except the Fiji Sun. Yet those from the mainstream media organizations who did not report the Honorable Judge’s comments are the same ones who say that they are independent. We know they are not because some of us are journalists and have worked as journalists. We know how the stories written by journalists who report the truth are manipulated by the heads of the newsrooms.
In the meantime the Honourable and very patient judge, will have a hearing on the desperate mistrial application by the DPP next week on Tuesday.
This is slightly more than a slight digression but a welcome one nonetheless. Laisani Tabuakoro is a nightmare who as we’ve reported here, was terminated by Christopher Pryde on valid grounds but rehired by her patron Nancy Tikoisuva and we will keep an eye on the outcome of this. Thanks for the heads up.
https://www.grubsheet.com.au/when-aiyaz-sayed-khaiyum-is-convicted-the-assistant-dpp-confirms-fears-that-the-former-ags-trial-is-a-stitch-up/
https://www.grubsheet.com.au/the-genuine-disgrace-is-the-assistant-dpp/
https://www.grubsheet.com.au/the-last-gasp-of-the-corrupt-clique-in-the-odpp/
https://www.grubsheet.com.au/nancy-the-party-girl-and-acting-dpp-a-mendacious-manipulative-disgrace/
Can anyone explain why there is an architect installed on the committee? I can’t see any relevance to the project in question that requires what he can offer with the background and work experience that is stated that he has.
Is he married or related to someone who was inviting people to join?
Brother Davo don’t so naive of this humble citizen of Fiji – a person who applies humility within his community in Raiwai-Raiwaqa and in his interaction with society is commendable. This person is recognized for their modesty, respect for others, and active, humble involvement in the daily life of their community (Raiwai-Raiwaqa), which is highly valued in Fijian culture.
Mr. Conway Beg is a respected highly qualified architect and law abiding citizen of Fiji with wealth of experiences in human development, grew up in notorious crime areas of Raiwai-Raiwaqa in the 1970s to 1980s. Was educated at the boys school of Delainakaikai (RKS) and obtained his architect degree from prestigious London University-UK in 1992.
Coached the unknown rugby boys from Raiwai to claimed the Escott Shield of Suva Rugby Union’s club competition in 1997. He went on to coach Fiji’s under 2021 and once the position of chairman of FRU executive position. So never under estimate this person, he could be better than most of us in Fiji! Vinaka
Read what you had to say in his defence, but all of what you said doesn’t show he has the knowledge or any experience in rewriting or altering a constitution.
He designs buildings, and probably very good ones but putting him in that position is like recruiting an astronomist to conduct a symphony orchestra.
There are some jobs that require certain skills and being offered the job doesn’t mean you have to accept it if you don’t have the required qualifications and know that.
The architect has been running from his real heritage for the longest time. One wonders how impartial he could be, considering he’s not accepted or even acknowledges his own Indo roots.
Why does this matter? This is the new racialised Fiji and with an inept coalition government openly practicing ethnic purging and maginalisation of the largest minority group, a group that contributes to a disproportionately higher tax revenue than the majority natives who get the most freebies.
It matters because equal citizenry is under threat. It matters because second-class citizenry beckons. It matters because the 2013 document does not have a provision for such a review.
We guess he’ll help design the layout and graphics of the document to make it look far more expensive. Who knows.
Perhaps his part Rotuman roots got him the job. He represents no one but himself and the status quo.
He appears to represent his company for government architectural and engineering design contracts.
Another self-interested coalition lackey brought in to do the Snake’s bidding in return for government contracts. Sweet.
Heard of “architect of the Constitution”?. It has been taken seriously, hence an architect on the commission.
It is the right time to review the 2013 constitution that was made & endorsed illegally by only two persons, Mr. Aiyaz Khayumb and Rt Voreqe Bainimarama in 2013 without any public consultations.
You have missed my point. Ro Naulu isn’t calling for a review. He wants it jettisoned altogether. Yet he won’t say why it deserves to be jettisoned.
