FijiFirst issues a statement amid the standoff between its leadership and the Speaker of the Parliament, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, over the status of the 17 of its MPs who have been expelled from the party and the standoff with the Supervisor of Elections, Ana Mataiciwa, over the position of Frank Bainimarama as leader.
The statement suggests that there has been collusion between the two in breach of their obligation to perform their duties independently .
We have also received the letter FijiFirst sent to the Speaker on May 30 requesting that he fulfil his constitutional duty to replace the 17 with its other nominees. (see below). He is yet to accede to that request.
Coming soon on Grubsheet, our resident constitutional expert makes his judgment on where Frank Bainimarama stands. His bombshell pronouncement: Not only can Bainimarama NOT be leader of FijiFirst, he can have no formal political role whatsoever. (Watch out for this later in the day).
This being the case, it certainly explains why the Speaker hasn’t acted. Where do we go from here? Sa bera ni macala. It isn’t yet clear. But it seems extraordinary that Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum – as ousted attorney general and a man you’d assume has intimate knowledge of all the relevant laws – seems to have bungled this entire affair.
The Gang of 17 digs in…
Smart Arse Aiy-arse. With a hyphen. says
Aiyaz did not bungle. He acted deliberately, hoping he could pull off the bluff. He did something similar in disqualifying himself from parliament. It was a calculated move by the Smart Kai-dia, who’s either too smart for his own good, if not actually quite dumb, just like his puppet, Bainimarama. Kai-Bai personify ‘dumb and dumber’.
Graham Davis says
A deliberate act is still a bungle if he can’t pull it off. A “calculated move” that ended in a bingle.
#233 MBongW says
Never liked Aiyaz but here’s the thing about all Kai-dia, Mr hyphen; The smartest Kai-Viti KC- Bakola is equal to one”dumb” Kai-dia. That is why the dumb KC Bokala mother fckers can’t govern a nation of 800k people, with all the resources available, all the assistance by NGOs and other nations etc. Corrupt at birth, beggars in their own country, handout reliant, wannabe warriors — only gang bully skinny kaindias… and suck up to the whites… see how you guys crawl when you see one. See what happens when you bring a “Kain-dia” in a conversation rather than the individual concerned. Want more of a reality check?
Rajiv Sharma says
It’s quite clear that if Frank cannot have any political role whatsoever and him signing the letter is not valid.
I see a court battle between the gang of 17 and FFP executives.
This looks like it will be settled in the court of disputed return . FFP self imploding.
Interesting days ahead and FFP may be caught flat footed in the upcoming budget session.
Frank and Aiyaz must step aside.
Peterp says
Who are they expecting to replace with their disloyal comrades. What a shame for the party.
John says
How on earth someone who is in prison allowed
to sign political documents
Neither Joji Satakala has that intellectual to right such statements
Clearly a draft written by the person who designed the Fiji constitution for himself is firing the shorts as he knows what he has written
Abu Jamin says
Surely , one’s convicted status, would vitiate one’s official role and ascribed duties and responsibilities that comes with it. It is also interesting and weird that party conduct of voting rules is curtailed through Constitution clause/s
Big Bill says
Where were the gang of 17 this past 16 years? They were quieter than a barn mouse, happy to let Aiyaz ride rough-shod all over them.
Now when their livelihood is (potentially) going to be impacted, they have suddenly found their voices.
Have they considered that if they had raised their collective voices during the past 16 years, maybe they wouldn’t find themselves in the predicament they are currently in?
Self-interest is more important than the national interest, aye guys?
Mata-i-va, sele kava, i sivi – i na koro sara.
Imploding Much says
Can we please have the names of the new 17 replacements so we can report them the the police as scammers purporting to be MPs when they are not…lol. Time to turn their own blow torch on them like they did on the populace in the last 16yrs.