The madness at the heart of the Coalition government is laid bare with the announcement that Fiji is looking for skilled workers from India to replace those Indo-Fijians who have given up on their country of birth and have moved overseas for good.
More than 100,000 Fijians have joined the mass exodus from the country since the Coalition came to power with one vote on the floor of the parliament in December 22. It is an astonishing number in just over two and a half years. And for the first time in Fijian history, anyone with a transferable skill is being welcomed in countries like Australia and New Zealand which have skills shortages themselves.
Instead of trying to keep the minorities from leaving, the Coalition is actively trying to encourage the notion that they don’t belong and their families would be better off in properly-functioning democracies with well-paid jobs, functioning education and health systems and social security nets that protect the sick and elderly.
Make no mistake. The “vulagi” debate – iTaukei being encouraged to refer to the minorities as visitors in their own country – has been an unmitigated disaster for the nation’s future. Don’t take my word for it. Tens of thousands of people and their families are voting with their feet. And we are now starting to see the resulting disaster, not only the erosion of the tax base Fiji needs to function but shortages of skilled workers – plumbers, electricians, nurses, teachers, you name it.
Well, guess what, Fiji? Having frightened off some of the country’s best and brightest people and especially the dreaded kai idia, the Coalition is now having to go to India to recruit skilled workers.
The irony is staggering. History is coming full circle. The educated descendants of the Girmitiya are leaving and the majority iTaukei (or at least the smarter ones) are suddenly starting to realise that “Indians” who have spent generations in Fiji are going to have to be replaced by Indians from India with no knowledge or understanding about the nation at all.
Qori. Nations not only get the governments they deserve, they get what they deserve when they are stupid enough to drive away skilled workers who genuinely belong but are leaving because they no longer feel welcome. And those nations have no choice but to import people of the very same ethnicity and religion because so many of their indigenous citizens are incapable of doing the work themselves.
We are all awaiting the judgment/ruling/opinion of the Supreme Court at 2.30 pm on Friday to find out whether the common and equal citizenry and common identity provisions of the supreme law are going to continue to be protected or whether non-iTaukei again face the prospect of being second class citizens in their own nation.
That’s what the majority party in the Coalition wants with its call for a return to the racially -weighted 1997 Constitution. And make no mistake again. if the path opens for that to happen, we can be sure that the current exodus from Fiji will accelerate.
The iTaukei extremists are genuinely stupid. They simply don’t realise that they are cutting off their noses to spite their faces. And even if they get what they want, a new migration of kai idia is about to take place because they are too stupid to run “their” country without them.
Fiji really is a nation of dolts. Or as one of Grubsheet’s regular correspondents keeps reminding us, there are “idiots everywhere”…
…including prize idiots ( as well as the corrupt) at the nation’s prosecution service. A stellar example of the “wisdom” of Nancy Tikoisuva.
Come again? “If nothing changes, nothing changes.” Oi, sa dina? Except for a change for the worse under Drunken Nancy and her Crooning Stallion.
So what’s the five year plan? Well, sit around and discuss a course of action for the next five years. Like where to have our next ODPP conference.
Maybe we can find some “Indians” to sponsor the booze.
Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha!Hahahahaha!
Hahahahaha!Hahahahaha!
Hahahahaha!ROTFLMAO!
Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha! Hahahahaha!Hahahahaha!
Hahahahaha!Hahahahaha!
Hahahahaha!ROTFLMAO!
Eds note:
ROTFLMAO. Internet slang for “Rolling on the floor laughing my ass off”. (Wikipedia)
The Coalition looks to India for two reasons, but I will add a facetious third for good measure.
1 – Our tax base has drastically decreased so the coalition looks to India to once again build a nation that the natives can’t.
2 – Indians are typically good workers with strong work ethics.
3 – I can imagine the panic and anxiety among the racist bigots who find themselves in the front pew every Sunday morning.
The hypocrite boci went to Modi to ask for more Indians.
