Just days after Grubsheet was removed from Facebook for repeating our offence of posting, among other things, an image of the turtles on the back of the besieged Minister for Women and Children, Lynda Tabuya, our audience is steadily building on this website.
It was always going to be painful to lose my 30,500 Facebook “followers” and the tens of thousands of casual readers of the Grubsheet Facebook page we had accumulated on Meta’s giant platform. But something amazing is happening.
Word is spreading like wildfire on social media that Grubsheet isn’t dead. Far from it. The website many Facebook readers weren’t even aware of but has been on the Internet since 2011 has been resurrected. And the response has been astonishing.
As of this morning, 53,484 people had visited us here since we were taken down towards the end of last week. And by tonight, this had rocketed to 65,113. On Saturday alone we had just under 17,000 readers. So the January total has gone from from whoa to go in a matter of days.
I decided not to even try to fight the Facebook ban. We took great care to cover up the “naughty bits” in the photos we posted there. And publishing them wasn’t for titillation but for legitimate journalistic purposes – to accompany the revelation that the Fijian people were misled when they were told by the Prime Minister that Lynda Tabuya and Aseri Radrodro weren’t having an affair.
Meta removed me from Facebook after complaints from the Fijian government and Lynda Tabuya’s supporters but I cannot be removed from my own website. So I made the decision that it is infinitely preferable to have total control of the editorial process here than to leave myself exposed to the prospect of my Facebook account again being disabled.
That said, I have had a number of representations from women readers telling me that however much exposing this scandal is in the public interest, some of the photographs of Lynda Tabuya have left them feeling uncomfortable. I am not in the business of upsetting anyone unnecessarily so I have now removed those images except for one that is a head shot of the Minister which serves to establish her identity.
It is the texts that have always been the most important aspect of this scandal, with their references to illicit drug use that have rendered Lynda Tabuya’s political position totally untenable. As I have said repeatedly, it is the fact that she lied to the Prime Minister and he, in turn, misled the nation that is the primary issue here, though the hypocrisy of the nation’s most prominent anti-pornography crusader transmitting pornographic images of herself and one of our most prominent anti-drug campaigners referring to having “plenty of weed” in her Melbourne hotel room is also breathtaking.
And then there is the disdain with which the Minister for Women has treated Aseri Radrodro’s wife, Sainiana, which has shocked many Fijian women because of the callousness towards her that is evidenced in the text messages – happily having “brutal sex” with her husband just down the corridor from where Sainiana was sleeping.
When I was removed by Facebook, I asked my readers to spread the word and you have. I gather that hundreds of Facebook users have complained and are sharing the link to this page. And for that I am truly grateful.
Vinaka vakalevu. And commiserations to those who thought, wrongly, that they had seen the back of me.
Since before the election the first page I would visit every morning was Grubsheet. As the quality of journalism declined to new low standards in the past few months, Grubsheet was one of the few beacons of light in the darkness of misinformation.
Some well known journalists have really disappointed the people with their lip services to those in power.
Thank you for your commitment to seeking truth.
Sex sells but the real scandal for Fiji is the misuse of power and funds. There are still lots of serious questions around the tax breaks for Fiji water. The main extractive industry in Fiji is now on an indefinite tax holiday that only benefits billionaires in a country where ordinary people may not have access to a good water supply. This is a serious issue that needs answers ASAP. You seem to be the only person asking those questions. For that reason I continue to follow you. Keep up with the investigative journalism as God knows we need it.
A website is just fine. Once the truth is out with a few butts kicked, Grubsheet will be put back on Meta as conveying the truth. As I mentioned to you before, we are dealing with a bunch of idiots and shameless creatures. They have no integrity at all.
Fiji is at a complete standstill under this government. We need to get leaders in place that can take us to the next level.
I’m very disappointed with this ruling government for suppressing the truth. When facts are brought up, it hurts.
Keep up your good work with all honesty. Perseverance surely pays off.
Very happy we havent seen the back of you!
You are still my go to every morning.
I honestly prefer your website, here I can comment freely knowing my identity is protected. Thank you Graham for your service.
If it wasn’t for you most of us (and entire country I must add) would be in the dark with what’s occurring in Fiji. Mainstream media in Fiji are a disgrace; the standard of reporting let alone investigative journalism has gone walk-about. They are now totally politicised and would only report what makes their political masters look good without any care for the general public. Keep up the great work and keep informing people on the “good, bad and ugly”. Let the truth prevail.
Agree. If it weren’t for Grubsheet and Victor, these issues would most probably have been swept under the carpet and we’d have a drug taking, clandestine shagger/maniac/porn queen shamelessly leading the Women and children of Fiji, carrying on with her addictive behavior. Madam LT, true to her name- best be stood down. Time to go!!!!!
I also am a convert to the website. Who cares about meta? We want the news. Thanks for always delivering Graham.
At least someone has the courage to expose the truth. Really, truth hurts some people but we also can’t avoid it.
The problem is we were promised different but the first thing they do is put up taxes on poorest and give no tax to big companies who make billions in America. I want to know who made this happen.
May I respectfully suggest that Grubsheet and Fiji Leaks including others, also engage in a video talanoa format on Fiji current affairs and geopolitical analysis.
This will maximise the use and power of the medium called the internet.