It beggars belief that the main political bloc in the parliament that fell short by just one vote from forming government on the floor of the House 18 months ago could now be on the verge of extinction. But it now seems almost certain that the once mighty FijiFirst will be deregistered by the Supervisor of Elections on June 28 and effectively cease to be, at least for the term of this parliament.
Having failed to bring its 17 rebel MPs who voted for the recent emoluments package into line and having failed to persuade the Speaker to follow the Constitution and dismiss them, the two men who established FijiFirst and once controlled it with an iron fist have chosen to take their bat and ball and walk away.
In choosing to resign from the party, Frank Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum may be using “principle” as a cover for their political mistakes and an impending “checkmate” that may or may not have involved official collusion against them. Yet either way, they are no longer political players and have washed their hands of the crisis that has unfolded over the past 17 days since our elected representatives chose to enrich themselves on the public teat when a third of the nation lives in poverty.
Since they control the FijiFirst Constitution but have now resigned from the party – along with its entire leadership – they are clearly no longer in a position to meet the June 28 deadline set by the SOE, Ana Mataiciwa, to alter that constitution. There is now officially no-one in charge of FijiFirst. Even the party’s General Secretary, Faiyaz Koya, has resigned, though he remains an MP, along with Premila Kumar and Hem Chand who obeyed the instruction to vote against the salary and benefits increases.
So in 15 day’s time, it seems, that’s it. Kaput. The deadline set by the SOE passes and not having met it, FijiFirst gets deregistered. What happens then? It’s all there in Section 24 of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosure) Act 2017.
(2) Where a political party that has been deregistered under section 23 had representatives elected to Parliament, such representatives shall continue to serve for the remainder of their term as independents or as members of other political parties.
So assuming nothing changes in the meantime, there are some intriguing possibilities.
1/ Faiyaz Koya, Hem Chand and Premila Kumar are no longer FijiFirst MPs, even though they obeyed the Party directive, because FijiFirst ceases to exist. They will sit in the Parliament as independents, along with the remaining MPs who abstained and aren’t part of the Gang of 17.
2/ The 17 rebels will also remain in the parliament. But as EITHER INDEPENDENTS OR MEMBERS OF OTHER POLITICAL PARTIES. What does this mean? Well, incredibly, the possibility that Mosese Bulitavu and his less voluble colleagues in the Gang of 17 can be wooed to join the other parties.
All over Suva, a shiny penny is starting to drop. There is now nothing to stop Sitiveni Rabuka from being able to do a deal with all or some of the rebels to join forces with the People’s Alliance. In one fell swoop, he could dispense with the NFP as a Coalition partner – making good on his promise to “take action” against it for voting against the emoluments package – and dispense with SODELPA and its lame-duck leader, Aseri Radrodro, who can’t be seen in polite company and who Rabuka avoids.
In today’s media in Fiji, there’s talk of a “government of national unity”. No need. All the Prime Minister has to do is horse-trade the current NFP and SODELPA cabinet positions with the newly “independent” former FijiFirst MPs and he has rid himself of both Biman Prasad and the man he can’t stand even more who almost killed his daughter. And there’s not a damn thing the NFP or SODELPA could do about it. Out in the cold politically and stripped of their positions right after Biman’s budget. Just like that.
Think about it. For the past 18 months, Sitiveni Rabuka has fallen over backwards not to alienate Inia Seruiratu and the three other fellow ex-military men in FijiFirst – Viliame Naupoto, Ioane Naivalurua and Semi Korolavisau. Indeed Inia Seruiratu – as the now outgoing Opposition leader – has been strongly criticised for being far too cosy with Rabuka and the Coalition. Now Frank Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed- Khaiyum are accusing him and the rest of his Gang of Four ex- military officers of betraying their former commander and party leader by not obeying his order to vote against the emoluments package. The breach has already occurred. The rift is irreconcilable. So why not gain positions of power as ministers in a People’s Alliance government? Tempting, huh?
Certainly there will soon be 26 independents in the parliament ripe for the picking, and especially the 17 rebels united by their resentment that FijiFirst tried and failed to dislodge them. The three Bainimarama-Khaiyum loyalists – Faiyaz Koya, Premila Kumar and Hem Chand plus (perhaps) the remainder of FijiFirst MPs who abstained can be expected to stay loyally independent and keep the FijiFirst spirit alive until a possible regrouping come the next election. But the others – having just escaped with their political lives – will be free agents with their votes for sale. There is nothing legally to prevent it. And remember. For most politicians, survival is the only thing that matters. And if there are also plenty of goodies being dangled in front of them, it usually proves irresistible.
