Moving Forward Like A Crab.

Two exceptional letters were published by the Fiji Sun "Letters to the Editor" column. The following are excerpts:

Justice
Last updated 10/22/2007 8:56:18 AM

I can't really disagree with Mick Beddoes contention that justice delayed in justice denied. An argument he raises in accusing, rightly or wrongly, the Fiji Human Rights Commission for not doing anything for the victims of the 2006 coup. He of course assumes that these people who he is advocating for have been denied justice and that it was indeed the commission that denied or deliberately delayed it for reasons that have not been disclosed by Beddoes. Of recent Beddoes has been commenting rather negatively on all matters pertaining to the governance of Fiji by the Interim Government.

I wish he had shown the same level of enthusiasm in criticising the governance of this country when Qarase and his cronies were rather blatantly engaging in corruption and racism. I wish he had shown the same courage in raising issues, in the relative immunity of the Parliament, in exposing corrupt practices of the Qarase government. I wish he had shown the same due diligence, that he seems to rather hypocritically show now, when the nation's coffers were be pillaged and scarce national resources and assets exploited for personal gain by Qarase and his gang of rogues.

I am equally flabbergasted why Beddoes has never raised matters of justice that were so blatantly denied to other victims of the 19987 and 2000 coups. Many lost all they had toiled for in Fiji and in fear of further persecution and in complete absence any one raising a voice for them, they left the shores of Fiji for good to live abroad, in what for many them is tantamount to 'self imposed exile'.

Where was Beddoes then? What has he done about these thousands who were so blatantly denied justice? Or does Beddoes like other self proclaimed leaders of human rights who have mushroomed so suddenly in Fiji is only an advocate on a selective basis?
Beddoes would be well advised to be equally selective about when he should open his mouth. For Beddoes it might be prudent to remain silent, for as soon as he opens his mouth the world will know how hollow and biased his human rights rhetoric is.

The following letters was in response to the SDL stalwart, Mere Samisoni's perception of the proposed People's Charter:

Move forward

We hear much these days from the interim regime on the need to "move the country forward".

But if that is really such an over-riding concern, then surely the question needs to be asked as to why the military leadership found it so unavoidably necessary to "move the country backward" in December 2006.

The SDL-led Multi-Party Cabinet (MPC) had already set itself about the task of bringing the kind of desirable changes suitable for the 21st century information civilisation.

This was well documented in the Strategic Development Plans (SDP) 2006, rolled over to 2007-2011, which incorporated much of the legitimate manifestoes of the two major parties in the MPC.

That means that a workable and legitimate system was already in place to "move the country forward" pre-coup. Whats more, it was based on market metrics, implemented through the rule of law, and achieved through the democratic process as representative of a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural and multi-religious society.

This represents a far more legitimate and sustainable foundation for "moving the country forward" and "bringing the races together" than what the IG is trying to shove down peoples throats.

Despite this, the Military Council (MC) supported by the Fiji Labour Party (FLP), and other opportunists in the IG (MC/FLP/IG) still saw it fit to impose an illegal coup that violated those democratic and administrative processes already in place under the 1997 Constitution.

And now, the illegitimate regime is simply trying to achieve the same goals as the ousted Government, but from a far less popular and legitimate policy foundation framework, and with dictatorial style of leadership that is far less effective and popular.

Moreover, we now have the anomaly of the Peoples Charter (PI) with its Council of decision makers that renders the IG essentially redundant.

What is of concern, is the idea that the PI or what I call the Military Charter did not come from the people, it was not written by the people, there is no ownership by the people and it serves no obvious purpose for the people. That means the idea of a Military Charter is fundamentally disconnected from reality and peoples daily lives.

Moreover, the Military Charter and its dictatorial and impositional management style are incompatible with the new economic order of win-win relationships based on community human values.

Therefore, in the bigger picture, the MC is doomed from the start.

Also, at a global level, the latest trend in strategic business planning is to differentiate and segment markets along group demographics and psychographics so as to achieve better market servicing.

This marketing "best practice" is certainly transferable to the work of Government, where it can help to tailor and target policies according to specific and measurable demographic needs, values and aspirations, where these differ. Despite this, the MC/FLP/IG is still moving toward the complete opposite philosophy by embracing an obsolete 'one size fit all vision.

This just sweeps everything under the mat, including diversity of human and community values and choices, by preferring instead to manage things via an "out of sight and out of mind" approach.

How is the MC going to measure motivation, performance and success of target groups without differentiating its policy "market" for felt needs, values and special aspirations?

Mere Tuisalalo Samisoni
Lami

Apparently, the talking points issued by the SDL Headquarters was to resist and desist the People's Charter proposed by the Interim Government. Obviously, SDL's idea of movement for the nation of Fiji is akin to a crab's motion: side to side but never forward.

Back to the future
Last updated 10/22/2007 8:55:45 AM

We have heard of the saying that one becomes wiser after the event. However, Mere Samisoni's academically garbled theory and analysis of the Military Council's action and the people's charter shows that some people lose all sense of reasoning and logic if they are removed from their cushioned positions.
Being a post graduate student myself, I could not comprehend her far- fetched theories, so I feel sorry for the common Tomasi, Deepak and Hamid on Suva streets who would be scratching their heads and wondering what group demographics and psychographics mean.

She talks about transferring the latest trend in strategic business planning on differentiating and segmenting markets along group demographics and psychographics to government to achieve better market servicing, whatever that means.
She also spoke about tailoring and targeting policies according to specific and measurable demographic needs, values and aspirations, where these differ.

It is a pity she did not give this lecture to SDL caucus, and especially the chiefly minister and aunty- in- law of two existing interim Minister when she was the Education Minister. Assuming if they could understand what was lectured to them; one would assume that the country could have been saved from the doomsday that supposedly 5 December, 2006 spelt. Was this not the policy of one size fits all that she is accusing the Military Council of having now?

Qarase's blanket racist policies, based solely on race rather than needs dictated that a rich Fijian parent with a combined income of $200,000 could have free Form Seven education for their child while an evicted Indo Fijian with an income of only 2per cent of the Fijian parent still had to pay full fees under Qarase's racist policies. Where then was this bright academic who is acting holier then thought and preaching theories that common mortals like me, and many others, cannot comprehend?

Bread is a basic staple food that people would eat despite the falling economic situation of the country. Perhaps that is why Mere Samisoni could not have her finger on the pulse of Fiji's economy that was sliding down to bankruptcy. Just a basic example is sugar mills. People who could hardly maintain their vehicles and repair falling mufflers were made to run multi- million gadgets which never had preventative maintenance and capital input on a progressive scale.

No wonder, like a wrecked car in the heart of Suva City, the sugar mills are being rendered to scraps by an incompetent regime. Where were then these market servicing theories of the gold medalist graduate of SDL party?
You need not be a rocket scientist to see what was wrong with Fiji's sick economy which was exaggerated by equally sick racist policies that went against all the grains of academia.

I wonder where then were the arm chair critics and MBA graduates, masquerading as coup victims and professors from academic institutions, now coming out of woodwork and pontificating on the state of economy that a common cane cutter already knows.
Now that Australia and New Zealand has twisted Fiji's arm for another election, who will give a guarantee that this election will stick? Who says that elections are a panacea to Fiji's problems?

