Does Fiji now have three foreign ministers – the main Foreign Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, his deputy, Lenora Qereqeretabua and H.E the President, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere? It sure looks that way when the President – who is meant to be above politics – represents Fiji at a political gathering of world leaders to muster support for Ukraine against the Russian invader.
It might have been amusing to see the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, looking up in awe at the hulking Fijian beside him. But this is deadly serious. The President shouldn’t have been there. And whoever decided to send him is guilty of an appalling lapse of judgment.
Ratu Wiliame’s position has been hopelessly compromised. Rather than being a figurehead who is above politics – the nation’s Head of State – he has been thrown straight into the political fray, openly supporting Ukraine and condemning Russia in his speeches at the Summit when that is clearly the role of an elected politician.
Where was Sitiveni Rabuka? Where was Lenora Qereqeretabua? If for any reason they couldn’t attend, interventions on Rabuka’s behalf as Foreign Minister could have easily been delivered by Fiji’s Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, the estimable Luke Daunivalu. But to give the job to H.E the President is a serious breach of protocol.
It means that support for Ukraine and condemnation of Russia hasn’t been made by the Fijian government of the day. It has made by the Fijian State – the entity that outlasts “here today, gone tomorrow” politicians – and by the Head of State, which is an altogether more serious matter in the minefield of global affairs.
The President represents every Fijian irrespective of political persuasion, ethnicity or creed. And what we have just told the world is that every Fijian supports Ukraine and every Fijian condemns Russia, which we know not to be the case. Some Fijians – including our feisty friend in these columns, Ian Simpson of Taveuni – believe that Russia is justified in invading Ukraine. Grubsheet happens to believe he is wrong. But that is not the point. The President has weighed in by putting every Fijian solidly behind the Ukrainian struggle and has violated an important principle that the Head of State be non-partisan.
Aren’t we meant to have a policy of being “friends to all and enemies to none”? That has now been turned on its head. Yet whatever argument there might be for our politicians to now make enemies of some, that shouldn’t have included the man at the pinnacle of the state, which is enduring no matter which government is in power.
Ratu Wiliame has been compromised and it isn’t just about a serious breach of protocol and the junking of long-standing conventions about keeping the President above politics. His active participation in the Summit for Ukraine has serious diplomatic implications in the Fijian State actively picking a fight with Russia.
However much Vladimir Putin has become a global pariah, it isn’t long ago that he sent a big shipment of arms, ammunition and heavy trucks to Fiji to increase the capability of the RFMF. He also played host to the former prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, in Moscow and the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov – who is still in power – took the trouble to visit Fiji. What appreciation have we shown for Moscow’s largesse? The Rabuka government hasn’t just administered a slap in the face to the Russians but has used the Head of State to do it.
Whatever is happening in Ukraine, we still have diplomatic relations with Russia. Every time a new foreign diplomat comes to Fiji, it is the President, not the Prime Minister, who receives their letters of credence. In other words, it is about relationships between states, not governments, and especially one that came to power 18 months ago with just one vote on the floor of the parliament.
What on earth was the Prime Minister, as Foreign Minister, thinking when he delegated the President to represent Fiji at an overtly political event? Why couldn’t he go? Why couldn’t the Assistant Foreign Minister, Lenora Qereqeretabua, go? It is astonishing that we have not one but two foreign ministers and both were too busy to attend a major international summit. But much more astonishing that the job was given to Ratu Wiliame.
Here’s what the Constitution says about the President’s duties. And they don’t include playing politics in global affairs.
This has been an appalling lapse of judgement that will definitely have repercussions. The Russians will be fuming and intent on payback. And they will have every reason to be upset that they have a new enemy in the Fijian state and not just the government of the day.
At the risk of making light of a serious issue, Fiji might as well have recruited Jabba the Hutt, Mr T or Toad of Toad Hall to do the job in Switzerland. They would have been just as qualified and just as appropriate as giving the job to H.E the President, who is not a diplomat or a politician but a high chief (Tui Macuata) and former president of FijiFirst, though he would undoubtedly prefer everyone to forget the latter.
The chaos in the Coalition government now extends to our foreign policy. Sitiveni Rabuka and his ministers keep saying that everything is fine. But with apologies to Shakespeare, there’s something rotten in the state of Fiji. Precedents are being set that go beyond politics and are undermining confidence in our institutions. And throwing Ratu Wiliame Katonivere into the turbulent waters of global politics is a huge mistake. It undermines his authority as Head of State in both the nation and in the world.
If Sitiveni Rabuka wanted to make an enemy of the Russians he should have done it himself. But to give the President the job of doing so is personally gutless and professionally reprehensible.
Ambassador Luke Daunivalu (on the left) was there. Why didn’t he speak for Fiji if the two foreign ministers were too busy to go?
