Fiji Media & The Echo Chamber In The Pacific.

It appears that the rumors of the dismissal of Fiji's Interim Finance Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry has finally been laid to rest. However, it has become apparent that the many media organizations in Fiji and abroad, were so overly eager to report a scoop and that resulted in a web of inaccuracies, ricocheting across the Pacific.

Such parroting of gossip and unbridled repetition of inaccurate statements may tend to be the hallmark of some media outlets, that are quantity driven and short in quality.
It also seems that, some of the media outlets were raring at the bit, to unleash a salvo of gloating reports about Chaudhry's sacking, allegedly for his role in taxing the conglomerate of Water exporters, like Fiji Water; that in the process the media outlets, knowingly or unknowingly contributed to the rumor mongering by quoting unnamed sources, that left themselves in an unenviable position of having an egg, plastered on their collective faces.

SiFM has chosen a selection of articles, that provide a comparative analysis of sorts, to the ping-pong of rumors across the Pacific.








On the examination of the Google search of Fiji contains the following stories.
One interesting aspect, was on the Radio Australia article (pictured above) titled "Fiji Minister Chaudhry Facing the Sack".



When the article is clicked, the title and content has been quietly changed to this new article (pictured below).




Sydney Morning Herald article:

Signs of rift between Fiji leader, arm


July 24, 2008 - 6:21PM

Fresh signs are emerging of a damaging rift between Fiji's coup leader and his closest military supporters who have shored up his government.

Commodore Frank Bainimarama has been forced to deny that he met on Thursday with his most trusted military advisers to discuss demands that he sack his right-hand man, Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry.

Chaudhry has acted as chief political ally to Bainimarama since the commodore led a bloodless military coup in 2006.

Chaudhry's Fiji Labour Party was the only major political party to back the putsch, which the international community has condemned.

Speculation has been mounting that Bainimarama might allow Chaudhry to take over from him as prime minister, and that Bainimarama could take over the presidency.

Such a move could afford Bainimarama immunity from prosecution over the coup and allow him to remain influential in Fiji's affairs. But any such plans could come unstuck of Bainimarama loses the support of his military commanders.

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark this week said Bainimarama could be planning the next stage of his coup.

Asked about the possibility of him becoming president, Prime Minister Helen Clark noted there was already someone in that role, and "perhaps that is the next stage of the coup".

Media reports in Fiji on Thursday said a senior member of Bainimarama's interim government had been told to quit.

Former prime minister Laisenia Qarase, who was ousted by Bainimarama, said he believed the military council had demanded Chaudhry go.

"It could be the start of a very serious split between the council and the interim prime minister," Qarase said.

"This is not the first time that they have differed."

Chaudhry's falling out with senior military figures has been linked to the introduction of new taxes that this week forced the shut down of Fiji Water, whose exports are a big earner for the country.

The taxes, which forced the company to send about 500 workers home, have since been scrapped.

Bainimarama on Thursday held separate meetings with the military council and with Chaudhry about the Fiji Water situation. He denied Chaudhry had been sacked, or that he intervened to save his ally's skin.

Chaudhry also denied the military council had tried to force him out. "I was never asked to step down from my position as finance minister," he told the Fiji Times.
"Who orchestrated the speculations? This was done by my critics and the western and international countries."

But Chaudhry reportedly said late on Thursday that his job in taking Fiji's economy forward was almost complete, and he could soon consider resigning to prepare for elections.

Bainimarama has previously said interim cabinet ministers must resign if they are planing to run.

© 2008 AAP

A podcast from Radio NZ interviews Legend FM's news director, Vijay Narayan in attempt to flesh out the truth, from the speculation and innuendo as featured in a Radio Australia news article that, quoted from New Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark, regarding the intentions of Fiji's Interim P.M in seeking the Presidential office.

The excerpt of the Radio Australia online article:

NZ PM says Fiji's Bainimarama may seek presidency

Updated Tue Jul 22, 2008 7:16pm AEST

NZ PM says Fiji's Bainimarama may seek presidency

New Zealand's prime minister, Helen Clark, says Commodore Frank Bainimarama could be looking for an exit strategy because he is guilty of treason. [AFP/Reuters]

The New Zealand prime minister, Helen Clark, says Fiji coup leader and interim prime minister, Frank Bainimarama, may seek to become the country's president.