But my concern is, how democracy can save Fiji from a racially divisive party like SDL and how the country can be saved from academics who say so much without telling anything.

Fiji Times also published another letter responding to the Ex-Officio from Lami Open, Mere Samisoni.

Racist policies

I think I must be a masochist but I forced myself to read Mere (I will use 10 words when one will do) Samisoni's letter, of 19th October, 10 times to understand what she was saying.

In brief, the first part basically said the SDL led multi-party Cabinet was doing a fantastic job moving the country forward and the there was no need for the military takeover.

The second part was that the People's Charter was doomed for failure.

The third part interestingly says modern governments should use targeted marketing to give the different sectors of the community what they need. We have seen examples of this from the SDL. The Qoliqoli Bill: very targeted towards the indigenous community

The reconciliation Bill; again very targeted towards the indigenous community; not many Indians were going to be released from prison due to that? The list of such targeted policies is endless.

We also had the agricultural scam: you may think that only benefited the indigenous, SDL voting, rural poor. But, hold on a few rich shop owning Indians allegedly did very well. So that's okay. That was multiracial.

When you use market segmentation as a government and only put forward policies that benefit just one segment of a community and forget about the rest, then that is called a racist government. That sort of government has no place in the 21st Century.

So Mere, you have answered you own question. The Interim Government is definitely moving the country forward because amongst other things, they are trying to end racism in Fiji.

Mere Erasito
Brisbane

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Editorial: Door must stay closed to imposter Says Aunty Helen.

Don McKinnon, former Deputy Prime Minister of New Zealand, now Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, hosted a dinner for heads of government at the Pacific Islands Forum this week and invited Fiji's coup leader, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama. Helen Clark objected, almost throwing a tantrum.

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Blog: Clark tires of 'Frank' issue

NUKUA'LOFA - Helen Clark is normally famous for her frank talk but she couldn't be bothered today continuing a press conference that kept returning to the "frank" issue at the Pacific Island Forum in Tonga.Frank Bainimarama clearly has a following in the Pacific, that was evident from the hero's welcome he received from the Tongan spectators.

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Who is to blame for the Fiji visa fiasco?

Fifa cancelled the World Cup qualifier between New Zealand and Fiji after the New Zealand government refused to grant a visa to Fijian goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau. But in this clash between politicians and sports administrators, it is the players and fans who lose.

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NZ soccer in limbo as Fifa cancels Fiji game over visa row

New Zealand's soccer future is in limbo after the sport's world governing body accused the Government of political interference.The All Whites' qualifying campaign for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa was due to begin today against Fiji. But Fifa yesterday cancelled the game after New Zealand Government refused to withdraw their stance.

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Sports -An Extension of Politics by Any Other Means?

A livid Fijian football chief plans to take New Zealand's refusal to allow his side's goalkeeper into the country to the international Court of Arbitration for Sport. Fiji will play the All Whites at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday in a vital World Cup qualification match.


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This particular story was also featured in The Australian newspaper and the following is an excerpt:

Court challenge to Fiji goalie ban

October 11, 2007

WELLINGTON: Fiji plans to take the New Zealand Government to court for refusing to grant its soccer team's goalkeeper a visa.
The gvernment has rushed through visas for the team so they can play the All Whites at North Harbour Stadium on Saturday - in a vital World Cup qualification match.

However, it declined their first choice goalkeeper Simione Tamanisau entry because because his father-in-law is a military policeman. Under sanctions imposed by New Zealand after last December's coup in Fiji, people with ties to the military cannot come to the country.

Fiji Football Association president Sahu Khan said he planned to take the situation to the international Court of Arbitration for Sport. He was sure the court would nullify the game because it was “grossly unfair”, he told the New Zealand Herald.

“He is a key goalkeeper, and it is a very vital position. For the New Zealand government to say that we give visas to all the others and not to him...means Fiji is not only playing New Zealand, but we are also playing the New Zealand Government.”

Fiji would play the game under protest, Dr Khan said. A letter had been sent to football's world governing body Fifa protesting the situation, he said.

He hoped they would take Fiji's side “No more Oceanian or Fifa games should be played in New Zealand until they give up on these sanctions.”

A spokesman for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said any Fijian sports team coming to New Zealand for an internationally sanctioned event would be held up to the sanctions.

“New Zealand has the right to deny entry to any member of a sports team as it sees fit.” No appeal from Fifa had been received yet, the spokesman said.

NZPA

This particular case, confirms that the demarcation between Sports and Politics have been conveniently blurred by the New Zealand Government and as a result of their heavy handed approach with respect to issuance of travel visas, has invariably relegated the New Zealand Government to the position of villain; while elevating Fiji's status as a victim, further undermining New Zealand's soft power into the Pacific region.

The issue of Sports and Politics was revisited in the wake of Fiji's performance in the 2007 Rugby World Cup; when local Economist, Dr. Wadan Narsey called for a Free-Trade in Rugby; as the Pacific Island Rugby playing nations have captured the imagination of the Rugby world with their recent performances during the Rugby World Cup with a passionate brand of hard-hitting and free-running rugby. Fiji, Samoa and Tonga have not been playing on a level playing field with Tier 1 nations like Australia and New Zealand; despite repeated calls to bring the Pacific islanders into their fold of an expanded Super 14 competition.

This is the excerpt of Dr. Wadan Narsey views as published in a Fiji Times article:

When our rugby was noticed

VERENAISI RAICOLA
Wednesday, October 03, 2007


Members of the Flying Fijians have won praises for the victory over Wales.

The performance by the Flying Fijians at the Rugby World Cup in France when they beat Wales 38-34 on Sunday has been commended by many people who believe such a victory attracts massive economic benefits for a country that badly needs it.



This is because four billion people would have watched the game on television while 1.8million rugby fans, 600 players and 3500 media people visited Europe to be part of the 2007 World Cup.

Such exposure for Fiji greatly benefits a struggling tourism sector and would get many people visiting websites to access information about our country which has been in the spotlight negatively since 5/12 for the military takeover of an elected government.

For many the win came as a surprise as even though the Fiji Rugby Union's target was for the team to reach the quarter finals, some fans thought otherwise, judging from past performances.

Ilivasi Tabua, the former Queensland rugby flanker who hails from Naivicula, Tailevu, since taking up the coaching post from Wayne Pivac has had a mammoth task molding a new combination of players to lead Fiji to the Rugby World Cup. He was restricted by time and money and deserves to be congratulated.

The former Australia-based player nicknamed the human skewer' replaced Pivac who stepped down citing personal reasons. Tabua is now admired for trusting his men despite criticism since the beginning of the year.

A former Fiji rep at the 1987 World Cup Sairusi Naituku said the country's political instability helped the team perform at another level just as they did 20 years ago in New Zealand.

"Twenty years ago this was the same feeling the team went through before qualifying for the quarter-finals against France where a gallant Fiji side was defeated 16-31 as it was also after a coup but as rugby players with the country at heart, we decided to be above politics," said Naituku.

The Natabua High School teacher said it took another Fijian coach to take Fiji up to "that level of rugby".

