Beware Palm Oil, Chinese Investment, Equip Police, No Sugar

N0300. BEWARE PALM OIL. The Malaysian Trade Mission visit concerning  the possible development of a palm Oil industry in Fiji should, in this writer's opinion,  be viewed with extreme concern. Oil palm estates I've seen in Johor, Malaysia, and Sumatra in Indonesia showed total replacement of native forests and lost habitat for indigenous animals, and large swathes of exposed sub-soils. Government wishes to bring more land into production in a sustainable manner is, of course, highly commendable, but if SE Asia's record is anything to go by, oil palm is not the way to go without extreme caution and a mountain of safeguards. There are safer and more sustainable uses to which Fiji's presently unproductive land can be put.

A Government release on Wednesday (No:0760/MOI) said "The core land area [the Malaysian] investors are looking at this to begin their business and achieve economies of scale is 30,000 hectares of land, probably in Lomaivuna. “I don’t see any problem with that given that we have land bank with the department of land,” said a Government spokesperson. “They are not only looking at bio-fuel, they are also looking at other downstream processes, to use the product from palm oil for other things. This an opportunity for Fiji to generate income and of course with the incentives we have, we will attract more investments in Fiji.” The semi-permanent of lease of land under land bank legislation raises further concerns: What incentives? What monitoring of the use of the land during the lease period? Lomaivuna has a rich agricultural history. Is there no better and safer use of its land than oil palm? See also this critical article in the Fiji Times.

N0301. CHINESE CASH AND LAND SETTLEMENT. In what must be a record, barely one month after application.  China's Quantum Fiji Limited has been granted rights to proceed with property and property development in Fiji, that includes timber logging and processing, hotel operations, and commercial farming.  The investment project is  estimated to be worth F$60 million with F$35 million allocated for the first phase of development which involves the purchase of land, development of infrastructure, construction, planning and promotional activities for hotel operation.

 The second stage of F$25 million investment will be geared towards the development of the commercial farm.The investors are expected to collaborate with the China Agricultural University in Beijing and experts in agricultural to set up a service organization that will provide modern commercial agricultural technologies and related services to its clients. Other developments expected to be undertaken by Quantum Fiji Limited include a hotel, residential area, and biological farm area.

The new operation is expected to boost investment in the Agriculture, Tourism and Services sector and provide employment to locals.

N0302. GIVE POLICE THE TOOLS TO DO THE JOB.  This comment from a reader about the absence of information on the law:

"How may the Fiji Police apply the Law if they do not know what it is? Why are there not copies of these decrees available in each and every Community Police Post and Police Station? With these decrees should be the Section of the Crimes Decree which applies to Arrest Procedures, Court Procedures and - just as important - a copy of the Fiji Police Regulations which each officer must show he fully knows and understands. No copy of the regulations is available at our local post in the West. We checked three days ago. The Domestic Violence Decree requires considerable Police discretion. The Child Welfare Decree is Mandatory for reporting in certain sections. It is binding on many professionals and even on individuals in particular places: government departments, Health Centres, Social Welfare etc. If children are abused, it is no longer good enough to "walk on by". It is MANDATORY to report that a child is being abused. All Police Officers must now and fully comprehend their role.

The Fiji Public must be diligent in knowing the law. Crimes against Humanity like rape are not reconcilable and they are to remand those charged. We happen to know of at least three persons charged with rape who are on bail. One has not reported on bail conditions since May 2009. He is working at Denarau Island when last located. No Bench Warrant has been issued and the local police have been trying to "Pass the Buck" (to the Magistrate who bailed him - no longer serving). THIS WILL NOT DO.

N0303. SAVE OUR SOULS SUGAR. The Fiji Sugar Corporation has negotiated a sweet deal in sugar sold to UK buyer Tate and Lyle, paving the way and providing a powerful incentive for growers to invest in the crop.

FSC Executive chairman  Abdul Khan said Tate and Lyle had agreed to a "price is significantly better than what has been paid in the past. Negotiations with the UK buyer began over a month ago with the FSC adamant that if a better price was not achieved, Fiji would be looking at other markets such as Japan and Korea who are very interested in Fiji sugar. A surge in global demand for has resulted in an increase in the global sugar price increasing by as much as 50%. It is hoped grower confidence in the industry will be boosted with the increase and the announcement that 40% of mill maintenance work has been completed.

Incredibly, Fiji has had to import 10,000 tonnes of sugar from Thailand this year to meet local demand before the crushing season. The price  paid was around $2,000 per tonne.FSC exports this year averaged less than a $1,000 per tonne.

An unscheduled posting on the Reserve Bank's monetary policy and assessment of the economy will be posted at noon tomorrow,Tuesday.

People's Charter. Pillar 5 and Chapter 6 State of the Nation Report on Economic Growth: For Discussion

The text of each Pillar of the draft People's Charter (and its more detailed attendant State of the Nation report chapter) is published for discussion each week.To read  the text and discussion on earlier Pillars, type Pillar 1, etc, in the Search facility in the left sidebar.    


Since this Pillar and chapter were published, a number of events have occurred which have made some of their aims difficult, if not impossible to achieve, at least in the short term. These include the Global Recession and drying up of investment, two devastating hurricanes and a major flood, the boycott of Fiji in many international fora, the imposition of sanctions, and the withdrawn of foreign aid and major problems in the sugar industry.  Some observers have also blamed the policies of the Fiji government.  


The intended time-frame for the implementation of each Pillar should  be considered. It was not expected all would be achieved immediately or even in the short-term. Some goals would take much longer. The Charter mentions 2020 and in another place over 40 years.

In reading and commenting on Pillar 5, I invite readers to critically and fairly consider the steps government has taken towards achieving the Charter aims; to give credit where credit is due, to criticise where needed, but most of all to write with realistic and helpful suggestions on what could and can be done, or done better. 

Unchanged Utter Rudd-ish, Free Buses, Subsides for Disabled and Elderly, The EU, Increase Sugar Tonnage Price, USP's Token Disaster Assistance

N0268. RUDD: NO CHANGE IN POSITION OR APPROACHES.  Australian Foreign Minister Kevin Rudd, cited by the Otago Daily Times, said trans-Tasman  diplomacy calling for democracy in Fiji will continue to be vigorous, and that was often a tendency to focus on what  Australian and New Zealand diplomacy should be doing, rather than putting the onus on Commodore Frank Bainimarama's  military regime. Rudd then went on to talk about Bainimarama sacking its entire judiciary, closing down the media, and not holding elections.

"Bainimarama is the one who must change here ... if he is to  adhere to the standards and the norms of the Pacific Islands Forum, the Commonwealth of Nations, [and] the United Nations." He said Australia and New Zealand were "doing a lot" in pushing for freedom of expression in Fiji, and diplomacy would continue to be active. "It will continue to be vigorous in engaging the Fijian regime. We're not in the business of legitimising what has  been a very ugly military coup ... Bainimarama must change, " he said.

 The article went on to report NZ Foreign Minister Mr McCully's comment last month that there had been little progress toward the resumption of democracy in Fiji, and Amnesty International NZ's allegations of "arbitrarily arresting political opponents, and [subjecting] at least 10 people ...to torture and beatings."

[No comment on Rudd's assessment of the situation other than that it has not changed ... and is not working, whatever the rights or wrongs of the situation in Fiji. Skilled diplomats do not repeatedly beat their heads against a brick wall.  They reassess the situation, and try another approach.]  
Cartoon: Shutterstock.
N0269. UP THE CREEK WITHOUT A PADDLE RUDD(ER). Excuse the pun.  To watch the video of yesterday's TVNZ interview with Dr  Rudd, click here, or read the transcript.  The interview starts with the interviewer twice checking Dr Rudd for not answering his question. 

GUYON. I didn't ask you that.
RUDD.  That [the Bainimarama Government] is unacceptable.
GUYON. I didn't ask you that. I asked you whether you had cause to believe that there was a need to change strategy at all.
RUDD. .... We're doing a lot in holding the line ... . will continue to be vigorous in engaging the Fijian regime. We're not in the business of legitimising what has been a very ugly military coup.

 He still hadn't answered the question but the inference is clear: no need for change. Alton Shameem JP, chairman of the Fiji Club of NZ, also had some words to say on Dr Rudd's interview.

N0270. DISABLED GET FREE BUS FARES.  Meanwhile, in Fiji, Government continues with its reforms. Some 3,000 ID cards are being distributed to people over 60, who will get a 50% discount on bus fares, and people with disabilities who will have free fares. Forty year-old Pranay Chand, a frequent traveller, was one of them. “I have been disabled since birth," he said,  "and I feel that government really care about the disabled. At the moment I am  staying in Wainibuku. From there to Suva is $1.60 per trip. Then I pay $2 from Samabula to Saint Giles Hospital for taxis every day. So that is quite a lot."

