More Vice Than Virture-NLTB's General Manager.

Happy New Year to All S.i.F.M readers.



Native Lands Trust Board has found itself under fire from many quarters regarding the lease for Seventh Day Adventist education institute, also known commonly as Fulton College.

A Fiji sun article quotes from the landowners who won a decision from Fiji's Appeals Court that concluded that Native Lands Trust Board had erred in issuing a lease without the succinct approval from the landowners. Apparently the current General Manager of Native Lands Trust Board, Semi Tabakanalagi actually issued the 75 year lease documents, according to the landowners.



The excerpt of the Fiji Sun article:

Clan loses faith in NLTB
Last updated 1/2/2008 8:33:22 AM

A group of landowners who issued an eviction notice to an educational institution says it has lost faith in the Native Land Trust Board.

Yavusa Salatu had issued an eviction notice to Fulton College after the NLTB and Australasian Conference Association a branch of the Seventh Day Adventist Church which manages the college failed to discuss the issue of a 75 -year lease to the college.

Yavusa Salatu spokesman Jo Waqa said the eviction notice was issued only because of the frustration of the landowners and their lack of confidence in the NLTB and its general manger Semi Tabakanalagi.

The landowners claimed that in 2002 Mr Tabakanalagi had issued a 75-year lease to ACAL without their consent. "It was he who in 2002, as deputy manager NLTB, issued a 75-year lease without the consent of the landowners who then obtained an injunction against the NLTB. This injunction is still in place today," Mr Waqa said.

Mr Waqa said the landowners were frustrated because despite the military clean-up campaign, Mr Tabakanalagi was promoted to general manager. The landowners regretted the eviction notice but Mr Waqa said NLTB and ACAL had denied the landowners what was rightfully theirs. Efforts to get comments from Mr Tabakanalagi were futile.

NLTB board chairman Ratu Epeli Ganilau said he was still in Taveuni and was not aware of the allegations. He referred all queries to Mr Tabakanalagi. The SDA church also refused to comment on the issue.

Fiji TV article reveals the state of frustration on the part of landowners, who seemed to be given the run around by the NLTB. The excerpt of Fiji TV article:

Fulton College served eviction notice
31 Dec 2007 00:53:45

On the eve of the New Year, the management of Fulton College has been served with an eviction notice, to vacate and remove all their buildings and structures. The Yavusa Salatu in Tailevu says they had no choice but to issue the notice as school management had failed to engage in further dialogue, over their compensation claims that's worth millions of dollars.

Transpacific Union Mission President, Waisea Vuniwa says they have received the eviction notice and have handed the matter to their legal counsel at Howards. Upon receiving legal advise, they will determine their next course of action.

This is the eviction notice served to the Australasian Conference Association Limited, which operates the Tailevu School, Fulton College. The notice is signed by the heads of three mataqali claiming to be the legal landowners from the Yavusa Salatu, that owns the 100 acres of land where the college seats.

The notice is effective from tomorrow, which gives school management 30 days to vacate the school, and to remove all their buildings or structures. This group that hand delivered the eviction notice this morning. What the landowners are asking for are damages worth millions of dollars, following a High Court case in July this year that, there were not properly consulted when the lease was issued to the College.

The Fulton College principal is away in Australia; the Vice Principal is on leave and could not be reached for comments. The SDA's Transpacific Union Mission that looks after the school could not be reached for comments when this bulletin was prepared, as management was attending a meeting over this eviction notice.

According to the NLTB website, the organization was aware of the lease expiring as early in 2002 and the press release also acknowledges the differences between the landowner and the tenant; which probably explains why the NLTB via Tabakanalagi illegally extended the 75 year lease without the landowner's approval. The 2007 Appeals Court decision literally threw a spanner in the works, of manufacturing consent for landowners and it is probable that similar actions by NLTB have yet to receive media attention.

Radio NZ International article explains briefly on the decision by Justice Filimoni Jitoko. The excerpt:

Fiji teacher training college may be forced to close

Posted at 22:46 on 19 July, 2007 UTC

The future of a regional teacher training college operated in Fiji by the Seventh Day Adventist Church has been thrown into question following a Suva High Court ruling yesterday.

Fulton College in Tailevu about 50 kilometres from Suva has been training teachers for church schools since 1940.

The Fiji Times reports that an action brought by traditional landowners sought a court declaration that part of the land on which Fulton College is situated is native reserve and therefore cannot be eased to anyone unless it is de-reserved.

They took the matter to court when the Native Land Trust Board was in the process of issuing a new lease after the previous lease expired in 2005.

In his judgement, Justice Filimoni Jitoko noted that the Native Land Reserve Commissioner in the 1950s, the late Sir Ian Thompson, had ruled that 40-hectares of the 200 hectares used by the college should be returned to the landowners.

Justice Jitoko said the plaintiffs’ land was declared native reserve in 1983 and the NLTB must act now to rectify the situation by consulting with the landowners and the Seventh Day Adventist Australian Conference Association Limited.

"The landowners claimed that in 2002 Mr Tabakanalagi had issued a 75-year lease to ACAL without their consent. "It was he who in 2002, as deputy manager NLTB, issued a 75-year lease without the consent of the landowners who then obtained an injunction against the NLTB. This injunction is still in place today," Mr Waqa said. "

Furthermore, the current NLTB General Manager has a cloud of disrepute hanging over his head as earlier S.i.F.M posts have outlined.

NLTB man denies collusion claims

By MAIKA NAGALU

A senior Native Land Trust Board officer had defended himself against allegations that he was used by Tui Tavua Ratu Ovini Bokini to alter some land leases to landowners. Board deputy general manager operations Semi Tabakanalagi denied the allegations by some members of the chiefly household landowning unit in Tavua that he had been colluding with the Great Council of Chiefs chairman on land leases.

[Tabakanalagi] said he was not working with Ratu Ovini for criminal intent but for working relationships only since he is the chief of the vanua of Bila and is the traditional head of his landowning unit.

"Collusion for criminal intent is an absolute no and is categorically denied," said Mr Tabakanalagi. He said that he only worked with Ratu Ovini on official matters relating to his work."The Tui Tavua is the supreme chief of the vanua of Tavua and is the traditional head of his mataqali Tilivasewa. His views and decisions on land they own is to be respected and is to be considered," said Mr Tabakanalagi.

NLTB is empowered to deal with native land, he said, for the benefit of native owners and basically "this is our benchmark in the decision-making that we make in our business". Members of the chiefly household landowning unit had filed their complaint to the Anti-Corruption Unit at the beginning of this week citing two cases where Mr Tabakanalagi allegedly altered leases to two of the landowners.

"I am all confident we have made the right decisions in the cases involved," he said. "Two of the cases", Mr Tabakanalagi said, " are still in the tribunal court".

Ratu Ovini did not want to comment and referred all queries to his traditional spokesman.Tavualevu Village spokesman Apisalome Uuisova said they had already called a vanua meeting where the group that had filed complaints to the military is also expected to attend for a resolution.

It is now emerging that every land deal Tabakanalagi was involved in, seems to reverberate with impropriety, including his board seat with Yaqara Studio City project which was addressed in the SiFM post titled "The Trouble With Native Land Administrators".

Other contested cases heard in Fiji court, is the Mahogany plantation landowners who took NLTB to task and subsequently won their case, as described by Radio NZ International article.

Fiji Native Land Trust Board weighs up options following court ruling on leases

Posted at 06:54 on 07 March, 2005 UTC

Fiji’s Native Land Trust Board is considering its options in the wake of a Court of Appeal ruling that all 99-year leases on native land outside urban areas are illegal.

The legal challenge was brought by a landowning unit whose land was leased by the NLTB to the government for 30 years to plant mahogany before the board cancelled the old lease in 1974 and issued a new one for 99 years.

But, the NLTB’s deputy general manager, Semi Tabakanalagi, says the ruling is just one case and doesn’t mean there will be a flood of similar litigation. He says the ruling only applies to those such leases that were issued on undeveloped areas before 1984 regulations which allow the board to issue 99 year-leases.

“Basically, as I said, we are looking at our records on other leases that may be affected because of this ruling. We’ll have to look at our leases portfolio and look at the different terms and different users and then assess which ones fall into this category as was decided upon in that case.”

Semi Tabakanalagi says appealing the Supreme Court decision is an option for the board.

Sadly, Tabakanalagi downplays the precedence of the Mahogany case, as with the Fulton case and this underscores the dubious motives of the person.








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NZ Duplicity-Member of Fiji I.G, allowed into NZ to see sick wife.

Pramesh Chand, the military-appointed head of Commodore Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama's interim government in Fiji, is in Auckland to tend to his sick wife. None of the members of Cdre Bainimarama's interim government have been allowed to visit New Zealand since Cdre Bainimarama seized power in a bloodless coup last December.



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However, the most recent travel ban was also placed on a group of Scouts representing Fiji to the annual Jamboree held in New Zealand.

New Zealand Herald's Editorial published in Dec. 22nd 2007, slammed the New Zealand Government's gross inconsistency in applying these travel sanctions.

The excerpt:

Editorial: Excluding Fijian kids an affront to common sense
5:00AM Saturday December 22, 2007

Let the children come.

The group of 10 Fijian Scouts and Guides being kept from coming to New Zealand because of someone's interpretation of the sanctions applied by this country against the military regime must be allowed to attend their jamboree.

This cannot, surely, have been a Government decision, nor even a conscious one taken by senior officials. No doubt the Fijian Scouting movement did receive an indication that applications for their charges to visit here would be problematic. How formal and how definitive was that hint?

The detail does not matter. The fact that any issue has arisen over these children attending an international jamboree breaks the Government's newly minted "Law of Common Sense".

Around 50 Fijian children will be allowed here, so presumably the 10 outcasts have relatives in the military. To use children as young as 10 to score diplomatic points against their parents is beneath all standards to which New Zealand should aspire.The sanctions against members of the regime and their families have been inconsistently applied in any case.

