Just as Grubsheet has undergone a crisis of confidence about whether to keep trying to influence events in Fiji because they just go from bad to worse, words of encouragement have come from an unlikely source in the form of William, Prince of Wales.
He says it is very important to talk to sheep and ask them how they feel. He doesn’t precisely say why but I take it to mean that however dumb sheep may appear, we should keep communicating with them, even if it’s for our own mental health, not theirs. An interesting idea – to coin Fred Wesley‘s favoured phrase – and one that is giving me a modicum of comfort in my own mental anguish over why the Fijian people keep putting up with being treated like sheep by their leaders.
Some Fijians, of course, are perfectly happy to be sheep, such as the ubiquitous Jan Nissar, aka Jan Mohammed, the Sydney-based letter writer whose crazed ideas are regular fare in the Fijian papers. In his latest missive, he tells the other daggy ruminants who read the Fiji Times that the Minister for Bonking and Weed, Lynda Tabuya, would make an ideal attorney general.
Oh really? See what I mean? It’s enough to make you gnaw your own leg off. But Prince William makes an important point. Just go with the flow. Find the nearest “Fiji Fantastic” – the local sheep variety – and talk to it. Having been bred especially for local conditions, it knows the Fijian mind and will give you insights you never thought possible, including why Lynda would make a good AG and the importance of meek acceptance as our leaders lead us to the slaughter.
Perhaps Jan Nissar is being tongue in cheek about the Great Temptress as AG. This sheep has no idea about the seriousness of anything in the Fijian media anymore. And having nothing further to add and being a long way from a live sheep to tell me everything’s OK, I’m going to do the next best thing and talk to myself in the mirror.
How do I feel? Baa!
The local variety are equally keen to talk. “Fiji Fantastics” can make you feel good about yourself. That’s why they gave them the name.
Live versions preferable. Talking to your mutton curry at the vale in kana may suggest to others that your grip on sanity is slipping.
Why are there more sane people in New Zealand? They do it all the time.
Click on the link for a genuine revelation.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2456429644414880
POSTSCRIPT: It transpires that Jan Nissar must have been joking in suggesting that Lynda Tabuya be made AG from a follow-up letter to the Fiji Times in Sunday’s edition. He was clearly being ironic. But the problem is that both the Fiji Times and the average Fijian normally don’t do irony so it will have undoubtedly gone right over their heads.
The irony is contagious. Jan Nissar’s fellow Sydney resident and constant letter writer to the FT, Rajend Naidu, also employs it today in relation to the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka. But the big question remains whether ordinary Fijian readers will cotton on?
If Grubsheet had trouble yesterday working out whether Jan Nissar was being serious, there has to be an element of doubt. Though maybe I’m just the dumbest sheep in the mob.
Dear Graham, you’ve lifted my spirits this early Saturday morning.
I’ve been in danger of moaning to my lamb neck stew about shifty politicians shitting all over Fantastic Fiji.
If that lamb neck wasn’t missing its head, we would have had a good yarn about freaky Fijians, Chinese gangsters, the Presidents bling, Bible bashing hypocrites…all more disgusting than dag on a sheep’s bum!
The thing, is we’re waking up from dreams of sizzled lamb chops to the daily mess of 5 minute noodles in messed up FJ, while exercising our thumbs to dial for yet another remittance kerekere from the Land of Sheep. Baaaaaa.
Can talk to sheep until the cows come home and the chicken to roost. Either way, these barn yard animals are all noise but no action. The only action they’ll take is to gather at the grounds with other sheep cheering on teams that will do nothing to alleviate the struggles they face. Is it the climate or simply the dumbing down of already dumb sheeps.
Lynda Tabuya is a disgrace and a terrible role model for children and women. The Fiji government has become a disgusting example and a real embarrassment for the people of this country.
Talk to sheep my bum.
Also, when dealing with live specimens, of mutton dressed as lamb. Buyers beware.
Another boot licker and greaser. He thinks if he polishes enough knobs by writing unicorn styled rainbow articles about the government, he’s either going to score one with Lynda or get offered a role in government, which is how a lot of them got in when the coalition took over.
Blokes probably a bludger and sits at the TAB all day.
Understandable to lose heart with the hopelessness of the situation in Fiji at the moment. While the sheep may be not be listening, investors are. So too are the politicians that need to hear this feedback. While they are unable to take it on board, it at least ruffles their feathers. We can’t have them getting away with such shenanigans feeling too comfortable. Even a little embarrassment and discomfort is worth pursuing. Hope you get your mojo back Graham – because too many of your readers enjoy and appreciate waking up to your shining light on these Shepherd assholes.
I think you will find that this letter writer was tongue in cheek about the great temptress being an ideal candidate for AG. You appear to have totally misconstrued his letter and the sarcasm. He has written sarcatic letters all along and this was another one. He has already talked about the ‘high standards’ being set by this government and the judiaciary. Of course all sarcastic.
You seem to forget that he was the only person who objected to the formation of PAP. Where was everyone then? And where were you then? In fact he seems to have judged well to oppose the formation of PAP, knowing the crackpot who was forming the party, when everyone else in Fiji was jumping on the bandwagon. The only person to object.
Your judgement for supporting the NFP and Baimaan was totally out of whack. Anyone who sleeps with a despot like Rabuka must have their head checked and anyone who supports such people must have their heads checked as well. How many such people are there in the country? And you have admitted you were totally wrong. Maybe age is catching up.
Oh loosen up. You say I can’t understand sarcasm. You don’t understand irony. I was hardly an island in supporting the Coalition and the change of government. But who honestly thought they would be as bad as they are? Their assault on the institutions of state alone distinguishes them as the worst government in Fijian history.