N0271. COMMENTS ON 'SNIPING FROM THE SIDELINES'.  My posting N0258 in which I said Australian and NZ had influenced others, including the European Union, to put sanctions on Fiji, drew these comments: "Get real Professor! The Europeans can think for themselves."

To which  another reader replied: "If they were thinking for themselves how is it that they have allowed such outrageous compromises in the entire field of women's rights to be permitted throughout the Pacific Region since the Women's Parliamentarians' Conference held in Nadi at the Fiji Mocambo Hotel in March 2000?

"Not a word was said about the almost immediate trampling of women's human rights which took place on 19 May 2000? Women parliamentarians taken hostage and threatened with rape, physical and mental violence for 56 days?

"In lieu of taking stock, the EU apparently went along with Canberra and colluded in corrupted elections in September 2001. Despite our vocal opposition. These elections were subverted, bought by the Agriculture Scam and aided in this subversion by the wiles of Mere Samisoni and colleagues. These colleagues in subversion were remunerated by public money and had set an agenda of racism and plunder.

"And where was the European Union in all this? Hanging  onto the coat-tails of Canberra: they knew best. Well, now we know that they plainly did not. There is much  explaining yet to be done. We are still waiting for this. Sanctions are not an explanation. Sanctions represent further damage to the rights and just aspirations of the population. Impositions of this type are as vile and  undermining as any of the ills they deemed to address. What measure of thought is invested here?"

N0272. INCREASE THE SUGAR TONNAGE PRICE. National Farmers Union national president Surendra Lal said expiring land leases and continuous mill breakdowns have hurt many farmers this year but an increase tonnage price  could "see the ailing sugar industry at least in the Northern Division bounce back to its heydays." Rising costs have also hurt farmers.Blended fertilisers that used to cost  $19.50 have cost close to $40 since 2009. Bearing these and other costs in mind, payments of $80 per tonne of cane meant a loss of $30-$40 per tonne. Lal said farmers wanted to see they got a bigger piece of the pie and that had not been happening. "Farmers are losing confidence in this industry [but] if the pricing can be improved, this industry will bounce back," he said.

N0273. USP WAIVES FEES FOR DISASTER VICTIMS.  Following a candlelight memorial service to remember the victims of the recent disasters in Australia, New Zealand and Japan at USP's Laucala campus in Suva last night, the university announced it will waive 2011 fees and offer scholarships for ten students from these countries who "have lost everything." The service marked the beginning of USP’s campaign, entitled USPHope, to raise funds for the scholarships. Over many years USP, the Pacific's regional university, has received considerable financial assistance from all three countries. The scholarships are tokens of thanks, sympathy and reciprocity.

The Big Loan Company, IMF Recommendations

N227. THE BIG LOAN, ITS CRITICS, AND STOKING THE FIRE. Critics were never going to let Fiji's huge US$250m loan pass without comment. It provided much too good an opportunity to put the needle in.

Foremost among the more qualified critics is USP Economics professor Wadan Narsey whose primary criticism is not so much with the need for a loan (some US$150m will be used to pay off the pre-coup government's 2005 loan, made that much more expensive due to Fiji's dollar devaluation) but with its 9% interest rate and the amount being borrowed. He thinks a cheaper loan could have been obtained from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) if Fiji had agreed to certain budgetary conditions.

Wadan said, “There is very strong conditionality attached to it [the IMF loan] and I suspect that the Banimarama government did not want to abide by the conditionality rules, I presume they would have had to cut back on their budget deficit which means they would have had to cut government expenditure, recurrent expenditure and especially I suspect on the military budget.”

Wadan's one presumption and two suspicions could be correct, but even without IMF prompting government has been taking steps to reduce spending and downsize government. No one outside Government and the IMF knows what the conditions were but the IMF team that visited Fiji in February last year when a $1 billion loan was being talked about, noted with approval the improved foreign exchange position, greater bank liquidity, and they seemed to approve Fiji's monetary and fiscal policies.

In April Government was waiting for a decision from the IMF on a US$459m loan that obviously did not eventuate, but it was nearly double the loan whose size is now criticized by Prof. Narsey.

Fiji's ability to repay its loans (much of which is for capital developments although Wadan claims it is for recurrent expenditure), generate employment and improve living standards rests heavily on growing its economy, and this in large part depends on business confidence and foreign and domestic investment. The 9% interest rate criticized by Wadan (and bewailed by the anti-government blogs that claim future generations will be left to pay for today's debts) is higher than may be expected because there is some risk in investing in Fiji, and the higher the perceived risk, the higher the interest rate.

Fiji is considered risky because of the coup, the military government and the delayed elections, but it is also considered risky because people like Wadan,  former politicians and others in Fiji, and  the overseas anti-government bloggers have , to a greater or lesser degree, done their level best to discredit all Government policies and actions and to obstruct those they can.  They are  part-owners of "the Big Loan Company."

They have spread biased, misleading, alarmist and untrue reports, urged Fiji citizens not to cooperate with Government in taking the country forward, and urged the international community not to change its stance on Fiji.

They have stoked the fires that makes loans, reforms and economic recovery more difficult, and in doing so they have played their part in making the loans their children will repay just that much more costly.

Australia and New Zealand must also, of course, share the responsibility. Their policies aimed at Fiji's "return to democracy" must by now be seen to have failed, but they have had a detrimental effect on Fiji's economy and the cost of its loans. 

No one would expect those opposing the Bainimarama government to change their fundamental position but reasonable people would expect other reasonable people to support some of the things it is doing, and to refrain from activities that harm the living of the people they claim they wish to support. -- Crosbie Walsh.


N228.  IMF SAYS STRUCTURAL REFORMS NECESSARY. The IMF's Executive Board  said structural reforms are necessary in Fiji to spur growth and help protect macroeconomic stability.

Following its latest consultations  the Board said:
(1) Fiji needed well designed land reform and the removal of price controls should support investment and the diversification of economic activity;
(2) Civil service reform and adjusting tariffs for public services will help contain contingent liabilities and should increase efficiency;
(3) Retraining programmes and additional targeted social assistance to soften the social impact of redundancies and higher tariffs; and
(4) Help Fiji  from development partners, including technical and expert advice, to help design and implement these important structural reforms which are critical to improving the overall business environment. [This is where Australia and New Zealand really could help.]

The IMF noted that fiscal deficit (government expenditure exceeds revenue) is estimated to have fallen to 3.6% of GDP in 2010 from 3.9% in 2009. The improvement is due to Government's  freeze in hiring in the public service, lower-than-budgeted capital spending and stronger-than-projected VAT receipts but losses and mismanagement of the Fiji Sugar Corporation  have to led to pressures on the budget.

The deficit was financed mostly by the Fiji National Provident Fund as commercial banks remained near their sovereign lending limits. Central government debt at the end of 2010 is estimated at close to 56%  of GDP. Contingent fiscal liabilities are estimated at 17.6 percent of GDP at the end of 2010 and includeguarantees on bonds issued by the Fiji Development Bank.

N229. SUGAR:  THE IMF HAS ADVISED GOVERNMENT to quickly finalise the restructuring of the Sugar Corporation and then divest the troubled Fiji Sugar Corporation within three years,to bolster the economy The FSC was delisted from the South Pacific Stock Exchange last month after a profit loss of $US175 million last financial year. The IMF statement also suggested reforms to the Fiji National Provident Fund to increase economic sustainability.

Nadi-Rarotonga Flights, More Blog Distortions, Thoughts on Village Visits, Ba Iron Sands, Sugar for Japan

N0072. AIR PACIFIC TO FLY TO RAROTONGA.  Regional tourist arrivals are expected to rise with the opening of a new route between between Nadi and Rarotonga. The service was previously provided  by Air New Zealand.

Air Pacific is in the process of reaching an agreement with the Cook Islands Government for a three-year contract on the weekly flight  that will also offer Cook Islanders direct north-bound connections to the Hong Kong service, and enable the islands to better market tourism from Europe and the UK. The international airport in Rarotonga, the largest of the nation's 15 islands, has daily internal flights to some of the other islands.

N0073. MORE BLOG DISTORTIONS. Two news items have been published on housing in Fiji late last week.  One was about the Housing Authority easing the lot of its mortgagees if they were poor or unemployed; the other was about the eviction of squatters who were thought to be drug dealers.

The anti-government blog, Fiji Today (I still hopefully call it moderate) ignored the first news item that  reflected favourably on Government and then distorted the report on the other by missing out what a squatter had to say about the police action.