Our New Zealand correspondent, Kerri Ritchie, says rumours about such a move have been circulating in Fiji for some time. Ms Clark says she had her doubts when Commodore Bainimarama made his promise last year to hold elections by March 2009.

"I must say I wasn't convinced by the assurances he gave the Forum leaders, so I wrote everything down," she said.

Ms Clark says Commodore Bainimarama could be looking for an exit strategy because he is guilty of treason. She says it is possible he may try to seize the presidency. "There's someone in that position at the moment, perhaps that is the next stage of the coup," she said.

Rumours have been circulating that Commodore Bainimarama could re-appoint Mahendra Chaudhry, currently the finance minister, as the country's prime minister.

An article in Pacific magazine by Ricardo Morris, attempts to sum up the day and justify the source of confusion. The excerpt of Morris' article:

Suva Thursday: A Day Of Leaks, Machinations, "Secret" Meetings And Speculation

By Ricardo Morris in Suva
Friday: July 25, 2008

For weeks it was clear all was not well on the “fourth floor” of the Home Affairs Building — the offices of Fiji’s military chief and interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.

But what exactly was wrong?


On Thursday, Fiji’s interim regime could not contain the leaks from within its own ranks and the resulting rumor turned it into one of those dreaded Suva days when people wondered if more political unrest loomed.

Last week, Bainimarama’s “right-hand man,” his Permanent Secretary Parmesh Chand resigned in controversial circumstances.

This week, the bottled water industry was plunged into crisis as a 20-cents-per-liter tax on locally-bottled water took its toll. Water companies pleaded for the regime to reconsider the tax on both exports and local sales but to no avail. A week after the tax was imposed on July 1, the 10 companies collectively agreed to halt production.

But it wasn’t until Natural Waters of Viti Limited, the bottlers of world-famous Fiji Water, shut down its plant at Yaqara on Wednesday and sent more than 500 workers home, that Bainimarama decided to act.

The man accused of precipitating both the incidents is interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry.

Fiji Labor Party leader Chaudhry and respected civil servant Chand do not see eye-to-eye, according to a Pacific Magazine source who spoke to Chand several times well before his resignation last week.

Chand has persistently refused to talk about why he quit but the Fiji Times reported it was allegedly over “meddling senior interim Cabinet ministers and broken lines of communication.”

On Thursday, Chaudhry’s fate appeared to hang in the balance for his handling of the bottled water issue. The night before Bainimarama had resolved it by repealing the tax imposed by Chaudhry.

This came after Interim Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum and members of Bainimarama’s Military Council — not Chaudhry — met with the water industry representatives on Wednesday night.

By Thursday morning, rumours were rife — on Fiji’s political blogosphere, among NGOs and on the streets — that the Military Council wanted Chaudhry to be sacked. First Bainimarama and then Chaudhry went on air to deny that a sacking or resignation was imminent.

Explaining Chaudhry’s sidelining, Bainimarama told Legend FM News he was not able to get in touch with Chaudhry on Wednesday afternoon since his mobile phone was turned off. He added that he wanted Sayed-Khaiyum to meet the industry representatives because he was neutral.

Compounding the impression that Chaudhry is in an embattled position, Parmesh Chand Thursday agreed to return to office, in what the Public Service Commission chairman Rishi Ram described as a “unanimous decision” between Chand and the commission.

Throughout the day, a flurry of meetings was taking place starting with Chaudhry meeting Army Chief-of-Staff Colonel Mohammed Aziz first thing in the morning. According to Chaudhry it was only a briefing on what had transpired in the meeting with the bottled water industry the night before.

After that Chaudhry and Bainimarama — who is ill — met at the commander’s residence but they both denied Chaudhry’s resignation was discussed.

Immediately after Chaudhry had left, Bainimarama’s Military Council and Sayed-Khaiyum went up to his Flagstaff residence.