Many Bainimarama supporters have been shocked by the disloyalty displayed towards him by the Gang of 17 – particularly his former military colleagues – and especially when it has been accompanied by the greed of going for the money when he specifically ordered them not to do so. But the ousted prime minister is getting a belated life lesson in the age-old truism that if you want a friend in politics, get a dog. Humans who are doggedly loyal are few and far between, as we are about to see in Fijian politics all over again.
What does the future hold for Frank? Not a lot. Not only is he already serving a year-long jail sentence for perverting the course of justice, he is on trial again for allegedly ordering the dismissal of police officers who were investigating drug allegations against his son, Meli, who also now languishes in a New South Wales prison awaiting trial on domestic violence charges.
The ousted prime minister now has to suffer the ignominy of being handcuffed every time he appears in court because he allegedly signed the letters at the centre of the emoluments debacle during his court appearances. So talk about rooster-to-feather duster in the blink of a historical eyelid.
On top of all of this, Bainimarama must truly be tormented by the disloyalty of his former fellow military officers and parliamentary colleagues and the sudden demise of the once great party he led. And then there is the shame and suffering inflicted on his wife, Mary, his daughters and the grandchildren who are his pride and joy. Covering the “cuffs” with a tea towel was sadly reminiscent of the story of the Dutch boy and the dyke.
As for Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, he is putting on the brave face that he and Frank are standing up for principle against a tsunami of greed. He has a point, of course, when so much of the country is in uproar about the clamour of snouts at the parliamentary trough. ( It may be journalistic hyperbole, Jon Fraenkel, but it is apt nonetheless) Yet there’s no doubt this unparalleled disaster could have been avoided if Frank Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum hadn’t walked away in a huff from the parliament in the first place when they were beaten by the celebrated “power of one”. Whatever their plan was at the time, it has been a blunder of historic proportions. They foolishly counted on the loyalty of their MPs. Alas.
What happens to Aiyaz now? Will he be allowed to go to Singapore for another round of medical treatment? Will he return? Is this merely a re-set to allow him to make a comeback with a revived FijiFirst or some other Khaiyum-influenced political grouping down the track? There are so many unanswered questions in this extraordinary saga that the whole country is reeling – collectively gobsmacked from jaws repeatedly dropping as each sensational development is surpassed by the next.
But undoubtedly the most serious consequence is that Fiji has been robbed of an opposition altogether. We can’t even have a motion of no confidence in the government at the 18 month mark because it has to be moved by the “Leader of the Opposition” and we no longer have one. So the watchdogs whose job it was to keep the bastards honest have gone and now it is solely about fat-cats engaged in horse-trading – the nation’s politicians trying to obtain personal advantage for themselves by wheeling and dealing, dealing and double dealing. With not even a political party – in the case of FijiFirst – to maintain a skerrick of discipline.
We learn from the media this morning that no-one has been interested in saving the Party. The rebels aren’t even trying to attempt a takeover because they don’t want to inherit $1.6-million in debt from the last election. Who is going to pay that debt? It’s a question FijiFirst’s creditors are certain to be asking. But it won’t be Inia and the Gang.
Until Fiji can finally get to the polls again, we’ve got a government of national unity alright. A bunch of greedy politicians – knaves and tarts alike – united in enriching themselves and their kai vata. And to hell with the national interest, the health of the economy and the poor.
NOTE TO MY READERS: The King’s Birthday holiday in Oz has hampered my efforts to fix some technical glitches with the site, including not being able to upload images and documents. My apologies for the slab of text. Hopefully it will soon be resolved.
It defies belief that CAREER MILITARY MEN DEFIED ORDERS. And that too from a senior military officer, albeit retired.
Do the 17 even realise that they committed political suicide.
People should know once a former military person enters politics , he is not to be respected and trusted anymore
This man needs to be under 24/7 surveillance by Fiji intelligence
Will cause lot of instability if let loose
He is using all tricks of his con trade
You all know who I am referring to here
They not only washed their hand of last 17 days but 17 years
Bloody cowards
Fully Agree with you Hussain.
I have no sympathy for them and all the misery they dished out to people who did not agree with them and opposed them. My thought goes out to all those who were bundled and taken to QEB, all those who lost their jobs for not towing the line.
