Both daily newspapers in Fiji are reporting this morning that nine of the former FijiFirst MPs who are now independents after the party’s implosion have decided to back the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka. They will evidently remain as independents as opposed to joining the People’s Alliance but will support the PAP in the parliament.
As Grubsheet reported on the weekend, the PM needed the votes of eight ex-FijiFIrst MPs to be in a position to cut his Coalition partners loose – the NFP and SODELPA – and nine to be comfortably able to do so. Well, he now has the nine and this is going to have all sorts of political implications in terms of coalition unity and national stability.
The Fiji Times reports that the nine decided at a meeting at the Tanoa Hotel in Suva last night to back the Prime Minister in parliamentary votes. The FT reports that the PM was present at the gathering and has a front-page photo of him looking pretty satisfied with the outcome. But there’s a different account in the Fiji Sun, which while reporting the decision by the nine to align themselves with the PAP, says they didn’t actually meet the PM, as the media were led to believe on the weekend. Either way, Sitiveni Rabuka now has the numbers he needs to strengthen his hold on power.
We now know that Mosese Bulitavu – the Prime Minister’s nephew – and the likes of former RFMF Commander, Viliame Naupoto, have been joined by seven other MPs in the Gang of Nine PAP supporters, including another former senior military officer, Ioane Naivalurua. What it means is that the nine have split from the 17 other ex-FijiFirst MPs who intend to remain independent, including the Opposition leader, Inia Seruiratu and party luminaries like Jone Usamate and Premila Kumar, the only woman ex-FijiFIrst MP. ( see below).
It is a major realignment of Fijian politics. And all eyes will be on the budget session of the parliament this week to see how the skittles fall. Despite assurances from the likes of Manoa Kamikamica that the Coalition government is solid, the NFP leader, Biman Prasad, and the SODELPA leader, Aseri Radrodro, must now be feeling the earth moving beneath their feet.
The fact is that the Prime Minister no longer needs the five NFP votes and three SODELPA votes to stay in government. Will he jettison them? That remains to be seen. But any trouble from SODELPA, in particular, could see SODELPA expelled from the Coalition and its three votes in the parliament filled by ex-FijiFirst MPs. And the NFP is likely to be even more supine than usual in not rocking the boat and upsetting the PAP.
Interesting times, as Fiji Times Editor in Chief, Fred Wesley, would say. But not exactly the kind of stability the nation needs for confidence in the government and the economy. On the contrary, things are more unstable and uncertain than ever. And the majority of Fijian voters who supported Frank Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum at the last election have been betrayed by the rats in the ranks who have done a deal with the enemy.
The Nine ex-FijiFirst traitors who if they had any integrity, should have honoured their obligation to the Fijian people to remain as opposition members but have chosen to join forces with the “Snake”. FBC News reports that it understands two others may be about to join them, taking the total number to eleven.
Of course, they are all iTaukei, which pretty much says it all. Parliament is dividing along ethnic lines, which is a tragedy for the nation.
Viliame Naupoto and Ioane Naivalurua – the two former military figures in this cabal – are a particular disgrace. A gross betrayal of their former commander, Frank Bainimarama, their military colleagues and every FijiFirst voter.
And two of the “good guys (and gal)” as opposed to the FijiFirst traitors – those who intend to stay independent and operate as a viable opposition.
These people must now form a fresh political grouping to contest the 2026 election. And they deserve to be supported by anyone who voted for FijiFirst at the last election, which is the majority of voters. Their treacherous colleagues who have joined Rabuka have betrayed the Fijian people. This is not what they voted for. And it is not democracy but a sordid political sellout.
These Opposition members should remain Independent so as to show that they have principles . When you join the government of the day ,that makes them not as strong individuals as leaders but tag along others when the going gets tough. They can agree on some issues with the government of the day and vote for it when the need arises but to publicly say that they want to join is a joke.Be strong and create your own avatar .Keep the government on check .Even if you they want to review the 2013 Constitution they can still do it within the confines of their new status quo with the other from 75% referendum.
Interesting to see who the snakes were in the FFP. Waiting for their chance, these thugs attacked the party as soon as FB went in.
If they couldn’t be loyal to him, particularly, Bulitavu, then why does Rabuka believe they’re going to be loyal to him?
