# THE OPPOSITION SETS THE SCENE FOR A MORAL CRUSADE AGAINST THE COALITION IN THE COMING ELECTION (FINAL POST UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE)

Inia Seruiratu, the current Opposition Leader in the parliament, is a devout Christian and lay preacher who is finally beginning to expound a clear vision of his leadership of the newly-registered People First party that has arisen from the ashes of FijiFirst.

It is of a return to morality in government and proper standards of conduct after four years of moral turpitude under Sitiveni Rabuka‘s Coalition – the sex and drug scandals, the unexplained gold Rolex and two deputy prime ministers, Manoa Kamikamica and Biman Prasad, on trial for corruption in the election lead-up.

That breakdown of standards is unprecedented in Fijian history and is a shocking indictment of Rabuka’s rule on top of the dysfunction and sheer incompetence of arguably the worst government in the 56 years since Independence.

Grubsheet would normally steer clear of viewing the political process through a moral prism because much of politics is inherently, well, grubby, and high-minded sentiments from politicians generally have a hollow ring – accompanied in most democracies by hypocrisy and a large degree of “do as I say, not as I do”.

Yet in Fiji, the steady collapse of standards of conduct in public life happens to match the collapse in standards of behaviour in the country generally. Nations take their cue from the top and the example being set by this government is woeful – a lack of transparency and accountability coupled with scandalous self-indulgence and outright corruption that is gnawing away at the national fabric and has hit crisis point.

It is easy for the critics to dismiss Inia Seruiratu as “The Pastor” because of his strong religious beliefs but a moral crusade – a moral rearmament – is arguably what the country needs more than anything. Simply put, a grand coalition of men and woman of integrity from all ethnic and religious backgrounds, including the churches, the military and those institutions that haven’t already been corrupted – in short, anyone who cares about rebuilding standards of personal and public conduct.

It is heartening to see the Unity Party’s Savenaca Narube speaking in the same terms. It is a rare burst of light on a pretty bleak political landscape all round. And both men deserve the support and encouragement of every right-minded Fijian, and especially the ITaukei majority, for whom na ka dina e na ka savasava (central principles of truth and purity) often receive lip service but have been lost in far too many instances in a fog of self-entitlement, indolence and greed.

As the old saying goes, evil triumphs when good men and women do nothing. And we must be thankful for small mercies that we still have people of integrity like Inia Seruiratu and Savenaca Narube in public life who are willing to take a stand for principle and are unafraid to speak the truth.

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And after all of that, many of my readers will doubtless be pleased to know that my own sermonising is at an end for the moment as I finally face the surgeon’s knife early tomorrow to replace my left shoulder.

Having had an enforced last-minute delay of six weeks because of a respiratory infection, I feel a bit like the great Australian opera singer, Dame Nellie Melba, who had so many farewell appearances that in the end, no-one believed she would ever leave. But I am definitely vacating the stage until further notice in the hope that when I eventually return, the national outlook is a lot better than it is right now.

Sota tale.