I am so happy today that the curtain has finally come down on FFP , Frank and Aiyaz.
Frank had good intentions and could have been a transformative figure going down in history as Fiji’s best PM but he mismanaged it all, now a big madua and fall from grace serving 1 year at Suva prison. You see none of the hangers on that licked his and Aiyaz’s boots are around to bail them out and now they are nothing but a used piece of furniture rotting in the sides.
Great day for Fiji.
I say good riddance to Frank and Aiyaz and FFP. I have always said that Frank was not a smart politician, what do you expect from someone who had to read form a hand held tablet during an off the cuff interview with Sky news at COP conference.
I have said it before and will say it again, he (Frank) never rolled up his sleeve and got to work and solved the real problems for Fiji but only choose to globe trot on first class ticket, wine and dine at expensive hotels. All the while Aiyaz made and passed stupid laws and ran Fiji to the ground.
You see the FFP constitution was so stupid in that only the founding members are the ones that can elect a Leader or change the FFP constitution, there was no though given to succession and future planning. Now that they the founding members have all resigned, the party is over facing deregistration.
I say that Aiyaz and Frank are selfish, if they truly believed in FFP they would not have resigned but stayed on and fought the good fight and eventually would have prevailed by not giving a ticket to the 17 in the 2026 election and take control back.
Dictators eventually crumble and suffer really bad consequences for their past actions, history is littered with so many examples of dictators falling from grace with many not having a good ending at all.
These two have really screwed Fiji big time. Yes Rabuka’s current leadership in running the country is falling short of expectation but perhaps he has out smarted Frank and Aiyaz who are now history.
As for NFP, its a principled party and if what you say plays out and Rabuka no longer needs SODELPA and NFP then so be it, I don’t think Biman will loose sleep over this as he is a man of principles and believes in Fiji, more so then Aiyaz ever did.
My prediction – Aiyaz will go to Singapore for medical check up as part of his amended bail condition, never to return with Naboro staring at him. He will end up somewhere else to enjoy and live off the loot from past 16 years.
FFP is history and could not have asked for a better ending.
Now the next move is for the two dictators is to commit suicide and everything is over
“If there isn’t any bamboo than there isn’t a flute “an old Indian saying
A comment like this should be and is strongly condemned. It just shows the gutter lowest level of human indecency from a philistine coward.
Where were you when so many people went through a lot during 3 men rule
People committed suicide, some died with cancer because of stress
People were beaten up
Mums lost their child because of poor health facilities
Many were fired within a day without notice
Many Many more
Now you talking about human
Keep your crap
Biman principled? Once he has tasters power the saying attributed to one of the Rothschild brothers is applicable to him: “I care not who writes the nation’s laws as long as I control its money supply.” He will sell his grandmother to SLR to remain as Finance Minister. Besides, the Coalition’s nbr 1 Financier, Fiji’s biggest importer, would not want Biman removed as his puppy dog has been keeping him well ent informed at their weekly briefings in Suva.
Nevertheless, Biman’s abrasive style plus his silence on the grave allegations hurled at him by Linda Tabuya plus his anticipated resistance to any proposed constitutional changes SLR may feel it prudent to err on the side of caution and show him the door.
Let the chips fall where it may fall and I would back Biman any day over Frank and Aiyaz
He concocted all these laws since 2007 and eventually morphed it into the 2013 constitution. Designed institutions in it trap and persecute any form of dissent. They all enjoyed their years of unrivalled and unchallenged power. Problem was when all that fell into someone else’s lap. They didn’t even want to be opposition MP’s it was too lowly a title to bear. If you ever needed an example of getting one’s self in knots of your own doing this has to be it 101. Karma really is a b!@#%
In the case of JVB, all this comes as no great surprise… He was never the brightest bulb in the room.
As for ASK, he’s snakier than SLR, and Pio’s men and women in uniform had better keep tabs on the slimy MF lest he try to make a quick getaway before he’s due to front the halls of justice…
As the sun sets on FFP due clauses drawn up by a not so smart lawyer to trap the opposition, he will be remembered in historucal records as someone who fell into their own trap.
Once the FFP creditors launch civil action to recover debts and call on personal guarantees, Kaiyum can forget about Singapore as he will have to make do with Aspen or Zen Medical in the next few months and Naboro dispensary after that.
Walking off with ball is not done by men of principles. Just sore losers. Moce mada Mr Sunset Claus! Binaka bakalebu.
