Inia Seruiratu gets a $200,000 salary and a house to be “Opposition Leader” in the parliament. But the former FijiFirst minister and now leader of People First is doing precious little opposing as the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, refuses to rule out abolishing the secular state – one of the centrepieces of the Bainimarama era.
Why the silence? Well, partly because it emerges that Seruiratu has been chosen by the Prime Minister to be one of Fiji’s official delegates to the Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Palau.
That’s right. The official Opposition leader is at PIF with the Foreign Minister, Sakiasi Ditoka, and the Minister for Climate Change, Lynda Tabuya. And he is again leaving the role of opposing – what the taxpayer pays him to do – to the Labour Party leader and former prime minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, from outside the parliament.
It is extraordinary in itself that Sitiveni Rabuka isn’t at the PIF – which owes its very existence to the regional leadership of Fiji’s founding prime minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. Time was when it was Australian prime ministers who were criticised by their Pacific colleagues for not being present at Forum meetings. But in Palau, the Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, is currently centre stage and the Fijian Prime Minister isn’t there at all.
But Inia Seruiratu is. Why? Yes, he has a history of climate activism and is undoubtedly by the side of the Minister for Bonking and Weed, Lynda Tabuya, as they work with other delegations on a joint Pacific approach at COP-31 ( Inia clearly has a very trusting wife). But we haven’t heard so much as a peep out of the Opposition Leader over the revelation that the Constitutional Review Commission appears to have recommended the abolition of the secular state.
Is it because Seruiratu – a self-described “distinguished Christian minister “- agrees with it? Did he sit in the Bainimarama government all those years secretly seething about the fact that Frank Bainimarama insisted on the separation of state and church? Does he actually favour the introduction of a Christian state in Fiji? These are all legitimate questions that Inia Seruiratu needs to be in a position to answer.
Why? Because not only do we pay him to “oppose” and he seems chronically less than keen to do so but he presumably wants the minorities – including Hindus and Muslims – to vote for People First at the coming election. Why should they if Inia Seruiratu isn’t prepared to stand up for their current constitutional right not to have their religions sidelined as the state sides with Christians?
Let’s be clear, Fiji. Sitiveni Rabuka has had every opportunity over the past 48 hours to rule out the removal of the secular state provision of the 2013 Constitution, news of which has sparked such a furore that he has been obliged to call for calm. He hasn’t done so. So what does that tell us? That it is very much on the table and could soon be railroaded through the parliament to a referendum of voters that would make it law.
Let’s also be clear, Fiji. The mainstream media has fallen into line and has removed any reference to the abolition of the secular state in coverage of the recommendations of the Constitutional Review Commission. They are glaringly not asking the Prime Minister the direct and obvious question we have asked him here. Is the abolition of the secular state in the offing and are you supporting it? Yes or No? Which means there is now a conspiracy of silence around this fundamental cornerstone of religious freedom in Fiji – the separation of state and church.
That this conspiracy of silence appears to extend to the official Opposition Leader, Inia Seruiratu, is deeply troubling. It is high time for the People First leader to declare his hand or no Hindu or Muslim can be expected to vote for his party come election day. And neither will a great many other Fijians concerned about the threat to national unity of the Coalition government yielding to elements within its ranks who are hell-bent on Fiji becoming a Christian state.
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Where’s Inia? With Saki and Lynda in Palau.
What’s Inia had to say about the mooted abolition of the secular state? Nothing.
The “distinguished Christian Minister” seems to have put that before his “service” as Leader of the Opposition. Because all the running on the secular state is being done by the Labour Party leader , Mahendra Chaudhry, who isn’t even in the parliament and certainly doesn’t get $200,000 a year plus a house.
To be fair to Inia Seruiratu, he has made statements on constitutional change before but has been strangely silent on the secular state. Is that because as a “distinguished Christian Minister” he too wants a Christian state?
As for the Prime Minister, he just wants Grubsheet and everyone else screeching about the abolition of the secular state to shut up.
He could shut this down with one assurance: “It isn’t going to happen”. But he won’t. And the way he slithers around the issue is classic Rabuka – tortuous verbal meandering that completely avoids the point.
What’s at stake: Is this clause in the 2013 Constitution going to be removed to enable the government to formalise its link with the churches in the supreme law?
The Prime Minister simply will not say. And then wonders why it has triggered “anger, fear and panic”.
You’ve created it, Siti. And you’re not fooling anyone anymore.
Indo-Fijians are where we are today because of only one man, Chutiya Professor Baimaan. He had a choice at the formation of the Collision Government to further improve our situation; but no. He chose to side with the Snake and sell off his community because of personal differences with Bai and Kai.
