Richard “I have the means” Naidu says we need to keep the parliamentary emoluments scandal in perspective.
For the first time in many months, the Chair of the government’s Fiscal Review Committee deigns to give us his perspective in Saturday’s Fiji Times.
We’ve got “the rule of law now”? You mean the illegal appointments of a judge and Acting DPP ? A novel perspective, that’s for sure.
Will it be brought to us by Fiji Water? We can hardly wait.
LATER AFTER PUBLICATION: :
Well it actually turns out pretty well. Richard Naidu correctly identifies the public fury with the package and the government’s mishandling of the scandal. But as he indicated in his Facebook promo, his politics means he just can’t bring himself to acknowledge it as an unqualified disaster.
It is a car crash but not as big a car crash as under the old order because at least we have democracy again. Blah, blah,blah. And his defence of the courts is a joke when the Acting Chief Justice is demonstrably an outlaw making appointments contrary to the Constitution.
First a couple of highlights and then the full article.
And what’s with the bizarre sign-off? Of course it’s important to know that Richard Naidu is a member of the National Federation Party and a member of the Fiscal Review Committee ( is he no longer the chair?)
The article is naturally from the perspective that the NFP opposed these increases. So a solid piece marred by the ” but this government isn’t as bad as the last” ending and supercilious treatment of an important disclosure about the author’s potential conflict of interest.
Let’s see if this is a one-off article to help the NFP leader, Biman Prasad, navigate the storm of his current standoff with the Prime Minister or a return to regular commentary. Hopefully it’s the latter. Because when his masters are his readers, Richard Naidu always makes a valuable contribution to the national debate.
NFP’s poster boy will no doubt come to the defence of his under-fire leader. His silence so far on a raft of Coalition government excesses has been shameful.
Perfect edition for that toilet paper to help with managing cost of living.
This guy needs a lot to answer for given his link with Fiji water. The billion dollar business whose profits remain in USA. He allegedly with the head of govts looks to have further ensured that Fiji doesn’t gain from its resources by bringing in that tax free arrangement.
That should have received the same pushback from citizens like the pay rise issue.
It would be in his and NFP’s best interests if he explained the steps he took to disclose his conflict of interest because if he or his law company is paid by Fiji water and if he recommended to government in an official or even quasi official government capacity that Fiji Water is given a tax holiday then he’s caught in a conflict. He will claim he has no duty to explain himself but this will miss the point that he’s managed to embroil the NFP and the esteemed leader in a financial scandal that exposes them to a PAP attack and could involve FICAC and an investigation to determine if proper processes were followed. If PAP was looking for something to use against NFP this is one of the options to remove them from the higher ground they tried to take.
@Lynda. ‘esteemed’ leader, the farce lamb chops?
Drunk on Fj Water tonight. Nothing brutal plz.
After his conflict of interest in the granting of the Fiji Water tax exemption, Richard ‘the hypocrite’ Naidu’s views are not worth the paper they are written on. He’s turned out to be a complete fake and charlatan.
Richard is a self-serving hypocrite, no better than his mate – Baiman!
Your shitty piece means jack-shit Richie and you know it so don’t even try to pacify the situation as the public is now seeing the coalition for what it really is.
And where have you been all this while with series of assault on the constitution, minorities being marginalised, PM going ga-ga, your mate Baiman appointing his friends to top positions and turning a blind eye to the inferior treatment of indo-Fijians!
Oh yes – you’ve been drunk and high on Fiji Water.
Did you disclose your own conflict? So that makes you as self-serving as the rest.
“That means that that today’s politicians have no legacy or learning about how to consult people, how strongly they feel about certain issues and what a free media will say about them” What bullshit.
Yes what utter nonsense. Not knowing how to consult people, just mischievous shifting the blame.
But don’t worry there are many consultants and advisors for hire…not for free but for a fee!
What Richard conveniently doesn’t say about this so-called democracy, is that following Lynda’s revelations about Biman, including the fact that he didn’t seek cabinet approval for the parliamentary grant that he gave to his own NFP party to the tune of some hundreds and thousands of dollars – someone needs to report this to CID so that they can investigate Biman for abuse of office. Will Richard do this? Of course he won’t.