Its heading-cum-comment read: "The disciplined forces are targetting people ALLEGEDLY involved in criminal activities. Kicking people out of squatter settlements simply moves the problem elsewhere it does not solve it." It then went on to report the first half of the Fiji Times report on the eviction of some people from the  Wailea and Viria settlements along Fletcher Road in Vatuwaqa, Suva who were suspected marijuana dealers and black marketeers. 

In the part they missed out (and I quote the Fiji Times), "Jone Vitukawalu, who lives in the area, said the community were grateful of what the police were doing. Some people are starting to have the perception that this settlement is made up of criminals and of people who support criminals. "

I agree that kicking people out of squatter settlements will not solve the squatter problem but why did Fiji Today not cite what Jone Vitukawalu had to say? It puts a totally different perspective on the evictions.

N0074. MORE ON GOVERNMENT VISITS TO VILLAGES.  A reader had this to say on my"Government and the People: Three Examples" posting: "This, of course, will be branded as pro-regime propaganda by the unholy alliance of activists from the SDL and assorted "human right" and media types. But the fact remains that a remarkably constant theme emerges from these village visits; that no senior government representatives have ever bothered to show their faces there before.

It seems incredible that given the grass roots nature of Fijian politics, previous elected governments seem to have treated ordinary constituents with such disdain. If this is "the first time" government ministers have got out and about to listen to ordinary peoples' concerns, what on earth has been going on? Have they just assumed that everyone would fall into line and vote for them? Or have they relied on the chiefs to deliver Fijian votes in a collective bloc? It's really quite extraordinary.

In colonial times, district officers and commissioners were constantly holding pow-wows in villages all over Fiji, explaining the government's policies and seeking local opinion. Even successive governors, who were treated like gods, made a point of going on " treks" to the inland or outer islands to show the flag and gauge local opinion.

If it takes a dictatorship to finally bother to listen to the concerns of ordinary people, it doesn't say much for the quality of democracy Fiji had before. It struck me that Frank Bainimarama was being rather hopeful when he said he was planning to win the battle for the hearts and minds of village people over his opponents. But perhaps listening to them and finally delivering some basic services will change attitudes for the better and pave the way for lasting change. Fascinating stuff."

N0075. BA IRON SANDS. Foreign exchange earnings from the mineral resource sector are expected to increase significantly now that Australian-based mining company, Amex Resources, has negotiated a long term (45-year plus) lease agreement over a substantial area of Fiji's major bulk shipping port at Lautoka. The tenure will allow the stockpiling and export of the company's Ba Delta magnetite iron sands concentrates, and with direct access by barge, it now has easy access to the magnetite deposit located 30km away. The length of the lease indicates the expected potential life of the iron sands resource. The company estimates the resource contains  220 million tonnes with further potential both inland and seaward. Initial exports are likely to total an annual 750,000 tonnes.

N0076. FIJI SUGAR FOR JAPAN. Fiji could soon start exporting sugar to Japan. Sojitz Corporation officials from Japan  will visit Fiji soon for direct consultation with FSC officials on proposed quota and shipment arrangements. Fiji's Tokyo Embassy has briefed the visitors on the Fiji sugar industry and the prospects/projection of production from 2011 onwards based on the restructure and streamlining of the various bodies within the Fiji Sugar Corporation, the current crop now under cultivation, and the availability of farm lands for large scale farming as opposed to small scale family unit cultivation.-- Based on 2011, No: 0161/MOI.  Given the FSC record to date, we keep our fingers crossed!

Blog Fortune Tellers, Government Housing, the DPP, Chaudhry & Takiveikata, FSC Reforms

N0051. THE ANTI-BLOGS ARE AT IT AGAIN. Don't get your fortune read at the CoupFourPointFive blog — or the FijiDemocracyNow blog that regugitates and adds to their predictions. Almost all their previous predictions have proven wrong.  Now they foresee that the days of the President are numbered.

Why?  Because  "speculation resurfaces" and, I quote,  they "have heard reports that the so-called attorney-general, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has written to the Naulukau [sic!] to advise him that his term as president ends at the end of February."  And because "it would make sense."

And the "sense"?  FDN says that because  the A-G "has the legal power to sack Bainimarama, then it would make sense for Sayed-Khaiyum to act sooner rather than later."

Why? Because "Sayed-Khaiyum knows only too well that his position in the regime is completely dependent on Bainimarama’s support. Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum also knows he would be totally vulnerable to a most unpleasant fate [my italics] the moment Bainimarama ceased to have power."

So  -- and here we have it -- the prediction is not really about the President at all. It is another attack on Sayed Khaiyum. And that does make sense -- for racists.

They need to tread carefully on Nailatikau. He is a very high ranking chief to whom even Fijian racists need show some respect, but it's always open season on Sayed Khaiyum. He is, after all,  a manipulating Indian, a "mongoose" who threatens native land and customs, a vulagi with no place in Fiji, the epitome of evil they're been warning uneducated i'taukei about  — in order to advance their own manipulating and pecuniary interests. 

I asked someone with their nose to the ground in Fiji if there was any truth in the story. Their reply was "Rubbish." As indeed were the blog's earlier predictions that Sayed Khaiyum had been dismissed, Bainimarama was grievously ill,  Christopher Pryde had been dismissed,  Parmesh Chand had resigned, and ... 

The anti-blogs thrive on rumours that they feed to readers waiting in vain for Bainimarama to disappear in thick smoke.

It's understandable that they make errors. It is in the nature of rumours that they are often wrong.  But the blogs never correct their errors, and that — while understandable given that their purpose is to destabilise government and keep barren hopes alive  — in most people's books is inexcusable because  an uncorrected vindictive rumour is a lie.

N0052. GETTING RID OF THE PERKS.  Government quarters surplus to requirement for eligible officers are now rented out to the public at commercial rates. Rents from 50 properties, mainly in Suva's  centrally located Muanikau, Domain and Veiuto areas, brought in  over $475,000 last year — 670% more than the $71,000 received from previous subsidized rentals.--Based on 2011, No:0139/PSC.

N0053. DPP STAFF, CHAUDHRY, TAKIVEIKATA CASES.The work of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is not being helped by the lack of senior and experienced legal counsels, a situation made worse by the departure of two senior counsel, David Toganivalu and Ana Tuiketei, late last year.

The Directorate confirms, however, that a  Queens Counsel from overseas will represent the State in the case against former PM Mahendra Chaudhry while a local senior counsel Pita Bulamainivalu will take over the mutiny re-trial for the Qaranivalu Ratu Inoke Takiveikata later this year.

N0054. FSC REFORMS. The Fiji Sugar Corporation board met yesterday to discuss ways to speed up reforms of the sugar industry. Permanent secretary LtCol Manasa Vaniqi said that the reforms are well underway but with the mills now closed for the season, there is an opportunity to look at organisational structure and the possible divestment of FSC properties overseas.

Meanwhile,  Government and Price Waterhouse have advertised widely searching for a new CEO  "who has a vast knowledge of managing the sugar industry with a proven track experience to match." Permanent secretary for Sugar Col. Manasa Vaniqi said "all local applications were thoroughly examined but we could not find the person we were looking for to drive the industry.” -- Based on 2011 No.0102/MOI.

 

Building a Social Safety Net, FSC's Alleged Negligence, Some Crook Pharmicists, Lottery Zero Point Five

WEEKEND READING.  ♦ Allen Lockington column ♦ The Eleven Pillars of the People's Charter 
♦ Jone Baledrokadroka's Ideas on Legitimacy  ♦ Fr Barr on VAT.

 
BUILDING FIJI'S SOCIAL SAFETY NET. Food vouchers of $30 a month at a cost of $7.5m were introduced in March 2010 and initially affected 27,000 needy people. In the December 2011 Budget Government announced a further allocation of $4m and a widening of criteria for rural families to cater for another 10,000 people.

Minister for Social Welfare, Women and Poverty Alleviation Dr Jiko Luveni (photo) said the additional money will allow assistance to people 70 years and over, and families with children, the sick and infirm, and pregnant mothers living in households where the annual income is under $10,000. The measure is one of several that go some way towards providing a welfare net to Fiji's more needy families. Other measures include:

• Raising the income tax threshold from $9,000 to $15,000
• School bus fare subsidies and free school textbooks
• Price controls
• More rigorous work by the Consumer Council and Commerce Commission
• More worker protection and "promise" of minimum wages
• Exemption from user-pays medical costs
• VAT exemption on essential food items
• Delay on VAT increase until after schools start

A total of 10,000 recipients in rural and remote areas will be identified under the Government’s new food voucher programme. The Ministry's permanent secretary Govind Sami said: "The $4million that has been set aside in the new food voucher programme is only for 10,000 recipients living in rural communities. Categories range from old, sickly and also pregnant mothers in the rural communities who will be visiting rural dispensaries and health centers for their clinics and about 4000 to 5000 families with children attending primary schools.”. Meanwhile, the introduction of the Westpac Handy Cards to Family Assistance (FA) and Care and Protection (C&P) recipients will see social welfare services taken to an improved level.(2011, No:0014 /AG).