The Military Council included Chief-of-Staff Colonel Mohammed Aziz, Immigration Director Commander Viliame Naupoto, military third-in-command Lieutenant-Colonel Ratu Tevita Roko Ului Mara and Police Commissioner Commodore Esala Teleni.

It is not clear what the meeting was about and officials would not comment.

A press conference had been announced at which Aziz was to have addressed the media but this was cancelled without explanation after the meeting with Bainimarama.

In a press conference late on Thursday Chaudhry reiterated there was “no question” about his position in the interim Cabinet and denied the issue involving Parmesh Chand was discussed with Bainimarama.

“I’m sorry to disappoint you,” Chaudhry told journalists. He also laughed off questions about an alleged deal he struck with Bainimarama to leave office in a month.

Earlier in the day, Chaudhry claimed to Legend FM News the rumors of his alleged resignation were orchestrated by sections of the media “vested interests.”

He defended the decision to impose the tax on bottled water, saying it was a collective Cabinet decision. An emergency Cabinet session will take place on Friday morning at which Chaudhry says he will gauge the ministers’ reaction to the repealing before making a final decision.

Chaudhry also suggested to Legend FM he may quit soon, although not because of problems within Cabinet but because his work in rebuilding the economy was almost complete.

He said once he was satisfied the economy was on track he would resign and begin prepare to contest the general election, the date of which is still uncertain. All this comes as doubt grows over whether Bainimarama will keep his promise to hold elections in March 2009.

The regime has insisted electoral reforms and its People’s Charter for Change, Peace and Progress must be in place before the country goes to the polls. Last week Bainimarama said the target of early 2009 was unachievable telling Radio Fiji News “there will be no elections next year.”

However, the international community has been putting pressure on the regime to keep its word. The European Union reiterated its stand this month that it will not release aid money if the regime fails to hold elections early next year. Most of the aid is earmarked to help prop up Fiji’s struggling sugar industry.

While Fiji’s interim regime is at pains to project a united front, Thursday’s events — the leaks and the public contradictions of the protagonists — showed that that front may be bulging at the seams.

While Ricardo Morris mentions that the story was on the blogosphere on Thursday morning:

By Thursday morning, rumours were rife — on Fiji’s political blogosphere, among NGOs and on the streets — that the Military Council wanted Chaudhry to be sacked.

Perhaps the blogs Morris is referring to, are the postings on the blogs: Solivakasama and Rawfiji news, both of which hardly fit the description of accurate and reliable sources of information.



Such particular use of quotes from unnamed sources were instrumental in the W.M.D facade leading up to the Iraq invasion, as described in an article: "Second Time Around" appearing in the American Journalism Review.

Disappointingly, these flaws have reared their ugly head in the South West Pacific, and as such when reporters attribute their stories to an unnamed source, they are oblivious to the fact that, such reports are erroneous.
News outlets down line, which quote the erroneous stories fall into the same trap and their end product is rumors and speculation dressed up as fact, undeniably the case in this coverage.

By all accounts, the story of Chaudhry's dismissal or sacking, embarrassingly fails the basic test on accuracy- one of the pillars of quality journalism. I wonder if any media outlet would have the testicular fortitude to issue an apology for distributing such maligned reports? Or should the injured party, ponder about taking legal action against these media outlets?

A Canada Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) website outlines some guidelines when attributing to unnamed sources and it is highly advisable for journalists (print and broadcast)in the Pacific region, to start studying up on these guidelines, to prevent a repeat occurrence of 'echo chamber' reporting and drive-by journalism.

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Fiji Development Bank- A Crisis In Confidence?

Fiji Development Bank is currently undergoing a management change, after the apparent dismissal of its C.E.O, Tukana Bovoro according to a Fiji Live article. Fiji Sun article quotes from the Bank Chairman and the former C.E.O.

Board explains Bovoro’s sacking

7/21/2008
Former Fiji Development Bank chief executive officer Tukana Bovoro was dismissed because of differences with the board.

Board chairman Taito Waradi said one of the main issues regarding his dismissal was irreconcilable differences over management philosophy between Mr Bovoro and the board.