Baimaan and his other parliamentary colleagues will never be forgiven. Today he is irrelevant after the independents have joined forces with the Snake. Inia needs to do the right thing and start playing his role and not to get kickbacks from the Government. Do your job.
More or less’ Quiet Horses for Courses” for Mr Seruiratu.
Everyone has a price. In Fiji, some can be bought very cheaply like for a bottle of beer or a packet of cigarettes. Fijians are useless cheapskates- and I mean ALL of them. From the people who hold the highest office to the civil servants, to the police, to those in the judiciary to those in workplaces and those on the street. Why else is the country where it is?
I think it would be fairer to say that people with very little have a poverty mindset, and are more easily bought than people with a sense of financial security. This pervades the culture of Fiji sadly and makes it harder for the rare gems to rise above this and maintain a sense of honesty and integrity.
Referring to all Fijians as useless cheapskates is racist and unkind.
Isn’t there a correlation between instances of Seruiratu being part of Government delegation and keeping his lips sealed? It is so easy to ‘buy out’ such people, just ask them to join them. There have been so many times Seruiratu was part of Speaker’s delegation, from Canberra to Geneva to Singapore, when the current President was the Speaker. His elevation to being a climate champion is another classic case in point. What has he really achieved after seeing trying to ride a bike at COP23 in Bonn?
And doesn’t it behove the rest of his ‘opposition’ team to comment on such an important issue, ie if they really are concerned.
It is absolutely outrageous that the Rabuka has decided against participating in the most important regional meeting, the Forum Island Leaders’ Meeting in Palau.
This comes on the heels of him justifying the huge Presidential delegation to UNGA in New York, to read the country statement and which is likely to cost the taxpayers close to $0.5m! Instead he has two relatively new, inexperienced and novice Ministers, both with stinky skeletons representing Fiji.
Obviously China has bought him out. He does not want to be part of the China – Taiwan tussle in Palau? He does not want to tell the region what is in the Fiji – Australia agreement which has yet to be debated in Parliament? He does not have the balls to face the Pacific civil society groups over issues like deep sea mining, decolonisation and nuclearisation? He does not want to confront the Japanese on the nuclear discharge and Australia/NZ/US over AUKUS?
Look what is happening, in spite of the rhetoric and posturing of Albanese. The other big hypocrite, Peters, has signed an MOU with Cook Islands to build a naval base in Cook Islands. This is showing the two fingers to the Pacific leaders and to hell with the Rarotonga Treaty as US uses its sheriffs like Australia, NZ and now Fiji to legitimatize its presence and enhance the Pacific as the theatre for greater military rivalry. They have forgotten how, at the stroke of a pen, Trump pulled out USAID and all the programs including HIVAIDS, climate change, etc in the region.
As the world awaits the preCOP meeting to be held in Nadi, and Fiji is struggling to attract leaders to the event, this would have been a great opportunity for Fiji to invite the regional and international leaders. By the perception of a ‘no care’ attitude to the region, Fiji, by far the most developed country in the region, is displaying an arrogant attitude to the regional leaders and the PIF. The regional leaders may smile and show a diplomatic gesture but they will vote with their fee when it comes to dissecting relationships and Fiji’s stance.
I sense a reformation of political elites across the spectrum very quickly in the coming months. Current opposition is lame and have neither policy nor clout to offer the voters.
Rambo will win the next election, no doubt. Who makes up the opposition is another question and it certainly won’t be the status quo.
A figurehead in the form of Mara perhaps will be backed by a bevvy of ministers who have both political clout, mild integrity and a willingness to address the issues of the day. This team won’t necessarily threaten the existing GVT but will run in tandem with them , bouncing debate after debate…due process in that world.
By this stage the dirt will be revealed. Frank and his gang for the CRW murders at the barracks & sedition , the current investigation into the recent murders at the barracks etc.. This will have both the country and the military on edge. That spill over effect has the potential to ignite tension. If the integrity of the military is undermined this could given them reason to step in once AGAIN to relieve Rabuka and his mob of any blame for anything else to date….It’s always a case of pass the hot potato and it will never end!
And in Palau salivating over food are Anish and Fiesty Freddy from Fiji Times. So that is why FT absolutely loves the current government. Don’t worry too much about Inia. He won’t win the elections. To him and heaps of others it’s all about living it up. Cannot see anyone really capable to lead this country out of the informal settlement it has become.