The Fiji Times, however, reports that the Ministry is having some difficulty in winning the support of small shops and cooperatives in some rural areas, and intends to re-advertise requesting their participation.

DISTURBING REPORT ON NORTHERN SUGAR. The FSC and the Fiji Cane Growers Association are disputing the amount of unharvested cane in the Northern Division that has been allowed to go to waste. FCGA Labasa Branch President Mohammed Rafiq wants  PM and Sugar Minister Bainimarama to come and see "what is the real story about the sugar industry in the Northern Division."

"We are very much concerned as I have mentioned that sugar cane farmers are suffering a lot. They are crying on the farms because they all had the hope that their cane would be crushed and than they will get something at the end of the day.At least a tonne of harvested cane went to waste after the Labasa Mill ended crushing on 24th of last month, and there would have been more except that many farmers could not deliver all their harvested cane as there were no quota and rail trucks provided.

SCGA Acting CEO Sundresh Chetty says a survey conducted by the council showed that more than one thousand tonnes of harvested cane was not accepted by the Labasa Sugar mill before it ended its crushing season. The Council claims negligence on the part of the FSC in Labasa and as submitted a full report to PM’s office.

PHARMACISTS BREACH RULES. A survey by the Consumer Council that included 47 of Fiji's 55 pharmacists found numerous examples of overcharging (57%), mislabelling (40%), incorrect prescribed dosages, and receipts that did not include the pharmacy's name or address. None of the receipts specified the individual medicine names. The Council recommended the prosecution of offending pharmacies and a review of the functions of the Fiji Pharmaceutical Society with a view to strengthening its Code of Conduct and monitoring its members'  trading practices.

Meanwhile, doctors are being advised and medical students taught to prescribe according to  generic drug names, that Fiji imports in bulk, not the far more expensive branded names. Individuals who can afford originator drugs have the freedom to purchase these items and pay a premium price.  The retail pharmacies can make their margins from these patients.  The role of government is to protect and care for the vulnerable, sick, poor and aged patients of Fiji by controlling the price of common generics. -- Based on 2011, No:0018/MOH.

LOTTERY ZERO POINT FIVE. The Fiji Rugby Union's decision to cut the price of its lottery tickets from $20 to $10 because they had too many unsold tickets would be laughable in most other rugby-playing countries, but not in Fiji where an aggrieved FRU Chairman Bill Gavoka, faced with a likely $125,000 fine for breach of Commerce Commission regulations, could only say "It's mind boggling that the process is in place."  For some reason, NZ Stuff in reporting the event, had to said that "Bainimarama has been at odds with [FRU] several officials, including trustee and former military dictator Sitiveni Rabuka and the CEO Keni Dakuidreketi." What's that got to do with the price of fish -- or a lottery ticket!

But there's more.  FRU chief executive officer Keni Dakuidreketi has now accused the Commerce Commission of acting unlawfully, and hurled personal insults at the Commission chairman, Dr Mahendra Reddy.

I  have no way of knowing what the law says but if it allows lottery tickets to be sold to some customers for $20 and $10 to others, where the prize is the same for both, it is demonstrably unfair and needs to be changed.  This was not a post-Christmas sale with prices discounted 50%!

EU to Engage, Kisan Sangh Supports Sugar Reforms, More Fiji Water, Rural Development, Soqosoqo Vakamarama Welcomes Funding

EU WILLING TO ENGAGE ON ROADMAP. The European Union has indicated its willingness to engage more with Fiji on its Roadmap for the Return to Democracy in 2014,  according to  Fiji’s ambassador to Brussels Peceli Vocea, who said a letter outlining the EU’s position has been signed by Catherine Ashton, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Commissioner Development Andris Piebalgs.

“That’s a very interesting development." he said. "I think a letter was just sent to Fiji signed by the Commissioner Development, and Catherine Ashton, that they are looking forward to working with Fiji on the roadmap – with regards processes Fiji may need to put in place for 2014.” He described the letter as a very important gesture, and a very important development for Fiji with the EU.


FIJI'S OLDEST UNION SUPPORTS GOVT REFORMS. The Fiji Kisan Sangh (Farmers'Union) has called on cane growers to get together and support government’s plan to reform the sugar industry. Sangh national general secretary Pundit Om Prakash reiterated PM Bainimarama’s earlier statement to farmers that too much political interference in the past caused the downfall of the sugar industry. With an allocation of $123m set aside for the sugar industry Pundit Prakash says this clearly indicates how much government is committed to reviving the industry.

Pundit Prakash has also welcomed the $6m allocated for the cane replanting program saying that farmers should be thankful and work hard to make full use of this initiative. He says farmers can also be rest assured that things will run smoothly within the FSC as government has indicated it will monitor the income and expenditure of the company from next year.

Kisan Sangh was the first farmers' union formed in Fiji in 1937. The Wikipedia entry is well worth reading, just in case we forget the Colonial Sugar Refining Company.

FIJI WATER.  A reader thinks I erred in linking to the Sydney Morning Herald article on Fiji Water without further comment. He wrote: "You start it with I didn't know that Fiji Water had 'paid less than $F1 million in total corporate tax since its inception, and received up to $F5 million UNDERLINE a year in value-added tax refunds for its export sales.' A valid point, he says, but I should have said they were given a 12-year corporate tax exemption when they set up. Nor did I mention "the reason they get their VAT back is that they are the country’s most successful exporter and they are complying with one of this very Government’s policy to encourage exports. A plan that has worked spectacularly well in the case of Fiji Water. You do not mention the royalty they pay to Yaqara ...the millions in duty [and] PAYE they pay, [and] the millions they make in FNPF contributions."  I hope this redresses my omissions.

RURAL GOOD WORKS. Works Ministry spokesperson Sainiana Waqainabete said this government is committed to improving the lives of people living in rural areas by providing them with proper infrastructure. Developments taking place include major upgrading of roads, electricity and water provision, focusing in the immediate future on Labasa, Tailevu and Nadroga.  She said there are indications that some people who have migrated to urban areas return to their villages once proper roads, electricity and piped water are supplied.

SOQOSOQO VAKAMARAMA has applauded the increased 2011 budget allocation for the Women’s Plan of Action 2010-2019.  General secretary Adi Finau Tabakaucoro said the increase of $50,000 in the Budget and the allocation of $160,000 for the Fiji Women’s Federation, to total $1.6m, reflect on the government’s commitment  to the development of women in the country. The allocations will help more women to start micro-enterprise businesses and income-generating projects to reduce poverty, especially in rural areas.

Adi Finau said "Government is doing its part. It’s providing the resources and facilitating development initiatives and reforms are resulting in several changes for the better. Now the responsibility rests on the communities, the NGOs and the civil society to play their part to ensure the aims of the Government particularly those outlined in the Roadmap for the Democracy and Sustainable Socio-Economic Development 2009 to 2014 is being fulfilled.” -- Based on 2010, No:2103/MWSS.

USA, Fiji and the UN, Vanuatu and the MSG, Chaudhry, 70 New Laws, Sugar

THE PACIFIC MEDIA CENTRE has a new website. http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/ Check it out.

THE US VISA REFUSALS. The US Suva Embassy has clarified this issue.  The visas were not exactly refused; they needed a longer application time. The Embassy said names of key supporters of the coup are  on the Department of State visa watch list, and those on the list have to be cleared by Washington, a process that could take three weeks. There can be no complaint about this. It is the right of all sovereign nations to determine who is allowed to enter — or stay — in their country.  One might have hoped for a better outcome, given Hillary Clinton's promising overtures, but it was not to be.

Some readers have misunderstood my position. I was disappointment with the "decision" but my main concern was the effective denial of access to the United Nations.  The Embassy also addressed this question, saying that "while the US takes seriously its obligations under the UN Charter to facilitate travel to the UN headquarters in New York for participation in meetings – they are not obliged to facilitate travel to meetings that do not fall under the Charter or transit to UN meetings outside of New York."

My point was — and is —  that the United Nations is compromised by this approach. The country hosting all UN-sponsored meetings should not be able to say who will and who will not attend.  The invitations to the Fiji Government officers were from the UN, not the USA. If guests are invited by the owner of the house, they should not be stopped by the butler.  Foreign embassies do not belong to the host country; they belong to the home country.There are a few places in the world, such as the Vatican, and parts of Jerusalem, Mecca, Brussels (EU), Geneva (UN) and New York that are "international." They are special places and should be treated as such.