"In 1987 it was Jo Sovau and this year it is Tabua, so we can confidently say that we do not need expatriates paid hefty salaries and perks to boost the performance of the team," he said. "The political crisis is a blessing in disguise because it is a challenge as through rugby, life friendships are built," said the former tighthead prop.

Naituku said rugby was something that made Fiji significant on the map even though many people struggled to find where it was naturally because it was just a "dot" on the globe. Acting Fiji Islands Visitors Bureau chief executive Patrick Wong agrees with Naituku as the performance by the team was historical and attracted a lot of talk about Fiji. "Potential visitors to our shores will certainly start asking where this paradise Fiji is and it is a plus for tourism," Wong said. "It brands our country." [Wong]said people would be logging on to the internet to find out more about Fiji and this was an advantage of performing in rugby whether it be in sevens or 15s. "It may be late to notice a surge in tourists as a result of the game in the next couple of months but it would surely show next year," Wong said.

Former FVB CEO Bill Gavoka who offered similar sentiments said the exposure because of media coverage made a great difference and was a boost for tourism. "We were on the screen in countries like Europe, the British Isles and the USA which are key markets here so it will bring in positive benefits for tourism," said Gavoka.

Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party spokesperson Peceli Kinivuwai said the team's performance was excellent and brought a ray of sunshine to rainy Fiji. He said despite the political and social uncertainty, the performance by the Flying Fijians made Fiji an attractive destination.

"The team reflected the true spirit of the indigenous Fijian spirit in Nicky Little's insistence to witness the end of the game despite the pain from a medial knee ligament injury he sustained during the match," he said.

"The boys were definitely loyal to the call of duty for the country and we managed to shine as a nation."

Like the SDL, the National Federation Party's Pramod Rae said he was over the moon and speechless about the victory and that the spin off effect of reaching the quarter finals in the World Cup would be more investment, tourists and unity among the people.

Economist Dr Wadan Narsey said the win against Wales showed that Fiji could compete with the "big boys" and what was needed was a level playing field. He said Sunday's game was a mighty achievement as the fields where local players were based was no comparison to what overseas players were used to.

Dr Narsey said such performance showed countries in the Pacific could take part in the Super 14 that could even be hosted in Fiji. He said if that was allowed there would be a massive flow on financial benefits as teams could be billeted in hotels and the game could attract hundreds of media people to broadcast games worldwide. Dr Narsey said the sad part was that many local fans did not expect the Flying Fijians to win against Wales and that some people made a few bucks from bets.

"It's sad that many Fijians did not trust the team. We verbally bashed our Flying Fijians even though the boys showed they had great potential in their fantastic performance," he said.

Dr Narsey said the team had a great chance in their next game at 1am on Monday and that even if they did not win they would still not be disgraced. Without ignoring the coach's hard work Dr Narsey said Tabua made a difference and took the team to a level only experienced 20 years ago. He said overseas based players performed exceptionally and brought guts that blended well into the spirit of the team.

FRU chief executive Ratu Timoci Tavanavanua said their goal had been achieved and that the $2 million spent on the team's preparation and bonus was worth every cent. [Tavanavanua] said although the FRU would want a Pacific team in the Super 14, logistical arrangements needed to be scrutinised.

"Only time would tell and we hope there is something for us in the near future to compete at that level," he said.

Outside half Nicky Little described the win well when he said it made a mockery of money in the sport and modern day rugby considering that players in the Fijian side were just paid $50 a day. [Little] does not know where he'll be this weekend as money would determine that but says "I'll be right behind the boys wherever I am". The thoroughly deserved victory over Wales in Nantes earned the islanders a quarter-final against the Springboks in Marseille that all fans look forward to watching this weekend.

Both Trans-Tasman nations have benefited with the status-quo in Rugby's socio-economic capacity , with their national sides actively featuring Rugby players poached from Pacific islands. While enjoying the fruits of imported players, it is difficult to fathom why the Pacific Island teams of Fiji, Samoa and Tonga are yet to recognized as peers, by their colonial cousins.

Fighting Fijians Scare the Springboks.

In a game that captured many hearts, Fiji's team fought with hammer and tongs in a quarter final match in France gaining the support of the crowd who cheered them on, as if it were a home game.

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Snake In The Grass.

In a follow up to an earlier post in SiFM, a letter to the Editor published by the Fiji Times revisits the issue of race raised repeatedly by the SDL personality, Mere Samisoni and the response to her flawed perspectives. This is an excerpt:

Name Calling

Many people have called me names and thrown dirt at me in generalizations, without telling me what wrong I exactly said in the Close Up program of August 19, 2007.

During numerous articles I wrote about church hypocrisy, racist political stance, hoodwinking trade unionists, worthless politicians and exposing other wolf in sheep's clothing, it was obvious there were people out there to crucify me.

I did not respond to any of them because it was not worth it as none were specific in what wrong I said. It appears the only argument they have is that I have moved to New Zealand.

However, I could not let Mere Samisoni's pot calling kettle black go unchallenged. She calls me a racist, an extremist thinker and branded my comments as venomous and dishonest. She appears to think that such qualities are sole privileges of SDL party alone and their boorish and racist behaviour towards Indo-Fijians should be borne silently by us.

Is it all right for SDL racists to call Indo-Fijians names like wild grass and camel in a tent but when they get their own back, it pains? SDL members of Parliament had called Indo-Fijians names in Parliament and their policies have virtually marginalized us, yet so called academics like her and her exiled political boss remained criminally quite.

Truth hurts and absolute truth hurts absolutely. She talks about good leadership for different groups to come together and qualities such as good faith, self discipline and trust. This coming from somebody who allegedly fed the extremists at Parliament during 2000 is the height of hypocrisy.

She questions what criteria and policy does TV One have to protect the public from my type of extremism. I ask, what criteria does democracy have to protect the country from the brand of extremism, racism, corruption and mismanagement displayed by her SDL Party.

That is why I suppose somebody called Bainimarama's action as God sent. To get a response from her, I must have hit some raw nerves. If she wishes to be treated seriously, she indeed needs to rise above those hot breads and walk her talk about good virtues in life.

Thakur Ranjit Singh
Auckland
New Zealand

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Global troubleshooter holding fire on Fiji

In his careful, measured, academic language, Dr Yash Ghai, makes it clear that he is not entirely against the rule of Commodore Frank Bainimarama in Fiji."An election would probably not solve the basic problem," says the constitutional expert. "It would just re-ignite the cycle: dissatisfaction.

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Tale of a Smuggler's Leg

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A man accused of stealing three endangered iguanas from a nature preserve in Fiji and smuggling them into the United States in his prosthetic leg has been indicted.Jereme James, 33, of Long Beach, faces a single count of smuggling, according to a federal indictment returned Friday in Los Angeles.

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A Narrative of the Inquiry - Fiji's Vote Rigging.

The Report Findings:










The report of Fiji Human Rights Commission's Inquiry on the 2006 election, is yet to be released to the public according to a Radio New Zealand article.
The excerpt of the RNZ article:

New Fiji election not public, alleges vote-rigging

Posted at 05:22 on 19 September, 2007 UTC

The Fiji Human Rights Commission says the commission of inquiry report into Fiji’s 2006 general election has not yet been made public. Fiji TV reported last night that it obtained a copy of the report based on evidence given by 59 individuals and organisations.
It reported evidence of irregularities, bias, corruption, vote buying and vote rigging, and is also critical of the Elections Office. The commission says copies of the report have been given only to the state, the SDL party, and the Fiji Labour Party for review.

