Croz Walsh's Blog -- New Zealand and Fiji: How Much Fairer They Could Be

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For much of last year a number of readers persisted in saying that the Government Roadmap for Democracy and Sustainable Socio-Economic Development (RDSSED) 2009 to 2014 did not exist as a document because it had not been published. In June Pacific Island leaders at the Engaging with the Pacific meeting at Natadola had been informed in sufficient detail of the Roadmap and the Strategic Framework for Change to support them. My understanding was that the Roadmap did exist but only in draft, and it main provisions seemed reasonably clear from what Government was actually doing, but none of this satisfied the critics.

So, in January and early February I published a three-part article showing the linkages from the People's Charter to the Strategic Framework for Change to the elusive Roadmap. Links to the postings are: Part 1 (22 January), Part II (29 January) and Part III (5 February).

Last week I received an email from Father David Arms, a Columban priest who has served in Fi…

N253. CHARTER ADVISORY COMMITTEE.  The 9th meeting of the National People’s Charter Advisory Council met on Wednesday to finalise its report on the implementation of the People’s Charter for Change, Peace and Progress that will be presented to the PM.

Council chairman Josefa Serulagilagi  said the meeting was a time for council members to relook at the work and critical areas of concern for the eleven pillars of the charter.

“We have been going through the progress that has come through on the eleven  pillars of the charter, how they have been implemented by government ministries and statutory organisations,” he said. “As far as we are concerned I think things are going well in terms of the various ministries’ roles.

“Some areas we are looking at [are the] constitution and electoral reforms among other issues ... that must be carried out within a time frame and so that everything is in place [for elections in] 2014.”

The committee has 15 members who were appointed by the President in…

Scroll down for WEEKEND READINGS. See new QUOTE FOR  THE WEEK in the right sidebar.
N0188. THE PROTEST THAT WASN'T. I have no complaint with Amnesty International reporting alleged torture for political reasons.  This is their job, and I support it.  But they should exercise care with what they are told and not inflate the story.

While awaiting their NZ CEO's reply to my enquiry about their sources and steps take to verify what they are told, here is a comment on their latest press release.

Headed "Torture and Detentions in Fiji" (UA:51/11 Index ASA 18/002/2011 Fiji) they report the alleged "detention and torture ... [of] ... seven young men from a settlement outside Suva" and presumed it took place because they were talking about the demonstration (see below) and then went on to say they "feared more people [would] be arrested and subject to torture and ill-treatment in the next few days as the military attempts to prevent plans for a peaceful protest …

Former USP and Edith Cowan University social anthropologist Dr Chris Griffin explores the cultural intricacies of PM Bainimarama's visits last year to Rakiraki in Ra province, and in doing so sheds a useful light on ethnic Fijian ritual, ceremony and custom, race relations, the causes of coups, and Bainimarama's strategies to end them.

                                               By Crosbie Walsh
Government opponents have made much of the fact that the Roadmap has not yet been published and released for pubic scrutiny, and some have doubted its existence. I have no doubt the Roadmap exists in draft form, sufficient for government planning but clearly not sufficient for release.
I suspect Government reasoning, as in all else they have done, is that the Roadmap and the Strategic Framework for Change (that also has not been published) are operational documents based on the well known principles of the People's Charter. Publication for the general public is therefore not a priority at this time. 
If this is the case, it demonstrates government's step-by-step approach to change. First, the infrastructural changesdiscussed in Part I, followed by the constitutional and electoral changes that require public participation and the publication, if by then if it has any residual relevance, of the Roadmap. We should kno…

Moment of assassination of US President John F Kennedy, Dallas, Texas, November 22, 1963. Photo credit: Obrag.org 

COLLECTIVE MEMORY Ni bula, Croz, e na vakatawase has left a new comment on your post "The Tongan Elections":

A great piece, Croz, and yet more evidence that the youthful naivete so prevalent in the island media is no substitute for the age and experience of an old hand like you. When you've been in these parts for nearly half a century, you're fully entitled to express whatever opinion you like, however much it offends the critics. Anyone who remembers the Tofua and the Matua, let alone sailed on them, or negotiated the raised centre aisle of a Fiji Airways De Havilland Heron deserves to be heard with respect.