Some readers said the US was justified because Fiji expelled the Fiji Water CEO. I did not mention this because I did not think the US action was tit-for-tat, and the Embassy clarification bears this out. Yet another warned me I'd be put on the visa watch list as a key supporter of the Coup. If representatives of the most powerful nation of earth read my blog, which is unlikely, I'd assume they are intelligent enough to see that I'm trying to help the best possible outcome for Fiji, which is not a return to the Fiji from 2000 to 2006.

VANUATU AND THE MSG. Vanuatu PM Sato Kilman has decided not to attend the "reconciliation"Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting in Honiara next week because the Fiji PM is not attending.  Representation from both countries has been downgraded. Vanuatu will be represented by Foreign Minister Georges Wells and Fiji by Foreign Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola.

CHAUDHRY TO OZ. Fiji's former PM Mahendra Chaudhry has been given permission to travel to Australia for medical treatment.Local media reports the Fiji High Court has allowed Mr Chaudhry to leave, despite an impending trial on money laundering and tax evasion charges.

SEVENTY NEWS LAWS SINCE 2007. The A-G Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum told 300 lawyers and other members of the legal fraternity attending the 12th annual Attorney General Conference in Nadi on Friday that there have been 70 changes or amendments in laws of the legal framework in Fiji since 2007 which were made necessary due to changes taking place domestically and internationally.

He invited those attending to question the changes and Government's intentions, saying “If you’re able to rationalise that, then you will be also be able to anticipate the changes in the years to come, particularly in 2014. We need to ask what is the impact of these laws. Are they harmful to anyone? Do they discriminate against anyone? Do they help bringing down the barriers of discrimination.” -- Based on No:2074/MOI. Also  FijiVillage.

BAINIMARAMA BLAMES PAST GOVERNMENTS FOR SUGAR ILLS. He also criticised those who have "been making comments [and] did nothing to salvage the industry." Past politicians did not even visit the sugar mills to see for themselves the  wastage of sugar occurring for the past decade, especially at the Lautoka Mill. In his visit last month he saw  sugar "flowing straight to sea while being crushed." Government had guaranteed FSC loans and made a substantial contribution in the budget to save the industry from collapse. The problems of the sugar industry are not new.

Bainimarama Alive Despite Blogs, PM Reports from China, Sayed-Khaiyum to Deliver Budget Speech, FNPF Huge Turnaround, Civil Servants' Three Year Contracts

REMINDER:  Anonymous comments will not be published. Write your name or pseudonym in the Name/URL space.

RUMOURS OF MY DEATH HAVE BEEN GREATLY EXAGGERATED

Mark Twain said this; it could have been Voqere Bainimarama.  It's pleasing to see so many anti-government people concerned about the health of the PM. First was their story, subsequently shown to be untrue,  of his supposed collapse at Nadi on the way to China, and Jone Baledrokadroka's revelation that the PM suffers from a longstanding heart condition. This had me surprised. Why would the PM undertake so many gruelling journeys if his health was threatened, and continue a journey after he'd collapsed?

The official reason given for the PM's China visit was to meet with officials and investors of whom there've been a number in Fiji lately.  But the rumours said he was in China for medical attention. One source even suggested he'd chosen China rather than India because he couldn't trust the Indians after he'd dismissed Mahendra Chaudhry.Their imagination had them seeing a masked Indian surgeon with scalpel poised. 

Then came the "evidence" which on balance said Bainimarama must have had a hidden reason for his visit because they'd  chosen not to hear his unhidden reason.  They had not heard about him meeting any Chinese officials or investors, which a Chinese academic said was not at all unusual. Ambassador Jim Ah Koy was not involved in the  visit  and they said he did not know where Bainimarama was.The rumour-mongers thought this sinister. And they said there were no reports back of meetings with Chinese business people. In fact the online Fiji media and the Ministry of Information had published several.

Then, yesterday,  a posting by Victor Lal on CoupFourPointFive, written in a sloppy style unusual for  him,  reported a "Chinese Embassy official in Suva  who chose to remain anonymous" as saying that the PM was "very sick," and "other sources, especially in the Prime Minister’s Office, the likes of Ratu Epeli Ganilau and others are jumping ship because they are acutely aware of the dictator’s frail state of health."  If Victor really wrote this article, his English has deteriorated.

"When asked why the dictator has stopped visiting India for treatment, the sources [my italics] in the Prime Minister’s Office claim that he fears that after he ‘liu muried’ his former illegal Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry by putting him on trial for fraud and money laundering, the Indian doctors might exact revenge by “administering wrong medicine to him”. The Chinese official was said to have asked: “Have you seen the Fijian leader on Fiji Television?”  suggesting that the dictator is too frail to publicly show his face to the nation. Hence the explanation of why he will not deliver the Budget speech on Friday.

Finally, I was told to apologize to CoupFourPointFive because one of their rumours had proved true.  I'm not sure which one, and it's certainly not this one,  but who would congratulate a marksman for hitting the target once out of ten attempts?  The big question is who is spreading these rumours and why.

Bainimarama speaking from China (and not the grave) at 4 o'clock this afternoon Fiji time  said the rumours of his death "had been invented in New Zealand."  He accused  the New Zealand media of reporting unsubstantiated rumours that he had died from a heart attack.   "I guess the rumours will continue seeing that they have not been able to achieve their aim in Fiji, so they will continue to assist their government in rumour mongering. It'll be a while before they can kill me, that's for sure."

Earlier today  I received this email from Fiji that also suggested a NZ source:"You will probably hear or read this very soon that the PM has died in China. I just got off the phone to him, and he is in fine form. The rumours are coming out of NZ."

There is little doubt in mind about the sources.  It's the blogs CoupFourPointfive, Luvei Viti (an ethnic Fijian thinktank and blog at Victoria University in which Elisapeci Samanunu plays a big part) and Sai Lealea's FijiCoup2006 blog. The mainstream media has understandably stayed clear of their "news."

I make no claim that I know why the PM extended his trip to China or why he will return to Fiji too late to deliver the Budget speech.  But — and this is the important point —  neither do the blogs, Victor Lal or the "Chinese Embassy official in Suva  who chose to remain anonymous." I really cannot believe an Embassy official would be so indiscreet. The blogs' purpose is transparent. They are fabricating rumours to destabilise the Fiji government.

I do not believe them.  They have cried wolf too many times.  But I applaud their cunning in forcing authorities in Fiji to deny their rumours —  and me to waste valuable time doing likewise.

PM REPORTS FROM CHINA. The PM  has rounded up meetings with Chinese investors and interested parties in Shanghai over the last two days. Bainimarama is due to arrive in Fiji on Friday – although he has already indicated that he will not deliver the 2011 Budget address.

An aide accompanying the Prime Minister says Bainimarama today met with officials from the China Railway No.1 Construction company who are currently dredging the Rewa river and have been awarded the contract for Housing Authority buildings at the Tacirua Plains.

On Tuesday Bainimarama met officials from the Shanghai Urban Construction Ltd - a construction company currently in a consortium with Templetec and engaging in various construction and rehabilitation projects in Fiji.

Bainimarama says the visit has been very successful and has assured current and potential investors that Fiji remains a lucrative and safe destination for their investments.The PM adds his visit is indicative of the growing interest of Chinese investors in Fiji and Fiji's growing "investor confidence environment" which is being taken advantage of by many interested parties.

ACTING FINANCE MINISTER TO DELIVER 2011 BUDGET SPEECH.  It's unusual but not exceptional that the Acting Minister http://www.radiofiji.com.fj/fullstory.php?id=32482 will deliver the budget speech.  With the Cabinet cut two-thirds since the days of Qarase's 36-man Cabinet, most ministers are responsible for several portfolios. All budgets everywhere are team efforts involving public servants, economic and financial advisers, and the PM gave a number of hints about its main content before he left for China

FNPF'S HUGE CHANGE AROUND. The Fiji National Provident Fund has recorded a net surplus of $209.5 million for its 2010 financial year compared to its net loss of $181.2 million last year. The change around is mainly due to improved contribution collection and fewer withdrawals. Interest from its investment portfolio has been stable due to prudent investment decisions,and net assets have increased to $3.53 billion compared with $3.32 billion in 2009.
   
THIRD SUGAR EXPORT. The Fiji Sugar Corporation will export the third and last sugar shipment for the 2010 crushing season next week. It is expected that some 26,100 tonnes will be shipped from Labasa and Lautoka, Fiji sells its sugar to Tate and Lyle Refinery in London and has a contract to export a maximum of 300,000 tonnes of sugar annually until 2015.

