Deputy D.P.P Rigdeway explains himself and describes the atmosphere during his tenure at D.P.P's office, in a Fiji Sun article.
Even their Editorial article of Thursday June 23rd has more to say on the issue.
More examples of the backwardness of the operations within the entire Fiji Government.
Fiji Women Lawyers Association made their submission to this Justice, Law & Order committee, adding more detractors to the Bill opposition camp. Even the churches were hoodwinked by Qarase to harness their support towards this controversial Recon Bull.
The Fiji Times Editorial of Thursday June 23rd lambasts the SDL/CAMV coalition in selectively ommiting facts to the church which appears to be the standard operating procedure for his Government.
Frankly dear Prime Minister, the people of Fiji-DO give a damn!
Here's excerpts form Fiji Times Letters to the Editor which appeared on Thurs June 22nd edition.
Labour attack
Deo Raj (FT 18/6) simply cannot understand how the parliamentary system works.
His defence of the Fiji Labour Party's decision to boycott the Justice, Law and Order sector committee hearing receiving public submissions on the Reconciliation, Tolerance and Unity Bill is full of holes. The Labour walkout and sector committee boycott is nothing but political grandstanding because the Bill is still in the consultative stages.
Labour MPs on the Justice, Law and Order sector committee would have had the chance to scrutinise public submissions and try to moderate the positions of those supporting this controversial Bill.
They would have had the opportunity to change the view of the government members on the committee by reasoning with them to view all submissions dispassionately. Labour's decision to also stay out of the ad hoc select committee on Land and the Sugar select committee will mean cane farmers and the predominantly Fiji-Indian tenant community will have their misery prolonged.
The people must be reminded that it was Labour and the Opposition leader who claimed credit for the establishment of the committees and even seconded the Prime Minister's motion in Parliament for their establishment.
As it stands, the restructure of the sugar industry has been delayed and will not start until the first reduction in the price of sugar in 2006. Some 500 land leases will expire on Vanua Levu this year and their fate has probably been sealed to the squatter settlements by the Labour boycott of the Lands committee.
If Deo Raj thinks the Labour Party cannot function in this process, then it is wasting its time in Parliament. They must lead by example and not hoodwink their electorate.
If they continue with their cowardly behaviour, history will judge them as having given the Government open territory to impose the Bill on the people.
Dalip Kumar
Suva
Voting age
I am writing with reference to an article published in The Fiji Times titled "Give young a voice". As a young person, I strongly believe the voting age should be reduced to 18 years.
Fiji has a youthful population with 62.7 per cent below the age of 29 and young people between the ages of 15 and 29 making 27.4 per cent of Fiji's population.
Research conducted by the Ecumenical Centre for Research, Education and Advocacy showed their views and concern make very little impact at local and national level and on the churches. Sadly, UNICEF's video entitled Basoga ni sala - Crossroads, discloses that in 2000, 73 per cent of Fiji's prison population was under 28 years.
"Primary among the traditions and values in Fijian and Indian society is strong emphasis upon unquestioning respect for authority. This deference to authority pervades the Fijian and Indian social structure and is reproduced throughout the socialisation process, beginning in infancy.
From the time they learn to apeak, Fijian and Indian children learn that to ask question of adults is to incite verbal rebuke, while to challenge or actively disobey the dictates of an adult is to invite corporal punishment (Adinkrah, 1995:168)
"Youths in Fiji are a social group without a voice" (Adinkrah, 1995: 27-29).
Among all of the major ethic and racial groups, the status of young people is one of being seen and not heard. The dependency syndrome characteristic of young people in Fiji is expressed politically as well as socially.
Young people are not allowed to vote until they are 21. This political disenfranchisement, with all that it entails, ensures the opinions and perspectives of young people on political issues are disregarded.
I think we should be given the right to vote. If our leaders allow us to vote it will give us, young people, a sense of ownership of our country.
Our leaders refer to us as leaders of tomorrow, but I feel we are not leaders of tomorrow but leaders of today. How can our leaders know how good we are if we are not given a chance to show our leadership qualities.
Kaajal Kumar
Nasinu
Complex process
Reconciliation between victims and offenders is a complex process that requires much more than what is what contained in the Promotion of Reconciliation, Tolerance and Unity Bill.
It is reported (FT 20/6) that the Prime Minister said that the Bill had the support of the majority of Christians.
I am a Christian who is requesting the withdrawal of the Bill on the grounds that it does not adequately promote true reconciliation nor does it meet the needs of either the victims of those responsible for the events in 2000. There needs to be truth, and justice, and forgiveness, before reconciliation can be achieved.
As Attorney-General Qoriniasi Bale has said, "amnesty is not forgiveness. Amnesty means to forget, but forgetting cannot precede forgiveness. First there needs to be truth that is, the acknowledgement of harm done. The consequences of their actions have to be accepted, and requests made for forgiveness. None of this is easy for either wrongdoers or victims. It is a process that cannot be hurried, nor can it be imposed".
I am alarmed by the shallow understanding of forgiveness among some Christians in Fiji. Forgiveness is not cheap or easy, nor can it be offered by a third party on behalf of the victim.