Maybe they thought the President’s magic ring might produce a breakthrough.
Who’s next in the foreign service? Jabba the Hutt? Mr T? Toad of Toad Hall?
He is Fiji’s most incompetent president. I don’t even know his name well.
Literally the President’s surname means ‘Box of Tricks”.
Which president was competent then.
Don’t tell me namu Epeli or biskete
Current president is a product of FFP
Was hand picked by ASK
You saw the hugging
I thought he might break Aiyaz’s neck after that hard hug
He was asked to commit treason after the election by 2 men but he refused
His actions put FFP out
Plus the current commander also stood up and said NO
Voleka
Hand picked by ASK ?!?!?
WOW.
Yep
FFP president and one of the foundation member
FYI
He’s f***all mr ffp president. Heard he’s still in communication with ffp members.
Trying his luck both ways.
GD, you ask what were they thinking.
The truth is that they don’t think.
They don’t know protocols and diplomacy.
This is the problem with this 3 leg collision government.
Everyday that goes by puts them deeper into another misery.
I bet the well learned public servants must sit quietly and shake their heads at all these unfolding nonstop.
William is the most absent president of Fiji. May be this was one way to make him feel present.
Well he was chosen to protect the 2
Than put signatures on any paper that will be put forward on his table
No questions asked
Now because of his “chiefly title ,this becomes his CV and qualification for the Fiji president
Ratu and kaivalaqi first name
Or may be named after William Shakespeare
Not sure if anyone followed the protocol
One has to bow down and when he shakes his hand ,one needs to sit on the ground and clap
He’s a big Tui
Nothing surprising with this Govt…. recently our President also went to Indonesia to attend the Water Forum and had a chat with Musk about some “free” Internet services to the pov – poor in the disadvantaged communities !!! Maybe he has to justify recent PMs et al pay hikes that includes him.
I think it was simply a case of which of the “boys” shall we choose to go on the next overseas trip. Oh yes we better give this one to the Pres…he hasn’t been on one for a while.
And it looks like international etiquette may be less understood by the PMs office than local traditional cultural protocols – Rabuka stated he could not use an umbrella when it was pouring with rain on one of his local visitations a few months ago! Because using an umbrella to protect himself from rain would have been culturally inappropriate. A PM who is well familiar with important protocols.
Let’s face it Fiji didn’t have much choice but to attend the Swiss summit, though much of the world regarded it as a bit of a joke.
How can you hold a peace conference when one of the protagonists, Russia and another key global player, China were not present?
But this Biden administration that has been an absolute disaster on foreign policy, is hell bent on implementing the Wolforiz Doctrine, that the US shall be the undisputed world super power above all others.
Secretary of State, Antony Blinkern recently declared to all: “you either join us at the table or you’ll end up on the menu.”
The pussy state, Fiji buckled and in their rush to impress their ally they sent the wrong man to Switzerland in breach even if our nation’s Constitution,
NZ had a more measured response: they sent their correctional Minister.
Of the eight Asian countries in the Biden-sponsored Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) partnership — Manoa Kamikamica’s baby — five of the eight Asian countries including India, Indonesia and Malaysia did not sign the communique.
Fiji and Palau, the only two Pacific island countries to attend, signed.
Coincidentally Zilensky himself is in breach of his country’s constitution. He recently cancelled his country’s general election and is no longer the legitimate president if his nation.
But it matters nought to our foreign policy planners.
When you are a small boy trying to fit into big trousers you can end up making a fool of yourself.
GD, we’re all in despair at the callous approach to protocols, morals and ethics.
The question burning on everyone’s heart is, when will it stop or change ? And what will cause the rot to stop ?
Every arm of the government and its statutory bodies are hanging by a thread like the coalition. All because the coalition that is driven more by ethnonationalists maintain a falsely emphatic stance that the government and its resources are their to do as they please.
He is due an overseas trip and I understand Ukraine has many beautiful people so why not send the president to experience the same! 😂
The government’s media people’s spin of this as a ‘bilateral’ was also funny. All other bilaterals seem to happen with the officials seated, typically at a table. This one looks like the Fiji delegation waylaid Zelensky in between his commute to more important meetings with our heavy President struggling to keep up with the pace! Our inclusion was just to make up numbers and it shows. What on earth was he doing there?
Get over it GD, Biden, Macron etc have all condemned the invasion of Ukraine and called for peace in Ukraine. Why cant the Fiji President make the same call as the Presidents of the US and France etc?
Honestly, your ignorance is breathtaking. Biden and Macron are executive presidents elected by the people to run their countries. Katonivere is an unelected figurehead president who has no executive power and takes his instructions from the government of the day.
