Last Week in Fiji; Fourth Week of February

Two further examples of what must be called ongoing, negative "media-generated news" hit the streets last week [...] This is not reporting the news; it is creating it.

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Fiji: One World Church silent over teen’s death

Police are investigating the death of a 17-year old boy in the premises of the One World Church at Tacirua. Fiji’s [deposed] prime minister, Laisenia Qarase, is reported to have consulted a woman who claims to have powers to heal and predict the future.

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In God's Image: The Metaculture of Fijian Christianity

Matt Tomlinson is Lecturer in Anthropology at Monash University in Australia and co-editor of The Limits of Meaning: Case Studies in the Anthropology of Christianity. Tomlinson's latest book, In God's Image: The Metaculture of Fijian Christianity was published by UC Press in January 2009.

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Tuilaepa's Fiji salvo unleashes the newshounds

"AN EXTRAORDINARY verbal attack on a neighbour," says Fijilive. While it is recycling a Michael Field take on Stuff.com over a widely circulated article by Savali editor Tupuola Terry Tavita, it is all fairly remarkable non "Pacific Way" stuff.

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Fiji Times Spelling Mistakes 3.0

In a follow up to an earlier SiFM post, it appears that the Fiji Times quality control is faltering again, as demonstrated in an online article.




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Fiji implementing ADS-B air traffic management system

Fiji is introducing an automatic dependent surveillance - broadcast system covering all its airports, a move that has been touted as the most comprehensive deployment of ADS-B in the world.

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Fiji Grants Oil Exploration Licences

The Fiji Government has granted three companies licences to explore oil in Fiji waters while a few other overseas companies have shown interest to do deep sea mining here.

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Fiji Seeks To Enlarge Sovereignty Under The UN Law of The Seas.

Fiji has joined the scramble to extend its territory well beyond its 200 miles exclusive economic zone.Like other countries that have ratified the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Fiji can stake its claim if it produces the necessary data by May 13 this year.

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Experiences teaching in Fiji- A View From the Gap

Jenny talks about her experiences teaching in Fiji while volunteering on her gap year in Fiji, organized by Lattitude Global Volunteering which is a charity specialising in volunteering for 17-25 year olds.

Lattitude's global vision and aim, is to provide unique experiences of voluntary work placements for young people from around the world.

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Fiji set for China loan

Fiji’s interim Prime Minister has told visiting Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping that Fiji is about ready to access the $US600 million dollar China Soft Loan Facility.

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Fiji poll office unhappy with TVNZ report

Fiji’s Elections Office is unhappy with the way Television New Zealand has reported on a video made by its junior staff as part of a competition.
The TVNZ article read ‘Doubts surround the future of New Zealander Felicity Heffernan who heads Fiji's electoral office.

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Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) online article, also parroted the news article from TV NZ and published the item, with few changes.
The excerpt of the ABC article:

Fiji Youtube election skit unpopular with interim government

Updated 8 hours 10 minutes ago

Staff at Fiji's electoral office have landed themselves in hot water over a video they made, in which they voice their frustration at the lack of progress the country has made towards democracy. In the video, which was posted on YouTube, staff members perform a skit where they say it will take a superhuman effort for Fiji to conduct free and fair elections. the skit includes New Zealand Supervisor of Elections Felicity Heffernan.

And remaining in Fiji - The United Nations and the Commonwealth have accepted an invitation from the interim government to send a Joint Technical Team to Fiji from the 9th to the 14th of February 2009. The teams will mediate the President's Political Dialoue Forum on a date to be decided. Registered leaders of each of the country's political parties and NGO's are also expected to be prepresented.

Presenter ABC New Zealand correspondent Kerri Ritchie & Geraldine Coutts.

What was quite dubious about this series of news articles, is that the Youtube video was first posted on SiFM, without attribution from TV NZ or ABC.

Further to that, the SiFM posting had added the most important caveat which was, the video was a submission to an online contest, called Democracy Challenge. Even on the Youtube page, the description of the video had clearly indicated that the video was a submission.
Both TVNZ and ABC news articles, had conveniently omitted that detail and spun their articles in a negative light, as if the video was made by Fiji Elections Office employees, gone wild. Another outrageous fact, was that no other local media agency in Fiji had been quoted, confirming the story angle about Fiji Elections Office employees being in trouble, with the Interim Government. Another new Fiji blog, Talking Fiji posting swallowed the parroted article; hook, line and sinker.

Suffice to say, this is the type of gutter type, purposely deceiving and inaccurate journalism, which the region has been force fed by the Trans-Tasman bullies. David Robie's blog latest posting also focuses on the issue of media matters in Fiji.

Democracy Is...

A video produced by Fiji Elections Office, to the Democracy Challenge contest, which expired in Jan. 31st 2009.

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China's Vice President to visit Fiji

The Vice President and number two man in China, Xi Jinping, will be visiting Fiji soon. Government Spokesperson Major Neumi Leweni says because of the global importance of the Vice President and very tight security, few details of his visit are being released at this time.