Oh wait, that’s right – they’re being fed and led by Bulitavu who is Rabukas nephew and the lure of an increased pay with full benefits are too irresistible. Naipoto has turned out to be a terrible traitor to his party and Bainimarama.
Anyway, this is Fiji – the way it wants the world to be. Full chow, full corruption and full pay, while it’s citizens can barely scrape by with enough to feed their hungry children.
Welcome to Fiji, the new North Korea of the South Pacific.
These nine might join the PAP in the next election.
What a mess! A truly “Banana Republic” with unforeseen consequences to follow where the ethno-nationalist iTaukei people are expected to rein supreme and the other citizens of Fiji are being disenfranchised. A totally balls up political nightmare and the military remains silent!
So should they (military) remain silent.
Enough of inciting instability please coz when the balloon goes up rhe vulagi community will bear the brunt of peoples anger.
Of course for the first time the military has been given millions directly in the hands of the commander and him to account for the expenses.
Not like previously the Commander used to send the expenses invoices to the govt for payment. So the reason for his silence.
ASK did the honor of raising their salaries during his time to take control of the police and the army In fact he had a police booth under his mansion in Tamavua
So Rabuka did the same i don’t know if he did give the police the same
.God Lord please save Fiji and his people. The danger signs are felt for next mass migration.
If Rabuka is to make changes, even before Biman Prasad is reshuffled out of the Finance Ministry the first man to go should be the controversial and compromised, Richard Naidu, chair of the Fiscal Review Committee.
He should be replaced by someone with a broader perspective on economics and public finance and one who is not closely aligned with any political party or tied to the apron strings of foreign corporate interests.
There were many other options that could have been pursued rather than in govt’s decision to corporatise the Water Authority if Fiji. Even before govt’s decision was announced Richard Naidu was already commenting publically about there being no other way but to look outside government to fund the $7bn that WAF needs to upgrade public water and sewage systems m.
This statement and track record following his recommended tax cuts to his own client, Fiji Water implied his preference to open up to outside investors, meaning more big corporations like Fiji Water, to come in and take-over WAF and be represented by NAIDU’s own Munro Ley’s law firm.
Am not putting up as a model, but at least in Fiji First’s time they chose to pay an annual subsidy of $200m to WAF out of the public budget to ensure one of the essentials of life, water was accessible snd affordable to the people.
Under the Coalition Govt not only will consumers be hit by increased water billls, likely to be three or four times more, but also the people of Fiji will lose control over their water to some foreign entity, and we can thank Richard K. Naidu for this who will also be a beneficiary of such a decision.
Rabuka is the man!
He shattered Fiji First into pieces
Threw few millions in Parliament to approve and the dogs charged for it
Moce Jo!
Rabuka set the bait and his opponents took it hook, line and sinker. He demolished the Fiji First party once and for all. Finito. Moce Jo !
SODELPA must be kicking themselves for not taking up the offer to join FIJIFIRST to form a government.
On point, at least that way they wouldn’t have been treated like garbage and had some self respect and credibility.
Seems like no one is actually fighting to better the lives of the fijian people.
Tell us whose not joining the opposition or coalition. We may coup into snap election. There is lack of so called decorum in this stupid government.
I have so much more respect for Premila than any other MP today. She stood up for what is right from the beginning.
This is leadership at its finest.
Even if she is the lonely wolf she is determined to be the voice that the country needs.
Thank you Premila.
Useless minister
Only a thousand votes
She should be investigated for Lautoka swimming pool contract which jumped from 2 million to 12 million without being completed.
Town Council mess ,where she appointed families for the job
None were good
All the same
That ain’t happening mate!
Rabuka needs Indian party for coalition to look good.
Good or bad ones,he still need them for cover up.
That’s how politics work
There is no Indian party.
Did you know why Bainimarama went to prison.?
One if them listed in USP investigation list was Pramila’s husband.
Rest you work it out Mr Respective
Bainimarama went to prison purely and simply because Rabuka wanted him in prison. That trumped up charge of “abuse of office” lacked merit as Magistrate had acquitted him. Rabuka’s henchman, the temporary and illegal DPP Rabuku, and the temporary Chief Justice did the needful for Rabuka.