Bizarrely, a serving Education Minister from the Bainimarama Government has visited this country for a conference, with the blessing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its minister, Winston Peters. In that case the multilateral benefits on education throughout the Pacific were held to be more important than the bilateral relationship.

A Government minister can come, but his colleagues' kids cannot? Keeping 10 children from an international camp in Christchurch - especially Scouts and Guides seeking to become, in the words of their Scouting leader, "good citizens of the planet" - is silly, not serious. It demeans the sanctions and lessens New Zealand in the eyes of our wider Pacific neighbours.

Stuff Magazine published the slanted perspective by Dominion Post's foreign correspondent, Micheal Field. The excerpt:

Bainimarama supporter allowed into NZ
By MICHAEL FIELD - The Dominion Post | Friday, 28 December 2007

A key figure in Fiji's coup regime is in New Zealand tending his sick wife, just a week after 10 Scouts were excluded on the grounds of their relationship to the military. The military-appointed head of the Prime Minister's Office, Pramesh Chand, is in Auckland, according to Fiji media, on compassionate and humanitarian grounds after his wife became ill.

Mr Chand, the former South Pacific trade commissioner based in Auckland, assumed his key role just days after military commander Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama overthrew the elected government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase in December 2006.

An Indo-Fijian, Mr Chand has been a strong and outspoken supporter of Commodore Bainimarama, and as recently as last week was condemning New Zealand for its sanctions. News of Mr Chand's entry represents a significant departure from the rules, as his role has been as a key aide to the military, and symbolic of the Indo-Fijian support for the coup.

[Chand] told the Fiji Times he was granted a visa on compassionate and humanitarian grounds and was happy the New Zealand Government was understanding of his situation. Mr Chand said his case was a genuine one as he had to be with his wife, who was taken to hospital as an emergency case. "She was taken in, but was not admitted, and she is now recuperating at home."

[Chand] would not divulge his wife's medical condition, but said she was recovering well. Mr Chand is due to return to Fiji tomorrow. Yesterday, the Fiji Times, one of the strongest critics of the military regime, attacked New Zealand over its "flip-flop" policy, saying it had prevented Scouts' entry, yet had allowed entry to a military-appointed cabinet minister.

"New Zealand must decide once and for all whether her borders are open or closed to the interim regime."

Field's article trivializes the inconsistency factor and also introduces Pramesh Chand as an Indo-Fijian, as if that fact was central to the storyline. Furthermore, Field fallaciously adds that Chand is a symbol of Indo-Fijian support for the 2006 coup. Field's conclusion has fallen victim to the dangerous logical trap known as "Post hoc ergo propter hoc" or coincidental correlation and further erodes his integrity as an objective writer.

The excerpt of Fiji Times Editorial of Thursday Dec. 27th 2007:

Ban all or nothing
Fiji Times Thursday, December 27, 2007

NEW Zealand's travel ban on people linked to the events of December 2006 is a joke. Last week, nine scouts mere teenagers were told not to bother applying for a visa to go to New Zealand to represent the country at a jamboree. These young people were forced to bear the brunt of our neighbour's anger over their parents' involvement in the overthrow of a legally-elected government.

This newspaper does not condone the events of 2006 nor does it support the rape of democratic processes which are designed to serve every citizen of this country. At the same time, we will not be silent over the treatment of innocent children. We know of their plight merely because it is a high-profile case and involves an international event.

There must be many children and families who have faced similar censure in the 12 months since December 2006. They are unlikely to come forward because of the shame associated with the travel ban.New Zealand's diplomatic mission here will not say how many of Fiji's citizens have been refused entry to that country on the basis of their relationship to members of the military or the interim regime.

When the smart sanctions were introduced after the military overthrew Laisenia Qarase's government, the system was seen as a tool with which to hit back at soldiers and those who intended to join the regime. Since the sanctions were introduced, New Zealand has banned a group of scouts and a soccer player. The soccer player was not related to a soldier. He was the fiance of the daughter of a soldier.

At the same time, New Zealand has flung wide her doors to a minister in the interim Government. The excuse? The meeting he attended was a regional event and would benefit and develop the education system here.These are fine sentiments. But would not the same argument work in the case of the scouts?

By mixing with their peers, would they not be enriched by the experience? Would the experience not help mould them into better individuals. Now we find out that the permanent secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, Parmesh Chand, has been allowed into New Zealand. The excuse? Medical reasons.

Again, a fine sentiment, but why Mr Chand and his family and not the boy scouts or the national team goalkeeper?

New Zealand cannot continue to play flip-flop politics with Fiji and other Pacific states. If it wants to ban people involved in the events of 2006 and the interim administration, go ahead. But there can be no grey areas in the ban. It must be all or nothing. If New Zealand decides to choose who is or is not banned on a case by case basis, the ban is an exercise in hypocrisy.New Zealand must decide once and for all whether her borders are open or closed to the interim regime.

Deposed PM misused Taiwan funds: Auditor General's report

Fiji's Auditor General has highlighted the misuse of Taiwanese funds by the Prime Minister's office in his latest report, adding it did not comply with financial regulations.

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Fijian children barred from NZ dream trip

Ten Fijian children aged 10 to 13 have been banned from attending a New Zealand jamboree because their families have links to Fiji's military.About 50 Fijian Scouts and Guides are coming to Christchurch for New Zealand's 18th international jamboree, but 10 of their friends did not apply for visas…

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Need for more dialogue on Lands Issue in Fiji: CCF

There needs to be more dialogue between landowners and tenants to address the issue of land problems, says the Citizens Constitutional Forum.

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Fiji In Color

A pictorial essay by Shifting Baselines blogger, Jennifer Jacquet on the scenes of Fiji's capital, Suva.

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Natadola landowners unhappy

Landowners of Sanasana village, Nadroga, the site of Fiji’s multi-million dollar Natadola tourism project say they do not want Ratu Osea Gavidi to be their spokesman regarding the development.

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The Wheels of Justice- Hate Crime Against Fiji Immigrant.

In a follow up to the S.i.F.M posting, a story of a Fiji immigrant who was killed in an alleged hate crime at Sacramento; which was heard in a preliminary hearing held in the Sacramento County court house.
Satendar Singh's death sent shock waves through Sacramento, which is reflected in the atmosphere in his vigil. The event wove together the fabric of Sacramento society, most from varying stations of life. Youtube video of the Singh's vigil is posted below.



What is disappointing that no Fiji contingent(irrespective of race) attended the vigil in an official capacity, probably because of the person's perceived sexual orientation.

Several news outlets covered the story, among the articles: Sacramento Bee, San Jose Mercury News, Fiji Live.

This video of the events before the attack was captured in released video from a CBS affiliate in Sacramento. Another perspective of the case was covered by KCRA an NBC affiliate, in a Youtube video posted below.



Both Prosecutor and Defense, argued that the video supported their version of events. Defense attorney avoided the term "Hate Crime" and according to her interview in the KCRA report likened Singh's assault, as a derivative of a drunken brawl.

The reason why the defense team is not denoting the term" Hate Crime" because it will open up doors for a Federal Court hearing which does not take "Hate Crimes" lightly and furthermore the penalties associated are more harsh and convicted felons must serve 85% of the prison term, as opposed to the State of California's "Determinate Sentencing" guidelines which allow a "judge broad discretion to select any sentence between two end points in the statutory range" according to Vikram Amar, a Professor of Law at University of California, Hastings College of Law at San Francisco in this legal analysis on a recent U.S Supreme Court case, which may close that particular window of discretion, afforded to the Judge.





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Qarase against dual citizenship

Ousted Fiji Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase says former Fiji residents should not be granted dual citizenship because they can not be loyal to two countries.The issue of dual citizenship has been raised a number of times during the Qarase Government’s reign from 2001 to 2006 but it has been opposed.

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2008 Budget pro-poor, says Academic

Dr. Sukhdev Shah says that Budget 2008 is not anti-poor (contrary to comments by ousted Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase) and is the “best budget we can have under the situations.”

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Govt would have bankrupted Fiji: Academic

An academic believes that the Fiji economy would have bankrupted in next three to five years if the Qarase government had continued in power.

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Two Sides of the Coin- Fiji Coup Anniversary.

In the first anniversary of Fiji's forth coup, two different opinion articles from two New Zealand journalists commenting on the same event, are seemingly polar opposites in terms of context.

One from self-declared Pacific expert, Micheal Field appearing on Stuff website. Judging from the syntax of Field's opinion, it can be summed up that he sure has a large axe to grind.

The quotes used by Field are overwhelmingly from the same political segment and none sourced from the average Josefa.

The excerpt of Field's opinion article:

History repeats as coup eats its own
The Dominion Post | Wednesday, 05 December 2007


On the anniversary of Fiji's latest coup, Michael Field takes a personal look at the year since Voreqe Bainimarama seized power. Just to the west of Suva last month three cars were pulled over by police. That's not uncommon in Fiji, where police routinely stop cars to extract bribes. But this time it was different.

Eleven people were taken to Delainavesi police station. Witnesses remember another car, which delivered "civilians" to the station. But this was Fiji – the "civilians" were soldiers, one of them a sergeant in the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) who had thumped me in the back last year.

Agnes Bulatiko, who had been in one of the cars with her partner, Ballu Khan, a Suva IT businessman, remembered how they singled him out, fists smashing into his face. "Then the room filled with officers punching him. It was terrifying."

At first the military were open about that. "He was resisting arrest, that's why he got the beating," Lieutenant-Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga said.

Mr Khan survived but, in other incidents, Tevita Malasebe, Nimilote Verebasaga and Sakiusa Rabaka were beaten to death by the RFMF.

Behind Fiji's tourist bula-smile image lurks an explosive violence. I'd seen it up close during George Speight's 2000 coup when a group of rebel soldiers mercilessly pounded a man sitting beside me.

It's the irrationality of it that makes Fiji so dangerous.

My first experience of Fiji's self- declared leader Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama came when, during Speight's coup, he declared martial law.

A Melanesian from the chiefly island of Bau, he had, earlier that day, forced President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara – a rival Polynesian chief – out of office. A couple of weeks later he hand-picked banker Laisenia Qarase as premier. The elected prime minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, then a hostage of Speight, was not allowed back.