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Tut-tutting in Fiji

Richard Fowler, the President of the Wellington District Law Society spent time with officers of the Fiji Law Society last October.In his column in this month’s Council Brief (the WDLS monthly newspaper) he has described their dilemma (and his). Should they condemn and refuse to cooperate with the Commodore’s government? The

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Australia threatens Fiji with suspension from Forum.

A "special leaders' retreat" of the 16-member Pacific Islands Forum (PIF), convened in Papua New Guinea (PNG) on January 27, concluded with a threat to suspend Fiji from the regional body unless the military junta announces elections by May 1 and conducts the poll by the end of the year.

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Trans-Tasman Foie Gras Of The Pacific Islands Forum.

Foie Gras: The controversial production of foie gras (the liver of a duck or a goose that has been specially fattened) involves force-feeding birds more food than they would eat in the wild, and much more than they would voluntarily eat domestically.





The recent off-again and on-again Pacific Islands Forum recently held in Port Morseby, Papua New Guinea; was a series of interesting and extending displays of Trans-Tasman belligerence and bullying.

Without a doubt this festoon filled dog and pony show, lost it's regional street credibility before it even begun, partly due to the alleged and rather unfortunate communication break down between the host, PNG and the Forum.

The meeting host Sir Michael Somare, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea was reported to have postponed the meet to a later date. His decision was over-ruled by Toki Talangi, the Forum Chair and Niue Premier (who prior to the meet, blamed the media for the cold relations between the Forum and Fiji).

Talangi's dramaturgical hubris continue, inadvertently shaming the host, Somare, to a subsequent apology to the forum. Somare later requested the Forum's forgiveness for his postponement announcement, without prior consultation.

Talangi is quoted in an ABC News article [http://www.abc.net.au/cgi-bin/common/transform.pl?telstra~World&imode/2477789] in an overreaching statement:

“Two years is too long for the military to enforce its will on Fiji's people”.

It would be rather naïve for Talangi to use the Forum instruments to interfere with the domestic affairs of the member states and this intrusion has disastrous implications.

What's next, having the Forum determine eligible participants and draw up electoral boundaries and outline campaign financing rules?

New Zealand's nascent Prime Minister's attendance to the forum also marks a cynical end to his political honeymoon, prompting his loutish remarks concerning Fiji.

According to Oscar Wilde: “Ridicule is the tribute paid to the genius by the mediocrities.” Without a doubt, such ridicule is the currency used by the Trans-Tasman neighbors.

Obviously the proverbial line which Australia's Prime Minster, Kevin Rudd, who drew in the sandy beach on behalf of the Forum, in an apparent message for Fiji, forgot about local tide conditions and that his neo-colonist demarcation, was washed away by the incoming wave of new ideals and perspectives.

The Forum's implied threats for Fiji, to 'get with the program' of democracy is on one hand, seen as a "Hail Mary pass" to restore the Forum's regional credibility, which was fully torn to shreds, by the arrogant Trans-Tasman diplomacy. On the other hand, the Forum's ultimatum marks a high-water mark; for the region's inability to remove their dependence, on the handouts from the neighborhood bullies.

To just simply execute the act of holding elections, would not change the present fundamental and structural malaise. This notion of 3 minute democracy is without a doubt, a Trans-Tasman lobbied premise, based on instant gratification. In the act of gavage, the Forum has set out a May 1st deadline for automatic suspension.

Using the proverbial sliding scale of democracy, the scale and magnitude of democracy demanded by this May 1st ultimatum issued by the Forum is at the bare minimum. What Fiji's interim Government had outlined via the Charter, is at the maximum setting, an unique and genuine road map to true democracy. Not the 3 minute variety demanded by the Forum.

The analogy of such decisions that will be made by the people of Fiji, is akin to comparing microwave TV dinner meals and the physically laboring task of making a lovo meal (underground oven). Both tasks involve food, but the TV Dinner takes about 3 minutes to prepare, as opposed to the 5-8 hours needed for a lovo. Instant democracy, would also be a choice, appearing at the bottom on the list of favorites, for most Fiji people.

Such bureaupathic remarks made by the Niue Premier, leader of a client state, represents the fleeting 'go-along-to-get-along' fulcrum to the Trans-Tasman leverage. The targeted approach of Pacific Island leaders, involve subtle arm twisting and palm greasing; packaged into the Trans-Tasman diplomatic and media assault. A carefully created, crafted and coordinated web of 'beggar thy neighbor' politics.

The Forum's bureaucratic incapacity has been largely due to the Trans-Tasman insistence of taking up the burden of the empire, by controlling the agenda of the organization. This sad state of affairs in the Forum has been outlandishly ignored by Fiji's media industry, undoubtedly partly due to their overwhelmingly Australian ownership. IG blog posting also addresses this concern.

