(Above image: Isoa Kaloumaira, right, explains the layout of the Great Council of Chiefs complex to Poseci Bune, Dr Jona Senilagakali and Ratu Epeli Ganilau.
The report of opening of the new Great Council of Chiefs complex is perhaps a stark reminder of the culture of exuberance; sprinkled with self-gratification and seasoned with self-importance. Notwithstanding the rude awakening to squandered resources in Fiji.
This is an excerpt of the Fiji Times article.
Chiefs yet to decide who to open their new complex
Thursday, March 22, 2007
THE Great Council of Chiefs will meet next month to discuss matters including the appointment of the next Vice-President of Fiji. This was confirmed by interim Fijian Affairs Minister Ratu Epeli Ganilau yesterday. He said the meeting would be held at the Raffles Tradewinds Hotel in Lami on April 11-12.
[Ganilau] said the President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, had already made his nomination for the new Vice-President and the procedure was for the council members to endorse the nomination.
"The nominee's name is contained in an envelope which will be opened at the meeting. It's quite clear the procedures the President has to follow. In this instance, he nominates the Vice-President which will be endorsed by the GCC before it becomes official," Ratu Epeli said.
The next GCC meeting is being convened to announce a Vice-President after the resignation of Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi after the December 5 military takeover. Ratu Epeli said they did not have anyone who would open the $20million GCC complex at Nasova in Suva but the name of a chief guest would be endorsed at the GCC meeting.
Queen Elizabeth II was the first choice for chief guest at the opening but she declined because of other commitments. Ratu Epeli, members of the GCC and interim ministers were yesterday given a tour of the complex which is to be opened next month.
Similar views regarding the subject of GCC of were reflected in by an exceptionally worded letters to Fiji Times Editor. One by U.K resident, the other by a local academic and former politician.
Chiefs complex
THE interim Minister for Fijian Affairs looked respectable when he and other ministers toured the GCC complex at Nasova.
He is trying to decide on someone distinguished and noble to officiate at the opening. I am of the view that there is no need to make the opening a big event.
It is quite hypocritical, in my view, to organise a big ceremony because this Government trampled, snubbed and humiliated this Fijian institution during the time leading to and after the military coup.
The interim Fijian Affairs Minister is a representative of the military regime and, as such, should not be two-faced while trying to represent noble intentions when dealing with the GCC.
This regime showed during the coup how it views the GCC as an institution whose members should sit and drink home-brew under a mango tree.
James Bolavucu
United Kingdom
What democracy
TWO items of news recently set me thinking.
One concerned the provincial councils squabbling over who should have grants for students, the other concerned the Great Council of Chiefs' meeting and their "election'' of the new Vice President.
Now provincial councils are basically an unelected body who purportedly represent only the 51 per cent of the population who are indigenous Fijians.
In fact they represent a much smaller per cent that are chiefs and of chiefly families. The unelected provincial councils have the powers to raise rates and swallow additional grants from government.
I do know these bodies meet regularly at our expense and spend much time drinking kava. They give us their opinion on various issues of the day. I am not sure how they account for what they do or how they spend our money.
In my days in Parliament in the early 1990s, few submitted accounts or had little transparency in their dealings.
Likewise the GCC, is enshrined in the Constitution. Now the GCC is basically an unelected body purportedly represent only 51 per cent of the population who are indigenous Fijians. In fact they represent a much smaller percent that are chiefs and chiefly families.
The GCC is responsible for choosing the President and Vice President. We now know that these office holders are so powerful that they can overthrow governments if the doctrine of necessity is involved.
The GCC meets regularly over a three-day period at our expense and spend much time drinking kava. The expense can only be judged by those who pass their new meeting place on Queen Elizabeth Drive. They give us their opinion on various issues of the day.
I have been told that the GCC and provincial councils represent Fijian tradition. I don't give much credit to that argument as neither body existed before the colonial era. They were both set up by the British to try and control the ordinary people and it seems that even today that is what they are still trying to do.
Now we have over the last four months had endless people talking about democracy, the man from Mavana, the women from Lami, the man from Wales (closely related to the other two) and the very opinionated foreign ministers of our big island neighbours.
Those who talk the most about democracy have said nothing about either the GCC or provincial councils. One has to wonder whether their opinions are based on a true love of democracy or just a wish to preserve the political domination of a few indigenous Fijians from chiefly families.
Dr Fereti S. Dewa
Suva
Club Em Designs