A recent editorial by Fred Wesley in the Fiji Times reminded me of how little collective memory is brought to bear on current events. In a piece on someone who'd managed to reach the ripe old age on 101, Wesley wrote in apparent awe th…

By Crosbie Walsh
In the relatively moderate anti-government blog FijiToday a Pita Massam writes to publisher Peter Firkin  raising interesting questions on race, racism, legislation and the 2014 elections.

Pita writes about an IndoFijjian business friend who says he can think of no one who would be acceptable to both i'taukei and IndoFijians as prime minister. "Both Qarase and Chaudry are way too polarised to be allowed to stand and the PM has promised to exclude them anyway."

Further, his friend doubts any "village Fijian would vote for a “Mongoose” and that is 30% of the total vote. No Settlement Indian would vote for a “Tu” and that is 18% of the population."

"He proposes a question to ask to gauge the level of racism bred into the current population. Would you be happy if your daughter married a Fijian or Indian? He believes that an almost 100% of parents would say “no way.” This will not change in the six years as proposed by the current Government. …

 WEEKEND READING (published 8:40 — 9:00 am Saturday
♦  Allen Lockington column
♦  Fr Barr on Productivity and Stability
♦  Peter Gleick on Fiji Water
♦  Fire at Fiji Museum by Roderick Ewins
NATAPEI OUT. Vanuatu PM Edward Natapei  has been ousted from office in a 30:15 no confidence motion. Former Deputy Prime Minister, Sato Kilman has been sworn in as Prime Minister.

The move happened while Mr Natapei was out of the country, on his way to Cancun for the UN Climate Change Conference, and was driven by unhappiness over his push to have five opposition MP's suspended from the house, and also over his refusal to hand over the rotating chairmanship of the Melanesian Spearhead Group to Fiji, many said because of Australian pressure.

Mr Natapei was to officially apologize to Fiji for this action in a reconciliation ceremony in Honiara next week.  Mr Kilman will now presumably perform this task for him

ELECTION DATE REAFFIRMED. The Strategic Framework for Coordinating Change spokesman Ed…

A review of Australian-Fiji relations which concludes:


The government of Fiji must be given the time to develop, implement and evaluate its political, social and economic policies using evidence-based methodologies. However, it should ensure that its strategies and processes are transparent and inclusive and past initiatives are fully audited and outcomes clearly measured against strict performance guidelines. While time and space should be given to the Fiji government to implement its reforms, there has to be evidence that reasonable steps are being taken to return Fiji to civilian rule in the future. The international community should understand that rushing into an election without establishing sound constitutional, institutional and electoral systems can lead to further political breakdown and military coups. Therefore, it is important that Australia work with the Fiji government in ensuring that preconditions for a return to civilian rule are fully embed…

WEEKEND READING. Allen Lockington's column, Between Blogs and a Hard Place, The Rich-Poor Gap, Kava and US Cafe Culture, "The End of Press Freedom in Fiji": When a Paper Becomes a Blog, numerous comments and today's posting.

US WANTS DIALOGUE. During a 75 minute meeting on Wednesday US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton told senior Pacific Islands' Leaders that the US was committed to working closely with Fiji and the Pacific Islands. She also paid tribute to the commitment to global security by Tonga in the Solomon Islands, Fiji in Iraq and Sinai, and Vanuatu in Timor Leste. Assistant Secretary of State Asia-Pacific Kurt Campbell, who had attended the Vanuatu post-Forum dialogue in early August, told the meeting that the dialogue going forward was based on the profound recognition of Fiji's central role in Pacific matters.

In turn, Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke  Kubuabola had explained to Clinton Fiji's Strategic Framework for Change, welcomed the reopening…

FIJI TIMES SURVIVES. Yesterday's announcement that the Motibhai Group has purchased the Fiji Times from Rupert Murdoch's News Ltd for an undisclosed sum is good news for Fiji and the paper's workers but we may not learn the full story for a while yet.

It seems likely News Ltd has not exercised its option to retain 10% of the paper, which would be a good thing because it would give the new owners access to News Ltd expertise. It is also possible the sale does not include the paper's properties but why these should be excluded is anyone's guess.  Perhaps News Ltd hopes to buy back the paper some time?  It would seem likely the senior executives responsible for the papers never-ending tussle with Government will need to be replaced, if only to help Motibhai win Government trust. This would probably see Editor-in-Chief Netani Rika take up a position with News Ltd in Australia.

