Clash of the Titans.

Fiji Village reports that, Laisenia Qarase, the deposed Prime Minister had denied any knowledge of the S.D.L strategic paper to defy the military intervention prior to the coup. A series of denials were also raised by Qarase, in a feeble attempt to deflect the onslaught of other military allegations. The Army had acknowledged the existence of an incriminating video, depicting SDL party involved in vote-rigging activites. The video of concern was taken by an Army stake-out exercise during the May elections in Fiji.

The Great Council of Chief's (GCC) new media release, acknowledges the refusal of the interim President and Army Commander to meet with them, as reported by Fiji Live.

Australian Broadcasting Corporation article confirms the incident of Army Commander flatly refusing to meet the GCC. These reports of refusal, would confirm the loss of influence and recognition of GCC in their eyes of the Fiji military.

This is the excerpt of Fiji Live article.

We were turned away: GCC chair
Sunday December 24, 2006

Ratu Ovini Bokini.

The delegation of Great Council of Chiefs seeking audience with the army commander Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama were turned away from the Queen Elizabeth Barracks yesterday after the army chief refused to meet them.

The delegation, which was led by GCC chairman Ratu Ovini Bokini, had gone to discuss the GCC resolutions with the army commander.

"He (Bainimarama) was not willing to accept us so we just handed a letter informing him of our decision," he said.

He added that the GCC would not make any changes to the current resolutions and that it was up to the commander on whether to accept or reject it.

"Our decision will stay for the time being but will only change if we hold further talks with the army," he said.

Ratu Ovini said the Bainimarama needed to stop being 'stubborn' and start talks with the GCC.

Fijilive

Fiji Village article reports that, GCC Chairman denies any SDL influence in their resolution or in any other manner, after calling the interim President and Army Commander, "Stubborn" in the featured Fiji Live article.

Obviously these face-saving press releases by the GCC Chairman, may be too little and too late in salvaging their eroding integrity with the general public, amid the wake of disturbing videos aired by Fiji T.V featuring active representatives of the GCC visiting George Speight in Fiji Parliament post-2000 coup.

Despite the online reports by Fiji Live or ABC, Radio New Zealand's online article misreports that, Frank Bainimarama had agreed to meet a delegation of GCC at the conclusion of their emergency meeting in Suva. It may well appear that, the online staff of Radio New Zealand, being a Government agency have scored the Christmas weekend off, much to the detriment of their news cycle.

This displays one of the pet peeves of the media industry of Fiji, having the international parachute brigade of journalists, mis-informing their readership with outdated and outlandish information.

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