The Best Defense.

Great Council of Chiefs Chairman's response to the Bose ni Turaga is the usual belligerence from people insulated from reality. The role to determine who becomes President could be tainted with internal bias by members who have been tried and sentenced for their involvement in the 2000 coup.

Appointments GCC's prerogative: CEO
Tuesday February 21, 2006

Chief Executive in the Prime Minister's Office Joji Kotobalavu
The appointments of President and Vice President are the prerogative of the Great Council of Chiefs and no one else.

The comment was made by the chief executive in the Prime Minister's Office Joji Kotobalavu.

He was reacting to reports that some interest groups in Tailevu want the GCC to allow Ratu Jope Seniloli to complete his term as Vice President.

Ratu Jope resigned as VP after he was sentenced in 2004 for taking an illegal oath in coup leader George Speight's government and illegally swearing in cabinet ministers.

He was released on Compulsory Supervision Order approved by the Attorney General. Kotobalavu said the appointments lie solely with the Great Council of Chiefs.

"We still do not know that both incumbent President and Vice President are not willing to continue in their respective office, if they want to extend their term in office, the GCC has the power to do so.

"So how can it be considered until the GCC considers an extension or a new appointment of the President and the Vice President," he said.

Kotobalavu said people aorganizationsons should be patient and wait for the GCC's decision.

The army said it would be hard for them to accept a former convict as President and Commander in Chief of the Fiji Military Force.

Army spokesman Lt Col Orisi Rabukawaqa said a prerequisite in the Constitution for the President's office was a person of integrity and they cannot afford to have someone with a record in the highest office in the land.

S.I.F.M is raising the alternatives to the process of choosing the President.

Great Council of Chief is not a democratic institution. Fiji is democratically mature enough to implement the true application of governance via elected offices. Having an un-elected Council select the highest office in Fiji Government is a mechanism that requires urgent review.

It is amusing to hear these same officials clinging to a clause in Fiji's 1997 constitution, stating G.C.C's role in the selection process.

However, this is the same document that S.D.L party et al, has failed to uphold and tried to amend.

Fiji Elections office rush to illuminate the green light on the 2006 elections should be scrutinized the old fashioned way.

Fiji P.M is already feeling the heat of dissatisfied voters and is firing back counter-claims. Probably taking up the slack from his C.E.O Kotobalavu who seems to be more concerned with his marriage disruption. It only further captures the character of the man who publicizes details of his private affairs that ridicules the other party. It is more likely that the C.E.O was the rejected candidate trying to save face. This particular C.E.O's age and public demeanor speaks volumes.

Kotobalavu calls off wedding
Tuesday February 21, 2006


The chief executive in the Prime Minister's Office, Joji Kotobalavu, has called off his plans to marry sweetheart Miriama Vereivalu.

Kotobalavu and Vereivalu's courtship and intention to marry sparked much media publicity late last year.

This morning Kotobalavu told Fijilive his engagement to Vereivalu was a beneficial testing period for both of them.

"Regrettably, she has fallen short of the standard I had expected of her and I have therefore withdrawn from any further personal relationship with her.

"However, I do ask that we respect Miriama's choice of how she wants to live her life. She is a single and free person. Her life is her sole prerogative, and it is nobody else's business."

Kotobalavu described Vereivalu as a lovely person.

"In a very strange and special kind of way, I have gained so much from her in my own spiritual development. For that I will always be grateful to her," he said.

However, Kotobalavu maintained that the professional relationship at work between the two will continue to be on the basis of mutual acknowledgement and respect.

Vereivalu is also employed in the PM's Office.
Fijilive

Papua New Guinea's veiled threat to take the Fiji Government to the World Trade Organization for free trade violations has not been fully understood by the veteran Foreign Affairs Minister of Fiji. With all due respect to Messr Tavola, the final decision on P.N.G's evidence rests with the W.T.O and was presumptous for Messr Tavola to even comment on the matter.

The old trade barrier model seems to have ingrained with Fiji's Foreign Trade experts; whose knowledge is rooted in post cold-war international trade.
Divorced from the negative trade imbalance statistics which he is in-directly responsible for. Reserve Bank's habit of pinning the Fiji dollar to a basket of international currencies is facing academic critics.

Finally it has been reported that from Lautoka Hospital of the disaperance of another baby from the city morgue.

S.I.F.M insinuates that reply of hospital official, of blaming the stork.

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