Lets not forget the lost opportunity that Frank and his apes threw out the window in 2006. Besides the real reason for the coup (saving is bottom from being spanked by a noose for his sedition and murder at the barracks) the potential, cumulative economic loss incurred by the economy by way of FDI alone was staggering (billions of dollars). Had he allowed for proper democratic elections to be held much earlier, as he should have, the economy would have been in much better shape by now. We all know Frank was buying time with decrees and massaging the public into believing his crusade was worthy of public appeal. The reality is he wanted his criminal acts swept under the rug and the house within which that rug once sat , demolished…
I loathe those who hold Fiji First as a saviour of social and political freedoms…It’s a load of BS. They completely stifled Fiji’s progress on the global stage and besides a few lame climate change accolades (none of which do anything for the real economy) Fiji is much worse off than it should be in 2026. All without even getting started on how the local face of the nation was propped up against a the wall of censorship, decree diluted misery and slovenly leadership.
A true measure of a countries success lies not in how it projects its self to its own people but how it is perceived by its global peers , economically, socially and politically. Fiji in effect FAILED its people for 16 years under that regime.
I was silently optimistic when RAMBO won… I still am!
Rubbish. Service delivery under Bainimarama and Khaiyum was far better than under the present lot and Fiji’s international standing was such that the Germans financed us to chair COP-21 and Fiji also led the international oceans campaign.
This is bullshit Coalition propaganda to hide the fact that the current government has been an unmitigated disaster and continues to be so.
Homer? Is that you Charlie?
Wonder which way does Biman and NFP lean?
Backwards, sideways every way except forward. The NFP is mute on the secular state and is about to be decimated and declared extinct. Their enabling of Rabuka is their death knell.
Baimaan and NFP lean? One is reminded of the time the guy w no balls applies for and got a job but was asked to come at 10:00 am. Why? Because the rest of everyone stand around and sctrach their balls for the first 2 hours.
Baimaan, Agni, Pio, Lenora, Sashi. Kripal, Shalen Kumar, Sachida, Seruiratu, Ioane, Nopolo, er, Naupoto, drunk Charan, and Virendra Lal all have no balls and so stand around sctraching their asses and Sona Rambaku’s ass with the other hand.
What happened to Lt col Tarakinikini? Did Frank thank him for the favour?
Haven’t you heard? Tarakinikini is Rabuka’s Permanent Representative at the United Nations. A reward for services rendered.
https://www.un.int/fiji/
Hello all . Could someone kindly clarify the current state of Fijis debt burden with respect to climate concessionary loans. As I understand it Fj flies its people around the world to attend events and seek further “financing” . I was just curious as to whether these loans were being put towards anything that is/has produced any real tangible results over the course of the current debt/equity/servicing lifespan to date. I know the figures are quite significant in terms of DEBT.
A large $540 million** budget support program is composed of “loans and grants”. The **$160.3 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for climate resilience is a prime example of this trend.?? Is that right??!! If I recall recent photo of the FDB head in Fj with some other clowns?!
I understand that most of the “loans” are secured below-market rates but are the terms really any better than commercial borrowing?
For example, a recent $27 million package ($61.7 million) is split 50/50 grant and loan. The loan portion carries an interest rate of just 0.75% with a 40-year repayment term and a 10-year grace period. Another loan from the World Bank is described as “zero interest” with a 0.75% annual service charge.
While highly favorable, these are still loans that must be repaid. As the 2023-2024 Annual Debt Report confirms, the government’s total outstanding debt stood at $10.3 billion at the end of FY2024** (78.3% of GDP), having grown from $9.7 billion the previous year.
So I can only deduce from these figures that Climate finance is a part of this growing debt.
I also know this situation has sparked a heated national debate.
I also hear officials argue that the terms are so generous they are essentially “debt-free” and vital. They point out that the loans are necessary to fund critical infrastructure and that the alternative—no funding—would be far worse.
Critics, including former MP Niko Nawaikula, have labeled this a “climate debt trap”. They argue Fiji is taking on significant debt for projects that often do not generate income, worsening the country’s fiscal position without a clear path to repayment. This concern is echoed by organizations like Caritas, which notes that Fiji’s “debt servicing costs outstrip spending on health and education”. Surely a concern for Fiji in election year!
Seems that a considerable and growing portion of climate finance is debt, and this is a major concern. The government is walking a tightrope, trying to build climate resilience while managing a debt burden that is already over 78% of its GDP. I also know that a lot of this debt had been accumulated prior to the current admin tenure. Question beckons . Is it feasible moving forward? Why do we still have the mistress of bonking weed strutting her way across the Pacific to attend these events? Perhaps she is stuffing a few solis in her panty hose ?
Hate to think. Sad but prob true?!