Self Censorship working against the people of Fiji. Fiji Times fails to report the most significant fact about the meeting. Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum,Vice President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi , ex Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, Fiji Labour Party stalwart Krishna Datt, High Commissioners and Ambassadors amongst others all together in one room without strife.
‘Book a chance to devise new Constitution’
Tevita Tuiwavu Saturday, January 28, 2012
Accept Bainimarama being absent for any number of reasons – but where was Naikatikau? Not as though he had far to travel? Must have been a race meeting on.
Whole bloody things little nothing more than an expensive farce & excercise in stupidity & denial. “New Constitution”? What’s the matter with the old one?
Least its legal & has standing under law – something nobody will be able to claim about any new one.
Rt Joni’s comment on the Fiji Times proves my previous point.
Rt Joni said in the other story that “The state of un-forgiveness and vengeance is a cold desolate place in which no one should linger for too long.”
He also said: “IF ONE ACCEPTS THE NEED FOR A NEW CONSTITUTION, the handbook sets out a number of options to be considered. There is a real opportunity to devise a new constitution for which the process of public participation and consultation is thoughtfully and creatively devised and implemented ù it may be the best chance we have at laying the foundation for long-term peace and stability.”
It is one-sided and imbalanced to try and assess what went on in there without reading all their statements in full.
And while they’re all jerking off on the phrase “public participation and consultation”, it is very noteworthy that the book launch attracted the presence of only the political elites who were privy to this whole event. This is hardly surprising as the regime have obviously tasked their token NGO CCF to pave the way and treasonously legitimize the formation of this so-called new Constitution based on the ludicrous Charter that does not have the backing of the majority.
The public participation & consultation starts from Day 1 – not when its all stitched up. Lest they forget, We The People are not merely simpleton cash cows paying for their sorry asses when they’re in power. We demand returns on our investment.
We The People decide how we want to be governed. We The People also decide who we want to represent our best interests.
Furthermore if the taxpaying public is getting only one side of the story via the media, the draconian Public Order Amendment Decree guarantees that We The People will be blinded and muzzled during this process and can be vilified by trumped up charges such as treason and economic sabotage.
The bottom line is that this whole thing is a sham and a farce and the 1997 Constitution is still alive.
Injustice Tony Gates and all the 1997 constitutional turncoats (Neel Shivam, Anu Patel, Shaista Shameem, Akuila Yabaki, Jone Dakuvula, Jane Ricketts etc) are all now striving feverishly to save their sorry arses by removing the 1997 Constitution. They all know the drill because they all put their heads together to declare abrogation of the 1997 constitution as unlawful in the landmark [Chandrika] Prasad v Republic of Fiji case which was upheld by the Court of Appeal.
They thought they were pretty clever in hauling in a poor token Indian farmer Chandrika Prasad from Muaniweni who was stooged to provide political expediency. The same MO was applied by Shyster Shameem in the FNPF case and the token FNPF pensioner part played exceptionally well by Mr Burness.
This is what happens when you cut and paste too often because you never had a clue in the first place – pretty soon people start waking up to the fact that they’ve seen this re-run before.
@ KTF.
Censorship in other places too – try following the failed PNG coup in the Times or Sun? Best & about the only thing this gang has going for them right now is Ratu Joni – lets just hope they all realise it before its too late?
after the big floods the dictator is out with his begging bowl for donations.
junta has no money left
fiji is broke and bankrupt.
@ Kai Tholo: Time will tell.
But as I say, we are all speculating because the media looks to be giving us an angle that this forum/mtg has more or less endorsed that a new constitution is the way to go.
Ironically all those there had the gall to wax lyrical about “participation and consultation” yet 99% of the voters were outside that room worrying about more pressing issues like the floods.
See reports in papers – Military donates $10,000 for flood relief. Where the fark did that money come from? Its either from the military budget or deductions from macawa soldiers pay. Either way its govt/ taxpayer money ,,,,,,,THIS PEOPLE THINK WE STUPID WITH SUCH CHEAP PUBLICITY STUNTS,,,,NI YAVU BUTABUTAKO KANA LOTO!!! SEE PHOTO IN FIJI SUN MILITARY BELLIES GETTING BIGGER BY THE DAY,,,SA VAKASISILA NA KANA KEINA NA GUNU SIVIA,,,,,,,BUTAKO TIKO QORI!