“Who honestly thought they would be as bad as they are”
You may be surprised how many saw the tsunami of general destruction coming, the cries of warning were drowned out by the rip-tide of jealousy and other regressive aspirations for change.
In the land of the Long Dark Cloud (PC) one third claim to be Maori and make scary faces and want your blood, oops, sorry a social welfare cheque, one third are woke and love wabbits n sheep and killing babies, the other third have and are running away to the land of Oz, to be replaced by parrots, who have learned everything they know by breaking and screwing things up that businesses somewhere in the world had to pay for. Just as they figure out their A, from their Elbow, they take themselves to the land of milk and manuka where the sheep pen crush is open.
Don’t give up GD, small things, seeds, voices.
Look at Hamas , from stone throwing boys to warriors in the greatest tradition of Western military lore. David and Goliath. They were brilliant , brave and SUCCESSFUL and I think beyond any expectation they could have imagined .
They need to hold on to their guns or be betrayed.
What they have done for the West and the world has the potential to go way beyond anything to do with Gaza and Israel, but to the heart of, so called Western Civilisation. Who owns the West and what is its ethos, because from where I sit, I see lies, cheating, stealing, sanctions, siege, destruction, killing, extermination – oh and that so polite word genocide, as its bedrock. Not since the anti Vietnam War protests has the world rallied so.
The scales are falling off the eyes of the inmates of the fascist West’s Corporate Gulag. Hopefully this will be a good thing for the world.
GD, you live in the West, in one of the 5 brown eyes, so a jingoist at times in foreign policy which is understandable. Mind you, don’t get jailed in Fiji. The Chinese demand extradition to Beijing for saying naughty things about them. hehehe. JA is the Precedent.
I like to think that you are a fair journalist, that can see both sides, and will not compromise worthy values and worthy traditions for civilisation, empire, country, family and individual, and reject bad ones wherever they may appear. This takes great courage
This is your personal blog, and with it you report on the news and provide your values and insights to it. It is a brave voice that speaks to our country and its families and I know at great cost to you in labour and emotion as you watch the dignity and integrity of Fiji being thrown into the pig pen by some leaders.
Where are the good men? Are there any?
The curse of a small nation, everybody compromised. We can not talk because we work or belong to some group . Wether it is Family, Village, Church, Work, Government, Social group, Friends – the terror of it all, the terror of loss of job , of maduwa.
All those hats we wear are heavy and force our heads down till we are eating “grass”, Baaaa!
“whilst supposed good men stand by, evil proliferates”
Who is the bad guy? The evil man that can not change his spots, or the supposed “good man ” that says nothing and does nothing, does not lift a hand or raise a voice for good in public, or show solidarity with other like minded people. Nope , in my opinion these people are worse than bad people.
“Be hot or cold, not luke warm, or I will spit you out.” comes from scripture.
Hope we are not facing being spat out to becoming a “failed State” .
Kinda looks like it according to scripture.
Scripture describes a political system that we do not follow. The Biblical system of governance proscribes leaders of 10, 100, 1,000 ………for full 100% inclusion and involvement 100% of the time of the people which is pure democracy. What we have is 100% of the population spend 30 seconds in a polling booth every 4 years. Engagement of the people in systematic governance, .001%. ?
If there is no intellectual ability of the people of Fiji to see that the representative system we have is an utter failure, rotten to the core, then what hope is there. Can we not even see that there are other systems operating around the world that are superior to what we have, and I dare say , in most Western countries now have. Its failing for them, and certainly for us. Cut and past, as they say, and oh!. what a mess, this” blackmail” system, the perfect brew for Satan and his little henchmen, God of this World.
Are we trapped forever, or is there a way out?
I am never the one to criticise without offering a solution.
Here goes;
I suggest that the Fiji Military Forces , make a legal case, they are practised at this, to inform the President that he prorogue parliament and that the Prime Minister choose half of his Cabinet that are in service now and that the other half of Cabinet be selected by Fiji First Party and placed in cabinet to provide an interim Government that is only function is to manage the day to day administration of government. All Parliamentarians are paid until a new Representative System is decided upon. There is no sitting of Parliament until convened by the President to pass and enable the decisions of The Constitutional Assembly.
The Military Removed this body from the Constitution. It should never have done so, and it is incumbent upon them to bring it back.
On being formed, the Assembly, initially, has only one task, and that is to take best advice from history, specialists and canvass the people for their input.
After the Assembly takes due consideration and comes forward with a new representative system the President calls for new elections under a new system within 8 months from his call.
The new system is not set in STONE going forward. Give it 3 election cycles and then review. Not withstanding that the Assembly can suggest minor changes to the Electoral Commission for change along the way.,
After there is once more a Parliament or peoples Congress , the Constitutional Assembly starts to deal with other matters contained in the Constitution.
How do we pick who is in the Constitutional Assembly ?
Well enough for now, but more later, from this farmer who is thinking on ways to save our nation from “ failed State status”. Any sheep out there want step up and have a Baaaa about it, become a lion and state your name?
You are a good man GD.
Please do not give up on us.
Trying hard not to saying anything about the Coalition learning how to treat sheep from the New Zealanders…..
What’s happening in Fiji politics is alarming to say the least Graham, and it is distressing to see a nation with so much potential seemingly walking a path in the opposite direction. Your insights and commentary must come to you at a cost. Don’t let them overwhelm you!
Thank you, Stephen. I value your counsel and every best wish to you.
Did you know Jan Nissar ( Jan Mohammed) caught the first available flight and escaped to Sydney when Rabuka did coup in 1987…?
Dan Kumar seems to be saying “Hey everyone, look at me, I am a complete dickhead”
There sure was plenty of sheep within those 16 years, at least the coalition here are being kept on their toes by people challenging them.