Commodore Bainimarama has risen through the ranks from seaman in spite of his rather basic education. His military career was modest, the high point his serving as a sub-lieutenant on the Chilean sailing ship Esmeralda, circumnavigating South America. Unlike 1987 coup leader Sitiveni Rabuka, Commodore Bainimarama never served under fire, till the day in 2000 when his own soldiers tried to kill him. Humiliatingly, he survived by jumping out a window and scrambling down a bank.

Eight soldiers died that day, five of them after they had surrendered to loyalists. They were tortured to death.

In 2001 elections were held and Mr Qarase was sworn in. Commodore Bainimarama felt betrayed, believing Mr Qarase had promised not to become a politician. It was the start of bitter personal animosity that was as much to do with the later coup as any declarations over corruption and cleanups.

Just before elections in March 2006 the commodore was talking of "Qarase and his cronies" and saying indigenous politics was "dirty politics – at its worst it is cannibalistic". When Mr Qarase won again Commodore Bainimarama called a press conference to say democracy wasn't about numbers of votes on election day. He was so angry when I questioned his view that I feared he might hit me.

Commodore Bainimarama seldom takes questions now, feeling threatened by the insubordination of the lower castes. Tensions grew, in part over a couple of parliamentary bills that would have given indigenous villages control over the seabed and foreshore and another that would have given amnesty to those behind Speight's coup.

Toward the end of last year he flew to Wellington for a reunion with part of his family serving with the New Zealand Army. At Auckland airport, acting as though he was still in Fiji, he gave Mr Qarase two weeks to quit, or else. He was good to his word and, citing rampant corruption and the "doctrine of necessity", he took over, announcing a "cleanup" of government.

Two days before, late at night, soldiers had driven through Suva residential streets to fire mortars into the harbour in a surreal operation to fend off Australian warships and special forces soldiers they believed threatened them.

The coup came on a brilliantly mellow morning; suddenly the green, flak- jacketed soldiers were everywhere downtown. Oddly though, few had magazines in their weapons.

A YEAR ON, Commodore Bainimarama is yet to bring any corruption prosecutions and his doctrine has yet to be tested in court. Fiji's economy has dived, the court system plunged into disarray, people have been detained and beaten and media freedoms curtailed.

The intellectual bankruptcy of the coup was illustrated at the recent Pacific Forum in Tonga where Commodore Bainimarama, under pressure from Australia and New Zealand, agreed to elections by March 2009. He then told Fiji media that he would not let Mr Qarase's people stand. Commodore Bainimarama's single riskiest move since his coup has been to send his soldiers to close the Great Council of Chiefs (GCC), crushing traditional leadership.

Suva is an intimate town: Commodore Bainimarama lives right next to the official residence of the New Zealand high commissioner. But the relationship is not neighbourly and on June 14 high commissioner Michael Green was expelled.

At an All Blacks v Fiji game a couple of weeks earlier the military strongman had been outraged when Mr Green was given guest of honour status. "The rugby union has done this country a disservice. Out of 800,000 people in Fiji, they went and nominated the enemy of the day in a Kiwi to be chief guest."

I flew to Nadi to cover the expulsion, only to be detained for the night in what they called the "black room" at the immigration detention centre. Immigration Director Viliame Naupoto told local media I "wanted to resist", something Mr Khan was supposed to have done.

Previous Fiji governments had also banned me. Several sources have said this ban followed a story outlining how Commodore Bainimarama's coup had been a Muslim coup. Those who have done the best out of the regime overthrow all belong to a small Suva Muslim group, and the key intellectuals behind it include one advocating the removal of indigenous land protection.

Former vice-president Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi warned that among the indigenous there was "a sense of festering resentment" building. Though the coup was multi-ethnic in character, it looked like a counter-coup staged by Mr Chaudhry.

"The government is unfortunately perceived by many in the Fijian heartland as the handmaiden of Mr Chaudhry. Many Fijians are convinced this was an Indo-Fijian coup. Still others think it was a Muslim coup because of the association with a few prominent Muslims. These perceptions, even if mistaken, pass for reality from which conclusions are drawn," Ratu Madraiwiwi said.

Mr Khan is Muslim and, as the coup has worn on, it has become clear that the minority groups who at first prospered are discovering revolutions, even Fijian ones, tend to eat their own.

The indigenous majority has been alienated by the coup. The RFMF is almost completely indigenous but it has always claimed its training removed the vanua or clan from soldier. Ratu Madraiwiwi says Fijians have realised that the best place for the military in future is in the barracks.

"There being no external security threats as such, the military is now a law unto itself. Any meaningful attempt to prevent any further coups must deal with this issue. If not we are destined to travel this weary path repeatedly in the future, periodic hostages to the messianic ambitions of one military officer after another."

Fiji is afflicted with a sense that more is to come. Everything seems incomplete and many a scenario is offered; very little is optimistic.

* Fairfax correspondent Michael Field has covered Fiji politics since 1976 and wrote Speight of Violence: Inside Fiji's 2000 coup. He is barred from entering Fiji.

The other opinion article published by the New Zealand Herald, appears to be exceedingly fair and balanced in comparison and quotes from a wider spectrum of people than Field.

This is the excerpt of Angela Gregory's opinion piece:

Time to rebuild bridges
5:00AM Saturday December 01, 2007
By Angela Gregory


Mahesh Prasad lives in a tin shack with 6 members of his family.

Photo / Dean Purcell
Fiji coups

Shalesh Vinay has met Helen Clark, has even had his photo taken with her, and thinks she's a nice person. But he can't stand her politics. The 33-year-old hotel worker from Fiji's Coral Coast, north of Suva, has lost half his income since last December's coup.

He accepts coup leader Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama should take some of the blame. But the focus of his resentment is the ongoing travel advice maintained by New Zealand of security risks to tourists in Fiji. "The travel advisories have been too harsh. To be honest, I blame Helen Clark. I think she is punishing ordinary Fijians, the poor people, when it is a government-to-government issue."

Vinay served Clark when she attended a 2002 Pacific Forum retreat at the Lagoon Resort in Pacific Harbour, operated by New Zealand couple Jim and Heather Sherlock. The resort has had only about 19 per cent occupancy this year compared with an average 65 per cent occupancy in previous years.

The Sherlocks have had to cut back staff hours, with some workers getting only $75 a week. They say they weren't as severely affected by the 2000 coup, as the travel warnings were not maintained for so long.

Like the Sherlocks, Brad Johnstone, a former All Black and former coach for the Fiji national rugby side who runs the Funky Fish budget resort in the Mamanuca Island group, also blames the ongoing travel advisories and "continuing negative press for a big drop in business". He says the Fijian Backpackers' Association normally runs at 80 to 100 per cent capacity all year but in the past year occupancy has fallen off to 40 per cent at times.

Johnstone says New Zealand should be helping to get a political system in place in Fiji where elections are not based along racial lines. "The country will not be able to prosper until Indians living here feel Fijian ... I'd love to see my country get in behind Fiji."

The Sherlocks' staffer Vinay lives in the rural area of Nakaulevu where he supports his wife, daughter, parents, grandfather and uncle. He has worked in tourism since he was 21 and has skills as a barman, cook and waiter.

Before the coup he used to pick up extra jobs, but they have now dried up. His wife, Irene Resma, had worked as a cook in the Pacific Harbour village but the restaurant closed after the coup because there were too few customers.

Vinay has to pay the mortgage on the family land, electricity and water bills for three houses, groceries for seven and medical expenses for his father who is a heart patient. "It's too much for me ... we are really struggling. I have to do my budget carefully - I can't spend one dollar unwisely, so no new clothes or presents."

Vinay reads the newspaper every day but says there is no good news in it for him. "We don't understand politics. All we understand is money in our pockets to feed our family." Despite the bleak outlook he supports Bainimarama who has "done some good things", like moving towards a multi-racial Fiji.

In the slums of Suva, dogs rummage through roadside rubbish not cleared for weeks, children who should be at school play on water pipes crossing polluted streams and taro grows between tin shacks and old car wrecks. A man sits behind a car wash sign with a bucket and hose but no customers.

There are about a dozen squatter settlements scattered around Suva, many populated by Indians displaced from the sugarcane-growing areas after the Native Land Trusts Board discouraged the renewal of land leases.

Living in a tin shack perched on an unstable mud bank is Mahesh Prasad with five of his children - the youngest aged 12 - and a grandchild. Up rickety wooden steps he sits on patchy linoleum with a bowl of kava, ready to serve his visiting brother.
[Prasad]once worked the sugarfields at Rakiraki but "the natives" took back the land. Only his two daughters have jobs, both working for the Government. Prasad has had odd jobs like tiling and building maintenance but it's been hard to get work since the coup.

New Zealand should be more understanding, he says. He wants his sons to work in New Zealand to boost the family income. "Can you help us?" he asks, unaware the New Zealand Government has taken Fiji off a list of Pacific countries that can use a new temporary visitor workers scheme.

About a kilometre away down Ratu Dori Rd, "no squatting" and "no planting"signs have been erected in anticipation of a new housing development.

Living at number 17 is indigenous Fijian Fulori Sicinilawa who has been squatting there for seven years with her brother, aunt and husband. Her husband has a job doing deliveries, the others are unemployed. Now all the residents have been told to get out with just a week's notice. "There are not enough jobs in Suva,"she says.

"This land is going to be vacated for new housing, we have to pull out our cassava and taro ... we don't know where we are going." A friend, Akisi Lewatu, says she has no job and stays at home and looks after her two children aged five and 16. "I blame the Government."

Another woman says she knows nothing about the Government and is nervous sharing her views with a reporter. "I only eat and rest. I don't know anything." She votes in national elections but claims to have no interest in politics. "I don't feel I know enough. Sometimes I listen to the news but I don't want to think about it. We mind our business."

Mark Hirst, president of the Fiji-New Zealand Business Council in Suva says jobs in construction and tourism have declined dramatically. Hirst believes tourism might not have been hurt so much but for the reaction from New Zealand and what he calls misleading media portrayal of soldiers on the streets eight months after the coup.

