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Fiji will have a new constitution in 2013 that scraps the ethnic-based system introduced in 1997, the country’s military ruler has said.
Unveiling his “roadmap” for a return to democracy, Commodore Frank Bainimarama said elections would be held in 2014.
He took power in a coup in 2006 and since then Fiji has suspended the constitution, detained opponents and suppressed freedom of speech.
International groupings, including the UN, have called for speedier elections.
Fiji has been suspended from the regional Pacific Islands Forum and is expected to face similar action from the Commonwealth after promised elections earlier this year were not held.
‘Totally unacceptable’
Australia rejected Mr Bainimarama’s appeal for “engagement” from the international community on his new charter, labelling it “totally unacceptable”.
“He continues to ignore the calls of the international community for Fiji to return to democracy as soon as possible,” said Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith.
Mr Bainimarama said work on the new constitution would start in 2012 and be finished the following year.
It would abolish the system in which Fiji’s majority indigenous population and minority Indians vote for candidates of their own ethnicity, he said.
“The new constitution must include provisions that will entrench common and equal citizenry, it must not have ethnic-based voting,” he said.
Mr Bainimarama promised to reduce the voting age from 21 to 18, and to hold reviews on the number of seats in the parliament and the need for a senate.
He also pledged an overhaul of the country’s complex system of land tenure, in which indigenous Fijians own 90% of the land.
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Thursday, July 2, 2009
Frank’s ploy to clock up entitlements
From the Fiji Government website, Mr Bainimarama has 5 portfolios1. Prime Minister and Minister for Public Service; People’s Charter for Change2. Minister for Information and Archives3. Acting Minister for Finance and National Planning and Sugar4. Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs, International Co-operation and Civil Aviation; Acting Minister for Provincial Development, Indigenous and Multi-Ethnic Affairs
It’s highly commendable that, in three instances, he has chosen to combine several portfolios under one ministry since, under past elected governments, he would been responsible for 8 portfolios:1. Prime Minister2. Minister for Public Service3. Minister for Information and Archives4. Acting Minister for Finance5. Acting Minister for National Planning and Sugar6. Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation7. Acting Minister for Civil Aviation8. Acting Minister for Provincial Development, Indigenous and Multi-Ethnic Affairs
In fairness, he should therefore be allowed to take the leave that accrues to each portfolio. Assuming 4 weeks for each, this would mean he should be entitled to 32 weeks leave a year. To avoid a furore similar to the one that accompanied his legitimate claim to two decades holiday backpay earlier this year, perhaps ministers could lead by example and encourage all government staff to use their leave entitlement within the year it falls due. If Mr Bainimarama were to do this, it would mean he could go on well earned holiday leave today and, allowing for intervening public holidays, not need to return to work until 18 February 2010.
It’s highly commendable that, in three instances, he has chosen to combine several portfolios under one ministry since, under past elected governments, he would been responsible for 8 portfolios:1. Prime Minister2. Minister for Public Service3. Minister for Information and Archives4. Acting Minister for Finance5. Acting Minister for National Planning and Sugar6. Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation7. Acting Minister for Civil Aviation8. Acting Minister for Provincial Development, Indigenous and Multi-Ethnic Affairs
In fairness, he should therefore be allowed to take the leave that accrues to each portfolio. Assuming 4 weeks for each, this would mean he should be entitled to 32 weeks leave a year. To avoid a furore similar to the one that accompanied his legitimate claim to two decades holiday backpay earlier this year, perhaps ministers could lead by example and encourage all government staff to use their leave entitlement within the year it falls due. If Mr Bainimarama were to do this, it would mean he could go on well earned holiday leave today and, allowing for intervening public holidays, not need to return to work until 18 February 2010.
Frank suspends FHL bosses
We’re reliably told that Frank Bainimarama has suspended FHL chairman Isoa Kaloumaira, deputy chairman Colonel Aziz Mohammed and CEO Sereana Qoro.
It is believed that Frank is not happy with the more than $20million non-refundable deposit paid out by FHL to BP Oil in what is already predicted to be a doomed deal.