"The election was fair in terms of the international observers coming here and the report they gave and also the report prepared by the USP team. The big thing is that there was no protest after those or that report were publicly declared. But now they are coming up with new allegations that the elections was rigged and so on and so forth. That’s the problem right now."

The University of the South Pacific’s Dr Alumita Durutalo has been an election observer since the 1990s. She says observers from the EU, Pacific Islands Forum, Commonwealth and the USP deemed the last election in Fiji to be free and fair.

However, a copy of the report was made available to Fiji TV. Another article from Radio NZ confirms that Fiji TV were given a copy of the FHRC report.

The excerpt:

Inquiry claims Fiji 2006 election was flawed by vote buying and vote rigging

Posted at 22:49 on 18 September, 2007 UTC

A commission of inquiry into Fiji’s 2006 general election claims to have found evidence of vote buying and vote rigging. The inquiry was initiated by the Fiji Human Rights Commission and chaired by Suva lawyer G P Lala, with the other members being the former president of the SVT party and Rabuka government minister, Taufa Vakatale, and Dr David Neilson.

Fiji TV says it has obtained a copy of the report which is based on evidence given by 59 individuals and organisations.

"The report claims it found evidence of irregularities, bias and corruption, as well as inappropriate vote influencing in the 2006 general election to the unfair advantage of the SDL party.

It says there was a concentration of all these factors in key urban constituencies. The report says there were significant failures to ensure citizens’ right to vote, in particular against ethnic Indian voters. "

The report also criticises the Elections Office, saying there was a heavy ethnic bias in its employment of staff nearly all of whom were indigenous Fijians. The report has been sent to the interim government, the Fiji Labour Party and the SDL party for their responses.

All international election observers deemed the election to be free and fair.

The former Supervisor of Elections, Semesa Karavaki disputed the findings of the tribunal and described the Inquiry report as inaccurate because it brought up the issue of racial bias.



Karavaki even called into question the expertise of the tri-members in electoral procedures and exclaimed that the report also tarnishes the "Free and Fair" declaration stamped by the International Observers.



National Federation Party (NFP) stalwart, Parmod Rae declared the Inquiry report as a "load of rubbish" and took issue to "prominent and eminent persons like G.P. Lala, Taufa Vakatale putting their names to this piece of rubbish".

Rae further stated that, the Inquiry report into the 2006 Fiji Elections was not a report per say, but "allegations of vote buying and vote-rigging without evidentiary basis". Rae further added that, the 59 submissions were not proportionate to Fiji's number of voters, in excess of 500,000 persons.


FHRC's Dr Shaista Shameem also clarified the next series of steps for the tentative Inquiry report; stating that the draft report would be given to stakeholders for their comments and those additional comments will be taken into account by the Tribunal in their final report.

The Report Recommendations:






Radio Fiji article quoted from the Fiji Election Scoping Mission (FESM) preliminary report for the next General Elections in Fiji and stated that, the estimated cost may reach $F25 Million. FESM had tabled their report to the Pacific Islands Forum Joint Working Group(PIFJWG) in Suva yesterday.



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Few And Far Between- A Question of Audits in FAB.

Discrepancies to the accounts of several Provincial Councils(PCs) have resurfaced with much disappointment, in a Fiji Live article.

This is an excerpt of the Fiji Live article:

Concern over un-audited accounts
Monday September 17, 2007

The Fijian Affairs ministry is appalled at the status of provincial council financial accounts which have not been audited since 1995.

Executive officer Kini Rarubi confirmed that the ministry is trying to establish why the provincial councils did not get their accounts audited for so long. He said the Independent Investigating Team into Institutions Fijian (IITIF) which was appointed by the interim Government to investigate corruption, is currently looking at this.

“Most of these provincial councils have not had their accounts audited since 1995 and this is a concern for us.”

“We are very surprised because we did not expect this to happen as all provincial accounts should be audited every year.” He said the investigation team led by Colonel Apakuki Kurusiga is trying to establish why it took so long for the accounts to be audited.

The team recommended that the process be contracted to private firms so that the financial status of councils are finalised.

Fijilive

A series of Fiji Sun articles presented a somewhat extruded 'blame game' between the Fijian Affairs Board(FAB), Office of the Auditor General and the various Provincial Council.

The next Fiji Sun article follows up with a denial from Ba Provincial Council. The following is an excerpt:

Blame FAB, says provincial council
Fiji Sun
Last updated 6/26/2007 7:46:08 AM

Another province has revealed that if its accounts were not audited, the Fijian Affairs department should be the one to answer as its accounts were sent to them every three, six and 12 months.

The Ba Provincial Council Roko Viliame Burenivalu yesterday said sometimes the ministry used to call some of its council staff to help sorting out the council accounts with the Fijian Affairs office in Suva. He said when he enquired from his staff after returning from Suva they usually told him that they were working with the ministry’s staff to clear out the 2000 and 2001 accounts.

“If there is any lateness in the auditing of accounts then the ministry should be the one to answer,” said Mr Burenivalu. He said sometimes his staff informed him after returning to Suva that council accounts for 2000 and 2001 did not balance. “If the figures did not match than the Fijian Affairs should also answer,” he said.

Mr Burenivalu made the comment after former senator Ponipate Lesavua who is a member of the investigating team that conduct investigation on the Fijian Institution said none of the 14 provincial council had submitted report of the money that the Government provided every year.

Serua Provincial Council chairman Atunaisa Lacabuka said the last time its accounts was audited was in 2000. He said the Auditor Generals Office had audited its accounts and he wanted its council accounts to be audited every year.

The 2004 Auditor General's report overview for the 1994 accounts.

Another salvo of blaming the FAB, was fired from Lomaiviti, Naitasiri, Lau and Ba Provincial Councils respectively.

FAB blamed for non-audited account
Fiji Sun
Last updated 7/5/2007 7:36:13 AM

Provincial council heads have blamed the Fijian Affairs Board for the non-auditing of some accounts. A recent investigation into the Native Land Trust Board (NLTB)revealed that some provincial council accounts were not audited.

Lomaiviti Provincial Council said it sends its accounts quarterly to its head office (Fijian Affairs Board) in Suva, its administrative head, Ratu Filimoni Baleimua, said. Ratu Filimoni said its accounts were usually prepared and kept properly by his staff before they were sent to Suva. “The accounts are sent every quarterly to Suva,” Ratu Filimoni said. “The FAB is responsible for the accounts' audit.”

The NLTB investigation established, amongst other things, that most of the provincial councils did not have audit reports on funds given to them by the State.

" Tailevu Provincial Council chairman Josefa Seruilagilagi said it had tried to pay a private company to audit its account but was stopped by the Fijian Affairs".

Naitasiri Provincial Council chairman Solomoni Naivalu said that its accounts were usually audited every year. This year's, however, is yet to be audited. Lau Provincial Council's Peni Sokia said it sent its accounts to the Fijian Affairs every month. He said if the accounts were not audited than the FAB should be accountable as it handled all the accounts.