"They made it look worse than it was ... you'd have had to come to Fiji before to know there is no risk."

His vice-president, Bevin Severinsen, is also disappointed at how New Zealand is treating a close trading partner to which it sells far more than it imports back.
New Zealand should try to repair relations and start building bridges, he said.

"It's now a year on. It's time we sat down and start to find ways to get the show on the road."

Severinsen sees New Zealand adopting a hardline, black and white foreign policy to Fiji "yet other things we do are grey". Though not supporting the coup Severinsen believes the end result is the "best thing that could have happened".

"It is probably the first time in Fiji's history that the country has seriously committed to trying to rid itself of all things which affect a developing country ... like corruption, a massively oversized public service and poor performing infrastructure."

Whether the new administration succeeded remained to be seen "but at least they show resolve". "Frank [Bainimarama] is a dictator but he should be applauded for trying to do the right thing. I believe a lot of people are warming to him."

Severinsen concedes the beating by military and police of Ballu Khan, a New Zealand citizen, over an alleged assassination plot was unhelpful but that such behaviour went on before the coup. He is critical of the travel blacklists imposed by countries including New Zealand against those in the interim Government and their families.

The travels ban were extended, following the expulsion of the New Zealand High Commissioner Michael Green in June, to cover all those appointed to head government departments and agencies, or placed on statutory boards, and their immediate family members.

Severinsen says it is putting off genuine people with good intentions to help get Fiji back on its feet. He says the business council has had dialogue on many levels with the new administration and found it very accessible, more so than the former regime.

Caz Tebbutt, president of the Fiji-Australia Business Council, has no issue with sanctions but says some can be counterproductive. "What we like to ask is for politicians overseas to understand the punitive impacts on the private sector ... businesses here have taken a battering this year."

He said Fiji's neighbours should adopt the 24-hour rule. "Stop and think, because once sanctions are put on, they are hard to take off." But Ulai Taoi, president of the Fiji Indigenous Business Council, believes the stance of New Zealand and Australia is correct, although many Fijian-owned businesses have been badly hurt. Turnover has halved at his office supplies company.

Taoi, who was roughed up in a military cell after being accused of creating anti-Bainimarama blog sites, says: "This is the fourth coup. I am concerned this will never end, it is something the military has picked up and will wield every now and then."

Local media tried to position Fijians against New Zealand but he believed grassroots Fijian resentment remained targeted on the military takeover.

Gregory's other article "Post Card from Fiji" is also a good read.




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Fiji Interim Minister Wins Defamation Case Against Fiji Times Ltd.

The Suva High Court has ordered the Fiji Times newspaper to pay the interim cabinet minister, Lekh Ram Vyashnoi, nearly 19-thousand US dollars in damages for defamation. The award is for articles and letters to the editor published in the Fiji Times between 1999 and 2003.

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The High Life Vs National Priorities.

Fiji Times(FT) editorial of Friday November 30th regarding the issue of the official residence of the Prime Minister is convoluted, illogical and abhorrent. This is in reaction to the story, that the preliminary costs for the proposed residence, exceeded F$1 Million; as reported in a FT article.
The excerpt of the FT article:

$6.4m burden

MARY JOHNS
Friday, November 30, 2007

PREPARATORY work on a new official residence to house prime ministers would have cost more than $1million, former Government officials confirmed yesterday. And files in the Prime Ministers Office show that around $6.4million would have been spent on the total project.

Close to $500,000 in consultancy fees should have paid in May this year. Interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama said the proposed home was unnecessary.

He also accused deposed prime minister Laisenia Qarase of spearheading the plan for the official residence. When approached last night Mr Qarase said: "I've never seen the plan. There was nothing authorised. Who was the architect?"

Documents released by the interim administration office showed that taxpayers would have paid $1.5million for an official residence for the head of government. Located on 2.4 hectares of State land at Muanikau, the proposed home would have been the centerpiece of a traditional-style homestead.

Additional costs included:

- $1.4m public entertainment area and $850,000 for a block fence around the property;

- $140,000 for a driveway, according to estimates by the Public Works Department;

- $200,000 on mechanical services;

- $120,000 for the maintenance of existing quarters which would become part of the complex; and

- the swimming pool with associated change room and pump room was estimated to cost $400,000. Planners allocated $120,000 for a standby pump and generator, $150,000 for a security system, $70,000 for a garage and $150,000 for site works.

Other estimates were:

- $25,000 for a guardhouse;

- $130,000 for a bure or shed;

- $90,000 for landscaping'

- $100,000 for water and sewerage system;

- $15,000 for a water tank; and

- $75,000 for solar system.

Former chief executive officer in the Prime Minister's Office Jioji Kotobalavu said no one could estimate the cost of the project. "The design works were not done," he said. "If anyone wants proof, it's in the 2007 Budget because there was $1m allocated for the site preparatory works because the land is swampy. The residence was not for Mr Qarase personally and it should not be misconstrued."

Mr Kotobalavu said the Prime Minister's official residence on Richards Road leaked, was rat-infested and not suitable for a prime minister. He said plans had been made to hold a public competition for architects to design the official residence because the house would belong to the people of Fiji.

The interim administration said the plans for the home were made at a time when the country could not afford such a project. Fiji is the only country in the Pacific that does not have an official residence for the Prime Minister.

Reactions to the FT article was in their web site's "Have Your Say" column.
Below are selected posts, which are overwhelming against the project:

Ratu Peni Gavidi of Suva, Fiji (3 hours and 4 minutes ago)
Its not whether Qarase as PM should have an official residence. It is a matter of principle. To spend such a huge amount on a house when the country is swimming in poverty, is it just? Even Prime Ministers of some of the most wealthy nations dont have residences that Qarase wanted for himself.

A Prime Minister should be seen as being careful with the citizens money and not to impress his family and friends and the rest of the world how lavish is his lifestyle. Qarase if he wanted to could have spent far less to repair his leaky roof if he wanted to.
He was not living in a tent, but because he has access to peoples' money, he didnt give two hoots to improve the lives of the general population.His personal living is all that mattered. Those seeking corruption evidence should seal their lips as this is one of them. Its flagrant disregard for citizens money. Keep going Frank!!


prem singh of papatoetoe auckland (4 hours and 47 minutes ago)
What a stupid suggestion that it was for fijian people.How many ordinary fijians have seen houses like that?yes in dreams.Another coverup by LQ.Just lies after lies.Why cant they admit it was for LQ.

Don't they have guts? Why drag all common people to hide behind.Have some guts and face the pain. good on the present govt.keep the pressure on and let all common fijians see for themselves what was done behind their backs.God is always fair and he will help.look after the poor and their blessings are more than anything to fight crime.God Bless.


alisi waqa of Suva (4 hours and 50 minutes ago)
What more do you nexpect from Qarase? Increased VAT,controversial bills to appease communal bigots,religious bigotary,institunalised discrimination,on going plots against the Fijian Army,hoodwinking the masses ..the list can go on and on

We know that Corruption and explotation are close cousins.


vulagi of United States (4 hours and 52 minutes ago)
Please no Official Residence for PM because they don't last.Divert that money to help the poor.Eveyone should sacrifice inorder to archive our goal ie A Better Fiji for Everyone.I beg you leaders just live in your residence during this hard times and don't use big pajeros for official car. The cost of those expensive vehicles could boost the schoolarship fund at PSC to educate more doctors.

Other cost breakdowns for the project was outlined in a Fiji Village article.

The excerpt of the Fiji Village article:

Qarase denies claims
The plans for the Official Prime Minister's home to be built by the Qarase led government has been made public with estimates of the costs for the construction of the official residence.

Plans that were prepared for the proposed new residence back in November 2006 have been revealed with estimates for the construction of the home and various facilities.

The total amount stands at $6.44 million dollars. The estimates include $1.4 million for the construction of a 892.5 square meter Public Entertainment area, a semi private residence costing $1.52 million dollars, a swimming pool valued at $400,000, a $130,000 bose vakatunuloa or meeting house, a $140,000 driveway and car parking area, a $150,000 security system, a stand by generator and pump worth $120,000, consultancy fees amounting to $585,500, mechanical services amounting to $200,000 and a 1,675 meters block work boundary fence valued at $850,000.

The design plans were made in November 2006 and the estimates are based on requested forwarded in September last year. There was no approved plan in place for the official house to be built so I do not know why there is a lot of fuss over the plan to build an official residence for the Prime Minister.

Speaking to Village news, Ousted Prime minster, Laisenia Qarase said that the Interim Prime Minister should realize that plans were not even drawn up for the new residence. Qarase also revealed that the house would not be his personal property but an assets of the Government and the Interim Administration should consider carrying this out.

Former Permanent Secretary in the Prime Minister's office, Jioji Kotobalavu has clarified that proper planning for the official residence of the Prime Minister was not complete last year.

[Kotobalavu] told Village News this morning that a piece of land was identified and one million dollars was allocated in this year’s budget by the ousted SDL government for initial works at the site. [Kotobalavu] said the 6.4 million dollars highlighted for the complex could only be an estimate.

This is the excerpt of Ft editorial:

A home for us all

EDITORIAL COMMENT
Friday, November 30, 2007

THE nation must provide the prime minister with an official residence commensurate with the position of head of government. Recent revelations show that the last official home of the prime minister was in a deplorable state during its occupancy.

The roof leaked and the residence failed to meet Occupational Health and Safety standards. It was not possible for the head of government to host dignitaries, let alone international guests, at the official home.

There is little wonder that the Richards Road facility did not meet standards expected of a prime minister's domicile. The archaic colonial structure was at various stages in its history a minister's home, the headquarters for a regional broadcasting organisation and the residence of functionaries within the colonial service.

No prime minister of Fiji should have to put up with the indignity of living in a leaking home. No head of government should be forced to host guests outside of the official residence just because the home is less than dignified.

The Governor of the Reserve Bank, several heads of diplomatic missions and chief executives of large multinational companies have better homes than the quarters provided for the prime minister.