But Mr Bovoro said yesterday he did not have any differences with the board. "I really want to know what the philosophical differences are because nothing to that effect was stated in the termination letter," he said.
"I think it is totally unfair that he should be doing this in public when he should have at least informed me first."

Mr Waradi said Mr Bovoro had been given the opportunity to respond to the board's concerns.Mr Bovoro confirmed that he had replied to the board.

"The board had fully addressed Mr Bovoro's response to its decision to relieve him of his duties,'' said Mr Taito. "Full and proper procedures leading to his termination have been followed."

In the meantime the board has appointed Mr Waradi as executive chairman to carry out the executive functions of the CEO, as well as those of chairman until a new CEO is in place.

Mr Waradi also announced a reorganisation of the bank's senior management structure as part of a new direction in its lending policies. The number of general managers has been reduced from six to four.

Under a new mandate from the government and in line with its Strategic Development Plan 2009 to 2011, the bank's aim is to create greater and stronger economic activity in sectors such as agriculture, forestry and fishing.

"The reorganization includes the creation of a new position, General Manager North in response to the need for greater business development in the Northern division and better contract and communication with the community. The new post is now being advertised."

He said the position of CEO is being advertised locally and an appointment is expected in a month or two.

One interesting intersection of the Fiji Development Bank story is an article from Fiji Village, which alludes to a Fiji Development Bank loan and a looming court case.
The excerpt of the FV article:

Court Battle Looms On Businessman Loan
Publish date/time: 22/07/2008 [10:53]

A court battle looms in light of information surfacing that a top businessman took a major loan from the Fiji Development Bank and gave the Native Land Trust Board's name as the guarantor of the loan.

Fijivillage had received information that the money borrowed from the FDB by the businessman amounted to more than a million dollars.

It is not known at this stage who signed off the Native Land Trust Board (NLTB) guarantee for the private loan taken by the businessman as the NLTB or the native landowners did not benefit at all through the loan.

When we contacted senior officials at the Native Land Trust Board. They refused to make any comments. They only said that the information had surfaced and the NLTB had taken the stand that it did not guarantee the loan.

Fijivillage had also been informed that the matter is likely to end up in court. It is also not known at this stage whether the businessman is still making repayments for the loan, as the Native Land Trust Board would be ask to pay the amount if the borrower had defaulted.

The FDB loan for the businessman with the NLTB guarantee for the loan was approved and paid out before the December 5th takeover in 2006.

It appears that the loan exceeding $F3 million was approved, on the understanding that the Native Lands Trust Board (NLTB) was the guarantor. Questions are bound to rise, regarding the removal of the C.E.O and if that had anything to do with this particular loan. Another interesting point that should be cleared is, Was the former C.E.O aware of such loan application?




An article from Mai Life online magazine, covers the subject of loans issued by Fiji Development Banka and quotes from the former head of Fiji Development Bank and deposed Fiji P.M, Laisenia Qarase.

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Yemen partakes in INTOSAI meeting in Fiji

SANA'A, July 21 (Saba) - Yemen will participates in the meeting of Public Debt Commission of International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI) to be held in the Republic of Fiji Islands on July 22 – 25.

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Huffington Post on Fiji- Interim leader rules out elections.

SUVA, Fiji — Fiji's military ruler postponed elections promised for March 2009 to return the island to democracy after ousting the government in a bloodless coup 20 months ago, a news report said Friday.

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Back To Square One: SP Forum Ministers Contact Group.

In a follow up to the recent SiFM post titled "Fiji Reengages Pacific Community On Its Own Terms" which seems to have foreshadowed the eventual outcome.

Radio NZ correspondent, Jane Patterson radio podcast(MP3) covers the fact finding mission of the Forum Minister's contact group and the podcast includes quotes from Winston Peters and Laisenia Qarase.

Radio Australia's podcast of Pacific Beat, also comments on the results of the Forum contact group's visit.

Fiji TV news segment (video posted below)featured the final press conference of the contact group.



