Morality of Fiji Politics.

This entertaining and educational pod-cast from Radio lab examines the illusive debate of morality and the absurd applications of certain choices.
Moral sense is a special human ability and there has been extensive research into how some inconsistencies are present in some human beings but not in others. The segment also brings into discussion how the sense is developed at a young age as well as, documenting other cases of morality.
The pod-cast also reviews the methodology of a U.S medical researcher who uses a M.R.I to examine the brain functions of people when asked certain moral questions.

The subject of morality is one that, may have entered the minds of individuals recognized in the canals of Fiji history. The moral choices of these Fiji citizens, have contributed actively to the present socio-cultural and socio-economic position of the nation.

The case of Sitiveni Rabuka is a person also notorious in Fiji history. News of Rabuka case in Suva High Court been declared a mis-trial may also revisit the principles of morality. In addition to that the involvement of the Great Council of Chiefs in the 1987 and 2000 coup, including trying to act as a mediator, may paint the institution as immoral.

Letters to Fiji Times.

Lies to people

THE truth will surface sooner or later.

Anyone who was watching the TV program Noda Gauna will get the message the commander has been saying all this time.

To those who have been following the political turmoil of late, it shows the thickness of corruption and personal gain that top government people have enjoyed for some time and which the army is trying to eradicate.

A good example is the forceful removal of SASL management and loyal staff from their workplace by the Police Tactical Response Unit on the evening of November 16.

I wonder whose authority the unit was following. I ask Fiji TV to play the program and have translation in all languages.

No more lies to the people because the army is coming to get you.

Nemani Tueli
Nadi

Politics and money

LEADERSHIP is about people. It's about shaping our future and how we can contribute to achieving our common goal.

It's a trend now that Pacific Islanders demonstrate grievances and their political agenda with force and violence.

Is it because we fear our identity, future, and all associates taken away by foreign elements or outside forces?

Our isolation and vulnerability makes us react in such a manner because our belief contradicts how democracy handles grievances and rights issues.

It is of great interest to look at these happenings in great depth and analyse the evil behind the social unrest and takeovers.

These are X factors which creep in and push the red button.

In the Solomons, Asian businessmen were targetted and blamed for backing what many called a corrupt government. In Tonga, the story is the same while in Fiji businessmen have been highlighted in previous coups.

Whatever the underlining factors it certainly rings a bell. Our laid-back Pacific way of progress can be an area of exploitation for foreign investors and businessmen who have one of the most influential thing on the planet money.

They pay to get things done their way they buy everything and anything to fulfil their ambitions.

Even the war in Iraq is seen by many analysts as an oil war.

We need to dig into what is happening in Fiji and ask ourselves if the X factor is involved or are we really genuine in our effort to build a better Fiji?

Australia, New Zealand, the US have been told to back off because it is our affairs.

It is wise to say the same to those who try and influence our decisions.

Let us not allow the X factor to buy off the Qoliqoli Bill and what is fading away our identity.

I believe the Government is wise enough to accommodate everybody in the Qoliqoli Bill. Leave democracy to take its course.

Fiji's history has its untold story of exchange of land with guns, whiskey, cigar pipes and so on.

Let's not repeat history by following that road again. I hope the force behind the impasse is clean and not bringing an omen to the Pacific.

It's time we realise that our recourses, smile, culture is so rich and worth billions of dollars and right now on sale on the global market.

Let's pray for our leaders and hope that good sense prevails. Time will tell how genuine we are.

E Sokidrau
Yasawa

The rosy scenarios of Fiji's financial position drawn up by the Reserve Bank of Fiji has been ridiculed by Fiji economist, Ganesh Chand is a Fiji Times article. Calling into question the moral integrity of state institutions, may be just a dirty job which many observers of Fiji have seldom accepted; at the expense of truth.

Civil service

THE Prime Minister is upset with the actions of civil servants who contribute to the Auditor-General's yearly report.

Every year, the Auditor-General will highlight all different types of abuse of office in the service.

Yet, the very next year the same problem will arise in the same department or another.

Why?

Is it because nothing is done about the report or is it because there is no internal audit system in each department?

Whatever reason they come up with, the bottom line is that those in charge are sleeping on the job.

As a result, all the people working in the civil service including all department chief executives, the Public Service Commission and ministers who receive abusive comments from the public.

One way to solve the problem is to lay off civil servants whose actions bring the whole organisation into disrepute.

Since 3000 need to go in the next five years, it is only fitting that those who abuse the system should take a walk.

It is not fair to lay off new employees by using the last-in first-out principle'.

Another way is to hold the annual civil service excellence awards after the Auditor-General's report comes out.

It is pointless giving awards to agencies that appear in the A-G's report for abuse of office or abuse of privilege.

I hope that by this time next year, the Auditor-General would have less to report on.

Savenaca Vaka
Tailevu

This is an excerpt of the article:

Academic blasts Reserve Bank's forecast

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

The Reserve Bank of Fiji's forecast for the month ended October 2006 lacks credibility, says an academic.

Economist Doctor Ganesh Chand said the forecast was inconsistent as the forecast given during the 2007 budget presentation was 2 percent growth but the RBF October forecast was more optimistic.

"So obviously there is a conflict," he said. Dr Chand said both the government and RBF needs explain the inconsistency.

The review said on balance, monetary and credit growth slowed further to August and total money supply grew at 16 percent, around the same rate of growth in July, driven around the same rate of growth in July, driven largely by further expansion in time deposits.

It said interest rates continued to rise, with commercial banks time and savings deposit rates at 6.23 percent and 0.81 percent, respectively at the end of August.

It said the weighted average lending rate rose by 5 basis points to 7.65 percent. Dr Chand questioned that if lending by commercial bank increased then why the demand for credit falling.

Another economist from the University of the South Pacific Sunil Kumar said there are a number of fundamental issues that the RBF Economic Review overlooks or does not seem to report clearly.

"While generally optimism is good, it does not solve problems of the kind that are affecting the Fijian economy," he said.

Dr Kumar said review opens up with the global economic prospects as good with higher global economic growth implying a similar prospect for the economy.

Dr Kumar said the report however quite rightly points out higher energy prices as an impediment to growth.

"It does not however point out the fundamental problems with in the Fijian economy that need to be dealt with to improve growth. Not raising this appropriately at the right time is misleading and damaging to the perceptions of the policy makers," he said.

"The statement "domestically, partial and forward-looking indicators continue to present an encouraging growth scenario" is an overstatement', he said

Dr Kumar said Fiji's economy has very weak links with the global economy as a whole and it largely depends on its traditional markets.

"The global economy is no panacea for the internal structural problems," Dr Kumar said.

He said the Fijian economy is drastically sliding downwards and it's a public knowledge right now. Dr Kumar questioned that how could the outlook be good when the tourism sector and the sugar sectors are declining?

He said basically all the real sector economy is declining. Dr Kumar said the two key sectors (tourism and sugar) of the economy are in the worst decline at the moment.

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