Friday, April 03, 2009

Fiji Rugby Union- The Natadola and Yaqara Parallel.

After the win at 2009 Hong Kong sevens tournament, it appeared that everything seemed fine. Beneath the allure of triumph, an under current of childish discontentment swirled thick and fast. These self inflicted wounds of the Fiji Rugby Union, soon found its way to the local dailies.

Fiji Times article quoted from FRU Chairman, the notorious Keni Dakuidreketi.

The excerpt of F.T article:

FRU condemns its president
Friday, April 03, 2009

Update: 3:44PM THE FIJI Rugby Union has strongly condemned its president, Ro Filipe Tuisawau, for his public statements on the ongoing review of the organisation.

"The Board feels the FRU President has no mandate under the constitution of the FRU to be publicly issuing press statements on matters relating to its operation," said FRU chairman Keni Dakuidreketi, who added that such a display by Ro Filipe was "very immature behaviour unworthy of the position".

"If he has the FRU at heart, he should be dealing with those that are constitutionally mandated to deal with it," he said.


The Fiji Times article, portrayed a one dimensional interview with Dakuidreketi and did not bother (as usual) to balance the article with the other views. The Fiji Live article, by comparison quoted from both sides of the debate.

The excerpt of F.L article:

Fiji rugby chiefs at loggerheads April 03, 2009

All is not well at the Fiji Rugby Union House in Suva hours from the start of the Adelaide 7s in Australia tonight.With Fiji savouring the victory feat at Hong Kong last week and expectation of more glory this weekend, the FRU chairman Keni Dakuidreketi is having a war of words with his president Ro Filipe Tuisawau over the findings of the Fiji Review team that is investigating the operations of the FRU.

Tuisawau claimed the review is calling for an investigation into the FRU coffers.This angered Dakuidreketi who claimed that his president is stepping out of line.“The FRU Board condemns the manner in which it’s President, Ro Filipe Tuisawau, has been making public utterances about the internal affairs of the FRU.

The President has no mandate under the constitution of the FRU to be publicly issuing press statements on matters relating to its operation,” Dakuidreketi said in a statement this afternoon. “If the President truly has the FRU at heart, he would be working with the Board and not acting against it. The President is displaying very immature behaviour unworthy of the position.

Public grandstanding and point scoring will not solve anything,” Dakuidreketi added. Ro Filipe replied saying Dakuidreketi should step down because he has guided Fiji rugby to a different direction.“The only comment I can make is that Keni has made more immature comments than me and it is him who should step down,” Ro Filipe added. “Most of his actions and comments bring disrepute to FRU.

A lot of sponsors are waiting for the AGM outcome. [Dakuidreketi] tried to derail the review by questioning the constitutionality of the Special General Meeting which authorised the review. I think it’s very important that unions are aware of the issues coming out of the review and that's why I am airing them.”He said the Hong Kong 7s win should not be a band-aid over the operations of the FRU.

“On communications with the Board, they ceased informing me of Board meetings since July 2008. Where is the sincerity in that?”“I will not step down but will leave everything to the Council to decide at the AGM. For too long the culture of silence has prevailed and its time for the unions to come out and speak more forthrightly at the AGM.

Its also time for an independent analysis to come out rather than the normal Annual Report and motions which are hardly actioned on and followed up,” Tuisawau continued.“No one is hiding anything as our accounts are independently audited and the review which started off as a process and systems review has now, according to Tuisawau, become an investigation,” Dakuidreketi continued.“The President should re-read the constitution and get to terms with his role.

If he doesn’t like the President’s role, as provided for in the constitution, the noble thing to do is to step down. His actions are bringing the FRU into disrepute and are unbecoming of someone who ought to be regarded as a figurehead of the Union.”Ro Filipe is the head of the FRU review team set up to investigate the operations of the FRU after the sacking of 7s icon Waisale Serevi as the Fiji 7s coach.

Fijilive

Dakuidreketi had infuriated many Fiji rugby fans for having a hand in terminating the coaching duties of legendary Sevens icon, Waisale Serevi. Adding insult to injury, was Dakuidreketi's faux pas reaction to Fiji's loss in the recent Dubai leg of the IRB Sevens circuit; the contest for the World Cup.
A forum on a Fiji social networking site (My Fiji Friends.com) had a thread, with embittered reactions to Dakuidreketi's comments, that defended Fiji's Dubai loss, others pointed to his micro-management role in the team's selection.

Readers of SiFM are well appraised of the dubious and venal nature of Messr Dakuidreketi and to re-fresh memories, an earlier SiFM post on Natadola and post on Yaqara describes the tainted legacy of the person.














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