ASK chose to use this avenue because he knows constitutionally, the party cannot exist any more without the key people in it. It will be de-registered and the SoE cannot go against this – she should seek clarity from the new AG if required as he is currently the sole person in government who actually knows the law and will interpret it correctly.
The 17 rebels have collectively killed their party along with their own futures in parliament. I would hazard a guess that ASK and FB knew this and had no qualms making the decision to let the party be deregistered.
Rabuka has the option to take these people under his wing but one has to wonder if he is willing to risk it, given these same individuals could easily vote against him in the future to further their own personal gains? Labeled as snakes, these 17 cannot be trusted to be loyal to any party.
Perhaps fresh elections are on the horizon but come what may, this implosion of the FFP has certainly changed the direction for politics in Fiji
Good sum-up @Sailor. Especially that ASK and JVB knew their next move ahead of time. This saga has a long way to run yet. And no, they did not ‘take the ball and run home’ as many would have it. The ball is now in the greedy 17’s court and the SoE office. Did they get snooker? The speaker of the house failed in his duty to act on a party directive. Period. The greedy 17 could/should have gone to court of disputed returns. The speaker is not a judge, let alone knowledgeable about the law. Nor are any of the current MPs arbiters of the electoral act. Muddy waters it’ll be until everyone has pissed their pint. Until the water clears, the greedy 17 and every other bastard including the sp$220ker will shamelessly live large.
Greedy 17 don’t have wherewithal to run party and/or be an effective opposition. They were nobodys before Frank and Aiyaz and will return to obscurity before long (Seriously, does anyone even know all their names?). Inia is all hot air and talatala-like empty bluster. Mo Bulitavu is a snake like his uncle Rabuka and it doesn’t take a genius to see he is lobbying everyday to re-join his former colleagues in PAP and SOLDEPA. It’s a shame that Fiji continues to elect low-quality leaders that simply don’t have the ability to get the job done and create one crisis and drama after the next.
Now that we have new AG,hopefully he opens up Bala’s file again for new trials
Justice needs to be done for the widow of the deceased and family
RIP Mr Puna Chand
Slowly but surely justice will prevail
It is highly likely that PAP will canvass the support of 8 former fiji first MP. This will allow it to form a more stable coalition and remove NFP and Sodelpa from the equation
That is the likely scenario come June 28 and then SLR has 2.5 years to work on things and going to the polls with a referendum on the constitution as well (having cleared the 75% rule in parliament) which he will most likely achieve
Excellent analysis, GD
Yep,absolutely
Dictators usually put gun on their own head and press trigger
Here a piece of rope from his favorite Hardware company will do the job or even that fancy neckties
Game over
I clearly remember in 2007 when Aiyaz took control, his brother became CEO of FBC after returning from NZ.
Their empire started to build and there were all sorts of people jumping on board to run Fiji at that time and to make profits for themselves
Some flew in overnight
John Prasad,John Sami and many more
Some were paid a thousand dollars a day as advisors or consultants
Pictures of the elites were in front page of dailies almost everyday
Bai doing honors with glass of whiskey in his hand
Military body guards around ASK
Everything was “flash”
A friend of mine lost his job
Had family to look after and started to sell roti parcel and make a living for himself
This is what he said
“Bhai ,these people are enjoying today by use of gun’s
One day they will end up nowhere
Not today, not tomorrow, not next year,but that day will surely come one day
You wait and watch bhai”
It did arrive
And isn’t the same happening with the coalition government? Do you not know of someone that has lost their job because of nepotism or corruption??
I mean why the extremes of supporting or not supporting one over the other when the cause and effect are the same??
How quickly are you going to wash over the crimes of Rabuka I ask you and Rajiv?
When the going gets tough the tough gets going. Frank and Aiyaz only talked tough when they held power but when it got tough and did not hold power they abandoned ship.
Bunch of losers I say
The recent political developments in Fiji are deeply saddening and disappointing, yet not surprising under SLR’s regime. He operates as a juggernaut, with a philosophy aimed at eliminating any opposition. Even our best officers from the disciplinary forces, some with outstanding international reputations, have proven incapable of contending with this force. No one dares to interfere with SLR’s 87 agenda. The FFP appears too inexperienced to counteract this and has crumbled under the pressure.
It is time for our leaders to commit to providing our beloved country and its people with the direction that is currently sorely missing. The FFP has failed miserably as an opposition in keeping a check on the government. NFP has exploited the divisions to solidify its own interest by overtly fueling the juggernaut. Look at where Fiji has ended up—utter chaos. When the going gets tough, the leaders abandon their people.