Following his 2006 coup, Frank removed FHL’s key board members and executive team, replacing them with a mediocre coup apologists line-up whose business acumen can be best described in their non-sensical move to sign a $190million sale and purchase agreement with no financing in place to support it.
Sources say the new FHL board and its CEO Sereana Qoro promised Frank the world, but so far, the dictator is getting edgey with their worse than poor performance thus far.
Certain provincial council shareholders have publicly aired their concerns on their disgust at how the FHL board and management have suddenly gone on a buying spree with no regard for proper due diligence.
Frank Bainimarama is said to have taken note of their concerns and is obviously using it to win some brownie points from these indigenous Fijian provincial groups.
But what will happen to the more than $20million non-refundable deposit plus other sunk costs associated with this failed deal?
This is the $20million question that Frank is digging into right now.
He has ordered an investigation into the FHL/BP saga while his selected crop of non-performers get suspended.
And what a start to Frank’s “roadmap to nowhere”.
He is back in square one with millions of dollars down the drain.
It is believed that Frank is not happy with the more than $20million non-refundable deposit paid out by FHL to BP Oil in what is already predicted to be a doomed deal.
Following his 2006 coup, Frank removed FHL’s key board members and executive team, replacing them with a mediocre coup apologists line-up whose business acumen can be best described in their non-sensical move to sign a $190million sale and purchase agreement with no financing in place to support it.
Sources say the new FHL board and its CEO Sereana Qoro promised Frank the world, but so far, the dictator is getting edgey with their worse than poor performance thus far.
Certain provincial council shareholders have publicly aired their concerns on their disgust at how the FHL board and management have suddenly gone on a buying spree with no regard for proper due diligence.
Frank Bainimarama is said to have taken note of their concerns and is obviously using it to win some brownie points from these indigenous Fijian provincial groups.
But what will happen to the more than $20million non-refundable deposit plus other sunk costs associated with this failed deal?
This is the $20million question that Frank is digging into right now.
He has ordered an investigation into the FHL/BP saga while his selected crop of non-performers get suspended.
And what a start to Frank’s “roadmap to nowhere”.
He is back in square one with millions of dollars down the drain.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Fiji plagued with another kind of disease
Authorities in Fiji have quarantined two dairy farms in Tailevu North after an infectious disease was detected among hundreds of cattle.
The FijiTimes reports the disease, Brucellosis, was discovered on farms in Wainivesi and Waimaro.
It says members of the public are being asked to not consume unpasteurized milk, and to avoid any unnecessary visits to these areas.
It reports a Ministry of Primary Industries Veterinarian, Doctor Robin Achari, saying milk suppliers in the affected areas have been told to stop providing milk to clients until further notice because humans can transmit the disease through raw milk.
It is also believed that boiling raw milk does not kill the bacteria.
The Ministry says all Rewa Dairy products are safe for consumption because they undergo the pasteurization process which kills the bacteria that causes the disease.
Livestock officers are now expected to conduct tests at the more than 200 dairy farms in the Wainivesi and Waimaro areas.
The affected farms in the area are under quarantine and the public is being advised that all movement will be monitored and vehicles are to be disinfected before departing the area.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International
The FijiTimes reports the disease, Brucellosis, was discovered on farms in Wainivesi and Waimaro.
It says members of the public are being asked to not consume unpasteurized milk, and to avoid any unnecessary visits to these areas.
It reports a Ministry of Primary Industries Veterinarian, Doctor Robin Achari, saying milk suppliers in the affected areas have been told to stop providing milk to clients until further notice because humans can transmit the disease through raw milk.
It is also believed that boiling raw milk does not kill the bacteria.
The Ministry says all Rewa Dairy products are safe for consumption because they undergo the pasteurization process which kills the bacteria that causes the disease.
Livestock officers are now expected to conduct tests at the more than 200 dairy farms in the Wainivesi and Waimaro areas.
The affected farms in the area are under quarantine and the public is being advised that all movement will be monitored and vehicles are to be disinfected before departing the area.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International
Sunday, June 28, 2009
The many hands in FNPF Momi Bay saga
Now lets us examine why Ben Padararth is to be appointed a Board member of the Fiji National Provident Fund shall we?