Kiwi blog posting titled "Fiji elections" also deliberated on the pledge for 2009 elections. Another New Zealand Blog: Whale Oil, whose latest posting discussed the comments of ousted P.M, Laisenia Qarase and the sad realities he faces.

The so called fact finding group eventually compiles a report for the South Pacific Forum meeting in Niue in August, which Fiji will be sharing the top of agenda with Climate change, according to a Radio Australia article.

Realistically, it is crystal clear that neither the Forum nor the Trans-Tasman neighbours would have any muscle to force the issue of elections in Fiji, besides the smart sanctions and more rhetoric.



Even with US State Secretary, Condoleeza Rice's upcoming visit to the region next week, will not make an iota of difference in the outcome, other than being seen as bragging rights to Winston Peters and Helen Clark's upcoming election campaign.



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Exit to Fiji: Winston Peters Leaves A Wake of Denials.

New Zealand First leader Winston Peters has lashed out over fresh claims his party received a campaign donation from billionaire Owen Glenn.

In a seemingly ironic official state visit to Fiji, New Zealand's Foreign Minister had only one objective to Fiji and that was to urge the Interim Government to honor the pledge of 2009 elections. However, it seems that Peter's hope of being a honest broker in the Ministerial meeting in Suva, has dark clouds hanging over his head, that raise brows over his integrity.

Peters' sojourn to Fiji, was perhaps a ideal moment to escape the swarming media attention over his campaign finances, for the upcoming New Zealand elections. While lecturing Fiji about the will to have elections, Peters seems to have neglected the absurdity of his position to hector; in any case these serious allegations will undoubtedly await the return of the honorable Foreign Minister.

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Fiji Re-engages The Pacific Community, On Its Own Terms.

The much anticipated meeting between the South Pacific Ministers and the Interim Government of Fiji is getting a lot of media attention.

Even the Fiji Times Editorial of Tuesday July 15th, outlines some partisan punditry.
The excerpt of the FT Editorial:

An opportunity

EDITORIAL COMMENT
Tuesday, July 15, 2008

THE visit by the foreign ministers of Australia and New Zealand is a tremendous opportunity for our leaders to seek a way forward and out of the nation's political impasse.

We cannot continue to be dragged through months of waiting for democracy because of the selfish, stubborn wills of a minority within the interim administration.

The time has come for those who have usurped power in what was once our democratic home to take charge and be serious about elections. They cannot continue to hold on to power simply because they do not wish a certain faction or political party to return to a position of authority.

Nor can they attempt to predetermine the outcome of elections which should be designed to take the nation forward.

Australia and New Zealand have indicated in recent months that they are willing to take extraordinary steps to help in the return to democracy. Australia recently allowed the appointment of a high commissioner to our mission in Canberra and has permitted the return of a consular officer to Sydney.

New Zealand has continued to gently urge a return to democracy while allowing families with military links to visit that country on humanitarian grounds.
Most regimes would welcome such moves and attempt to find some common ground on which to begin meaningful and hopefully truthful discussions.

The hallmark of the current administration is its refusal to see any further than its own selfish whims and desires. In doing so, it has caused an enormous amount of disunity and tension between people who are normally well-meaning and able to see the best in others.

If this regime is engaging in these talks only to turn around next week and change its mind, there is no use in holding these discussions with the foreign ministers of our closest trading partners.

So far we have heard a myriad of unfulfilled or broken promises from the current regime. Or its leaders attempt to wriggle and squirm out of agreements made at regional or international summits with lame excuses about why it is acceptable for Fiji to renege on a bilateral agreement.

When will this end?

The answer from Voreqe Bainimarama and his interim administration should be one word today. Today his regime must decide whether it truly wants democracy for the people of different races, religions and cultures who make this such a wonderful place in which to live.

Engage openly and truthfully in discussions which will bring us all real democracy before the end of March next year.

And do it today.

The assertions of the Fiji Times Editorial is misleading, as well as myopic:

We cannot continue to be dragged through months of waiting for democracy because of the selfish, stubborn wills of a minority within the interim administration.