The really big question, though, is whether the sale will speed the lifting of the Public Eme…

Steps to the 2014 Elections: Suggestions from a Reader
A reader,  Side Lines in Viti Levu, is worried about 2014  and thinks Government is not receiving sufficient feedback with the Public Emergency Regulations  in place. PER makes Government less aware of public concerns.  He is not anti-government, though he's unhappy about some things done and not done.  He's prepared to support Government if it is genuine about elections in 2014.   The PM says he's open to pro-Fiji suggestions. This overseas-based vulagi thinks balanced pro-Fiji comments like this need to be heard by the PM and those close to him:

The only thing we have that separates [PM Bainimarama] from other dictators is a promise he will have elections in 2014. I do hope he keeps that promise and that he holds everyone around him accountable to that goal. There are many things I don’t like about this military regime. They have made many mistakes and broken many promises but no progress is ever made without co…

14. What Can Fiji Do? Continued from yesterday
It will be impossible for a 100% military run government to hand over to a civilian run government. It would be impossible today and it will be impossible in 2014. Assuming government is genuine about 2014 and democracy, etc., it has to start changing how government is run now. I’m no politician but here are a few thoughts:

a) Make a deliberate and purposeful shift to something similar to a civilian government. Hire more people like Peter (Thomson) and Sharon (Smith-Johns). How about appointing a deputy PM who is a civilian with no military background? Ask the good performers amongst the military in government positions to resign from the military. Ultimately I would like to see Frank resign his post from the military as well. This might be a catalyst for a real change in international support. How about a more transparent cabinet where we can see the decisions being made and the arguments? Maybe invite international observes to observe cab…

9-10. Travel Bans and Elections
Continued from yesterday

9. What about travel bans ?
I can only speak for myself and close friends on this one. I have used this excuse to not accept formal government positions. Frankly its easier than saying no. It deflects the anger to Australia and away from me. I’ve learnt not to make Frank angry. I don’t want to become a target. My friends except one feel the same way.

The travel bans have not been successful in changing their minds on anything. But they certainly have really annoyed those in power. Travel has long been considered a ‘perk’ of government and senior positions. The military wanted these perks – call it low level corruption if you like but they where wanting nothing more than others had got before. This hit Frank and his key people on a personal level.

What now 3.5 years later ?

I don’t see much changing over the next 2-3 years. The economy will struggle but not collapse, business will continue. I can’t see any progress on sugar and its…

LAND TO THE HIGHEST BIDDER? The Ministry of Lands is currently reviewing applications for transfers and mortgages of crown leases to ensure that Government as state land custodian gets its fair share from these transactions. Permanent Secretary for Land LtCol Neumi Leweni said “One of the greater concerns is the Transfers of Agricultural Leases to higher uses such as Tourism Development and other commercial and industrial uses.“Most lessees are selling their agricultural leases to developers and overseas buyers at quite high prices offered by these buyers” and there have also been incidences where local land speculators have taken advantage of the situation by buying agricultural leases from poor farmers and selling them to overseas buyers at high prices. “The sad part," he said, "is those who really want to farm or develop the land are being forced to pay high prices.”


CCF CALLS FOR DIALOGUE. The Citizens’ Constitutional Forum (CCF) has called upon Government to …

BAINIMARAMA STILL AMBIVALENT. Just as I was about to publish today's postings, I read two comments by PM Bainimarama on the 2014 Election issue. In the first he said "he wants elections to be held in Fiji in 2014 but a lot of work needs to be done and it is only realistic that there will be delays if there is continued obstruction and interference by countries like Australia and NZ."

In the second, a response to the CCF statement that Fiji should not use the MSG to further its own agenda,  I agree with the PM. Fiji is a perfectly legitimate item on any MSG agenda. But I thought it an unkind, unnecessary and untrue swipe at the CCF to imply that because it was funded by overseas donors, it would do what the donors dictate. The accusation demeans you,  Prime Minister. Akuila Yabaki does not need to persuade anyone of this personal integrity. And you did not reply to the CCF's main point, the need for assurances about elections in 2014. 

WHAT WE NEEDED FRO…