Ba Provincial Council's Viliame Burenivalu said it sent its accounts to the FAB every three months. He said the board should explain delays in the auditing of some of the provinces' accounts.

However, axed Chief Executive of FAB, Litia Qionabaravi defended the Board's track record under her tenure. This is an excerpt of the Fiji Sun article:

Ex-FAB chief defends audit of province accounts
Fiji Sun
Last updated 7/6/2007 4:16:22 PM

The Fijian Affairs Board and the office of the Auditor-General made concerted efforts to update the backlog in the audit of accounts.

"The board had set out target dates for completion of all outstanding accounts and these were followed up with chartered accounting firms and the office of the Auditor-General," Adi Litia said.

Former FAB chief executive officer Adi Litia Qionibaravi said some of the efforts undertaken include giving out the audit of the provincial council accounts to chartered accounting firms since 2004. She made the comment in reaction to statements by some provinces that it blamed the FAB for the backlog in the audit of its accounts.

Colonel Apakuki Kurusiga, who leads the investigation into the Native Land Trust Board, highlighted the problem.

Adi Litia said the board had set up a special audit unit to facilitate the preparation of information required by the chartered accounting firms. She said it established an audit committee of the board to oversee the progress in the audit of accounts. Adi Litia said training had been provided to provincial treasurers on basic accounting, including the preparation of financial statement.

The former chief executive officer said all outstanding audits could be completed if efforts and action approved by the board are continued. She said the provincial councils, through the Roko Tui, remit their accounts on a fortnightly basis to the FAB.

The feeble defense by Qionabaravi begs the question that, if an audit committee had been formed in FAB to collate date for the private auditing companies; surely there is no excuse to say the data set from 1996 onwards, are yet to be prepared.
With such a lax attitude, coupled with no oversight; it is not surprising to see such a sad state of affairs, prompting a major and long overdue clean-up by the Interim Government.

Fiji Auditor General responded to the former CEO's claim in a Fiji Sun article:

FAB failed to send accounts: A-G
Last updated 7/7/2007 8:37:11 AM

The Fijian Affairs Board has not submitted its accounts to the Auditor-General’s Office for the last 10 years. And that is the main problem of the backlog in auditing its accounts, including that of the 14 provinces.

Auditor-General Eroni Vatuloka said yesterday the delay of the audit went back to the last five to seven years. “We audit the accounts of the 14 provincial councils in accordance with the Fijian Affairs (Provincial Councils) Regulations 1996,” said Mr Vatuloka. He made the statement in reaction to claims by some of the provincial councils stating that the A-G’s Office had not audited their financial accounts.

Mr Vatuloka said the only way to solve the problem was to wait for the committee which had been established to assist the FAB prepare the accounts and send them to his office.

Former FAB chief executive officer Adi Litia Qionibaravi said there had been a concerted effort between the Fijian Affairs Board and the office of the Auditor-General to update the backlog in the audit of accounts.

She said some of the efforts undertaken included taking out the audit of the provincial councils’ accounts to chartered accounting firms since 2004/2005. Adi Litia said the board had set up a special audit unit to facilitate the preparation of information required by the chartered accounting firms. She said it had established an audit committee of the board to oversee the progress in the audit of accounts.

Adi Litia said training has been provided to provincial treasurers on basic accounting including the preparation of financial statement.

Although, the Auditor General appeared to defend his office's reputation; he neglects the backlog of accounts gathering cobwebs on his door step. Seriously, the situation presents a recipe for a storm of financial abuse, which is seemingly trivialized by the Auditor General. Whether or not the Auditor General's office was culpable or was involved in any hint of collusion with the Provincial Councils is a worthy question to ask.

Along with those unfulfilled audits by Fijian Affairs Board, was the revelation of the legal costs ringed up by the Native Lands Trust Board (NLTB), as reported by a Fiji Village article, which outlined legal companies who were on retainer with NLTB.

Clearly the issue of retainership, appears to be the common thread between the two vestiges of Fijian Administration. While FAB has failed to retain private Auditors to scrutinize the expenditure of State funds to the various PC's, NLTB is guilty of over retaining the legal services to defend their litany of abuses, stemming from their failure in performing their fiduciary duties.

This is an excerpt:

Serious concerns raised over NLTB costs
Serious concerns have been highlighted in the Fijian Administration report on the amount of money spent by the Native Land Trust Board on legal costs.

The report prepared by the team led by Colonel Apakuki Kurusiga said numerous litigations against the NLTB reflect its inability to satisfy land owners requests. It said that litigation is purported to be the board's main business since it ranks second to salaries and wages in costs to the NLTB.

The report highlights that the 2004 Annual Report of the NLTB shows that legal cost alone is 1.474 million dollars and this depicts the notion that NLTB's main activity is litigations.

It has also been pointed out that over the years, staff turnover at the NLTB's legal section has been drastic and the board was forced to outsource legal actions with three legal firms which were Sevuloni Valenitabua in Suva, Vuetaki Qoro in Lautoka and Harry Robinson in Labasa. The report said that three thousand dollars was paid to Valenitabua as retainer fees per month, Vuetaki Qoro was paid four thousand dollars per month for a retainer and Harry Robinson paid two thousand dollars per month as retainer fees.

The Fijian Administration review team has recommended that the board should not outsource its legal work but hire the services of a senior or experienced lawyer preferably with Land Management qualification. The team was appointed to review the Fijian Administration as part of the President's mandate which includes that the NLTB should be restructured to ensure more benefits flow to the ordinary indigenous Fijians.

Another entity within the FAB is also under the microscope, according to a Fiji Times article:

Caginavanua in corruption probe

1201 FJT
Monday, September 10, 2007

Update: 12.01pm THE contract of Native Lands Reserve Commissioner Ilaitia Caginavanua with the Native Land Trust Board has not been renewed since its expiry last month.

Interim Fijian Affairs Minister Ratu Epeli Ganilau said the board of NLTB decided against the renewal because Mr Caginavanua was under investigation for alleged corruption, according to Radio Fiji Gold News.

"The Reserve Commissioner even though his contract has lapsed...the Board has also not renewed his contract, he is also being investigated by the committee of Colonel Kurusiga on some of the allegations leveled against him during his term as Reserve Commissioner", said Ratu Epeli.

The image below is an organization structure of FAB. Note that the Native Lands Commissioner is under the FAB umbrella. It is the various arms in Fijian Affairs Board which are being currently scrutinized.







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The Earl of Fiji.

2007 Survivor Fiji Winner, Earl Cole has vowed to be an unofficial ambassador of Fiji, after purchasing a house there subsequent to his win. Cole's time in Fiji during the Survivor series has left an indelible impression on his heart.

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A Silk Purse of Democracy Made From The Sow's Ear.

T
wo different articles on Fiji's current affairs, are worthy of comparison. First article published in Stuff and was written by New Zealand journalist, Micheal Field on the news of the reinstatement of Fiji's Emergency Decree.

Although, Field liberally quoted New Zealand's Foreign Minister, Winston Peters, who said ""Let us not gild the lily and make excuses for the regime's backers and the regime itself, this conduct is not acceptable in the democratic world."
It is apparent that the Governments of US, UK, New Zealand and Australia have already gilded the Lily of Iraq; whom they had promised Freedom and Democracy; along with the misguided threats of "weapons of mass destruction".