The 2013 Constitution is not all bad. Far from it. So what’s wrong with it? Saying it’s because Bai-Kai introduced it and that it disadvantages the iTaukei without saying why it disadvantages them isn’t good enough.
The most basic question is this: Do these iTaukei aristocrats want to turn the rest of us into second class citizens by ending the common and equal citizenry, the common identity and the secular state?
If the answer to that is yes, f*** off. You’ve got a fight on your hands.
GD – NO body is turning anyone to second class citizens – we all equal under the LAW, the indigenous Fijians are not special like anyone else for that matter, they have their heritage value to their lands & iQoliqoli resources just like the Maori and the Aboriginal people, thus they have the rights to maintain that good custodianship these resources as supported by Queen Victoria in 1881 so what’s wrong with that?
We all equal citizens of Fiji, yes under the law and constitution but their heritage rights on the lands & iQoliqoli resources must be maintained at 100% ownership-custodianship rights…Canada, USA , NZ and Australia have realized this and have amended their laws to account for the unfair treatments of the indigenous people. The indigenous Fijians love everyone to stay in Fiji as long as they want – Aiyaz did that in the 2013 constitution to protect us all…it is the ownership-custodianship rights that must enacted in the law…
If there is no threat to the common and equal citizenry, the common identity and the secular state, then why isn’t this being enunciated by the chiefs or the Coalition government? Please answer the question.
You have your right to own more than 90 per cent of the land already enshrined in law. Are you talking about reviving the qoliqoli provisions that triggered the 2006 coup? That the rest of us would not be able to use a beach, fish, surf or cross coastal waters without having to grease of palms of traditional owners?
If this happens, say goodbye to the tourism industry for a start. These people think they can trigger a mass exodus from the country, institute racist policies in the civil service and offices of state, call into question the right of other citizens to belong and then charge them extra for the privilege of living in their country of birth.
That is not equality but extortion.
Well, look at what your forefathers did to the Aboriginal Australians and NZ Maori people. It makes sense for i-taukei to protect their identity and not fight for recognition in their own land. They want to lay a foundation that protects i-taukei future generations.
Look at the Kanak people of New Caledonia or the natives of West Papua. Lost identity in their own land. The pattern is there; It makes sense to protect native identity more now than ever.
Why are “vulagis” trying so hard to abolish the natives?
Oh come on, get real. That old hoary chestnut again?
Do I really have to waste my breath and point out the bleeding obvious again – that when you are the majority ethnic grouping and own most of the land, you are nothing like the other indigenous races you mention.
There is no threat to the iTaukei. Except from within their own ranks from the greedy and manipulative.
all equal?
What are you smoking? some of the stuff your namesakes peddle in Sydney?
Naulu apolitical? 🤣😂😅
Fully agree with the greedy manipulatives within the i-taukei own ranks.
However, the i-taukei are not like the other mentioned majority ethnic groups (for now) because of the system established by those before them. The current generation is trying to do the same for those coming after them. To protect the identity of its people. The lesson is there from their island neighbours. Imagine living in your own house and not having a say at the “house rules”. Your “house guests” dictating the terms of your existence in your own home. No thanks.
Why are developed countries like Europe and the US struggle with identity
Look at the younger generation, most do not know whether they are a male, female or a frying pan.
Where-as their Asian counterparts rich in “identity” “don’t have any of the identity crisis issues (Japan, China etc)
One has to understand where they come from to know where they are going.
Yes, there could be some amendments to the system to cater for all, but hey, this is the era of soil and clay, right? (King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream) A mixture that just “cannot stick together” now wouldn`t it?
Ano Hito
Can you please explain to us how the i taukei identity is not protected currently?
You sound like someone who has been brainwashed by ethno-nationalist politicians. And your reference to the bible makeS you sound like a bigot.
It is protected currently, for how long remains the question?
What happens when natives give in? Loss of identity.