The editorial aspires to democracy, but only democracy dictated by these egalitarian neighbors, who forget and neglect that Fiji's democracy is race based. If removing those racial dimensions of Fiji's electoral system was selfish and stubborn as the FT editorial alludes, perhaps the publication and those advocating for accelerated elections, are themselves in the minority and want nothing more for the nation of Fiji, than to be perpetually splintered along race lines.

The misconception of the Fiji Times Editorial continues:

The time has come for those who have usurped power in what was once our democratic home to take charge and be serious about elections. They cannot continue to hold on to power simply because they do not wish a certain faction or political party to return to a position of authority.

Nor can they attempt to predetermine the outcome of elections which should be designed to take the nation forward.

The straw man fallacy by used by the Editor of the Fiji Times is disappointing and erroneously portrays that the Interim Government, as holding on to power simply because they don't wish a certain political party to return to authority.

It is true that, the Interim Government is against those parties which use the race card conveniently and purposely, along with misappropriated state funds, to donate garden tools and outboard motors as vote buying ventures, known as the Agricultural scam.

It appears that the FT Editorial is advocating the continuation of such divisive and immoral displays of political posturing.

The FT Editorial also claims that, the Interim Government is predetermining the outcome of the elections, conveniently neglecting that the only way forward for the nation of Fiji is not through racial or religious bigotry, which the Fiji Times Editor has chosen to defend.


Back to the deliberations of the Ministerial meet up. One sticking point that is bound to crop up in the high level meeting, revolves around the timing of the election, as the International Herald Tribune (IHT) article describes.

Another article from Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) seems to outline the warning which, Australia and New Zealand's Foreign Ministers have suggested if the March 2009 time frame is not met.

Particularly belligerent, are media reports painting the Australian Foreign Minister as, riding in to town like the region's Sheriff and demanding an immediate reassurance, to the pledge of holding the elections in the first quarter in 2009. Such grandstanding demands will ultimately result in logger heads, simply because it would come across as an imperialistic gesture and hugely disrespectful of Fiji's sovereignty. The brinkmanship of holding off aid, as suggested by the E.U, is an ill advised card to play that could result in unintended consequences.

Moreover, the failure of the visiting group to understand the conditionality of the Interim Government's pledge, that hinged on internal factors like electoral reform and the implementation of the 'National Charter'; will simply result in a wasted trip by the South Pacific Ministers and wasted time for all involved.


The except of the SMH article:

Smith to quiz Fiji regime about poll


Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith has arrived in Fiji, putting the nation's coup leader on notice that he expects an unwavering commitment to fresh elections next year.

Smith has arrived in Suva ahead of talks on Tuesday with members of Fiji's interim administration, appointed and led by military leader Frank Bainimarama after he staged a coup in December 2006.

Australia has raised serious concerns about recent comments by Bainimarama that suggest he may abandon an earlier pledge to hold elections in the first quarter of next year.

Smith said he and other South Pacific foreign ministers who have travelled to Fiji this week expected Bainimarama to keep his word.

"We are of course charged with making a judgment about the willingness and preparedness of the interim government to meet the commitment it gave to Pacific Islands leaders to have an election by the end of March next year," Smith said.

"It is very important to the region that Fiji is a fully-fledged member of the Pacific Islands Forum, of the Commonwealth and of the region."

Bainimarama, who has appointed himself prime minister, warned in recent months that he aims to root out corruption and reshape the country's race-based political system before holding elections, which could delay the polls.

Bainimarama briefly broke off contact last month with a group of South Pacific foreign ministers working to assist Fiji in meeting his original commitment to a new vote by March 2009.

Two days of talks by six foreign ministers in the 16-member Pacific Islands Forum - including Smith and New Zealand's Winston Peters - begin in Fiji on Tuesday and continue on Wednesday.

Peters said democratic elections were "critical to the economic and social turnaround of Fiji". Since the coup, "Fiji has seen a huge slide economically and as a consequence it heightens the importance of the work we're doing," Peters told New Zealand's National Radio.

The delegation is the most senior diplomatic mission to visit Fiji since Bainimarama's coup, which critics say has resulted in widespread rights abuses in the country.