He is supposed to be above politics, like the King of England or the governors-general of Australia and New Zealand. So there is no comparison at all. This is the problem in Fiji. People not only don’t do their jobs properly but don’t understand what their jobs are.
We had a president in Ratu Epeli Nailatikau who knew the boundaries of his role because he had been a diplomat. After him came a distinguished solider with international experience in the form of Jioji Konrote. Ratu Wiliame has no experience at all in world affairs so it’s not his fault that he didn’t know that it was inappropriate for him to undertake a political role. The buck stops with the Prime Minister who is also out of his depth and is presiding over utter chaos.
Agree that it is not the Presidents job but the Government of the day to attend these types of summits as they are the one who puts the country’s foreign policy on the world stage and conducts foreign policy. This should have been attended by the Assistant Minister if the PM was busy.
In my opinion was no real need for Fijj to attend this peace summit as let’s face it, if Fiji did not attend it would not have been noticed. These are the types of unnecessary expenditure the Government needs to avoid and walk the talk in curtailing unnecessary tax payer funds.
But where was the chaos as you call it? Did the Fiji President cause an international incident? Yes absolutely wrong call by the Government but nothing really material in nature and to call it “compromised” is a stretch, in my opinion.
Of course the President has been compromised. His independence as Head of State has been compromised and the potential diplomatic consequences should be obvious. For a moment I thought we were finally on the same page. But your reflex action is to defend this lot no matter what conventions they breach.
I am not defending and j am calling them out but all I am saying is that this does not really meet the test of chaos and where is the potential diplomatic fallout? What is the fall out that will create chaos?
To the ordinary Fiji citizen it does not affect their day to day lives and does not impact them in anyway.
Where is the fallout that Fiji will get reprimanded by the international community? Has any of Fiji’s representative to foreign missions abroad been summoned by the respective Government in protest,
The point is that yes it was an error and mistake but there is no fall out and chaos and compromise you speak off.
Perhaps I can say the same to you that no matter what you will always be a critic to anyone in Government and anyone associated with them.
Where is the potential diplomatic fallout? Well we won’t be getting any more gifts from Russia like the weapons, ammunition, trucks and virtual firing range that Moscow gave the RFMF during the Bainimarama era.
When Russia appoints a new ambassador to Fiji, he or she will present their credentials to the President. What will be the atmospherics of that? Katonivere has condemned Russia when that should have been the role of the Prime Minister. He should be above politics. But the speeches he gave at the Ukraine Summit have been partisan against Russia. And of course there will be consequences, all of them needless.
As for the “chaos”, you know very well that it was a general reference. But with regards to Fiji’s diplomatic effort, a whole lot of appointments, including London, have gone to SODELPA failed candidates and hacks. And experienced diplomats of the calibre of Filimoni Waqabaca and Jitoko Tikolevu have been sidelined. It is a shambles and another example that having promised change for the better, the Coalition has made changes for the worse.
Was there anyone in FijiFirst with the domestic violence history of Aseri Radrodro and the moral vacuum that is Lynda Tabuya? Of course not. Did we have the same overt racism? Of course not. The Coalition is a disgrace and nothing you say to spin it as an improvement over the old order can alter that fact.
GD-you give much respect and patience to people as RS, who is the president of the mutual admiration society.
RS and like-minded jerks over think simple issues. Their likes populate the echo chamber that unilaterally reinforces their own views/opinions. There is no room between their ears to comprehend the core of your noble attempts to inform others of proper governance and related protocols—let lone more complex issues.
Never argue with stupid people, they will drag you down to their level and then beat you with experience.
—Mark Twain
The concept of Independence and Neutrality is inherent in the venue.. The Swiss are non-aligned if that’s the correct term.
Crikey. They also make good watches and cheese. So what? It was a political gathering to garner support for Ukraine and no place for a supposedly non-partisan head of state.
Who wouldn’t want to go to Switzerland? Hell I would . Imagine some of them would never have been able to afford to travel if it was their paisa. And ordinary people from the poverty stricken swamps saying yes sir, yes sir, enjoy your trip yadda yadda. Ordinary folks will always remain ordinary whilst the elite will eat them out of their home, cawntry and resources.
A total waste of funds. Govt’s deficit in last year’s budget was abt $660m or 4.8% GDP that it “borrowed” fm local capital markets, adding to the $1bn interest it pays each year.
Fat cat politicians stuff their budgets with all sorts of false claims, that is quickly revealed when they start jetting all over the world collecting their per diems and other perks.
The way things have been going this Coalition govt might as well have opened up a travel agency.
What abuse.
Let’s see if Biman Prasad will be true to his word and cut back on Ministers’ travel in next week’s budget?