This gives a whole new meaning to saying: too many chiefs, not enough Indians.
As a country, the itaukei detest the very people we can’t do without while they greedily hold on to all the resources and do nothing with the said resources.
We have interest-free loans. Land. Sea. Thousands of miles of coastline. But have zero business acumen to begin and maintain a sustainable long-term business idea and grow the business.
As a country, we detest foreigners, yet rely on tourism and remittances, both foreign.
We detest foreigners but beg for foreign investments.
We detest foreigners yet beg foreign donors for budget support and development assistance.
Foreigners help Fiji in natural disasters, health, and education. What hateful and convoluted, hypocritical, unthinking bunch the native itaukei are.
The hypocrite boci talks a good game about unity but practices bigotry and racism.
Cheered on by lickspittle sycophants like wacol inmate, uluiqalana, koro, take a break, Fiji for fijians, charters, clarke, naidu, baiman, ferriswheel agni, sachida, hijara salen, pussy grabber pramesh, nitya karia reddy, charan chor, teapot crackpot, rajesh loser singh, kailoma kai-india stan, and many more who all blindly support the hypocrite boci’s regressive rule.
Paying lip service to unity yet has no policy other than to get rid of Indo-Fijians. Hypocrite boci calls Indo-Fijians the “settler community” and vulagi.
Yet the brainless boci has no shame but goes to India to beg for more Indians to come. One could die laughing at the turn of events and the irony if it weren’t so disgusting, serious, and sad all at the same time.
Even god can’t help the itaukei. Which is understandable as god was also introduced by foreigners. Sad.
@foreign. Who introduced God to the foreigners?
It’s not only the kaidia that are leaving our shores.
A huge number of kaiviti as well are migrating especially skilled ones. And the not so skilled ones already in Australia on the work schemes and the ones in US doing care giving do not want to return.
They would rather stay illegally than return because of lack of opportunities in Fiji and the money is just too good where they are.
A very sad indictment of where we are today as a nation.
Sadly, the entire economic system was designed to serve one group only, the chiefs, the elites and the middle class hangers on who thrive and benefit form earning a good living working in the civil service and private sector.
Politicians benefit mostly. Fiji’s third rate model of public sector enterprises doing the work of the private sector and communal based land ownership has not helped ordinary Fijians come out of poverty. Even the pathetic import substitution export orientated growth strategy has not materialised over the past 55 years since independence. Sugar is gone.
Only tourism and migration are the export drivers. The Fijian diaspora help through remittances.
Why would Indians from India want to come to Fiji now? India is an emerging economy.
Fiji is heading the way of Tonga. Can someone do a Census to figure out what today’s population is?
But then again, you need money for that!
If the government and the itaukeis think that the new indentured labourers that will arrive in fiji will be like us docile dependents 3rd or 4th generations down the line, they are in for a big surprise . They will not tolerate any nonsense that the current Indians are facing here.
And why can’t the government and GCC get their people to work the land, why are they sending the kaiviti to be labourers in other foreign lands. There are 20k applications with government now for the PALM scheme. Bet 99% are itaukeis.
Currently the numbers are 1570 with breakdown are as follows:
Indigenous Fijians = 45% (50% Male & 50% Female)
Indo-Fijians = 50% (90% Male & 10% Female)
Others = 5% (50% Male & 50% Female)
Out of this, the likely scenario after 5 years:
Indigenous Fijians = 80%-90% will never come back, 10%-20% will come back & improve their business & land resources development
Indo-Fijians = 100% will come back and then prepare to legally migrate overseas while they will leave their parents behind who love Fiji so much that they will stay & die in the land of their indentured system slavery
Others = 100% will come back but they will secure their PR status in NZ & Aus. and still enjoy the Fijian way of life and beautiful tropical paradise.
What this also shows is the lack of a proper internal measures in place by the employers in order to cater for the top brass who have left the company. Internal recruitment not only preserves organizational culture, but also costs less due to the downtime created during the advertising, hiring, and on-boarding process.