KTD.
Or who won race 6.
Vore in particular & backers in general are all one dimensional creatures of violence who right now are in an uneviable position of having everything to lose & nothing to gain from any settlement given the ever increasing ‘vengeful’ mood of those they rule – ‘public hangings – beheadings’ etc.
Here’s a tough one – Tale of Two Camps.
A ‘Viti Taukei’ settlement is negotiatated with the RFMF – so what becomes of Aziz – Khaiyum & followers amongst ‘Fijians’?
New constitution their A#s
Elections first ! Fair and transparent elections before anything else !
Bring in an elected government by the people to bring in changes to our constitution if needed ?
The government of the day and the opersition needs an 80% majority in parliament to bring any changes to our constitution
Jone everyone knows this – task is how do you convince them in an increasing atmosphere of vengence & retribution that a return to barracks and democracy is in their and Viti’s best long term interest?
Imagine right now their experiencing exact same emotions Charlie Savage & his Bati felt when they were isolated on top of that big rock in Bua. (can see the Drua but can’t reach it).
Rabuka – Speight factor doesn’t help eitheir.
True Taukei , I’m scared that Fiji is going to get more worse before it’s going to get better !
Fiji is in a dark place and it’s only going to get darker
“forgive them father for they know not what they are doing ” come to mind
Like a hostage taker the regime is putting up all their demands in their terms in the negotiation. This is because the lives of the hostages are in their hands. So the issue of “no return to the 1997 constitution” is non negotiable to them since it will see to their incarceration for the crime of treason that they committed. This has proven that the military is too powerful to be of any good for the peace and progress of this country. And if you notice the current line up of military leaders they are all second string upstarts who willing toe the line of their commander be it right or wrong. All those with some integrity have left. CCF is now trying to offer an escape route for the perpetrators of the coup by providing an option in this forum in devising a new constitution. So what can we do about it. We must let our opinions be heard.
One thing we can & must all continue doing is making our various views known thru blogs such as this which the regime constantly monitors.
ratu jone ratu sona ni vei vutusona ga magatinamuni o kemu na bose bose tiko qori
I think the obvious criticism of the CCF and the proposed new Constitution is that everyone distrusts anything that Frank and Aiyaz say – they haven’t kept any of their promises since day one.
So many have been lined up and sacrificed as scape goats by the regime. So now we are told, again, that the CCF will do something constructive for Fiji?
More like cover Frank’s arse – we all know that a reckoning will come – the untold damage and millions of tax dollars wasted by the regime, for the regime without any accountability.
In short, I wouldn’t give the whole idea much credence at this point – the Samoan PM echoed this thought. Kai Tholo also says it best: “[they] are in an uneviable position of having everything to lose & nothing to gain from any settlement”.
tabu teve
tamata kulina levu butabutako!
@Radio.
Aware some people won’t like it – but given the alternative for Viti is increasing civil unrest & national disunity – am of belief its time a majority (indigenous)Taukei negotiated solution along traditional lines was given serious consideration – in other words everyone else butt out.
@ KT
Okay. I agree, in principle the concept of public involvement is a first step forward for Frank & Co – ironically I think that opening themselves up for accountability and public forum might be the ONLY thing that will save them.
But I fear that Frank’s irrational fear of another cassava-patch run will be his undoing. Despite what we believe about Aiyaz and his more intelligent influence, I think the overriding consideration for the both of them is fear; fear of being prosecuted, jailed or even killed.
As we all know, those who live by the sword, die by the sword. Unfortunately for them, they made this particular nest for themselves. I doubt that if we were to go to election that anything good would come from it now.
But maybe Frank will have done something good for Fiji – perhaps all the shit that Frank and Aiyaz have left us in will make the whole nation realise that race and ethnicity are irrelevant when faced with the alternative: dictatorship.
Imagine the SDL and FLP getting together to form a collaborative government for a change? Pipedreams maybe?
Taukei brokered negotiations based on traditional protocals is the only solution currently available. You may or may not be aware that 2 seperate & distinct systems operate within this country – 1 is called Fiji the other Viti. Too early to be talking about future collaborative goverments – emphasis now should be about offering acceptable exit alternatives.
Tabu teve
levu ga na vosa…kora levu
No teve gusu veve…kora dede
keep the faith aka Richard Naidu, you seem to think you have all the answers dude….you don’t !!!