" It must be realistically pointed out to the numerous 'Monday Morning Fly-Halfs' or 'Monday-Morning Quarter Backs' depending on your choice of sports that, Fiji's democracy is not and should not be a Silk purse made from a Sow's ear. The proverbial Sow in this context, being the robber barons of US, UK, Australia and New Zealand."

This is an excerpt of Field's article:

Fiji under martial law
State of emergency re-imposed
By MICHAEL FIELD - Fairfax Media | Thursday, 6 September 2007

Fiji's military has declared an emergency - or martial law - in a bid to silence deposed prime minister Laisenia Qarase. Self appointed Prime Minister and military head Voreqe Bainimarama has claimed Qarase was trying to incite trouble in the country.

" They probably want to make sure that the transition into the election is not peaceful and maybe the idea is to bring about some instability in the country so that the Australian military can come back in - that's what Qarase wanted in the first place, maybe he's still after that," he told Fiji Broadcasting."

Bainimarama staged a coup in December, bringing down Qarase's government. Qarase fled to his home in the remote Lau Islands and remained in exile until last weekend. Fiji Military Forces Chief of Staff, Lieutenant Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga, claimed they were acting because Qarase was inciting public hatred. Tikoitoga said the military council - which Bainimarama heads - believed Qarase was making statements on behalf of somebody else.

"At our military council meeting we felt that the complaints made by Mr Qarase on death threats and other matters did not augur well with the security situation so we decided it would be best to bring the (emergency) decree back," he said.

"It is unfortunate that he continues to go on this path and we have seen that he has not only gone locally but internationally with these statements that could cause instability in the country."

He said soldiers and roadblocks would not return to the country's streets this time, and the security situation would be left to the police. "At the moment they take the lead while we will play a supportive role and only come in if they need us," he said.

New Zealand is dismayed emergency regulations are being re-invoked, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said today. Speaking at the Apec forum in Sydney, Mr Peters said the move undermined any moves to restoring democracy.

"The public of Fiji should not be unduly concerned about this. This is not going to change anything with regards to the security situation," coup leader Commodore Voreqe Bainimamara said on commercial radio. "It means that the climate for freedom of expression and human rights that is necessary for democracy to prevail in the long term is not there."

Mr Qarase returned to Suva on Saturday from exile on his home island in the remote Lau group of islands ahead of a court case in which he wants the December 5 coup against his government declared illegal. The emergency regulations were lifted at the end of May after being introduced when Cdre Bainimarama announced he was deposing Mr Qarase, in what was the country's fourth coup since 1987.

Under the regulations, some constitutional rights were withdrawn and the military gave itself powers to detain people without charge Fiji has been under the control of Cdre Bainimarama since he seized power in a coup last December.

Mr Peters said the behaviour had become an ongoing embarrassment for Fiji. "There should be no doubt that the Pacific community and the world is watching on this matter and our frank advice to the commander is to take his army back to the military barracks and stop embarrassing Fiji and the Pacific."

Mr Peters said the excuse for restoring virtual martial law was that Mr Qarase had left self-imposed exile and returned to the main island of Suva. "Surely that can not be the reason for such a serious step which has dramatic economic overtones that will be disastrous for the Fijian people" Mr Peters said.

"It also means we have to doubt their sincerity about their pathway to democracy." The action could see suspension in aid from the European Union and this would seriously damage an already weakened economy. Asked if he had concerns for the safety Mr Qarase, Mr Peters said: "One has concerns about safety of people in Fiji, if you go on their recent record of people being picked up and apparently harassed.

"Let us not gild the lily and make excuses for the regime's backers and the regime itself, this conduct is not acceptable in the democratic world." Fiji is not a member of the Apec forum, but Mr Peters said he was certain the issue would come up at the forum in meetings.

Mr Peters said New Zealand would be going to upcoming Pacific Forum, but he hoped some of those countries who have offered sympathy to the Fijian regime, might now change their tune.

"Let's have confidence the Pacific people at the forum will see this with new eyes. Yes he can come to the forum if he wants to. But lets make no bones about it, there will be 15 countries there appearing because they are democratically elected with a mandate of the people... and one will be there at the barrel of a gun."

Mr Peters said New Zealand would not boycott the event if the commander turned up. "We are not going to have our great future and out work in the Pacific contaminated by one aberration."

Earlier today Bainimarama told Fiji Broadcasting that Qarase and Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party director Peceli Kinivuwai would be "put on a plane and sent to Vanuabalavu (in Lau) if they continued to give false statements about the military council".

He said statements by the two were being published overseas.

He said overseas leaders who faced similar exile from their country were Pakistan's former Prime Ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, who faced exile after the 1999 coup carried out by General Pervez Musharraf.

- With NZPA

The second article published in the Fiji Times, was by local academic and Political Scientist, Dr Steven Ratuva. The following is a excerpt from Ratuva's opinion article:

Stuck in a cycle of political vengeance

Dr STEVEN RATUVA
Friday, September 07, 2007

Like a Hollywood mafia script on vengeance killing, we unfortunately now find ourselves caught in a cycle of vengeance, vindictiveness and recrimination between the SDL and the military-backed interim Government.

Politics of divergence

A manifestation of this was the recent public exchange between interim Prime Minister, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, and the Naitasiri high chief and strong SDL supporter, Ratu Inoke Takiveikata.

The disagreement was more than just a matter of opposing opinions. It was a reflection of the deep-seated personal and political contradictions and psyche of vengeance which now characterise our post-coup political culture. Ratu Inoke and the Naitasiri Provincial Council rejected the proposed People's Charter and in turn Commodore Bainimarama rejected Ratu Inoke's proposal for reconciliation.

Very straight forward

Simple logic would probably suggest that if Ratu Inoke had accepted the proposed People's Charter, Commodore Bainimarama would have looked at his reconciliation proposal sympathetically. Politically and symbolically, both men represent the two opposite ends of the continuum as well as the two major fragments of a divided nation.

Ratu Inoke and many coup opponents saw the proposed People's Charter as another political gimmick by the interim Government to consolidate and legitimise its power and rejected it outright, despite the fact that it contained some very constructive and appealing proposals for national unity.

On the other hand, although Ratu Inoke's proposal contained some attractive concessions for the interim Government such as the granting of amnesty for the 2006 coup makers, it was rejected outright. Commodore Bainimarama probably saw it as another political trick by Ratu Inoke to re-assert his presence, power and legitimacy and divert attention away from his recent conviction.

"In addition, both men saw each other in terms of who they were and what they represented. To Ratu Inoke, Commodore Bainimarama was a usurper of indigenous rights and an illegal coup maker. To Commodore Bainimarama, Ratu Inoke was a murderous mutineer (he was convicted of inciting the 2000 mutiny) and extremist nationalist of dubious political ambitions. "

The respective proposals by the two men were rejected outright by the other because they (proposals) happened to come from the wrong people. The importance of the message was undermined by the nature of the medium. This is one of the biggest political bottlenecks now.