The gross deficit for 2023-24 is $1,155.3766 Billion according to the Budget papers. This is made up of $639.1463 Million in budget deficit and $516.2303 Million in Loan Repayments.
The advice to Government from people like the World Bank and ADB in front of the 2023-24 budget address was to reduce Government expenditure. Did they listen? No! The operating cost went up by $436.1222 Million.
What will it be in the Budget next Friday? Given the excesses of the current Government I would be surprised if there was not a further rise in operating cost. The Finance Minister and his much-vaulted Fiscal Review Committee need to have a hard look at Government and demand they justify Ministry by Ministry, line by line the expenditure.
We shall see!
Ah well they have to keep him happy and motivated to use him at their whim!
He is a dud for sure like the rest of them. Zero content, credentials, credibility and integrity.
What can one expect of this wobbly tripod stand???
El Presidente has really played his cards right. He was a Private in the army and became close friends with Bai and Kai through his chiefly status so he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel and the rest is history.
He got out of that relationship when the election results were announced. He sang Elvis’s song ITS NOW OR NEVER and waltzed over to Rabuka’s side.
I wanna see the president nude!
Mention in dispatches !!!!
While this brave soldier continued on in the wilds of Vanua Levu fighting of bees and harvesting their honey to feed some very appreciative connoisseurs of natures floral essence, a week away, and look what have you done and not done.
I come back, to find, no surprises. Our de-facto Cabinet, those drivers that congregate in the car park outside government buildings, hanging about with engines running, keeping the aircons set just right, have sent our President off to the War Talks for a good healthy chow down, traveling first class all the way. Glory to Macuata.
Good move boys, the fascist West appreciates some company , its starting to get lonely with all the sanctions, and getting more and more lonely by the day.
Can one imagine how stupid one has to be to build yourself a prison with you in it, you are its inmate, and those sanctions are the bricks.
The white man is starting to wake up, thank you Hamas, and to the people of Gaza, whose sacrifice is starting to shed scales from their eyes, for them to see, who rules and to see how evil has captured their leaders,
So, no news on who we sent to the SPEF ( St Petersburg Economic Forum) ? The Greatest economic forum on the planet and we were not there ? 130 plus countries, 3/4 + of the worlds population represented. Russia hosting this magnificent forum that wants development and prosperity for the peoples of the world. A multi-polar world, where we can have self-respect and dignity and not be cast as pathetic vassals lapping up deadly lies and regurgitating it to our everlasting shame.
I had great hopes in PAP and its Candidates. I met with Secretary Ditoka. He said. “ “We need people of your calibre, who have practical experience” so, I joined. I know the candidates Dr Antonio Lalabalavu and Filimone Vosarogo, from Taveuni and Tunaloa. I consider them the “Young Turks”, and the future of Fijian politics, BUT, alas, I am afraid they are silent, or have they sold out, given up on their integrity. One is a Doctor and the other a lawyer. How come more sense does not come out of this Government? As for Ditoka, for all my experience, how come no phone call ? Is it because I am white? Is it I did not contribute $5,000.00+? . As Mussolini described, fascism is when business owns the government. Now given this meaning of the word, can anybody on this planet deny that the EuKISUS is not fascist. Eventually the Westminster system gets bought and that is a fact and the reality in the West. As George Galloway says, two cheeks of the same bum.
For example, GB – Labour and Conservative Tories, US – Democrats and Republicans, with their neoliberal policy of forever wars.
Fiji is not served, if it still holds to being a sovereign nation, by partaking in extremely obvious Western propaganda junkets. Stick to UN meetings, the non aligned nations, and meetings with an agenda to uplift the world, like BRICS, which will at its next meeting deal with critically important item on its agenda, a new reserve currency for the world. There is now 50 + countries applying to join BRICS.
This is the future and Fiji should be adding its name to an application form asap.
Lets hope, our “Young Turks” find their spine, and if they want to find an example of one, look no further than Vani Catanasiga.
Very well said GD..appalling lack of judgment
Our Prezi should have gone to Kremlin instead. No one has been able to convince nor intimidate Putin. Given an opportunity, our president could have won over Putin by his influence or his shear man mountain image. Our money would have been better utilised!
Thanks GD for alerting the role of our President as per our constitution. Anything done against the constitution is illegal, isn’t it?
Everything seems to be going wrong for us esp if our fish is allowed to rot from the head. No end to our debacle is in sight. The least Fiji can do is provide freedom for our people to decide what is best for them – pls at least provide easily accessible passports if they wish to emigrate. We will be grateful for at least something and hold our home in our hearts wherever we live. Thank you Fiji.
Katonivere is getting on the gravy train too. He is trying to get as much per diem as possible before his term expires.
The guy needs to look up what a ceremonial figurehead is. He has absolutely no role…