USP is not trumped charge my friend.
Read a copy of audited report on USP my friend.
It is frightening to learn how
mismanagement of funds by this so called former VC ‘s mates.
The fact of the matter is that FijiFirst is no more and Rabuka has out manoeuvred Frank and Aiyaz.
Let there be fireworks, dancing in the streets, police and army brass bands on the main streets of the main centres, free lollies to the kids, a big feast and everyone wearing same Kalavata.
Let the people rejoice. Rabuka has won. FF has been obliterated.
Wananavu
PS not forgetting a public holiday to mark the occasion.
As much as majority of Indo Fijians do not support Rabuka, in this case, we prefer NFP be kicked out of coalition and support the traitors (Former FFP MPs) join PAP and humiliate Baiman Prasad
You must be a FLP supporter whose leader is a big crook who stole millions in the name of being a coup victim and kept that millions in overseas banks. Whose the baiman now?
Areh Neelwa, anyone who gifts money to his wife’s pet (formerly and principally) deregistered organisation from the public purse is a baiman. That includes your mentor Baiman Prasad. They’re all crooks.
The question is, tera kya hoga (what’ll become of you?)? Is your USP role safe?
Fiji is a truy f*cked up country. A real Third World country with real Third Rate politicians. And they are all so proud to be so third rate. The PM being the leader of the third raters.
And getting paid very well to be third rate.
And the people all wonder why they are where they are!!!! Idiots.
Looking at the vote count of those who support Rabuka, he’s not gaining much.
Oh really? He has 9 and maybe 11 more than he had last week. And if that’s “not much”, I must be living on another planet.
GD I think he meant the number of voters who actually voted for these 9 traitors.
Under normal circumstances ex Fiji First member should defer to their constituents for guidance . Ex army people running government around the world are disasters. I see the emergence of a new party in 2026.
I thought that once there was a change of government and they put the former PM behind bars all the problems of Fiji were solved. In fact we were told that the problems were all solved within the first 100 days of the new government.
Apparently these were all lies.
Remember people came out to clean up CWM hospital a few days after the election. After that, where did all the volunteers go? Where did all the ecstasy and exuberance go? Why didnt they come out with such exuberance to fix all the potholes? I would like to hear from those volunteers. Where are they now and how are they all doing?
The people of Fiji are all idiots. How many idiots are there in Fiji? For a tinpot country, here is another potential for a gold medal.
And where’s all the money raised for various improvements in CWM’s name?
Hi all Political Analysts and Commentators Read whats not written and hear what is not said. Or read whats not visible and hear whats not audible. The Military may have an official stand not to intervene in the current political soap opera, but there may be some undercurrents working beneath the surface. A Dinosour may come alive sooner than latter. And guess what – A caretaker government with current FFP ex Military may form bulk of it. Regards
Bulitavu who is Rabuka’s nephew has completed his task!
First he leaves SODELPA and in doing so is one of the number who contribute to its downfall.
Then he convinces Frank and Aiyaz that he is one with them and they admit him to the party and he is elected to Parliament under their banner. With Fiji First not securing reelection and with it a plum position in Government he moves to the next action.
Having got in he then waits as his uncle, aided by his handpicked henchmen, bring down the Fiji First founders and the party, with Bulitavu lodging a complaint to trigger the deregistration.
With Fiji First deregistered he then churches the now Independent members of Parliament to support the PAP and his uncle. But only those who are iTaukei!
He, Bulitavu will not only support PAP he will end up a Minister as Rabuka uses him and others to rid him of the other coalition partners and a useless Minister or two.
One could allege a mixture of Trojan horse and the 30 pieces of silver.
We shall see.
Bula Graham, you are only talking about this 9 who betrayed Frank Bainimarama and Fiji First. But in fact, it was the 17 MP’s who are the real culprits, who voted for their pay increase or abstained from voting. The fact that 9 have decided to support the Snake PM does not change the fact that the real point of betrayal was the vote for the pay increase of MPs. Fiji first would not have gone under, had these MPs remained loyal to their party at that point. We cannot glorify men like Usamate, who has chosen to remain independant and in his words “loyal to Fiji First party” when he was one of the 17 who voted YES for the pay rise and in turn caused the friction that ultimately proved to be the down fall of Fiji First. The 17 are just as bad as the new 9 defectors. These bunch of snake parliamentarians would possibly eclipse the Fiji First dictatorship by their term end, for possibly the worst government administration to have governed Fiji. What a shame
You have made a very good point. It is certainly true in the case of Inia Seruiratu, who had his salary taken from $120,000 to $200,000 plus a house. Plus a tax free vehicle every parliament, Plus, plus, plus.