Some political and business interests opposed to the coup and its aims would no doubt be behind Ratu Inoke and some would have even helped him draft the controversial advertisement, which former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and others have referred to as a tactically nave and insensitive approach. Although Ratu Inoke, as a person may be serious about his reconciliation intent, there is serious worry that there are other hidden forces which are propelling him forward and using him and his influential status as their frontline soldier to articulate their demands as well as absorb the incoming flak.

Laisenia Qarase's presence in Suva will no doubt provide a morale boost for Ratu Inoke but I doubt if Mr Qarase, who appears to be in reconciliation mode, is in a mood for more confrontation. However, on the other hand, Commodore Bainimarama's unpromising stance, while helping to consolidate the regime and the reform process, has the potential to exacerbate differences and prolong the stand-off. There is a worry that some within and outside the interim Government may be using Commodore Bainimarama's powerful position to sustain and drive their agenda forward.

Inability to listen

Of concern is the fact that we no longer listen to the good things others say and propose. We are too pathologically fixated on listening only to what we want to listen to and if we listen we are only listening to negative things and use them to design and articulate our political strategies to outshine our political adversaries.

This is precisely where the problem lies. Our capacity to listen and identify the good in others is waning fast. No one seems to be listening any more. Both sides are out to exert their will and claim the moral high ground. This has thrown the nation into confusion.

The problem is not so much the lack of political will to reconcile because everyone is itching for it the military, the interim Government, the Great Council of Chiefs, the SDL Party, the employers, the unions and in fact the entire nation wants it and is ready for it.

" But the problem is differences over how to reconcile, who should define what reconciliation should be and the conditions under which it should take place and who should determine the shape of the reconciliation process. The differences in approach started after the 2000 coup.

The SDL, vanua and the Methodist Church wanted reconciliation using the political, traditional and religious approach. Instead the military and the Fiji Labour Party leadership wanted the legal process to take its course."

After the 2006 coup the situation reversed. The SDL, GCC and the Methodist Church wanted to follow the legal process while the interim Government through the proposed People's Charter wanted to address the problem through political means.

During the 2004 national reconciliation week, the SDL, churches, GCC and the vanua were deeply involved but the military, Labour Party and other political groups refused to be part of it.

Now the situation has reversed. Those who were involved in the 2004 reconciliation have refused to entertain the proposed People's Charter and its reconciliation framework. We have come full circle in our vengeance politics. We have reached a political deadlock out of which we need to wriggle ourselves. How do we do that?

The way forward

Firstly, we have to shift our minds away from the narrow, exclusivist, partisan and self-serving political agenda and begin to see the interest of the nation as paramount. That is the bottom line.

We all have our party, religious, organisational, vanua and personal loyalties and interests, however, at this point in time, these should be subservient to the common national good. Despite official optimism, our economy is not doing well, investor confidence is down, socio-political relations are at their lowest and national moral is in tatters.

Yet despite all these we are still trying to win political and moral points over our adversaries as if that will solve our collective problems when the opposite is in fact happening.

Secondly, on a more practical note, we need to identify the good suggestions from both sides and synthesise them into a common proposal for national reconciliation. Both the proposed People's Charter and Ratu Inoke's proposal contain points worth considering and discussing.

Thirdly, we urgently need to put in place a reconciliation process as well as a framework for political stability for the future before the election. To do that after the election, although constitutionally legitimate, would be politically too late. Since the hurt and pain are very deeply embedded, the election could become an arena for expressions of anger, vindictiveness and vengeance and these have the potential to rear their ugly heads again after the election.

Historically, political instabilities in Fiji have only happened after elections.

The pre-election differences, antagonism and volatility will haunt us once again after the next election if we are not careful. That's why it is important to put in place a reconciliation and post-election governance framework we all agree on well before the election.

We must remember that the reconciliation process must not be merely an exercise in public expression of remorse and apology, although these are very important components, but must be embedded in principles and practices of good governance.

As part of the reconciliation process we should agree on having a government of national unity and put in place mechanisms to promote good and meaningful governance.
We must not allow a single party to rule but establish a power sharing system to ensure sustainable future stability.

Fourthly, as part of the framework for future stability and reconciliation, we urgently need to address the question of coups. How do we ensure that we eradicate the coup culture? What type of governance structure, development policies and security mechanisms should be put in place to achieve this?

One of the sad things is that since the coup, middle ground politics has disappeared as people began to shift to either side of the divide. Even religious organisations and churches have taken sides and contributed to more tension.

Both sides are trying to occupy the moral high ground and in the process breed antagonism. It's time to start thinking positively and imaginatively about our future. Let's transform our negative feelings that we express meticulously and exuberantly in letters to the editor, TV interviews, press releases, internet blogs, pub debates, kava sessions and pulpit sermons, into positive spirit to unite and save our country from disintegration.

We only have until the election to work something out. If we can't then chances are that we might miss the boat again!

Dr Steven Ratuva is a political sociologist and these are his personal views and not of the University of the South Pacific where he works

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The Great Spin on the Death of Diversity.

SDL stalwart, Mere Samisoni wrote an over-zealous Letter to the Fiji Times Editor, which was later rebutted by a well informed reader. The following is an excerpt of Samisoni's letter that, maliciously mis-represented research on cultural diversity from a US academic, Dr Robert Putnam:

Tunnel vision

While I respect Dr Wadan Narsey's professional opinion (FT 14/8), I think he may have been guilty of some artistic licence. In order to create some balance in his story, I think he greatly overplayed the alleged "tunnel vision" of the SDL so as not to make the evident and empirical tunnel vision of the interim regime, which seem too bad in comparison. Or perhaps he did it to help the interim regime, see how badly even political moderates such as him perceive it these days.

Whatever the case, the damaging and costly tunnel vision of the interim regime is qualitatively different from the election-promise-keeping fidelity of the SDL party, which may seem like tunnel vision at first blush.

So there is no need for the interim regime to continue with its present course and tactics, since they are not achieving anything (except more divisiveness, rancour, corruption and financial liability).

By contrast, the SDL was and is required by common sense and fidelity to keep our promises to our electorate. That is not to say that compromise and moderation were not possible.

But those must be handled astutely and carefully and doubly so when you are required to deal with someone as wily and devious as the multi-party Cabinet. We also need to develop and show a lot more political maturity than the interim regime and its supporters have been able to demonstrate so far.

For instance, Dr Putnam of Harvard, an American expert on civic engagement, (2000 cited in Diversity 2007), found that social capital in the form of neighbourhood friendship and political involvement have been diminished by race/ethnic diversity in communities.

This research proves the obvious societal point that people are tribal and gravitate toward those who look like them.

Which confirms the often cited advice from former prime minister Laisenia Qarase that "race is a fact of life".

So the sooner the interim regime grows up and accepts this, the sooner we'll be able to deal with it rationally and representatively.

Mere Samisoni
MP Lami Open

Mere Samisoni's flawed quotes of US Academic, Robert Putnam, received a stern rebuke in a correspondence to Fiji Sun Letters to the Editor column.

Racial diversity
Last updated 8/30/2007 9:08:00 AM

Srikant Krishan.
Houston, US


Iwould like to clear the air about some assertions made by a politician in Fiji on the issue of racial and ethnic diversity.

Recent citation by a leading figure of scholar Robert Putnam's work leads to drawing erroneous conclusions, demonstrates the writer's desire to misinform public debate, and should be considered highly irresponsible.

