pn937. Jacinda, Brilliant at the UN. Watch and listen to her here.

 

You may not agree with her party or politics, but you'd have to agree she was brilliant on the world stage at the UN General Assembly meeting in New York this week.  No notes. no screen prompts, she spoke without hesitation for quarter of an hour.  

Try it youself. Select a topic with which you're faimilar. Stand up. Face your imaginary audience, and see how long you cn speak for without even hesitating once.   Listen here.

UN Human Rights Council Elects Nazhat Shameem Khan of Fiji to serve as its President for 2021 (pn668)

UPDATE. Fijij NGO on appointment.

See Sidebar: Trump misfires - again,  Labour, conservative right-centre party, Follow (this blog) by email, Facebook, Twitter, and more.

GENEVA, (15 January 2021) - The Human Rights Council today elected Ambassador Nazhat Shameem Khan, Permanent Representative of Fiji to the United Nations Office at Geneva, to serve as its President for 2021.

Ambassador Khan was elected through a secret ballot process through which all 47 members of the Geneva-based human rights body cast their vote to appoint its president for 2021 – the Council’s 15th annual cycle. 

pn599. Fiji: Police warned to properly inform suspects of right to remain silent

Nazhaat Shamee

m Khan

 Writing some years ago former Fiji Director of Public Prosecutions (1994-1999) and Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Fiji to the United Nations in Geneva, Nazhaat Shameem Khan, said New Zealander "Christopher Pryde is a decisive and thoughtful Director of Public Prosecutions who is determined to build the Office's capacity to prosecute all types of crimes effectively. 

 He personally keeps abreast with changes in the law, especially in relation to white collar crime, so that he can provide an informed leadership for his prosecutors. 

   His tongue in cheek sense of humour helps him to survive in a very challenging leadership position. "

Christopher Pryde

    Last week,  Pryde says it is of increasing concern that Fiji Police officers are failing to properly caution suspects on their right to silence upon arrest.

He says this basic right which is afforded to all suspects must be properly given and when it is not given properly, any statements made are likely to be ruled inadmissible by the court.

Pryde further says Police officers, like any other witnesses, must respect a court summon to appear and give evidence.

He adds Police officers who show a lack of respect for the court and its procedures by failing to attend not only let themselves down but let victims of crime down.

The DPP stresses there is no excuse for this behaviour.

Taking the Mickey out of Donald

UN leaders laughed when Donald Trump told the UN General Assembly his administration had "accomplished  more than any other in the history of the country".  

Trump said they were not laughing at him. "They were  laughing with me.  We had fun... We had a good time. They respect what I've done," he said.

"To the moon and back."   pn104

Jacinda Adern said she did not laugh because "I was respecting the fact that he had the floor and what he had to say." (Her UN speech)  And Simon Bridges agreed with her. The "President of the United States deserves some respect.  I  certainly would not have been laughing."

But National PM-to-be Mike Hoskings went a step further. 


Under the heading "UN is an abject failure", he said  the "United Nations is a bunch of condescending snobs ... Laughing at people is bad manners, its rude..." 

This from the man who uses every opportunity to take down anyone who disagrees with him.

The Trump brain

After the meeting Trump told reporters he has a  'very, very large brain" respected by the Chinese.   He went on to say that President Obama nearly pressed the button on North Korea. "If I hadn't been elected, you'd be in a war," he said.  

Asked if he snubbed Canadian PM Trudeau at the UN meeting: "Yeah", he said.  "I did. His tariffs are too high and he doesn't seem to want to move."

No wonder UN leaders laughed at him.  Anyone with a sense of humour would also laugh were it not for the power the man wields.

-- ACW

The Threesome in New York: Public Spending and Nitpicking

With Parliament in recess for another two weeks it's anyone's guess what scintillating political news the parties and the media will serve up for us.   

So far, it's par for the course. A several way exchange in insults and very little substance, with the media adding the topping.

pn108

First was the "debate" about whether or not Jacinda Adern was entitled to use an America-based ad agency to take photographs that would be used for future campaigning. "A crew of three," writes Mike Hosking,  "from some agency called Augusto, which has a New York office."