CIVIL SERVICE CONTRACTS. All new civil servants and people taking up new positions in the civil service are now being put on three year contracts in accordance with last year's State Services Decree. PSC Commission Permanent Secretary Parmesh Chand  said civil servants who do not get any promotions and remained in the civil service before April 2009 are still on open contracts with no specific period. The PSC has also re-engaged contracts for retirees who are needed to continue in certain roles after they turn 55.

FIRE AT SUVAVOU HOUSE. Today's small fire at Suvavou House where the Attorney-General and Registrar of Titles have offices caused no serious damage, and is not thought to be suspicious.

Tonga is Okay, Lowry Panel Mixed bag, IMF Welcome FSC Reforms, Welfare Goes Electronic

TONGA IS OKAY. On Monday I published a short piece based on a Sunday Star-Times article (republished in Stuff) in which I drew parallels between Tonga's laws prohibiting street marches, the King's power to dismiss parliament and similar legislation and the situation in Fiji.My purpose was to show that many Pacific nations cannot be compared with NZ, and that our government needs to recognize this. I now wish to distance myself from the original article and what I wrote about it.  I do not agree with Dr Sitiveni Halapua that Tonga is "still technically under military rule." Serious riots broke out in Nuku'alofa in 2006 and the emergency regulations  passed then are still in place but they refer only to a defined part of Nuku'alofa. This is hardly "military rule." Street marches do require prior permission but this is normal practice everywhere and is not the equivalent of PER or the prevention of the Methodists politicised conferences. Similarly, Clive Edward’s suggestion that the augmented military might step in if the politicians don’t do the right thing after the election is pure speculation and some could say mischievous.  I thank Prof Ian Campbell for these corrections.  Fakamolemole 'aupito.

The map.  Click to enlarge. This is a good map of Tonga because it shows the whole group from Niuafo'ou in the north to 'Ata in the south, and Tonga's overlapping proximity to the Lau Group where Tongan chief Ma'afu ruled at the time of Cakobau and Cession.

THE KERR-DOBELL-FRAENKEL-MEO PANEL.  "On 8 November, the Lowy Institute for International Policy co-hosted the Fiji and Vanuatu Update 2010 with the Crawford School of Economics and Governance, Australian National University. As part of the 2010 Update a distinguished panel was assembled to discuss these very challenges and to discuss Fiji’s international relations, politics and governance, in relation to Australia."

Panelist were the Hon Duncan Kerr (former Permanent Secretary of Pacific Afairs in the Kerr Labor Government) who advocated "Strategic Re-engagement", Graeme Dobell, (journalist and Lowry Interpreter) who spoke of his concerns about the "New Order" before and after 2014;  Dr Jon Fraenkel (ANU and formerly USP) who  said engagement has been tried before, and Rev Dr Jovili Meo *formerly Principal of the Pacific Theoloogical College in Suva and now Chairman of the the Fijian National Conference, Uniting Church Australia) who thought the military was the cause of all the coups and that the military way was not the Fijian way which was change by consensus. The moderator was Jenny Hayward-Jones, Program Director, Myer Foundation Melanesia Program, who provided a useful summary of events from 2006.   The link to the panel discussion is provided in tomorrow's Weekend Readings together with other interesting items (see bottom of post.)


IN CASE YOU MISSED IT. New quotes are published every weekend, usually on Sunday, in the right sidebar. Quote for the Week November 14 "Justice and power must be brought together, so that whatever is just may be powerful, and whatever is powerful may be just." -- Blaise Pascal (1623-1662).

IMF WELCOMES FSC REFORMS. The International Monetary Fund supports Fiji's efforts to improve and develop its ailing sugar industry with reform framework.In a release, the IMF encouraged government to seek international and professional opinion to help in the development of the reform plan.

“The mission welcomed the efforts of the Sugar Task Force to develop a sugar industry reform framework and encourages the government to seek best professional advice available globally to help develop and implement a detailed reform plan.”

Meanwhile, the sugar task force recently enlisted the help of a consulting firm in New Zealand to undertake an independent review of its performance and capital structure.The firm will also identify an appropriate capital structure for the Fiji Sugar Corporation and reforms needed for the industry.

WELFARE GOES ELECTRONIC. Some 24,000 people receiving Family Assistance will soon be able to draw their allowance at Westpac ATM machines. PS for Social Welfare Govind Sami said Westpac Bank had won the tender and would make no transfer charges. Westpac's Senior Manager Government Business Bena Ralogaivau said the recipients will have no bank fees and the accounts would earn interest.“It’s an opportunity for them to join the banking environment and it’s also an opportunity for them to make use of the electronic banking that’s going to be spread out across Fiji and we hope that they take on this and use the functionality in it in the future because it will actually help them create savings and help them spend their dollar further and we welcome them.”

WEEKEND READING. ♦ Allen Lockington Column ♦ Fiji Waters Run Deep: the Bottled Water Affair ♦  Why Did Qarase Send Ridgway Packing? ♦ Dallas Swinstead talks about the Fiji Times and Government. ♦ The Kerr-Dobell-Fraenkel-Meo Panel.

Rumour-Mongers Got One Right, Tonga Okay, MSG Special Meeting, Sect Children Start School, Sugar Production Update, IMF Report, Price Anomalies

See new QUOTE FOR THE WEEK in the right sidebar, and scroll down to the Weekend Readings you may have missed.  Notice also the new blog description above and the new countdown to election facility in the lift sidebar. 

Big fleas have little fleas upon their backs to bite 'em, 

And little fleas have lesser fleas, and so ad infinitum.

COMING BACK TO BITE THEM. Remember the Michael Field story a few weeks back? Unrest brewing in Fiji. Esala Teleni and Pita Driti "dumped" and "sent on indefinite leave." Tevita Mara "removed" as commander of the 3rd Fiji Infantry Regiment "amid wild rumours of further action." Well, Driti and Mara are back from leave and Teleni has been appointed Fiji's next amabassador to China. The latest is from Victor Lal on CoupFourPointFive. Reserve Bank Governor Sada Reddy has been stood down.

"According to highly reliable sources inside the Reserve Bank of Fiji, Reddy had allegedly transferred thousands of dollars to his private bank account in New Zealand last year, shortly before he devalued the valueless Fijian dollar ... More information as we get it." I don't know about the transfer allegation but he's presently on holiday in New Zealand where he has permanent residence and obligations to meet. So I'd expect him to be transferring money on a regular basis." Over to you Victor and Michael.  I hope you will confirm or correct the information as you get it. If you accept bets, I'd be happy to be paid in "valueless Fijian dollars."  Oh, and Teleni, don't do a Falun Gong in China.

THE LATEST FROM C4.5. Their reporting could be improving. In a recent posting their unsubstantiated rumours are no longer stated as facts from usually reliable sources.  Now they have "tips." They surprised themselves with the last one — "One of the tips given to Coupfourpointfive in the past two days has eventuated... " Teleni has been made Ambassador to China. But they sought "confirmation" before publishing it. "We were unable to run it then but its confirmation today, suggests other information given to us is also credible." And the other credible information? Lands Minister Netani Sukanaivalu is "gone"; Brigadier Mohammed Aziz is to be sent on leave, and Neumi Leweni will be put in charge of RFMF Nabua."  But still no correction of previous false tips, and no further mention of Sada Reddy's "absence from office."

 TONGA OKAY BUT NOT FIJI. Concern is apparently growing that Tonga could be headed towards violence as a fragile balance of power is threatened by the country's first democratic elections. Cited are the "emergency powers ..still in place ...after riots in 2006; the King's control and build up of his defence service to use if the 17 candidates elected fail to form a government."

Tongan MP and former police minister Clive Edwards says the new MPs needed to exercise caution. If they [the politicians] don't go along as expected, the army may be used.  Election candidate and Hawaii-based Pacific Islands Development Programme director Dr Sitiveni Halapua said the country was still technically under military rule. Groups had to get permission for any political gathering and a group of church leaders was not allowed to march to pray for the election, which showed, Halapua said, "the power play and the restrictions". -- Based on a Stuff article.

While one may be surprised that Australia and NZ did not impose travel bans years ago, it is to be hoped they will not repeat their Fiji mistake if the present situation does not unravel as they wish. 

SOLOMONS TO HOST MSG MEETING. Solomon Islands PM Danny Philip will host a special Melanesian Spearhead Group meeting on December 15 which will see the transfer of the chairmanship from Vanuatu to Fiji in a traditional reconciliation ceremony.This is likely to involve traditional chiefs from both countries.Mr Philip  said his government is honoured to host the event upon request from the current MSG Chair, Vanuatu PM Edward Natapei.He said engagement with Fiji is one of his government’s policies and the MSG meeting is in line with his views on approaching the Fiji issue.

