One China- One Policy for the Entire Pacific Region.

Chinese attempts to establish bi-lateral agreements with island nations of the South Pacific; is derived from their foreign policy of energy independence. The concept of check book diplomacy works, only for some ignorant leaders; already counting the dollars gleefully.

Pacific Ocean, the largest on the planet, also possess the natural resources fit for a waking economic giant. Chinese Premier fresh from signing a Uranium deal with Australia, stopped briefly in Fiji. Sending the local embassy into over-drive because the visit is also of historical concern. It commerates the senior-most Chinese leader, to ever stop-over at the remote Pacific outpost of Fiji.

The Aussie-Sino agreement packages a comprehensive understanding that, cements Australia with their One China policy and their plans of total Pacific domination. Will this also drive the U.S foreign policy makers attention back into the Pacific; after the disastrous foreign policy applications, in the Middle East.
This uncanny diplomatic development, prompted the lighting stopover of U.S Secretary State, Condaleeza Rice in Sydney. Illuminating the high stakes diplomatic courtship of Australia by the two superpowers ( US and China)both wary of each other's agendas.

Back to Fiji current affairs.

China's offer of a providing a hydro power station on Taveuni is encouraging for the wrong reasons. First the proposal will have to receive the blessings of the landowners wary of Government promises ( in light of the Monasavu Landowners). It can be expected that the Chinese Engineers and workers will be using the Chinese template of hydro technology in Fiji. Or is Fiji, a guinea pig for their infantile technology research?

Finally, the relatively isolated power station must figure out how to transmit the power(efficiently) to the main island of Viti Levu, where most of the demand for power is located.
These are the commercial usage areas, using 3 phase supplies to factories and other industrial applications.

It is un-economical to construct a power station for an island whose power consumption will not change anytime soon. It is also quite capital intensive, to transmit power from the much isolated island, to the urban demand centers. Electricity is commodity unlike Gasoline, Water where the product can be stored for late use. Electricity must be used, as soon as it is made. It cannot be stored for later use. If there's no demand, don't generate: the simple axiom of power generation.

Is China willing to spend big money, to design, construct and operate with industry standards; a viable power generation project on Taveuni?

On the Military/State Conflict. Two more senior officers in Fiji Army have been sidelined for their involvement with the recent Colonel Baledrokadroka; who vocally opposed the Army Commander and as rumor goes, attempted a mutiny.
The Army's Truth Campaign continues unabated in the rural villages in Fiji. Despite furious objections by the provincial councils namely: Kadavu, Natasiri, Serua and Macuata. The truth campaign only further underlines the fact that the final decision rests with the individual villages and defines the Provincial Council's limited jurisdiction.

The new 15 storey Carpenters building, to be constructed at the old Morris Hedstroms' near Nabukalou creek will definitely inject new blood into the area. However, safety concerns should not be glossed over. The project also proves that there is money and capital investors, in-country. It only requires political stability in Fiji to make those calculated risks - a commercial success.

Speaking of money the Financial Intelligence capabilities of island nations like Fiji are improving. Albeit gradually.
The major concerns for any state is the performance of the Public Service sector, that must become increasingly efficient. The problems for Fiji is exuberated by conflicting legislation claims
C.E.O for Ministry of Public Enterprises and Public Sector Reforms. The title of the ministry itself should be an indication of the problem's magnitude. It is amazing that the issue has not entered into the election campaign.

In-efficiency has not only plagued the Public Service and their agencies. It is a concern that major Police investigations seems to take the 'slow boat to China' for political agendas of those involved. Resembling an endless circle of 'who dunnit'. First the un-charged agricultural scam, and now the report has just been compiled on the abuse of major Government contracts by officials.

Fiji Water complex in Yaqara is under threat of closure, by disgruntled and dis-enfranchised landowners. The convenient labels of native concerns, used perpetually by Fiji Governments' as rhetoric, to dilute the human rights issue. Those issue are one and the same.

A thought provoking letter to Fiji Times Editor.

Church outburst
I REFER to the outburst in the media by the chairman of
the Assembly of Christian Churches, Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu calling on
the army commander to resign. He said the commander was going beyond the
extreme of his normal jurisdiction. Perhaps, Mr Waqairatu should tell the nation why the president of the Methodist Church is involved in the campaign of one of the SDL party's candidate for the Nasinu primary election?

And why a chief in the West and a senior official in the church have become SDL party candidates? And why a reverend in the Senate has been making negative
comments about the army? And why spiritual messages from the pulpit echo the
same sentiments against the army?
It is obvious there is an element of political influence in the top ranks of the church and the nation does not deserve people of God misleading the flock. The church must be seen to be neutral because at the end of the day when all fails, the multi-racial population of this country will have the two institutions to fall back
on.
The army was seen to have achieved this role after 2000 and groups such
as the ACCF are expected to uphold the cause.
Mr Waqairatu went on to say that the role of the church was to see that peace was achieved in the nation.

People such as him must not mislead the church. The church will not achieve peace until kingdom come. Peace will only be achieved by the Almighty. It is the noble duty of the church to continue to spread the gospel of truth and justice, in fact complementing the very stance the army has been trying to embrace. Reverend Ame Tugaue defended his deputy on air, saying that his call on the commander to resign came from his capacity as ACCF chairman and not from his role as deputy secretary of the Methodist Church.

Was he implying that there is a split in the Methodist Church?How deceiving can that be? Anointed men of God must not be seen to be making silly comments and making a mockery about the church.Perhaps it is time the good reverend refrained from making unnecessary public comments and do what he does best.
The army has a constitutional role to play and it will jump out of its jurisdiction if peace and stability is to be achieved.The last thing the nation wants to experience is people of God using the church to push the political agenda put into them by
politicians.

Isireli Tawake
Nasinu

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