Commodore Frank Bainimarama is fortunate that he wears two hats for his hat as commander of the army affords him better accommodation than his predecessor in the Prime Minister's Office.

The fact remains, however, that there is no official residence for the prime minister. Before Fiji elects its next government, the nation must build a new home for the person who will lead the nation.

The residence must be a place where international heads of state can be entertained in comfort and style. It should also be a resting place for someone shouldered with the burdens of State.

This is a home which belongs to the people of Fiji, not the incumbent, and it must reflect the dignity of all the people of this multicultural nation. At the same time consideration must be given to security and the need to host large functions which involve members of the public.

As the interim government takes the country towards democracy, it must not forget that the time will come for an elected head of Fiji. That person, like the President, must have a home of which we can all be proud.

For certain the FT Editorial's flawed concept of providing an official residence for the deposed PM borders on 'keeping up with the Jones'. Especially so, when the Editorial compares the size of the Reserve Bank Governor's house with the current PM's residence at Richards Rd.

If, the roof of the Richards Road property is leaking as the FT editorial claims and was declared non-compliant using the Occupational Health & Safety standards; then by all means the roof should be replaced, but certainly not the entire house.

When the most of Fiji are coming to terms with the repeated water cuts, simply because of the aging infrastructure and when down-stream water pipes are literally bursting at the seams; it seems more prudent to fix the problem that affects the majority of people than considering to build a palace for a single person. Of course, prudent thinking is not the strong suite of the FT Editor, for even cordoning such extravagance and wasteful spending.


Fiji Times article even interviews the Divisional Engineer Water Engineer. This is the excerpt:

Engineer reveals cause of water woes

Friday, November 30, 2007




Image (L)Divisional water engineer, Samuela Tubui in Wailoku yesterday

THE Waila and Tamavua reservoirs have 140 mega liters of water more than enough to cater for the 350,000 people living in the Suva-Nausori corridor, says acting Divisional Water Engineer Samuela Tubui.

Mr Tubui said the problem was not the lack of water but the ability to get that water to homes. In the past three weeks, residents at Cunningham have had their supply cut at night while residents of Nasinu have suffered disruptions since Saturday. Not all of them have had water carted to their homes because of the large area affected.

Mr Tubui said the main problem was the leaks in pipes and the breakdown of water pumps at the various pumping stations.

"We are in the process of buying two new pumps for the Savura and Waimanu pumping station and this is an effort to prevent prolonged water cuts like the one experienced over the past week," he said.

Mr Tubui said they had repaired the damaged and leaking pipes and water supply to affected areas had been restored. "The past few days had been very challenging for us because the pump at the Waila pumping station had a breakdown but that has been fixed."

Mr Tubui said the two new pumps, estimated to cost $230,000 each, would help the existing water pumps at Savura and Waimanu pump water to homes and ease the pressure. He said another project that was ongoing was the rehabilitation of Tamavua and Waila stations.

"The main idea behind this project is to improve the efficiency of the service provided by the two stations," he said.
End of story

It is obvious that the Fiji Times Editor places more value in the construction of a new PM's residence than, providing solutions to the plight of the ordinary people who have been plagued by reoccurring and unending water problems.
The rationale employed by the FT Editor is called 'living beyond your means' and the Editor should be ridiculed for placing the luxury of the deposed PM, well above the needs and concerns of the entire nation.

Labelling the proposed PM's residence as a "Home For Us All" is misleading, as well as grossly insulting to the intelligence of the grassroots, most of whom still resort to drinking water from wells and wash their clothes in the nearby rivers and streams.

While it is acknowledged that, the Head of State should have a residence worthy of entertaining diplomatic visitors; then it is logical to have those State functions held at the President's house, since he is the head of State, not the Prime Minister.

The President official residence is relatively large enough to cater for those functions as it did during the past held garden parties, so why waste valuable resources to build another Ivory tower, when there are other avenues available that may be more feasible and cost-effective.




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Fiji's Giant Leap Forward- A Threat To The Elite Minority?

Differing views on the matter of Fijian Affairs Department and its impact on the lifestyles of native commoners. One such view was detailed in a Letter to Fiji Sun Editor.

Fijian progress
Last updated 11/28/2007 8:21:17 AM

It is important to have a clear view of Mahendra Chaudhry’s perceptions (FS 26/11) relating to the position of the Fijian people given that he wields a lot of power in the interim government.

This is because I think his thinking that compartmentalisation is delaying Fijian progress” needs to be debated widely because it has been proved over time to be quite untrue. I also think that the rest of the community are largely no better than the Fijian community itself given the fairly advanced civilisation from which they all emanate.

In fact I think the giant forward steps that the Fijian people have achieved in the 133 years since when Fiji was ceded to Great Britain are so large that it is quite frightening. Even more so is the progress we have achieved can only be viewed as “a steep climb” in a proverbial progress graph.

Now, tamper that with the fact that the Fijian people are poised to reach the million mark in their numbers in several years from today. Yes we have progressed, and how much of that progress can be attributed to what Mr Chaudhry sees as “compartmentalisation” is interesting.

In fact the use of that term misleads somewhat because in reality what has happened can be better described as “incubation”. And let us face it, it has paid off handsomely for a race of people who needed to catch up in a modern world that is galloping faster today than it did yesterday and even more so tomorrow.

Perhaps Mr Chaudhry is questioning the rate of that progress. So the question we would have to address is how much faster really could the Fijian people grow, without destroying the fabric of their own society?

While it is relatively easy for Naigulevu to point fingers at the Interim Minister for Finance regarding the policy, much can be said of the reluctance of some elite Fijians to remove the yoke of oppression and compartmentalization which has served Naigulevu and people of his ilk quite well.

Although, Naigulveu claims the compartmentalization is in fact a period of "incubation"; begging the question, of the need for an unending incubation period. If a segment of the population is perpetually in incubation, it ceases to become a cocoon of protection, but lingers dangerously as an incinerator for aspirations. A death sentence to the native commoner's hope for social mobility

Another correspondence also commends the initiative of removing vestiges of colonialism, which Fijian Affairs Board is an icon of. The letter to the Fiji Daily Post Editor outlines those points:

Downgrading ministry
28-Nov-2007

Sir,

WHILE we are all concerned about such move, we should remain positive that the change will bring about the desired benefits and peace among the Fijian community.

Let’s hope that the Interim Government will explain in details as to why such action has been made and its benefit to the Indigenous people. There is nothing to be worried about.

Laisenia Qarase’s brainwashing tactics has a purpose and that is to incite uncertainty in the hearts of the indigenous Fijians especially in giving “half-cooked” information to the people at village grassroots level. Don’t allow this good initiative by the Interim Government to shake us. Dialogue is the way to solve sensitive issues that affect the Fijian people.

The Interim Government has a combination of people who do feel for the heartaches, struggles and difficulties we encounter.

They are trying to build on from what we currently have. The Prime Minister and his Cabinet are mere people whom we can easily talk to and ask for an explanation for the unexpected downgrading of the Fijian Affairs Ministry to Department of Indigenous Affairs. Certainly, the Fijian Affairs Act is still there and it cannot be removed or amended without our consent. Also, it is believed that all institutions remain intact.

Let’s all pray for the indigenous community as we may have felt sad from the surprising news. It will definitely take time for us to understand what’s happening and where we are going. Definitely we are going through “self-help” direction where there will be no more “spoon-feeding”.


Maika Moroca
Fiji Labour Party(Secretary-Fijian Wing)

An article published in the Fiji Sun, questions the need for handouts for indigenous Fijians; which indirectly creates a dependency mentality and undermines the native commoner in seeking a new destiny in the era of IT, cellphones and Supercomputers.

Don’t depend on hand outs: Fijians told
Last updated 11/28/2007 8:13:53 AM

A former politician believes indigenous Fijians should learn how to be more self-reliant and not to depend so much on hand outs.

Former Party of National Unity member and Labour minister, Meli Bogileka said it would make a lot of difference if indigenous Fijians were encouraged to set up their own businesses which could start from selling vegetables to running a tourist driven business.

"We are all proud of being called indigenous Fijians because we are indigenous on this land but we have to also adjust ourselves to changes that are happening around us," he said. "For example technology is changing very fast."

Mr Bogileka said there was no reason to panic because more people were alarmed by the change in name of the Ministry of Fijian affairs to the Department of Provincial Development and Indigenous and Multiethnic Affairs.

"If it can bring about good changes to the indigenous Fijians than it should be encouraged but there is no reason to panic," said Mr Bogileka.
"I believe the old system used will still be the same and the rights of the indigenous people will be intact."

The country had been through 35 years under Fijian-government rule and questions should be asked whether the indigenous Fijians had benefited from it or still lived as one of the poorest people in the country.

Mr Bogileka said one industry to be encouraged for indigenous people is the tourism industry because they are naturally gifted for that. The hospitality, smile and friendliness was already there and there was no need to politicize things and be self pitying.

Fiji Times Editorial of Monday November 26th 2007, regarding the issue of relegating the Ministry of Fijian Affairs to Department status; may be an opinion well entrenched and intertwined with a premise flaunted by the SDL party:

"Many Fijians will see the downgrading of their ministry as a reflection of how the interim Government perceives the indigenous community and their concerns, interests and rights. And, by extension, it will also reaffirm their belief and suspicions of the interim Government's opinion of the Great Council of Chiefs.

It will also reaffirm the suspicions of many indigenous Fijians that this coup is supported by non-Fijians and aims to water down the powers and interests of their community".

Although, the issue of downgrading of status may be a concern from some indigenous quarters; it trivializes an interesting precedent for the nation as a whole, called 'the greater good'.

This is the entire excerpt of the Fiji Time Editorial:

Indigenous affairs

FT EDITORIAL COMMENT
Monday, November 26, 2007

THE downgrading of the Ministry of Fijian Affairs to a department will not go down well with the indigenous community. Already we are beginning to see signs of Fijian chiefs and individuals stirring and murmuring against the interim Government's decision to convert the Ministry of Fijian Affairs to the Department of Indigenous Affairs, Provincial Development and Multi-Ethnic Affairs.