This man was married to and had a child from Laurel Vaurasi. Laurel was placed in FNPF as the Manager Legal for a reason but got caught and was terminated. Prior to that she worked with Kafoa Muaror as a Partner in that firm. Prior to that she was Kafoas mate at Bond in Brisbane.
Kafoa was, is and will always be the lead Solicitor that arranged, negotiated, drafted, executed, stamped, registered and managed the entire Momi Bay development from inception.
He needed a scape goat with a credible name to sign all documents and that is why he brought in Rigamoto when this honorable man had just lost his wife and was vulnerable so that Kafoa could use his reputation and connection with the government departments to further the fraud on FNPF and all this without Rigamoto ever suspecting that he was and is just being used together with his son.
You see Kafoa together with Philip Temo orchestrated this entire fraud on the peoples money from the Fiji National Provident Fund, Fiji Development Bank, Banaban Trust and the Unit Trust of Fiji in concert with Garry Urwin. Now these three gentlemen even bought the Gorrie Street building using FNPF money!
Now can you all see the resemblance of Momi Bay, these trust funds and the National Bank of Fiji Saga?
For the uninitiated, Philip Temo was Visanti Makaravas son in law. Kafoa was Makaravas nephew and was the Manager Legal of NBF just before it went bust.
This is just a little history nothing too fancy and not too many details, just the back story. The details are too depressing to blog, all of us that have money at FNPF might have a heart attack so we will skip it for now, in case these gentlemen wish to challenge the truth of the above, then we can shock everyone, but for now this will suffice.
Now Baileys, no not the drink, yes the people that are supposed to auction the Momi Bay Development in a few weeks time on OUR BEHALF, that is the Fiji National Provident Fund, were established in Fiji by Kafoa and so even when a supposed mortgagee sale in on they are also going to play THE LEAD ROLE in the auction.
Now everything mentioned above is what an ordinary person would call a “Conflict of Interest” and Benjamin Padarath is just another Pawn in a complicated web and a very long and sad story.
This man was married to and had a child from Laurel Vaurasi. Laurel was placed in FNPF as the Manager Legal for a reason but got caught and was terminated. Prior to that she worked with Kafoa Muaror as a Partner in that firm. Prior to that she was Kafoas mate at Bond in Brisbane.
Kafoa was, is and will always be the lead Solicitor that arranged, negotiated, drafted, executed, stamped, registered and managed the entire Momi Bay development from inception.
He needed a scape goat with a credible name to sign all documents and that is why he brought in Rigamoto when this honorable man had just lost his wife and was vulnerable so that Kafoa could use his reputation and connection with the government departments to further the fraud on FNPF and all this without Rigamoto ever suspecting that he was and is just being used together with his son.
You see Kafoa together with Philip Temo orchestrated this entire fraud on the peoples money from the Fiji National Provident Fund, Fiji Development Bank, Banaban Trust and the Unit Trust of Fiji in concert with Garry Urwin. Now these three gentlemen even bought the Gorrie Street building using FNPF money!
Now can you all see the resemblance of Momi Bay, these trust funds and the National Bank of Fiji Saga?
For the uninitiated, Philip Temo was Visanti Makaravas son in law. Kafoa was Makaravas nephew and was the Manager Legal of NBF just before it went bust.
This is just a little history nothing too fancy and not too many details, just the back story. The details are too depressing to blog, all of us that have money at FNPF might have a heart attack so we will skip it for now, in case these gentlemen wish to challenge the truth of the above, then we can shock everyone, but for now this will suffice.
Now Baileys, no not the drink, yes the people that are supposed to auction the Momi Bay Development in a few weeks time on OUR BEHALF, that is the Fiji National Provident Fund, were established in Fiji by Kafoa and so even when a supposed mortgagee sale in on they are also going to play THE LEAD ROLE in the auction.
Now everything mentioned above is what an ordinary person would call a “Conflict of Interest” and Benjamin Padarath is just another Pawn in a complicated web and a very long and sad story.
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