But naah, advertise twice, disregard the applicants who might actually be suitable for the role, and get in workers from overseas and pay them a fraction of what you would do the locals.
Is Rabuka’s next stop China for his palms to be greased as his corrupt bribe for a flood of Chinese skilled workers? And today, they are much more likely to have English speaking skills than Chinese in the 1890s, so they will find adaptation a pushover.
Fiji will again become the melting pot of the Pacific, and with the cunning of the Chinese government, the iTaukei will get a hell of an awakening when they discover they are broke and others own their ports, airstrips, fisheries, farms, minerals, schools, hospitals, etc. More mountains of ores will be shipped off to China. The Elite iTaukei will be left to waffle around the kava bowl, with kava bought from Chinese owners.
Not much has changed since a Fijian chief swapped an island for a Yankee smoking pipe, except “politicians” just more stupid.
Yeah, when the next lot of indentured labourers from India arrive, Fiji will be a Singapore.
With brains like those in parliament, a dickhead and PM, a crook as CJ, a pedo as President and the rocket scientists in the GCC, Fiji will be making strides in leaps and bounds as we have seen in the last 3 years. Did I mention the absolute comprehension of the Bible by Fijians like no other people can comprehend. Other countries should learn from Fiji.
Wait for Friday. The Supreme Court will open the way for amendments to 2013 documents that will render it impotent as the national instrument of rule. Instead, ethnocratic policies will be pushed through a reduced amendment benchmark of even 50 plus 1.
First up will be equal citizenry and rights. The chaos and decrepitude promised in 1987 will be completed by 2027. Frightening. No, a horrifying prospect and those who have the least to worry about are those boarding planes regardless of race and mouthing moce Viti.
What the f***? And I thought this Government could sink no lower.
They have a spade.
In the high skilled sector how many will choose Fiji over the higher wages offered in other countries like those who left Fiji opted for ?
In the less skilled sector , every developed country is crying out for labour so again wages are in the spotlight.
And where will the new potential influx of workers live in a country short on affordable housing ?
ROTFLMAO Indeed !!
If anyone wants proof of the leader of the largest democracy in the world talking about assisting the tinpot democracy, it’s on YouTube.
So funny, a comprehensive plan of assistance to a beggar nation from a man with a solid political pedigree for the chief beggar, a man of dubious political record replying with nothing of importance or relevance or substance.
Modi offered tangible solutions to assist with a 100 bed hospital, farming assistance, IT support, naval contribution and so on in a lengthy speech full of good intentions. And our dear supreme leader, countered with a short, nonsensical, irrelevant statement highlighting that a kai india was a soldier in the Fijian Army shot in a peacekeeping force and how proud he was of that.
GD, I thought your nationalist contributors on this site are always harping on about how kai indias are lamusona and have never fought or died for their motherland Fiji.
So who is telling a porkie here?
The logic behind an attempt to regain lost tax revenue resulting from kicking out hardworking third generation Fijians of Indian descent only to replenish with the new educated Indian beggars belief.
I have worked with these ‘desi’ lot and I can confirm they don’t stand for any nonsense.
Rabuka forced the Indian exodus from Fiji by his “God” inspired Treason.
Fiji’s solution lies in educating, training and mentoring i-Taukei into meaningful opportunities.
I am tempted to say deja vous, but not quiet.
The descendants of Girmitiyas have spent over 5 generations in the country and grown up as Pacific Islanders. Their unique culture and upbringing, is very different from that of the Indians living in India. In fact many of the Fijian Indians find difficulty in relating to the attitudes and styles of their Indian counterparts. One only has to look at their relationships with the expatriate Indians here parachuted by Pal at USP, Bank of Baroda, ICI and other big businesses to understand the gulf in their different attitudes to I-Taukeis and Pacific Islanders generally.
They may look the same, watch Bollywood and listen to Indian songs (which many in this globalised world do these days), but perhaps Rabuka and Biman have forgotten how unique these IndoFijians are.