This department, under the portfolio of the Prime Minister, will most likely have a State minister and will cover the affairs of the indigenous people as well as the Indians, part Europeans and everyone else who falls under the multi-ethnic banner.

Many Fijians will see the downgrading of their ministry as a reflection of how the interim Government perceives the indigenous community and their concerns, interests and rights.

And, by extension, it will also reaffirm their belief and suspicions of the interim Government's opinion of the Great Council of Chiefs. It will also reaffirm the suspicions of many indigenous Fijians that this coup is supported by non-Fijians and aims to water down the powers and interests of their community.

Since December 5, 2006, indigenous affairs have been subjected to a whirlwind of change starting from the top the council of chiefs going all the way down to land.
The GCC was suspended by the interim PM after the chiefs refused to endorse the President's choice with the blessing of Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama for Vice-President.

Like an errant child, the council was punished with a review commissioned by the ministry to look into functions and its membership.

And the changes haven't ended there. As announced in the 2008 Budget, the Ministry of Lands will receive a mandate from the People's Charter to conduct land reforms including a review of ALTA.

As the leader of the interim Government, Commodore Bainimarama needs to explain why he downgraded the Ministry of Fijian Affairs to a department. While his motives appear unclear at that stage, he owes the people, especially the indigenous community, an explanation.

He must also be prepared to face the backlash of his decision and there will be backlash from individuals, provincial councils and chiefs and he should not ignore the concerns of the indigenous community.

They deserve to know why.

It is also concerning that, the Fiji Times Editor actively preys on the fears of the indigenous community as seen during the pre-2000 coup days. An independent analysis of the Fiji Times reportage before the 2000 coup confirms this.

It is somewhat disingenuous for the publication not to balance the editorial with the justifications of not having a separate Ministry for Fijian Affairs or even raise factual examples and outline how the Ministry of Fijian Affairs have failed the indigenous community on many levels and on many occasions.

Nor does the Fiji Times Editorial even factor in the gross and willful incompetence of the Ministry of Fijian Affairs and their culpability of not facilitating audits for the accounts from the various Provincial Councils, in decades. The issue of FAB audits were addressed in an earlier S.i.F.M post titled "Few and Far Between".

One of the biggest omissions was the analyzing exactly, what will the indigenous grassroots derive from the status quo.

The editorial further inquires erroneously of the motives of the Interim Government:

"As the leader of the interim Government, Commodore Bainimarama needs to explain why he downgraded the Ministry of Fijian Affairs to a department.

While his motives appear unclear at that stage, he owes the people, especially the indigenous community, an explanation."

For a person not well informed with Fiji politics but pretends to be, should not belittle themselves any longer, by believing in Qarase's self-aggrandizement.

To suggest or think that the Fiji Times Editorial was an altruistic or a benevolent defence over the Ministry of Fijian Affairs issue, simply due to their moral and holier-than-thou position would be a gullible reaction at worst.
At best: acknowledging that the only time Fiji Times profit increases is, by the sensationalism done in over magnifying divisive issues that intends to separate and divide segments; rather than amplify the common threads of society that binds people.

It seems rather juvenile for the Fiji Times to ignore the radical paradigm shift announced by the Interim Prime Minister, regarding the clean up of colonial era, native Fijian institutions, which have been extorting the livelihood of the native commoner under the guise of Fijian culture.

Fiji Times seems to go out of their way to quote the xenophobic SDL party and their point guard Laisenia Qarase. Yet, the Fiji Times have also demonstrated their pathetic and inadequate initiative to decipher Qarase's rhetoric/ lip service that have left the common native perpetually enslaved within a fiefdom, constantly bombarded with ingrained fears and warnings alluding that, foreigners will invade and pillage their land. A synonym for the 'fortress mentality', elongating the social slavery of the common native of Fiji.

Laisenia Qarase vigorously defends the Ministry of Fijian Affairs status quo:

"Mr Qarase said indigenous Fijians were not ready to stand on a level playing field with other races and needed to be treated as separate and distinct in identity.

“I don't think the Fijian people are ready for that independence. I think the Fijian people are proud of their culture and traditions and their institutions,” he said.

What facts does Qarase base his opinions on? Does he speak for all native Fijians? Was there an accurate opinion poll which Qarase was referring to, or is this more of an opinion rather than fact?

Mr Qarase also hit out at interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry for removing the tax free status of the Fijian Trust Fund. He said the FTF was established to fund the operations of the Great Council of Chiefs and other activities for the general good of indigenous people.

He said the village, tikina, provincial councils along with the Fijian Affairs Board, Native Land Trust Board and GCC were part of the “Fijian psyche”.

“I think it would be a sad day if Fijian thinking moves away from that position because I'm very proud of being a Fijian. I want a separate identity for Fijians,” said Mr Qarase.

“We are an ethnic group different from other ethnic entities and all ethnic entities are proud of their identities,” he said."

What Qarase's rhetoric fails to address is, detailing exactly how much monetary rewards are actually reaching the lowest common denominator; which he claims are the benefactors of the Fijian Trust Fund?

Clearly, the "Fijian Psyche" is the actual cream from this Trust Fund that, had been funneled into exuberant projects like the new Great Council of Chiefs complex, financed along with state loans that were subsequently converted mysteriously to grants. This grant has also been questioned by the Interim Prime Minister, in an article in Fiji Village.

Bainimarama Questions $20M Grant
Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama has today clarified that the tax benefits have been taken away from the Fijian Holdings Unit Trust and the Fijian Trust Fund in the 2008 budget because only the elite Fijians have been benefitting from these institutions for years.

Bainimarama has rejected suggestions by terminated Great Council of Chiefs Chairman Ratu Ovini Bokini that this decision will affect the handing out of scholarships.

He said a transparent process will always be followed for the scholarship awards but his main concern is the Laisenia Qarase government's decision a few years ago to convert the $20 million loan to a grant for the shares bought in Fijian Holdings.
Bainimarama said the $20 million which was not paid back was taxpayer’s money and the ordinary Fijians did not benefit from that decision.

He also questions Ratu Ovini on the personal loans that were given out to certain individuals through the FAB.

This conversion (under the Deuba Accord 2000)was made under Qarase's 2001 Interim administration that, failed to relinquish the reins of power to the 1999 elected People's Coalition; an act which Qarase now demands from the 2007 Interim Fiji Government. An article published in 2001, outlines this dichotomy in the 20 million grant.

The excerpt of the article:

FIJIAN HOLDINGS LTD: WHY AN INDEPENDENT INQUIRY IS NEEDED, AND THE ROLE OF THE FIJI DEVELOPMENT BANK IN FINANCING SHARES IN FIJIAN HOLDING?

ON THE 13TH JULY 2000 THE INTERIM PRIME MINISTER MR LAISENIA QARASE PRESENTED TO THE GREAT COUNCIL OF CHIEFS A BLUEPRINT FOR THE PROTECTION AND ADVANCEMENT OF INDIGENOUS FIJIANS AND ROTUMANS.

THE BLUEPRINT INCLUDED A DECISION TO CONVERT THE $20 MILLION INTEREST-FREE LOAN TO THE FIJIAN AFFAIRS BOARD TO A GOVERNMENT GRANT ON THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS;

1. TRANSFER OF $1 MILLION 'B' CLASS SHARES HELD BY THE FAB IN FIJIAN HOLDINGS LIMITED TO EACH OF THE 14 PROVINCES. 2. BALANCE OF $6 MILLION TO REMAIN WITH FAB [AS EQUITY IN FHL]

FIJIAN HOLDINGS WAS PRIMARILY CREATED TO INCREASE EQUITY PARTICIPATION BY THE PROVINCIAL COUNCILS AND FIJIAN INSTITUTIONS IN SUCCESSFUL COMPANIES. THE $20 MILLION GOVERNMENT LOAN, ANNOUNCED IN THE DEUBA ACCORD IN 1987, WAS INTENDED BY THE COUNCIL OF CHIEFS TO BOOST THE OWNERSHIP OF THE 14 PROVINCES IN FIJIAN HOLDINGS.

IT WAS STATED IN THE SENATE IN 1993 THAT ACCORDING TO THE 1992 ANNUAL REPORT OF FIJIAN HOLDINGS, FIJIAN HOLDINGS WAS DOMINATED BY LIMITED LIABILTY COMPANIES OWNED BY GROUPS OF INDIVIDUALS WHICH HELD BY SIMPLE PROPORTIONING 70 PER CENT OF FIJIAN HOLDINGS WHILE THE 14 LPROVINCIAL COUNCILS AND THE NATIVE LAND TRUST BOARD AND FIJIAN AFFAIRS BOARD HELD 30 PER CENT.

IT WAS ALSO STATED IN THE SENATE IN 1993 THAT WHILE 1 PROVINCIAL COUNCIL'S SHARE IN FIJIAN HOLDINGS WAS $50,100 THREE FAMILY PRIVATE COMPANIES IDENTIFIED WITH THAT PROVINCE HELD A TOTAL OF $450,000 SHARES.

IN 1984 THERE WERE NO PRIVATE COMPANIES IN FIJIAN HOLDINGS BY JUNE 1992 THERE WERE 27 PRIVATE COMPANIES.

IN THE MAJORITY OF CASES THERSE PRIVATE COMPANIES WERE ABLE TO SECURE FINANCE TO BUY THE SHARES FROM THE FIJI DEVELOPMENT BANK. SEVERAL INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILY OWNED COMPANIES WHICH OWNED SHARES IN FIJIAN HOLDINGS WERE NAMED IN THE SENATE IN 1993. THEY INCLUDED MR LAISENIA QARASE WHOSE FAMILY COMPANY Q-TEN INVESTMENTS LIMITED OWNED 200,000 SHARES, AND MR SITIVENI WELEILAKEBA WHOSE FAMILY COMPANY STIKS INVESTMENT LIMITED OWNED 150,000 SHARES. THESE TWO NAMES WERE HIGHLIGHTED BECAUSE AT THE TIME MR QARASE WAS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE FIJI DEVELOPMENT BANK A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF FIJIAN HOLDINGS, AND FINANCIAL ADVISER TO THE FIJIAN AFFAIRS BOARD MR WELEILAKEBA WAS APPOINTED CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER IN 1991.