SECT CHILDREN START SCHOOL. Forty years ago a sect leader in Vatukacevaceva village to the north of the Nakauvadra mountains, the legendary habitat of ancient Fijian gods, founded the Kadrala Church which did not allow children to go to school. This must have been known to the education authorities. The village is only ten kilometres down the road from Rakiraki but it was not until a few weeks ago that government stepped in and banned the church from operating because members' children were not allowed to attend school.The village Turaga ni Koro said, "The church disbanded after talks with Government officials and it is now no longer in existence. All the children are now in school and the members are actively involved in village work." This also is part of the Roadmap.

CANE PRODUCTION DOWN. In the first four months of the crushing season (June — September) cane production fell 9.1% and sugar production 13.9% compared with the same period last year. Crushing for the 2010 season ends at Penang (Rakiraki) Mull on the 19th and the Lautoka Mill on the 25th of this month. The date for Labasa has not yet been determined.

IMF SHOWS CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT REFORM PLANS.The International Monetary Fund has shown confidence in Fiji’s ability to meet most of its reform programs without the Stand By Arrangement Loan.The IMF team led by Jonathan Dunn  applauded the initiative of the government to implement certain changes but urged Government to remove price controls, saying that while the idea "is notable, it is not an effective means of reaching those that really need the assistance." He also thought they would drive investors away.

Minimum interference by government in the economy is part of the IMF ideology, and if the controls were universally applied they could deter investors. But the controls are limited to basic needs items and they are arrived at after extensive discussions with importers, wholesalers and retailers. I would see this as healthy government-private sector interaction. Mr Dunn would have been more helpful had he pointed to more effective strategies to assist the poor and low paid working people.

PRICE CONTROL ANOMALIES which handicap some local manufacturers will be addressed  soon. Flour Mills of Fiji representative Ram Bajeet told a recent forum that the price controls resulted in the manufacturer getting a negative margin whereas the retail trade get a positive margin. "There are those who import and sell here, and they would get a high margin whereas those that bring unprocessed products, process them here and sell them here would receive a negative margin.” Commerce Minister Sayed-Khaiyum agreed and said the matter would be referred to the Commerce Commission.

Islands Business October Cover Story: Sugar

What�s Next in Sugar? The Inside Story on a Sticky Business

Rakiraki, Land Leases, Fiji's Prisons, US Presence, Samoa Spat, EU and Sugar, Bruce Hill's "Viliame", Pacific Eye Clinic

WEEKEND READING. ♦ The Allen Lockington column ♦ Islands Business October Cover Story: Sugar ♦ Mosmi Bhim on Grassroots Citizenry, the Media and Democracy ♦ Engaging with Fiji by Sanjay Ramesh.

ALL PART OF THE ROADMAP: RAKIRAKI A NEW TOURIST DESTINATION? Recently gazetted a town, Rakiraki in Viti Levu's Northeast, aims at becoming a tourist destination, according to Town Council interim administrator, Ms Seini Vunivutu-Raiko. And it could well be when improvements to Kings Road are completed.  Rakiraki is about half way between Nadi and Suva on Kings Road, and a convenient stopover spot for a round-the-island tour or for visits to the nearby island of Nananu-i-Ra and other homely tourist resorts. The  town is the site of Fiji's smallest sugar mill, Penang.

Ms Vunivutu-Raiko says roads in the town will be improved next year at a cost of $100,000 and a special zone for tourism is being created on the town fringes. Consultations between the town, the Penang Mill and the Ra Chamber of Commerce should see other attractions to the package that resorts and hotels offer. When the town's 5,000 people and the population of its hinterland are taken together, Fiji's two major races are equally represented in the area, and this also has considerable tourism potential. -- Based on 2010 No:1808/MOI.

LAND LEASE REFORMS. The Strategic Framework for Change Coordinating Office is now focusing on land reforms to ensure a win-win  situation and equal benefits for both landlord and tenants. Click  here.

NZ AND FIJI PRISONS.  Hamilton Samuels worked in NZ prisons for 24 years. Visiting Fiji for the Marist Old Boys Reunion recently he said he was impressed with the Yellow Ribbon (forgiveness and second chance) programme for ex-offenders, the interaction of prison staff and prisoners (in New Zealand, we were not allowed to talk or shake hands with the prisoners) and the vocational and rehabilitative emphasis in Fiji's prisons. Click here for more information on the Yellow Ribbon Programme.

VIEWS ON US HEIGHTENED PRESENCE IN FIJI.  I said "US involvement may prompt the New Zealand government to change its actions on Fiji, but these changes are likely to be mostly hidden from view and only evident over time. Nothing is going to happen suddenly or dramatically.  New Zealand has dug itself a deep hole with its well meaning but ill-advised policies on Fiji, and it will take quite a time to dig itself out.” Click here.

SAMOA'S TSUNAMI MONEY.Questions  raised by NZTV presenter John Campbell about missing aid money could lead to legal action by Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi. NZ Foreign Minister McCully is satisfied all the money was spent wisely and doesn't want to know any more about it. It cannot escape notice that Tuilaepa is a strong supporter of NZ's position on Fiji and has constantly taken swipes at Bainimarama for his presumed abuse of power.

EU AND SUGAR. The $4.7 million EU fund allocation for the 2007/2008 cane planting program is expected to be fully utilized by the FSC by the end of the year.The balance of $500,000 from this allocation has now been given to the FSC and no further grant is expected from the EU after to the political situation.

The $4.2 million used so far has not been so fruitful as hoped, due to bad weather and the effects of cyclones over the last three years. The allocation of $6 million by Government ($1,000 per hectare) for the cane planting programme has helped growers get through this year.

PM BLAMES DIRTY POLITICS FOR SUGAR PLIGHT. Click here.

ON "By  Bruce Hill For Radio Australia."  Interviewed by Bruce Hill, "Viliame" says he fears for his life but then says if he's sent back to Fiji it's torture and prison, which if true is bad enough but it's not death. So he's become an overstayer dodging Australian authorities — and with the extra  publicity from the ABC programme he's probably improved his chances of being allowed to stay in Australia.

His story started a week or so back when Bruce interviewed him along with two others about ethnic Fijians wanting protection visas.  Viliame says people in Fiji would recognize his voice from this programme, and he's been told military officials had called his Fiji phone number and asked if he was at home. But PS for Information, Sharon Smith Johns, said no-one knows who he is or even cares. "We are simply not concerned with a handful of people in Australia who are seeking asylum or refugee status or whatever it might be," she says."We have bigger things to get on with. There is no persecution."

So we have Viliame stupidly airing his views  on an ABC programme, knowing full well that his voice would be recognized and — if he believes himself — that he would be in serious trouble in Fiji for speaking out against the Government there. And we have a callous Bruce Hill who interviewed him twice despite the fact that the consequences could — if he believes Viliame — be torture, imprisonment or even death. 

Meanwhile, hundreds of the de facto government's opponents, including deposed PM Laisenia Qarase and others far better known than "Viliame", walk free on the streets of Suva. 

Bruce, if you persist in broadcasting this sort of unsubstantiated nonsense, I'll have to conclude you are not as even-handed as you claim. Try balancing this report with something more substantial about Fiji. How about the following item for starters:

FIJI'S PACIFIC EYE CLINIC AWAITS OPENING. The Ministry of Health is optimistic that the new Pacific Eye Centre will open on November 30th as planned. The facility (which cost US$1.5 million was built with support from the Australian and New Zealand Governments and the Fiji School of Medicine) is a first for the South Pacific.  The clinic will have state of the art equipment, and  will be available for over eight million people in the Pacific region, many of whom are struggling with eyesight problems, or battle blindness on a daily basis, often because of diabetes.  Specialists in the field of optometrics will conduct training at the Centre and so start to address the region's chronic shortage of eye specialists. -- Based on 2010, No:1832/MOI.

'Disgusting' Comments, ABC and RNZI Slips are Showing, Sugar Suing, MSG Laughing Stock

WEEKEND READING.  ♦ Allen Lockington's column ♦ Scott MacWilliam reviews Michael Field's Swimming with Sharks ♦ Thakur Ranjit Singh on Brij Lal's book about Jai Ram Reddy ♦ Subramani on Misconceptions about Media Decree ♦ Marist Spirit Leaves Mark.

RACIST, SEXIST AND DISGUSTING COMMENTS ON COUPFOURPOINTFIVE have drawn comments from readers on this blog. Check out both sites.

ABC INTERVIEW PINA. ABC's Geraldine Coutts bowled several leading question at Matai Akauola of the Pacific Islands News Association in an interview yesterday.