Can someone explain what Naidu means in the second sentence, “ did they get it right?”
“Democratic catch up?”
No that’s not good enough. Hold the PM and MP’s accountable for their actions. It’s not only about what people can now do as far as having their say but also what the PM must do!
They want everyone to be happy they can now speak.
The PM said it was a done deal and he did not encourage a dialogue with public initially. They will keep using this as a way for people to think there is democracy, and therefore stay in your lane because “isn’t it great you can speak”. That’s another form of control, to remind people how bad it could be if they go back.
There needs to be sound decision making on government’s part.
Do you want to take the slow road to democracy??
You either have it or you don’t.
Do you want to be a little bit democratic?
Someone did a great job by reducing Minister of Finance pay,but not realizing the Minister will still earn more by awarding Tenders and contracts
Aunty Lynda highlighted something about buying cars without a proper Tender process
Sounds fishy here
Plus he has his hands on the cash register anyway
The clown, DICK NAIDU.
PROUDLY SPONSORED BY FIJI WATER.
Richard Naidu is like his leader, Biman Prasad, a small boy in big trousers. A spoilt brat.
We recall Lai Qarase went to gaol for not declaring his interest.
Scrutiny of the Fiscal Review Committee minutes should reveal if Richard K Naidu declared his interest in Fiji Water or at least the “potential for conflict of interest”
Grubsheet has already reported that Police have received a report that RKN should be investigated for an alleged involvement in the 1987 gang of Indo Fijian bomb-makers and bombers.
People were maimed and a policeman died after carrying his injuries for a number of years.
All it takes is for someone to lodge a complaint to FICAC and Police and RKN will be investigated.
Now we have two Baimaans. This one is a trainee and is what a succession plan looks like in Fiji.
They just woke up after a week to put their views
They were all silent from last Friday
May be they had a shock of their life
Thank you very much Coalition Govt for giving the people the freedom to express their views …after 16 years. We are so greatful.
And thank you so much for giving us the reason in this particular issue of the ” renumeration incident last Friday 24th May” that we have something we can actually complain about to demonstrate our new found freedoms.
Thank you for giving us the shambles, thank you for freedoms given us that we can express our views about the shambles….thank you for the music, thank you for giving it to me…Vinaka coalition govt, thank you madam Tabuya. Mamma Mia
….Here I go again..Causation and Effect:
Yes it’s the previous Fiji First Govts fault that the poor helpless Coalition Govt does not know how to consult the people…isa…. We blame the lack of consulting on the previous Govt.
Everyone was so scared. But now we are not scared. You can slowly learn new skills on consulting the people, skills and legacy that was taken away by Bai and Kai.
(However a few sessions at the Grand Pacific Hotel can remedy this)
Verdict from the Article:
It is the Fault of the people for voting the inept candidates.
It is the Fault of the previous Fiji First Govt…(Forever more)
It is the Fault of the Coalition member Chair of the emoluments committee LT – who attacked my client the Leader of my NFP party.
Ha ha ha Time for a mix of kava and Fiji Water…note: VAT included…Income Tax Exempt !
This is like a prayer
Ameni
Jessu Turanga lako tiko na lasu
It should also matter that Dick K Naidu’s firm Munro Leys represents ‘The Fiji Times’.
If there was newfound freedom, we would be commenting on Grubsheet, the Facebook version, not the web version. And all that freedom won’t fill stomachs of those severely impacted by higher VAT and significantly lower standards of government services and infrastructure.
Mr Fiji Water. Waste time person this one. Misled so many voters last elections and then disappeared.
Isn’t he the poster boy for this Coalition and an advisor too?
Isn’t this a conflict of interest?
Who still pays for his articles?
One minute be is securing tax break for billionaires. Next he is hosting the failed economic summit.
Who really listens to him anymore?
Haven’t we seen enough of NFP parading supporters already!