THE 1998/9 ANNUAL REPORT OF FIJIAN HOLDINGS DISCLOSES THAT MR WELEILAKEBA'S FAMILY COMPANY OWNS 10,000 SHARES AND THAT IN 1998 THE COMPANY HELD 100,000 SHARES. ATTEMPTS TO VERIFY DETAILS OF THE OWNERSHIP OF Q-TEN INVESTMENTS, STIKS INVESTMENTS AND STIKS HOLDINGS AT THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR OF COMPANIES WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE OFFICE HAS BEEN INSTRUCTED NOT TO REVEAL THE DETAILS UNLESS A REQUEST IS MADE IN WRITING STATING THE PURPOSE OF THE ENQUIRY. INFORMATION ABOUT REGISTERED COMPANIES IS NORMALLY READILY AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC.

QUESTIONS

1. WHY WERE PRIVATE COMPANIES ALLOWED TO BUY SHARES IN EXCESS OF THE SHARES HELD BY THE PROVINCIAL COUNCILS?

2. WHY WAS THE FAMILY COMPANIES OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND THE MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE FIJI DEVELOPMENT BANK ALLOWED TO BUY SHARES IN EXCESS OF THOSE HELD BY THE PROVINCIAL COUNCILS?

3. WHAT ADVICE DID MR QARASE GIVE THE FIJIAN AFFAIRS BOARD ON THE ALLOCATION OF SHARES TO PRIVATE COMPANIES?

4. WHEN THE COUNCIL OF CHIEFS APPROVE INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILY COMPANIES BUYING SHARES?

THIS PATTERN OF PRIVATE COMPANY OWNERSHIP CONTINUES TODAY. FAMILY COMPANIES OWN MORE THAN 2.2 MILLION SHARES IN FHL. THE PROVINCIAL COUNCILS OWN 1.9 MILLION [MASTER LIST OF SHAREHOLDERS DATED SEPT 1998] IN THE FHL'S TOP TWENTY LIST OF SHAREHOLDERS OF FIJIAN HOLDINGS DATED 31ST JANUARY 2000 ONLY FOUR PROVINCIAL COUNCILS OWN MORE THAN 100,000 CLASS 'A' SHARES.

THE TOP TWENTY SHAREHOLDERS

UNDER STOCK EXCHANGE LISTING RULES FIJIAN HOLDINGS ARE OBLIGED TO PROVIDE TO THE EXCHANGE A LIST OF THE TOP TWENTY SHAREHOLDERS. THERE APPEAR TO BE SOME DISCREPANCIES IN THE LIST PROVIDED BY FHL.

ACCORDING TO THE REGISTRAR OF COMPANIES TWO OF THE COMPANIES ON THE LIST NO LONGER EXIST. THEY ARE CICIA PLANTATION CO-OP SOC. LTD AND VATULELE ISLAND HOLDINGS LIMITED WHICH HAVE BEEN DEREGISTERED.

[IT IS IMPORTANT TO MAKE THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN SHAREHOLDERS HOLDING 'B' CLASS SHARES, AND SHAREHOLDERS HOLDING 'A' CLASS ORDINARY SHARES. 'A' CLASS SHARES ATTRACT A MUCH HIGHER DIVIDEND THAN 'B' CLASS SHARES AND THEY CARRY VOTING RIGHTS WHICH CLASS 'B' SHARES DO NOT. THE DIFFERENCE IS ILLUSTRATED IN FIJIAN HOLDINGS 1999 ANNUAL REPORT. 'A' CLASS SHARES ATTRACTED AN INTERIM DIVIDEND OF 10 PER CENT AND A PROPOSED FINAL DIVIDEND OF 10 PER CENT [TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT &2,092,930] THE ORDINARY 'B' CLASS SHARES HELD BY THE FIJIAN AFFAIRS BOARD ATTRACTED A PROPOSED DIVIDEND OF 5 PER CENT [TOTAL DOLLAR AMOUNT $1,000,000]

THE TOP TWENTY SHAREHOLDERS

1. THE MAJORITY SHAREHOLDER IN FIJIAN HOLDINGS IS THE FIJIANS AFFAIRS BOARD WHICH OWN 20,329,855 SHARES OF CLASS 'B' SHARES [66.7 PER CENT OF THE TOTAL SHAREHOLDING]

2. THE SECOND LARGEST SHAREHOLDER IS THE NATIVE LAND TRUST BOARD WITH 893,501 SHARES.

3. THE THIRD LARGEST GROUP OF SHAREHOLDERS WITH MORE THAN 100,000 SHARES EACH ARE AS FOLLOWS;

CICIA PLANTATION CO-OP SOC LT 400,000[finance from FDB] RATU SIR K MARA EDUCATION TRUST FUND 300,000 TAILEVU DAIRY FARMERS CO-OP 300,000 BA PROVINCIAL COUNCIL 206,917[finance from FDB MACUATA PROVINCIAL COUNCIL 203,614 MAVANA INVESTMENTS LIMITED 200,000[finance from FDB] MUALEVU TIKINA HOLDINGS LTD 200,000[finance from FDB] VANUA KO LOVONI INVESTMENT LIMITED 179,805[finance from FDB] DUAVATA HOLDINGS LTD 150,000 BUA PROVINICIAL COUNCIL 137,102[finance from FDB] RARA O NAKELO HOLDINGS LTD 117,616[finance from FGDB] MALOMALO TIKINA HOLDINGS LTD 107,111 MOALA TIKINA COUNCIL 101,005[finance from FDB] VUKICEA INVESTMENT LTD 100,000[finance from FDB] NAQARANI HOLDINGS LIMITED 100,000[finance from FDB] VATULELE ISLAND HOLDINGS LIMITED 100,000[finance from FDB] MUNIA HOLDINGS LIMITED 100,000[finance from FDB] DOGOTUKI TIKINA COUNCIL 100,000[finance from FDB]

ON INFORMATION SUPPLIED BY THE REGISTRAR OF COMPANIES THE BREAKDOWN OF OWNERSHIP OF THE PRIVATE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANIES IS AS FOLLOWS;

1. MAVANA INVESTMENTS LIMITED - 200,000 SHARES [FHL]

MAVANA INVESTMENTS LIMITED IS OWNED BY A NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS. THE MAJORITY OF THE SHARES ARE OWNED BY THE MAVANA VILLAGE FUND - 108,500 SHARES. Q-TEN INVESTMENTS IS OWNED BY THE FAMILY OF MR LAISENIA QARASE.

2. KO LOVONI INVESTMENT LTD - 179,805 SHARES [FHL]

THE DIRECTORS OF VANUA KO LOVONI INVESTMENT LTD ARE DESCRIBED AS VILLAGERS FROM VARIOUS VILLAGES IN OVALAU. THE COMPANY WAS REGISTERED ON 6TH MAY 1993. ACCORDING TO DOCUMENTS FROM THE REGISTRAR OF COMPANIES VANUA KO LOVONI INVESTMENT LIMITED OWES THE FIJI DEVELOPMENT BANK A TOTAL OF $199,188.65.

3. VUKICEA INVESTMENTS LIMITED - 100,000 SHARES [FHL]

VUKICEA INVESTMENTS LIMITED WAS REGISTERED ON 16TH OCTOBER 1992. IT IS WHOLLY OWNED BY THE VUKICEA FAMILY OF CICIA, LAU. A DEBENTURE OF $80,000 WAS REGISTERED BY THE FIJI DEVELOPMENT BANK OF 30TH NOVEMBER 1993. THE MEMORANDUM OF ASSOCIATION DETAILING THE PURPOSE OF THE COMPANY WAS WITNESSED BY MR SITIVENI WELEILAKEBA, THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF FIJIAN HOLDINGS.

4. MUNIA HOLDINGS LIMITED - 100,000 SHARES [FHL]

THE DIRECTORS OF MUNIA HOLDINGS LIMITED ARE KAMELI VOSA AND SOLOMONE VOSAICAKE. THE COMPANY WAS REGISTERED ON 9TH DECEMBER 1989. A DEBENTURE OF $80, 000 WAS REGISTERED BY THE FIJI DEVELOPMENT ON 26TH FEBRUARY 1995.

5. VATULELE ISLAND HOLDINGS LIMITED - 100,000 SHARES [FHL]

THE COMPANY WAS FORMED ON 11TH DECEMBER 1993. ITS DIRECTORS ARE VILLAGERS FROM VALUTLELE. THE REGISTRAR WROTE TO THE COMPANY ON 11TH DECEMBER 2000 STATING THAT HE HAD REASONABLE CAUSE TO BELIEVE THAT THE COMPANY WAS NOT OPERATING FOLLOWING A FURTHER LETTER ON 10TH APRIL 2000 THE COMPANY WAS REMOVED FROM THE COMPANIES REGISTER.

6. MALOMALO TIKINA HOLDINGS LTD - 107,111 SHARES [FHL]

THE DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY ARE RATU SAMUELA NAULAGO AND RATU MESULAME VOSAILAGI, BOTH FARMERS OF SIGATOKA. THE COMPANY WAS FORMED ON 12TH DECEMBER 1994.

WE WERE ADVISED BY THE OFFICE OF THE REGISTRAR OF OCMPANIES THAT DETAILS OF THE TIKINA HOLDING COMPANIES IN THE TOP TWENTY WERE AVAILABLE THROUGH THE FIJIAN AFFAIRS BOARD BY WRITTEN REQUEST.