Putnam's latest work is part of his ongoing research on the decline of American civic life since the 1970s - a period of time that encapsulates great social change, the decline of industrial America, rise in immigration, and remarkable shifts in technology.

His latest discoveries are politically charged precisely because they can be misused. Ms Samisoni does just that, shape the debate in a manner that supports conclusions backing her political vision.

To protect his work from such misuse, Putnam offers the following warning to his readers:

“It would be unfortunate if a politically correct progressivism were to deny the reality of the challenge to social solidarity posed by diversity,”.
And at the same time, “It would be equally unfortunate if an a historical and ethnocentric conservatism were to deny that addressing that challenge is both feasible and desirable.”

It is this latter group that Ms Samisoni and her cohorts fall into. Of course, they don't seek to avoid addressing the issue. Their intention is to garner support for their narrow vision of possible solutions.

Race is a reality of life, especially as identity increasingly becomes a growing fault line for conflict in the 21st century. Only informed debate can help bring us to the solutions, which harness diversity as a strength.

Nothing in Putnam's work suggests that diversity has to be a burden. If anything, it is meant to show us that to truly make our differences our strengths. Much work remains to be done.

Who is this academic called Dr Robert Putnam, which Samisoni erroneously quotes? National Public Radio interviews the man himself, in the context of cultural diversity. Diversity Magazine argues in one article that Putnam's views on the effects of cultural diversity have been mis-understood. It's also the same article which Mere Samisoni cited in her 'Letter to the Editor'.

It was one thing, bordering on reprehensible for Mere Samisoni to plagiarize excerpts of Diversity magazine's article, that quoted Dr Putnam's research. But it is another matter, when this research is blatantly sliced and diced to support an ethno-nationalistic viewpoint in Fiji. This wilfull act raises serious and rational questions, regarding the very integrity of the Ex-Officio from Lami Open.

The following excerpt is the article from Diversity Magazine. The sentence in bold font, represents the words lifted by Mere Samisoni:

Today's Wall Street Journal editorial page argues that research from Harvard professor Dr. Robert Putnam proves "The Death of Diversity." That's not what Dr. Putnam said. In a study that has received significant media attention, he found that social capital in the form of neighborhood friendships and political involvement has been diminished by racial/ethnic diversity in communities.

Dr. Putnam's research is solid and proves the obvious societal point that people are tribal and gravitate toward those who look like them. But a thorough examination of his study shows that he finds in the long run that immigration and diversity immensely benefit U.S. society both economically and socially. In reference to business, Dr. Putnam states unequivocally that most studies of work groups "find that diversity fosters creativity" and that there is "powerfully summarized evidence that diversity (especially intellectual diversity) produces much better, faster problem-solving."

Point-by-Point Rebuttal

The Wall Street Journal column, written by Daniel Henninger, deputy editor of the Journal's editorial page, is not the first newspaper or opinion writer to discuss Dr. Putnam's study since it came out in June. Here's what The Wall Street Journal wrote and our responses, based on a thorough examination of Dr. Putnam's research and DiversityInc's own research.

* WSJ writes: "Now comes word that diversity as an ideology may be dead, or not worth saving."

DiversityInc response: This is not what Dr. Putnam says in any way. He writes in the study: "Increased immigration and diversity are not only inevitable, but over the long run they are also desirable. Ethnic diversity is, on balance, an important social asset, as the history of my own country demonstrates."

* WSJ writes: "Colleagues and diversity advocates, disturbed at what was emerging from the study, suggested alternative explanations. Prof. Putnam and his team re-ran the data every which way from Sunday and the result was always the same: Diverse communities may be yeasty and even creative, but trust, altruism and community cooperation fail."

DiversityInc response: Again, the efficacy of Dr. Putnam's study and data is not in dispute. Dr. Putnam does not say that "trust, altruism and community cooperation fail" but that there needs to be a greater effort to create "shared identities."

He writes: "Successful immigrant societies create new forms of social solidarity ... by constructing new, more encompassing identities. Thus, the central challenge for modern, diversifying societies is to create a new, broader sense of 'we.'" He cites the historic way immigrants came to the United States, "hunkered down," and eventually changed the culture of the country itself as they became part of the mainstream.

* WSJ writes: "The 'antis' [anti-immigration proponents] believe the Putnam study hammers the final intellectual nail in the coffin of immigration and diversity."

DiversityInc response: This is exactly the opposite of what Dr. Putnam intends. He writes in the study: "The weight of the evidence suggests that the net effect of immigration is to increase national income ... In short, immigration and multicultural diversity have powerful advantages for both sending and receiving countries."

* WSJ writes: "The diversity ideologues deserve whatever ill tidings they get. They're the ones who weren't willing to persuade the public of diversity's merits, preferring to turn 'diversity' into a political and legal hammer to compel compliance."

DiversityInc response: As participation in The DiversityInc Top 50 Companies for Diversity® survey shows, corporations recognize the business benefits of diversity and are increasingly using diversity as the competitive differentiator in their direct lines of business. This is not compliance; this is good business (317 companies participated last year, up more than 100 percent over the last three years).

* WSJ writes: "The first chart offered in the Putnam study depicts inexorably rising rates of immigration in many nations. The idea that the U.S. can wave into effect a 10-year 'time out' on immigration flows is as likely as King Canute commanding the tides to recede."

DiversityInc response: We agree that the flow of immigration is inevitable. It's also highly desirable since this nation is facing a serious gap in workers, and immigrants have driven 47 percent of U.S. work-force growth since 2000.

New immigrants and their children will account for 100 percent of U.S. work-force growth between 2010 and 2030, according to the Population Reference Bureau. For more on immigrants' crucial role in the U.S. economy, see the September 2007 issue of DiversityInc magazine, out soon.

About the Study

Dr. Putnam conducted his research in 2000 in conjunction with the U.S. Census Bureau. He had a sample size of about 30,000 people across the United States. People in 41 different communities from Los Angeles and Chicago to small towns and rural areas were surveyed and sorted into the same classifications used by the Census Bureau—non-Hispanic white, non-Hispanic black, Hispanic and Asian. A national expert on civic engagement, Dr. Putnam's goal was to examine whether racial/ethnic diversity impacted social networks, which he believes are major indicators of civic well-being.

Dr. Putnam's research, published in the journal "Scandinavian Political Studies", found that all people living in racially mixed communities had a higher tendency to "hunker down" and become more isolated from their neighbors and the civic process. His research showed they volunteer less, work on community projects less often, and register to vote less.


Here are links to other news reports on the Dr. Putnam study and a synopsis of what they said:

NPR interviews Dr. Putnam, who explains what his study really means.

Syndicated columnist Clarence Page talks about the misconceptions over what Dr. Putnam said and his own experiences as a young black man in the military.

ABC News reports on the effort by anti-diversity people to wrongly use the Dr. Putnam study for their own advantage.

The Boston Globe takes a similar view and comes to the conclusion that diversity makes us all uncomfortable—and that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

An Orange County Register article says Dr. Putnam makes it abundantly clear that he found no evidence of "bad race relations, or ethnically defined group hostility."



For more on DiversityInc's examination of diversity studies, both good and bad, check out Debunking Diversity Studies.

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