The new crop of Indians will certainly not till your farms and rejuvenate the sugar industry. With their competitive DNA in manufacturing, IT, business and other sectors, don’t hold your breath for the same relationship the current descendants have cultivated with the indigenous people.
Diane,
So true. Fiji Indians and India Indians are different. We are Fiji Pacific Islanders. Not bound by caste.. Different outlooks.
But Fiji can tap into Indian Manufacturing. Excellent products produced by Punjas for example can be replicated throughout.
But will the iTaukeis finally stand up and access this opportunity?
Oh, the irony!
Indians again being seen as the solution to the problem. They say that those who fail to heed history are bound to repeat it. The descendants of the ‘Girmit’ (indentured laborers from India who arrived in Fiji in 1879) can see all happening again.
The problem being created by the current incompetent Government that has seen 100K plus leaving Fiji as they see no future in country where the policy is to return to the 1990’s and the reintroduction of race-based policies and laws.
As others have already commented, the iTaukei seem to have no interest in working the land or creating prosperity to improve their lives. They have been indoctrinated into believing they are owed a living and the Government and GCC will provide.
The court outcome on Friday will be watched by many, including those who provide Fiji with money and support. To those who think China will be the Saviour have a look at Tonga and its continuing slide into debt and Chinese influence.
There is a bigger plot at play here. The strategic alliance with India is more to do with the NFP’s advancement of and of radicalisation of the extremist Hindu views. The anti Islamic propaganda initiated by NFP since 2014 and the spread of Islamic hatred by the use of social media and other despicable tactics is now taking a prominent role.
Modi is a hard-core Hindu fanatic and extremist. A racist bigot and big time Islamophobe – something him and Baimaan have in common.
It’s only a matter of time when you will get to witness the breakdown of harmony and peaceful coexistence of different religious groups.
The hard-core extremist Hindu policies and cultural practices of the caste system will not only conflict with our current norms and Pacific style of living, but it will slowly but surely eat away at the fabric of Fijian society as we know it.
Let the good times begin.
The hypocrite boci went to Modi to ask for Indians.
It gives a whole new meaning to too many chiefs, not enough Indians.
As a country, the itaukei destest the very people we can not do without while they greedily hold on to all the resources and do nothing with the resources.
Did this bastard and his gawping entourage of free-riders tell Modi the itaukei destroy Hindu temples?
Did this bastard and his gawping entourage of free-riders tell Modi how much they despise Indians?
Did this bastard and his gawping entourage of free-riders tell Modi they want the 1997 racist constitution to classify Indo-Fijians as second class citizens?
Did this bastard and his gawping entourage of free-riders tell Modi how many Indians they displaced and booted them out from farms because of pure hate and racism?
Did this bastard and his gawping entourage of free-riders talk Modi about 1987 and 2000 robberies, rapes, arson, and beatings of the Indo community in Fiji?
Did this bastard and his gawping entourage of free-riders tell Modi that the GCC has special hatred and blames all itaukei failures on Indo-Fijians?
The same GCC grifters you wish to send to India? Christian GCC grifters going to a dominate and dominated by Hindu? Christians going to the land of idol worshipers? What happened?
Itaukeis destroy, rob, and desecrate Hindu temples in Fiji, and the GCC remains mute. The same GCC wants to visit India to learn? Hypocrites!
What did the GCC learn in China? That itaukei are allergic to hard work and education?
Does this bastard and his gawping entourage of free-riders realize they don’t have a leg to stand on and yet beg for prosthetic limbs?
Does this bastard and his gawping entourage of free-riders realize India’s progress in the last 40 years compared to Fiji? We want to go backward to 1997.
Did this bastard and his gawping entourage of free-riders tell Modi there is no need for a high specialty hospital? Baiman said he’d make Fijian medical services world-class in 4 years.
Does this bastard and his gawping entourage of free-riders realize that India has the third largest Muslim population? And we know the itaukei have special hatred for Muslims.