Australia and New Zealand, along with the European Union and the United States, are keeping pressure on Bainimarama to restore democracy, but Bainimarama accuses them of interfering in Fiji's internal affairs.

Smith is the first Australian minister to enter Fiji since the coup, and while he will come face to face with Bainimarama at the talks, there are no plans for a private dialogue.

Australia has been a vocal critic of the coup leader, and roundly condemned the expulsion earlier this year of two Australian newspaper publishers working in Fiji.

The publisher of the Fiji Sun newspaper, Russell Hunter, was ordered out of Fiji in February after his newspaper alleged a member of Bainimarama's government had committed tax evasion. Fiji Times publisher Evan Hannah was forced onto a plane to South Korea in May after being labelled a security threat.

The European Commissioner for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, Louis Michel, said over the weekend that there is deep concern that Fiji's election timetable is at risk of slipping.

He warned that the EU expects Fiji's interim government to hold elections no later than the end of March 2009.

Noting that political groups in Fiji had agreed to dialogue facilitated by Commonwealth special envoy, Sir Paul Reeves, Michel said he hoped it would provide a solution to election-related issues well before the end of the year.

That "would allow the EU's 2008 support to (Fiji's) sugar sector to go ahead," he said. The EU, Australia and New Zealand are major aid donors to Fiji.

Radio Australia's radio program Pacific Beat(MP3) also covered the high level meeting and the expectations that the contact group have. Despite the lofty goals of the visiting group, regarding the timing of Fiji's 2009 election, it appears that those preconditions are presumptuous from the Interim Government's perspective and coming to the meeting with such demands is counter productive.

While the regional powers have urged Fiji to reengage dialogue, subsequently to pulling out of the South Pacific Forum, Joint Working Group last month, after the Interim Government decided to suspend negotiations with the entity in retaliation for Australia and New Zealand's unhelpful stance, reported in a IHT article; Fiji's re engagement should not counted on as a given, with all terms dictated from abroad considered signed, sealed and delivered.

Hopefully, common sense and the adherence to Chatham House rules would prevail in the visiting group, including the wisdom to back off with the preconditions and allow the Interim Government to take their time to do things right, in the progress to democracy. It is monumental and significant for the Interim Government of Fiji, to navigate back to democracy correctly and on the first attempt. Whether the International Community likes it or not; the nation of Fiji wins no medals in rushing to the finish line of democracy, that results in generations of disenfranchised citizenry.

Interim Finance Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry has indicated in a Fiji Village(FV)article that, any demands will not be tolerated.

The excerpt of the FV article:

No Demands Please says Chaudhry
Publish date/time: 15/07/2008 [07:11]

As high powered talks between the interim government and the Ministerial Contact Group is set to get underway this morning, interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry stressed that no demands from the Group will be tolerated.

Chaudhry told Fijivillage that he is hoping that the members of the Ministerial Contact Group is not coming in just to set demands to hold elections next year.
The Ministerial Contact Group consists of Foreign Affairs Minister of Australia, Stephen Smith, his New Zealand counterpart Winston Peters, Samoan Prime Minister Sailele Tuila'epa, the Tongan Prime Minister Doctor Feleti Sevele and Tuvalu Communications and Tourism Minister Taukelina Finikaso.

The visiting Foreign Ministers Contact Group is also expected to meet with the country's political party leaders.

Ousted Leader of Opposition Mick Beddoes had confirmed that he had been contacted by the Pacific Foreign Affairs office to meet with the Ministerial Contact Group.

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Beat Street- Popular Culture In Fiji.

The culture of youth is ever changing like fashion. It is also a reflection of the society transitions which they live. Fiji is no exception and recently the emergence of hip-hop inspired dance called "krumping" among the youth has become mainstream, even to the extent of corporate sponsored competitions, as featured in a Fiji TV article.


Fiji's older generation, like their international counterparts are undoubtedly perplexed with the gyrating and head turning movements and might not understand that this particular change in behavior of todays youth, is a global phenomenon influenced by the media. The questions that do arise, is whether these cultural shift is a good thing or is it a destructive element?

Fiji TV Video segment(posted below) covers the local competition.