The Bible makes this clear. Jesus Christ taught that God's forgiveness is dependent upon us first being reconciled with those we have offended (Matthew 5:23-234). Christians are called to be compassionate and caring. I am sure I am not the only Christian who is greatly concerned for the victims who still feel hurt because of what was done to them at the time of political upheaval in this country, and who now fear that they will never see justice done.
Those who were responsible for the events of 2000 need sympathy too. It takes great courage to admit to having caused hurt and pain, and to have to face the consequences of one's actions. There is a need for compassion and understanding for all involved.
Teresa MacKenzie
Suva
Snorkelling trip
I am a tourist visiting Fiji for the first time. As I had heard from my friends that snorkelling was really great in Fiji, I really wanted to go and experience it. I borrowed a little boat from a local man whom I had met earlier in Suva (and we had became friends since then). This nice gentlemen had lent me his boat and gave me a map that showed the passage in and out of Suva Harbour.
My wife, my 18-year-old daughter and I set out for snorkelling. We were having the best time just outside Suva when a boat full of Fijian men arrived and threatened us. They yelled and shouted at us, telling us that the sea belonged to them and told us to leave at once. They spoke in a very abusive language.
They told us that if we did not leave straight away then they would cut off the propeller and throw it in the sea and drag the boat back to their village and then we could swim back to Suva. I told them that we were only swimming and snorkelling and not dumping rubbish or fishing.
They became more angry and came close to our boat and appeared very threatening. We had no choice but to pack up and leave. The next day I brought some of my local friends to the same spot as they wanted to find out the name of the place of this incident. They told me it's called "Nabukavesi" near Suva. My wife and my daughter were very frightened by this incident.
I do not intend to recommend anyone to visit Fiji anymore. I wonder what the Government can do to stop this type of ill behaviour. Now I really feel sorry for the evicted farmers in Fiji. First they got rid of the hard-working Indians who ploughed their land for decades, and now they chase tourists who bring in a lot of money and give them employment.
It's a real shame!!
David Palt
Australia
Respect values
Throughout history courageous men and women have taken a stand contrary to the popular perspective of their times and who endured political, religious and racial tyranny, often giving their lives for their cause.
With regards to moral values parents must teach their children to keep separate from conduct, practices or even attitudes, that although common in the world, can bring harm to themselves or to others.
So they should inform their children about the dangers of drugs and other practices such as smoking and the abuse of alcohol. Children must believe in the importance of honesty and industriousness.
Parents must teach children to avoid foul language. They should teach them to live by the teachings the principles espoused in Holy Books on sexual morality and to have respect for authority, the person and property of others. Whatever country we live in we must show respect by obedience to the nation's laws. Children must never engage in anti-government activities. We sincerely believe that living by these principles is in the best interest of all the children of Fiji.
Ganga Singh
Sigatoka
Careful Savua
Of all people, Isikia Savua ought to be very careful before opening his mouth to criticise the military and its commander for what he termed "unmatched arrogance" when Frank spoke out criticising the Government in his opposition to the Unity Bill.
Savua should take a good look at himself first and re-examine his track record over the years.
He will find that it is far from attractive and he should be thankful the commander has continued to uphold the rule of law in the country, something Savua failed to do as commissioner of police and was indeed under heavy suspicion from day one of the May 2000 coup for his lack of action and omissions.
His press statement has a political connotation to it and I'm tempted to ask if he has been offered a ticket for the upcoming general elections to join his brother Joseva Savua in the CAMV camp.
I don't know, but to go to the press and attack the commander for his legitimate concern on security is only adding fuel to the fire under the difficult situation we are in. Savua should know Fiji is not going through normal times and for that reason those who are concerned with security and the rule of law like the commander, will in their attempt to be understood, speak out publicly and are likely to ruffle a few feathers in the process.
Before the May 2000 coup, neither the commander nor his predecessors had anything to say publicly.
However, times have changed and as one who lived through this period himself and was largely responsible for steering the country into better times despite the few failed attempts on his life, we have faith in him. I believe he has unfinished business regarding national security and he is still trying to be heard; not that he wants to but because he does not want to see Fiji return to the May 2000 anarchy.
In Savua's case he was commissioner of police before and in the times of the upheaval and was continuously criticised and rightly suspected for his activities. Police vehicles were reportedly used to carry rebels to and from Muainaweni with their loot.
One of his senior officers was reported to have escorted a vehicle full of arms through the Muanikau checkpoint. Many other suspicious incidents occurred during his commissionership for which he is still under investigation. He left a police force riddled with corrupt indiscipline and it's taking Andrew Hughes time to straighten things out and get on with the task of maintaining law and order.
I think Mr Hughes and the commander are doing a great job but it won't be easy bringing the country back on an even keel because of the extent of damage inflicted on society.
Savua contributed to this damage but he is now sitting comfortably in New York bidding his time and maybe a ticket to Parliament. While many of us know the reason for his early departure from the police force, not many of us know how and why he left the army. Perhaps he could tell us.
F Qio
Nasinu
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