Beggars can’t be choosers.Fiji is ready to suck on anything as the current leaders are shameless beggars who don’t know they coming or going
If you don’t want the tax base to shrink then one good idea is to cancel all tax holidays and ask those who advocated for them to pay back the lost tax owed to the tax payer.
So will the Indians be given Fijian citizenship? And will Hindi replace Fiji Hindi? As long as Fiji Indians migrate out of Fiji and there are few to no Fiji Indians left, then it won’t bother me if Indians from India become Fijian citizens.
“Slacker”, words fail me. Except to observe that you must be the dumbest Fijian on the entire planet.
I thought that I was dumb. But a recent event proved otherwise.
And what event was that, pray tell?
An event that tested my intelligence that would eventually take me places.
You really don’t know about slackers, do you? This is why people should watch anime like Naruto/Shippuden/Boruto to understand slackers like Shikamaru Nara.
No, it is part of the broad sweep of ignorance that characterises my own intellectual development. I clearly must do better.
You’re just a lazy good for nothing ulukau kanakana buta SLACKER!!
Your pants is so slack go show your ass to the fools you belong to! Your racist Louth confirms to me you must be a PAP supporter ! Yuck !
How am I racist? I just want Fiji Indians to get out of Fiji and migrate to Australia, New Zealand, USA and Canada to have a safe, secure and good future. I don’t want Fiji Indians to remain in Fiji and be tortured by Native Fijians every day.
Too much soqo and functions and nothing worthwhile productive being done.
Especially this week with all the church conferences being done.
Oh, the irony of it all…and a Shakespearean tragedy for itaukei 😁.
For middle class Indians, the attraction is Fijian dollar which will give them more money to remit to India.
This generation of Indians are assertive and aggressive and ingrained in hinduvta. They are also very discerning and demanding but still look down on natives or indigenous tribes who are called scheduled caste in India. Oh my…the itaukei will now be dealing with very confrontational kaidia. Despite their land and being special, we know who will come out better🤣
Interestingly, having a defence attache at Indian high commission raises the eye. We know this is diplomatic talk for spies. So will India’s Research and Analysis Wing now play an active role in the South Pacific through Fiji?
Can someone tell the idiot Agni Deo Singh – the so-called Minister in Rabuka Government that people who left Fiji have most justified reason to do so.
They left Fiji for secured future of their children. They knew that they will always have to live on the mercy of indigenous people who never believed in equality and fair play.
In the countries they have migrated,
they will own what ever they made. They won’t lose everything in the name of RESERVE.
Seriously, Graham, you could not make this stuff up.
Sitiveni Rabuka has lost any last vestiges of respect and authority he had. In fact he’s become a caricature of a PM.
I can just imagine Modi patiently listening to SR’s spiel about his blue Pacific knowing that the shakedown was about to come.
In Australia the cartoonists would have a field day with the material that SR comes up with.
I look forward to the next instalment.
Please do watch Rabuka being interviewed by Indian media. It’s so cringe as he tries to explain, dodge and lie about Fiji, his coups etc with his fat tongue wobbling about in his mouth. I mean it you have to watch his mouth. If he and others like him think that India will send their top people to work, they are so mistaken.
While Rabuka makes a complete idiot of himself with the Indian media and Ministers, his side kick Biman Prasad was apparently on an ‘official’ visit to Australia meeting Ministers and his friends, aka ‘the diaspora’. The usual rhetoric from Biman was music to Aussie government who loved to see this caricature dance to their tune. Of course Australia wants to do ‘security pacts’ with countries willing to suck up given the China phobia. I am sure it will be a win win for Australia and Indo-Fijian skills.
What was interesting is BCP was meeting Universities’ and pretending to develop relationships with Ministry of Finance. I wonder where the Fijian Minister of Education was and why wasn’t he or any VCs from Fiji Unis part of the delegation. Was he building a case for himself to succeed his disastrous Paratha pal, Pal. Time will tell.