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

By Crosbie Walsh
The draft constitution that became law last Friday saw opinions still divided on its legitimacy and fairness. The identities and allegiances of those for and against are well known but one surprise came from Randall Powell, the Australian Fiji Appeals Court judge who with two other judges found the 2006 coup to be illegal, an event that led the Bainimarama government to the watershed decision to abrogate the 1997 constitution, and a hardening of Government's attitude towards local and overseas detractors. Justice Powell had reservations about the immunity clauses and the legality of the new draft constitution but otherwise he thought it a sound document.
Although the Government draft can make no greater claim for legal legitimacy than the Yash Ghai draft it supersedes, it also involved extensive public consultations, and the final Government draft is different in many respects as a result of this consultation. In March, for instance, the Citizen's Constitu…

Take Care

Now that gold is being bought easily from doubtful sources (as per advertisements), may I encourage  Fijians of Indian origin to take more care in who they invite to their homes. The lady who was killed by an alleged miracle worker should be a warning.

We are surrounded by people who prey on the defenceless. Please don't talk about how much jewelry you have at home because these people could tell others, and your home could become a target.

Those who prey on the poor and vulnerable  should be given lessons that they will never forget.


Water Cuts

With a the prolonged water cuts in Lautoka one thing struck me as not unusual. Grog sessions were going on just as if nothing was wrong. Anyway, I have to commend the Water Authority of Fiji for their constant efforts to bring us (hopefully) no more water cuts.

New pipes were put in a few years ago yet water cuts persisted. It would seem the engineers in the then old authority didn't do their homework very well. Now we have a…

Some Contra-Opinions  by Croz Walsh
Stories coming out of Fiji over the past week or so suggests that little has changed: everything reported has to be taken with a pinch of salt and almost everything is seen differently by one party or another.

At the international level, the  Bainimarama government's move towards elections, and the release of the new constitution, have  been welcomed by the NZ and UK governments, the E.U. and the Pacific Islands Forum, albeit with a  few provisos.  Indications are that Australia will soon follow suit.

In  Fiji, however, those opposed to the Bainimarama government continue to oppose these developments. A week ago 14 protesters outside the President's residence were briefly arrested and their arrests were seen to breach the right of assembly guaranteed in the constitution they were protesting against. No one seemed concerned that they had assembled without obtaining the usual permit required for all meetings on public land.

Opponents to the Bai…

By Richard Herr and Anthony Bergin in The Australian 13 September 2013
The Coalition's foreign policy statement, released just prior to the election, promised to work with Fiji to normalise relations as soon as possible. Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has indicated he would welcome the Coalition's making good on this promise. Of course, it takes two to tango; both sides will have to agree to get on the dance floor.


Bainimarama has long bristled at the "interim PM" label Australia has put on him. He associates the open mocking of him and his government by our media with the Australian government's support for such reporting.
As much as some in Suva would like Bainimarama to be invited to Canberra for talks on re-engagement, the Fiji government recognises this would court disaster if the meeting failed to live up to expectations. The October 10 Fiji Day celebrations could be used to mark some symbolic reconciliation, if the Abbott government has the will to h…

MEDIA MATERIALS – PRESIDENT ASSENTS TO FIJI CONSTITUTION GOVERNMENT HOUSE, - 6TH SEPTEMBER, 2013
Editors,
To access the speeches from today, please click on www.fiji.gov.fj
For photographs, click on http://goo.gl/JXyoi3 and for videos, please click on http://www.youtube.com/user/minfofiji (after 1 hr to allow all uploads)
Vinaka,
MINFO NEWS