I personally do not see any hope in the current mess we have been saddled with. Unless we see a change in leadership—’out with the old and in with the new’—the situation will only worsen. The country will regress into chaos and anarchy, as evidenced by recent reports of mass exodus of talent, opportunism, self-interest, and a free-for-all attitude among those who can fake and exploit the system. It doesn’t take a genius to see this. There should be a code of behavior, ethics, and honesty in politics, but sadly, it seems absent in our country.
The government will ultimately be judged by what it delivers and how it has failed. A long history of debacle awaits, and this era will undoubtedly be remembered for all the wrong reasons. The events of 87 marked the turning point, and the behaviors inspired by this catastrophe have only grown and entrenched in our systems of ‘democracy’. The insidious culture rooted in that time is getting stronger, defining our country and way of life.
Only God can bless Fiji and save us now.
Fiji First now Fiji Gone…
I just want Fiji to become part of Australia. And for all Fijian citizens to become Australian citizens.
No matter what they do,resign, retire or fly
Long arm of law should do it’s job
Justice for the people of Fiji
“You can run,but you can’t hide”
Doesn’t mean one steal millions from a bank and than resign is free from conviction
Shouldn’t that apply to the snake as well considering that the nbf saga happened under his watch..or are you suffering from dementia?
Well, the real bastards have gone…
The people of Fiji are all idiots. No doubts about that in my mind.
That is an unquestionable fact.
They all made their choices, but why do they all complain so much then?
A lot of them are in this forum.
That is completely possible. But that would also mean that PA would never be trusted again by any party to form a coalition. It would also mean that PA thinks that their voters are simply pawns and completely brainless… which is possible because that’s what most politicians think of their voters. But it’s not the case. There are enough voters who think with their brains to bring a change in government. If PA joins forces with those who have merrily been part of the previous oppressive government and give them a chance to continue screwing the system, many voters will just give PA the middle finger. NFP could only grow further in opposition, especially if it would be seen as the only decent opposition to this chaotic Rabuka government. So bring it on, I’d say.
What I don’t know is that if the ex-Fiji First MPs become Independents in parliament, then would they still maintain their seats? Or will the 5% threshold rule apply on them too and so not all Independent MPs will be able to keep their seats? Does that mean that the coalition parties get to have more seats since their party members may have had more votes than the Independent MPs in the 2022 election? If PAP gets enough seats and can form government, then would a coalition even be needed anymore?
It is only until the next election. After that, any independent, like any party, has to meet the 5 per cent threshold.
I believe PM Rabuka has a crucial opportunity here to initiate constitutional reforms that genuinely protect all Fijians. The constitution must be amended to eliminate clauses that create distinctions between ordinary citizens and those in power, fostering a more inclusive and equitable society.
However, this is not an easy task. Any incoming government faces immense challenges in running ethically and morally, especially after inheriting a corrupt and dictatorial regime that has ruled for 16 years, with eight of those years under a military junta. It requires immense dedication and integrity to dismantle such entrenched systems and rebuild a government that truly serves its people.
To blame the last government is ridiculous. These guys have had 18 months in power, just like Fiji has had 54 years of independence.It has become a chronic habit in Fiji to blame someone else. Like 3 year olds pointing fingers at other children, not grown-ups taking responsibility for their own actions. The buck stops with Sitiveni Rabuka and the Coalition. And it is high time for them to step up instead of having people like you making excuses for them. Hopeless.
Don’t write off FFP! Even as independents they still wield a lot of power and have the ability to regroup their party if they are smart enough ! Simply join Sodelpa as a block and become Ministers and Assistant Ministers!
If you join PAP, Rabuka has a full house already and may end up just needing 8 or 7 of you in his cabinet if he takes out NFP and Sodelpa!
Rabuka has shown he is vindictive and has the ability to be a real bully . You give him authority over you and he and his cronies will do what they did to Aseri Radrodro and Siromi Turaga by sacking you and claiming his the PM and has the discretion of choosing and dictating to his cabinet !!
FFP go with Sodelpa, reorganise yourselves and release your leader from jail! Then you throw Rabuka and his cronies to prison where they truly belong ! After all the guy is a nuisance who doesn’t know how to run a govt and is all about Vengence and retribution !
Wawa PAP don’t count your chicks before they hatch !
And make a new appointment – Military Commander