A shocking betrayal of ordinary people who are suffering and will suffer even more when the inevitable inflation kicks in and the prices for everything they need goes up. It is more than a shame, as you call it. It is a fundamental betrayal.
Unfortunate development but this confirms the style of democracy SLR has been running. It’s informed by local cultures and traditions. The siding of the FFP members with SLR is a testament to resilience & culture that people live at home here. Us ‘vulagis’ need to understand this and be careful not to expect anything else. Hasn’t Fiji been like this all the time?
The very fact that the FFP members allowed the deregistration of their own party which was their political ‘home’ demonstrates the self-serving interests and lack of seriousness in their commitment to Fiji. How can they profess to be leaders for the country? And what gets many of us is duplicitous behaviour displayed by some! Where is the morality and commitment to the country? One wonders!
If a party cannot sustain itself and see itself dismantled, how can its members feel they have the commitment or leadership to run a country. A dark day for former FFP members from your defection.
SLR , as astute and cunning he is, will now dismantle the coalition at next opportunity – heard the Orwell message – ‘all power corrupts & absolute power corrupts absolutely’. The Geo-politics of the region has a role to play also. No one, it seems, can advise nor stop the SLR juggernaut. They will form their own governance and won’t care about democracy nor what the rest of the world would be saying.
All power now is with the SLR team including the FFP defectors. Sodelpa & NFP have suddenly become weak and have become vulnerable. The coalition will now be tested. However the power centres form, we
still expect that our rulers have conscience and that out country progresses and does justice to all its people. With no opposition, unfettered power and no party as an effective opposition to keep the govt honest is a real concern. It seems all one way now, SLR, his new endowment and his thinking of ‘no other way’. NFP, supine indeed, you haven’t been effective so far and unless you soon demonstrate why you are special to the evolving rule and run with the invincible, your future is fast becoming uncertain. Cry our beloved country!
Don’t blame them, blame the shoddy Constitution drafter. Now we are left to pick up the pieces. A very short sighted set of rules.
And what, pray tell, is exactly wrong with the constitution? Point to the area(s) that are wrong, explain how that part might be wrong. Are we not functioning as a country under the same constitution? Didn’t all MPs and ranking civil servant all swear to uphold the same document? Or does taking an oath to a vulagi god not count?
Please tell us what exactly might be wrong. I say the politicians and all nationalist use it as a smoke screen to divert the positions attention from more real-life issues they face everyday.
While we are at it, how many of us have actually read the condition?
The CONstitution was written to ensure a single lead like Bai can easily win. And those that come along for the ride have to kowtow to him/her/them. When that 1 person is disqualified, the rest end up in disarray and now nearly 50% of votes have no impact unless they work with Govt.
We need to have more than 1 constituency so Parliamentarians are directly accountable to their voters.
They remain independents so they don’t have to vote with PA everytime, regardless of whatever is said in a meeting. Until there are legal agreements in place to say such their vote can still swing.
The fact that they aren’t joining PA means just this is all hot air.
My opinion is that all this conjecture is overthinking and muddying the waters, jumping at shadows.
(I suspect that as independents PA would have to appease them to induce their vote each time it was required.)
But there is a coalition agreement in place that is valid. That would require a new election to void it. This may be where Rabuka intends to go. So he can then shake out the likes of Lynda, Aseri and Turuga.
As for the constitution, why is it forever being raised? Why is there a mindset that the constitution should or could change with each change of government? The US constitution has stayed intact for hundreds of years without alteration. That is the point of a constitution. Australia has attempted to change its constitution just recently and failed. A change will have to go to a referendum and get 70+% support. In my opinion, the only worthwhile change would be around immunity for the past coup leaders. As we have an habitual tendancy for recycling them that will not happen.