Geraldine: Fiji's still got censors in every newsroom. 
Matai: They have been removed. 
Geraldine: Fiji's second to last in the International Press Freedom ratings.[Let's not mention Mexico and the Philippines where journalists have been killed.]... Matai: It depends how you look at it. We want to move on.
Geraldine: Fiji journalists are at risk... Think of the molotov cocktails ... Fiji media still suffering from ... x and y.
Matai:  The new Media Decree (MIDA) can open doors for discussions with government. We want dialogue with government.

Geraldine's approach was not necessarily anti-Fiji of course, though ABC's record on impartial Fiji interviews leaves much to be desired. But why has it become almost standard practice for journalists to probe for negatives. Is absolutely nothing positive happening in Fiji?  Is it worse or better than it was? What is the government trying to do? Has progress been made? How are things since the Fiji Times changed ownership? Repeating the same old questions (and most are very old) cannot possibly help their readers and viewers to understand the situation better.

CONGRATULATIONS TO MICHAEL FIELD.  Dear Michael, Your coverage of the Hobbits saga was excellent.  A balanced report putting some facts into the fictions. A most welcome reversal of approach. Keep it up. Croz

IS RADIO NZINTERNATIONAL  LOSING THE PLOT?  Radio NZ International informs us that a previously unheard of international monitoring group has given Fiji 0 out of 100 on budget transparency. Trawl even deeper and they might find the last orange roughy.

Radio NZI also reminds us that Fiji has not commented on "its continued exclusion from Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index which lists 178 countries", an index that "lists countries and territories according to the level of perceived corruption in a country’s public sector." 

I have three questions:

1) Why should the Fiji Government comment?  Did the government of Vanuatu that ranked 73 comment? Or Kiribati at 91, Tonga at 101 and Papua New Guinea at 154? Or  the governments of NZ, Denmark or Singapore that were near the top?;
2) If governments in these  countries "kept mum" (the RNZI words for Fiji's non-response), why did RNZI single out the Fiji government's non-response for mention?
3) Why is RNZI keeping on about Fiji's place on these indexes, and no one else's?

My explanation is that RNZI is more concerned about making a point than reporting worthwhile news. If this is the case, they exceed their role as a state broadcaster, and I think the NZ Broadcasting Standards Authority would agree.

FIJI SUGAR TO SUE INDIAN VENDORS.The Fiji Sugar Corporation is pursuing legal options about suing the Indian authorities responsible for the failed $86million mill upgrade.An independent consulting engineer is also expected from India next month to determine action against vendors who failed to complete work to an agreed standard. The failed mill upgrades have adversely and seriously affected the sugar industry and the national economy. FSC lost an unprecedented  $175.1m last year, following a downward spiral with losses of $19.3m in 2008 and $36.8m in 2009. This was attributed mainly to frequent mill breakdowns and inefficient cane processing and sugar production.

The mill upgrade program was initiated in 2006 and was supposedly completed prior to the beginning of crushing in  May this year.

FORMER SOLOMONS PM SAYS MSG MADE LAUGHING STOCK.  Click here.

DIWALI  DINNER NIGHT. The Fiji Hindu Society will hold a “Diwali Dinner Night” this Saturday at the Kshatriya Hall starting at 6pm. to assist poor families. Funds collected will be given to poor families to help them with their Diwali shopping.  Diwali will be celebrated on November 6th.

Some Lessons from Mauritius

Dr Satish Chand

From: [email protected]

I spent a week last month in Mauritius as a guest of their national university. Right from the moment the plane landed at the airport to the moment of departure from the island, the landscape and its people kept reminding me of many islands nations of the region and Fiji, particularly.  The sugarcane fields, the mountains in the backdrop, the greenery, and the people look deceptively similar to Fiji. There were a few dissimilarities too. Three that stood out for me included the use of Creole (‘pigeon French’); the dense population; and, the notable absence of abject poverty we often encounter in many of our own islands.  

Good News from Cakaudrove, SFO Threatens NZ Journalists, EU's €, Bruce Hill, Usaia's FDFM and Me

GOOD NEWS FROM CAKAUDROVE. Reports from the Cakadrove Provincial Council meeting in Somosomo, Taveuni,  are that the paramount chief of Cakaudrove, the Tui Cakau Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu, who is also the head of the powerful Tovata Confederacy, comprising, Cakaudrove, Bua, Macuata and Lau, says he now agrees with changes imposed by the Government for the betterment of the country, and that it is time to forget the past and for everyone to work together to make Fiji a better place to live in. 
Map from Walsh: Fiji: An Encyclopaedic Atlas, 2006, USP.


This, in my view, constitutes a major change in the Fiji political scene and offers hope of early reconciliations and faster progress with the reforms leading to the 2014 elections. Its significance is confirmed by the response of Sai Lealea,  a popular anti-goverment blogger, on his blog Fiji Coup 2006. He writes from Wellington:

"Coming from my paramount chief, this is indeed a monumental decision. It is one I will have to consider in terms of my position against the current illegal regime in Fiji, if indeed it is confirmed as a statement from the Tui Cakau ... I have been heavily guided in my opposition to the illegal takeover of the government of Fiji in 2006, by the principled stance taken by the chiefs of Fiji and the Great Council of Chiefs ... In the event the Tui Cakau's call  to the people of Cakaudrove to support the current regime's initiatives is confirmed, I will be reconsidering my current stance in line with my paramount chief's direction.  In such a case, I will be emboldened by the fact that his call is for supporting the initiatives currently implemented to benefit the people of Cakaudrove, especially those greatly in need of assistance, and those who contribute to the coffers of government through taxes."

Ratu Naiqama said this was a new beginning for the people of Cakaudrove and he hoped there would be widespread support for whatever decision was made. He said development efforts undertaken by the Government continued to lift the standards of living of the people [and] he had never heard of Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama trying to stop the assistance to his people. The latter remark is especially significant because overseas anti-government critics had claimed Government development moneys were only being spent in rural areas loyal to government, or used as bribes to win over areas with uncertain support.

The Roko Tui Cakaudrove Ro Aca Mataitini said the two-day meeting would ensure that the people embrace the reforms outlined in the People's Charter for Peace and Progress. The Government would always respect the Vanua and in return the Government hoped the Vanua would do the same. He said the people of Cakaudrove needed to open their hearts and accept the changes that were currently in place. After the two day meeting which ends today, the Tui Cakau, Provincial Council Chairman Emitai Boladuadua and the Roko Tui Cakaudrove will make an appointment to meet the Prime Minister. For the FijiVillage account, click  here.

I DIDN'T KNOW THIS. Our media raised hell about the Fiji Media Decree.  What it didn't tell us was that the Serious Fraud Office Act 1990 gives the SFO powers to execute search warrants on media offices and to charge journalists who attempt to "obstruct investigations" with imprisonment for 12 months or a fine of up to $15,000; with publishers facing a $40,000 fine. I only found out because of "Sarah's" comment on yesterday's posting.  Had we known this when the international media was calling the Fiji Media Decree "draconian" we would have been in a better position to form an informed opinion. Source:  Scoop.

EU ASKED TO RECONSIDER ITS STANCE. EU Ambassador Peceli Vocea has requested the EU to relax its stance on Fiji. EU suspended assistance amounts to over €24 million in sugar subsidies (and  would do This means withholding development aid worth about 30 million euros ($44 million) and subsidy payments to sugar farmers amounting to 115 million euros ($169).

TRYING TO BE AN IMPARTIAL JOURNALIST. Bruce Hill rang me after my postings (19 October) which suggested a lack of balance in his interviews with Rev Yakabi and Usaia Waqatairewa, and I thank him for that. I think he genuinely tries to be impartial but his choice of topics and those interviewed indicate just how difficult it is to modify the internalised positions we grow up with.

Bruce thinks democracy is the best system of government and has no sympathy for those who overthrown democratic governments. I agree. But I doubt Fiji under Qarase was a democratic government and I think Bainimarama is just as genuine as Bruce in wanting a democratic government.  Bruce thinks some people in Fiji would not talk to him because they were afraid but it is just as possible they are tired of answering the same loaded, anti-government questions. I suggested he ask people what questions they would like to be asked, and thought he would get a better response with this approach.

Bruce knew little about Usaia Waqatairewa and the FDFM but thought they represented a significant number of emigré Fijians. He cited their recent meeting which drew people from all over Australia. My information is that they struggled to get 200 people to the meeting and those attending were exclusively ethnic Fijians.

In the course of the conversation Bruce directed me to his earlier interview with three ethnic Fijian SDL supporters who had been declined refugee status in Australia. The abuses they cited were in 2007 and towards the end of the programme the Australian authorities said they had no information to support claims of ongoing abuses.

Here is the link to Bruce's programme. His interview is fair but why the choice of topic and informants, and the late denial by Australian authorities?