The lesson is there. It is not natives versus outsiders or us versus them. It is simple. Protecting the native identity for those coming after them. See below UNDRIP
“The Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP or DOTROIP[1]) is a legally non-binding United Nations resolution passed by the General Assembly on September 13, 2007, that delineates and defines the individual and collective rights of Indigenous peoples, including their ownership rights, cultural and ceremonial expression, identity, language, employment, health, education and other issues. Their ownership also extends to the protection of their Indigenous intellectual property.”
The Maoris, Kanaks, Aborigines, west papuanss even Jews etc are fighting for this identity crisis. Whereas i-taukei? Safe for now. Why? Because of the system established by those before this which the current wants to keep for those coming after. Look at the middle east, Natives. Who are the real natives. Jews? Palestinians? Persians? Hence the reference to the bible in identity. Soil and clay. You don’t have to be religious to connect the pattern. Stay updated with current world events and refer to the oldest book ever written for comparison. It’s mind blowing.
What’s truly mind-blowing is the gormlessness of people like you to even advance a proposition like this. Utter bollocks.
Failure to recognise a pattern and learn from it. Dissect the issue from different perspectives and enlighten me in how this is “utter bollocks”? learning from the past, studying the pattern and making wise decisions based on history for a re-assuring future. This is what the i-taukei leaders are trying to hold on to. A re-assuring future for their children. An identity!
I enjoy a good exchange on the issue Mr Davis. Not personal attacks on individuals sharing their views on your platform. Agree to disagree?
No, just disagree. It is bollocks to portray the itaukei as in any way threatened by their fellow citizens. They are only a threat to themselves.
Ano Hito
The question remains unanswered.
HOW is the itaukei identity not protected. You have said it is protected currently but it will not be in the future.
WHAT event will take place that will result in this loss of identity in the future?
WHY would natives give in? How does one lose their identity as you say.
How does a new constitution ensure natives dont give in as you are alluding to?
Please explain to everyone the exact events that will lead to indigenous Fijians losing their identity.
Your arguments lack common sense and logic. You have no comprehension of cause and effect.
Stop quoting UNDRIP whose intention was for indigenous people who are minorities in their homeland. Not specifically for a group of people that make up almost 70% of the population and own 90% of resources and who get more rights than minorities.
There are no parallels between native Fijians and the other ethnic groups you have referred to. Very different circumstances. No comparison whatsoever. Past, present or future.
And for your information the Christian bible is not the oldest book ever written.
Please get yourself an education and stop believing and spinning the rubbish you hear from the bati ni tanoa or from racist politicians and taking it as gospel.
These politicians are using exactly people like you to get back into parliament. Fearmongering using racial politics.
When will we ever learn!
POV is still on the surface madam.
The bible was never mentioned as the oldest book ever written in my comments above.
“The Epic of Gilgamesh also has similar stories to the bible. Enkidu in the Gilgamesh Epic transforms from a wild beast to a civilized man, while the Daniel 4 story acts as an “upside-down” version, where a civilized king is made to act as a wild beast” sounds similar? Yeah same! Nebuchadnezzar!
Try to understand the pattern looking at it from all lenses, Bible, Quran, Tora, Vedas etc. Interestingly, all are somehow similar. A collection of scrolls into one with different interpretations. Since you are so well-educated madam, why not spend some time studying it too? From another perspective.
To answer your question re read my above statements as i-taukei can learn from neighbouring island natives. Study the kanaks and west papuas. Read to understand and not disagree at first glance. Iron and clay.
Why do you think i-taukei still have ownership privileges. Will it be passed on to future generations? Why is it so wrong to keep these privileges? Yes, it seems unfair to the minority but the Varna system (Hindu hierarchy) for instance is much worse. Hence the reference to the oldest book (scrolls), study the patterns. Iron and clay. Not traditional education where you absorb whatever the system teaches you.
There is no racial policy when one wants to protect an identity. Understand the difference in citizenship and ethnicity through an identity.
If I am brainwashed with the right then you too are probably brain washed with the left as we have different opinions. Again. Iron and clay!
This is the beauty of discussions isn`t it? Unless you are too “educated” to not accept an opinion other than yours truly.