THE FAMILY OWNED COMPANIES WITH SUBSTANTIAL SHAREHOLDING IN FIJIAN HOLDINGS AS LISTED BY THE COMPANY IN 1998 ARE;

1. KINGFISHER ENTERPRISES 77,508 [finance from FDB]

2. KJY INVESTMENT LIMITED [KONISI YABAKI] 50,000 [finance form FDB]

3. LANA INVESTMENT LTD [RATU N. LALABALAVU] 95,000 [finance from FDB]

4. MB INVESTMENT LIMITED [M BULANAUCA] 100,000 [finance from FDB]

5. MARKIN INVESTMENT [ISIKELI TAOI] 100,000 [finance from FDB]

6. MEPSAN INVESTMENT [PECELI MATANITOBUA] 67,932 [finance from FDB]

7. NABUABUA HOLDINGS 100,000 [finance from FDB]

8. RABULI INVESTMENT [MEREANI RABULI] 50,000 [finance from FDB]

9. RAFIRE LINVESTMENT [M. RABUKA] 100,000 [finance from FDB]

10. SAKIANA INVESTMENT 50,000

11. TAOI INVESTMENT [J VITUSAGAVULU] 150,000

12. TUKULA HOLDINGS [SIR JOSAIA TAVIQIA] 100,000 [finance from FDB]

13. VENSALISI INVESTMENT 50,000

14. YALIMAIWAI INVESTMENT [ANARE BULA] 100,000 [finance from FDB]

15. 5X INVESTMENTS 100,000 [finance from FDB]

16. BAKANI INVESTMENT 100,000

17. BARAVI ASSOCIATES 50,000

18. FJ JAMNOVIS INVESTMENT 100,000 [finance from FDB]

19. I WAQA & COMPANY 80,000

20. JAY TEE INVESTMENT [S TABAKANACA] 100,000 [finance from FDB]

21. KB INVESTMENT 100,000 [finance from FDB]

THE MAJORITY OF COMPANIES BOUGHT THEIR SHARES BETWEEN DECEMBER 1991 AND MAY 1993.

QUESTIONS

1. WHAT IS THE FULL EXTENT OF LOANS MADE BY THE FIJI DEVELOPMENT BANK TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILY COMPANIES TO BUY SHARES IN FIJIAN HOLDINGS?

2. ON WHAT TERMS WERE THESE INDIVIDUALS AND COMPANIES GIVEN LOANS BY THE FIJI DEVELOPMENT BANK?

3. WERE THE PROVINCIAL COUNCILS INFORMED THAT THEY COULD BUY SHARES ON SIMILAR TERMS?

ON 26TH MAY 1995 SUBSANTIAL LOTS OF SHARES WERE ISSUED TO THE PROVINCIAL COUNCILS. ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY'S SHARE REGISTER DATED 30TH SEPT 1998.

BA PROVINCIAL COUNCIL 34,801 SHARES

BUA PROVINCIAL COUNCIL 87,002 SHARES

KADAVU PROVINCIAL COUNCIL 43,501 SHARES

LAU PROVINCIAL COUNCIL 17,401 SHARES

LOMAIVITI HOLDINGS 52,201 SHARES

MACUATA PROVINCIAL COUNCIL 87,002 SHARES

NADROGA/NAVOSA PROVINCIAL COUNCIL 17,400 SHARES

NAMOSI PROVINCIAL COUNCIL 35,671 SHARES

RA PROVINCIAL COUNCIL 8,700 SHARES

REWA PROVINCIAL COUNCIL 43,501 SHARES

SERUA PROVINCIAL COUNCIL 87,002 SHARES

TAILEVU PROVINCIAL COUNCIL 52,201 SHARES

A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF OTHER SHARES WERE ALSO ISSUED ON 26TH MAY 1995 TO MATAQALI, TIKINA AND VILLAGE BASED COMPANIES.

MATAQALI

1. DROVALAU INVESTMENTS 16,743

2. ERENAWAI HOLDINGS 16,743

3. MATAITINI DEVELOPMENT 16,743

4. MATAQALI NATABUTALE 16,743

5. NABAIKPAODI HOLDINGS 16,743

6. NATURUBU TIKINA HOLDINGS 16,743

7. TOKATOKA VUWAI HOLDINGS 16,743

8. TUBANAWAI HOLDINGS 16,743

9. VALELEVU HOLDINGS 16,743

10. DOROKAVU HOLDINGS 16,578

11. RUKURUKU INVEST CO. [RAVUAMA BAISAGALE] 50,000 [finance from FDB]

TIKINA

1. BURETA TIKINA HOLDINGS 26,101 [finance from FDB]

2. CICIA TIKINA HOLDINGS 33,104

3. DREKETI TIKINA INVESTMENTS 17,400

4. MALOMALO TIKINA HOLDINGS 87,000

5. MOALA TIKINA HOLDINGS 34,475 [finance from FDB]

6. MAULEVU TIKINA HOLDINGS 77,508 [finance from FDB]

7. NAMUKA TIKINA COUNCIL 17,400

8. NAWAIDINA INVESTMENTS 17,400

9. RARA O NAKELO 117,616 [finance from FDB]

10. UDU TIKINA COUNCIL 17,400

11. VANUA O SABETO 17,400

12. VATULELE ISLAND HOLDINGS 78,410 [finance from FDB]

VILLAGE

1. AROVUDI VILLAGE DEVEL CO. 16,045

2. DALICONI INVESTMENT 16,142

3. DELADAMANU INVEST HOLDINGS 16.142

4. LOMATI VILLAGE INVESTMENT 44,716

5. MAULEVU KORO INVESTMENT 73,290

6. MUNIA HOLDINGS 16,142

7. NABUKEBUKE HOLDINGS 75,990 [finance from FDB]

8. NAKABEA INVESTMENT 16,142

9. NAMUKA-I-LAU 73,290 [finance from FDB]

10. NAYAVU VILLAGE 16,142

11. TARUKUA VILLAGE 25,516 [finance from FDB]

12. TAWAVA INVESTMENTS 36,645 [finance from FDB]

QUESTIONS

1. ON WHAT BASIS WERE SHARES IN FIJIAN HOLDINGS ALLOCATED TO THE PROVINCIAL AND TIKINA COUNCILS IN 1995?

2. HOW WERE THE SHARES TO THE PROVINCIAL AND TIKINA COUNCILS FUNDED

3. WHAT CRITERIA DID THE FIJI DEVELOPMENT BANK USE IN FUNDING THE PURCHASE OF SHARES?

4. WHAT DIVIDENTS HAVE THE PROVINCIAL AND TIKINA COUNCILS RECEIVED SINCE 1995?

THE NEED FOR AN INQUIRY

WHAT IS CLEAR FROM THE HISTORY OR SHARES OWNERSHIP IN FIJIAN HOLDINGS IS THAT THE $20 MILLION LOAN FROM GOVERNMENT WAS NOT USED TO BENEFIT THE FIJIAN PEOPLE AS THE GREAT COUNCIL OF CHIEFS HAD INTENDED. THE DOMINANCE OF INDIVIDUALS AND PRIVATE FAMILY COMPANIES BENEFITED A FEW WHO HAD ACCESS TO FINANCE FROM THE FIJI DEVELOPMENT. QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ASKED AS TO WHY THIS WAS ALLOWED TO HAPPEN. WHAT ROLE DID MR QARASE PLAY AS MANAGING DIRECTOR OF THE FIJI DEVELOPMENT BANK IN FACILITATING LOANS TO INDIVIDUALS AND PRIVATE COMPANIES TO PURCHASE SHARES IN FIJIAN HOLDINGS OF WHICH HE WAS A BOARD MEMBER? WAS FINANCE FROM THE FIJI DEVELOPMENT BANK MADE AVAILABLE TO THE 14 PROVINCIAL COUNCILS AT THE SAME TIME THAT IT WAS BEING OFFERED TO INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILY COMPANIES? IS THE LIST OF THE TOP TWENTY SHAREHOLDERS A TRUE AND ACCURATE PICTURE OF THE CURRENT OWNERSHIP OF FIJIAN HOLDINGS? THESE AND OTHER QUESTIONS NEED TO BE ANSWERED BY AN INDEPENDENT INQUIRY.

THE DECISION BY THE INTERIM GOVERNMENT TO TRANSFER $I MILLION CLASS "B" SHARES IN FIJIAN HOLDINGS TO EACH OF THE PROVINCE WILL BE OF MINIMUM BENEFIT TO THE MAJORITY OF THE FIJIAN PEOPLE. THE ANNUAL DIVIDEND TO EACH PROVINCE FOR ITS "B" CLASS SHARES WILL BE IN THE VICINITY OF $50,000.

IF THE ORIGINAL LOAN OF $14 MILLION HAD BEEN GIVEN TO EACH PROVINCE IN THE FORM OF A LOAN TO PURCHASE ONE MILLION CLASS 'A' SHARES, THE TOTAL MARKET VALUE OF THEIR HOLDING TODAY WOULD BE $38.5 MILLION AND THEY WOULD HAVE HAD THE BENEFIT OF HIGH DIVIDENDS WHICH WOULD HAVE ADEQUATELY COVERED THEIR REPAYMENTS.

Inextricably, Qarase provides little to no evidence in detailing how the Fijian Trust Fund empowers the native commoner or explain how it improves their lifestyle which has been more or less, alienated from the rest of Fiji's community via a political policy.

Nor does Qarase explain the financial revenue derived from the flagship company of the elite natives called Fijian Holdings. Fijian Holdings had been touted as the premier ethnic block investment company, the truth is that Qarase and his cronies own more Class A shares than the shares of villages, Tikinas and Provincial Councils put togther.

The minority elite layer via their fictionally named companies, enjoy more spin-offs, royalties and status than the majority of native people, which the company proports to represent. So much for the fallacy of a 'Fijian Pysche'.

The actual explanation given by the Fijian elites to the ignorant masses regarding their monetary rewards, can be equated with number fudging, fuzzy maths and trickle down economics.

The saddest day in Fiji occurred, when these cultural abusers and ethno-nationalists, sought to defraud native commoners in collusion with the existing native institutional framework for political mileage, whilst ignoring the pleas of the common native person whose ancestral land was leased out by the Native Lands Trust Board(NLTB) without succint approval, prior negotiations or sufficient compensation.




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