The Forum's main bolstering argument was that, Fiji needs to have elections as soon as possible. They denounced the fact the interim Prime Minister broke alleged promises for March 2009 elections, selectively ignoring the fact that the deadline was brokered by dubious circumstances, one involving the Tongan Prime Minister, Dr. Fred Sevele and never recognized as a bi-lateral agreement in the first place, legally speaking.

"A thunderous peel of silence echo in the hallways of many of Pacific island press rooms"

Yet, while this minor and petty issue is being regurgitated ad nauseam by the Trans-Tasman bullies and their hand puppets in the Forum and in the media. This exercise can be described accurately to be following Northcote Parkinson's Law of Triviality: “the time spent on any item of the agenda will be an inverse proportion to the sum involved”.

A point which never seems to amaze many international and local bystanders but certainly not the good old boys in the Forum; who outweighed Fiji's alleged promises with the far more egregious and serious breaches by other Forum member states.



Case in point, Australia's invasion of Fiji pre- 2006 coup, via the Black hawk helicopter episode and the active non-compliance of Fiji's immigration statutes resulting in several Australian Special Forces troopers bearing a large silver box supposedly carrying weapons, detouring around internationally accepted and practiced immigration checks.


A thunderous peel of silence echo in the hallways of many of Pacific island press rooms, amid hushed stares drilled into any journalist and the subsequent ostracizing of those who dare ask their Australian or New Zealand publisher, the question of moral equivalence.

The Forum's decision (with no doubt with Australia's prodding)to link the deportation of the Fiji Times publisher, Rex Gardner to the political affairs of Fiji is another resounding exclamation mark.

Australia led the condemnation and piled on the scorn as if the publisher, Rex Gardner was their leading diplomat. Or was he and the others before him, have undisclosed speak easy links with the local Australian Embassy?

In a covert sense, Gardner was doing his other job, the task of publishing a fifth column of sorts, a talking points paradigm, that unethically twists and slants the news reportage and overwhelmingly uses gate keeping manipulation to the Letters To The Editor articles; in a fashion that overly permits one side of the debate to a political issue and silencing dissenting opinions.

And when the general public and the state recognize such underhanded practices of journalism; the media industry of Fiji, are quick to hide behind the skirts of press freedom.

Not surprising considering Editorial opinions by the Fiji Times and Fiji Sun both recipients of legal action from the State and the former entity was recently fined heavily for such actions, an un-removable and notwithstanding embarrassing stain to the entire profession.

The well used excuse of media muzzling, has somewhat morphed into a case of the 'boy who cried wolf'. This attention seeking disorder, is perhaps a reflection of an industry reeling from the current global downward trend in advertising sales and the ripple effects are smaller circulations. Nothing like a scandal to elevate sales.

Why not in Fiji?

The question of How and Why despite 120 years of existence, the Fiji Times still can't produce or employ any local publisher, comic strip series or independent columnist, or separate Sport Editorial Opinion is now an alarming question, considering the circumstances.

Such are questions that have been avoided, by the local media's coverage of the deportation of Foreign citizens. One of the most poignant questions asked among local journalists: Aren't Fiji citizens capable or qualified enough to be employed as the Fiji Times Publisher?

It is quite alarming that, Fiji Times had an alarming over reliance on Foreign citizens, employed as publishers, taking the job away from any local prospect. An outrageous policy that equates with, a distinct non-compliance of localization of vacant positions.

If there were rules for local content in published comic strips, most print publication in Fiji would be audited as a complete and abject failure.

Embedded Journalism

Or was the omni-presence of Australian citizens employed in the local media agencies throughout the Pacific region, an extension of these reoccurring themes of embedded journalist/intelligence agent programs?

" The Forum had reached a decision to impose the suspension and a multitude of problems are anticipated, as the unintended consequences unfurl."

Publishers have great power that influence the headline, by line and general flow of information to the average person. These same publishers in the print media, have lobbied and directed the over-utilization of overseas content in Fiji that, overwhelms and stonewalls local creative production.

Opposing forces that counter act this Trans-Tasman lever, is the seemingly maverick interactions by Fiji with the Forum, an organization using an operating system that is heavily influenced and controlled by Australia and New Zealand.

Trans-Tasman babysitters complain up the pecking order, featuring the proverbial “buck stop”- US Government and report that Fiji is not playing by the rules and should be thrown out of the Club house they helped establish.

The hostile take over of the parameters of the Forum, was addressed by the Interim Prime Minister, Frank Bainimarama alluding to the fact that the Forum had over-extended it's mandate by impinging on Fiji's expressed powers.

The Forum had reached a decision to impose the suspension and a multitude of problems are anticipated, as the unintended consequences unfurl. The most obvious is the decision to relocate the forum, if this May 1st 2009 deadline is not met. Considering the latest remarks from Suva, that the options of any back channel proposals deviating from the set out objective of the interim Government, would be anticipated as Dead On Arrival.

Packing and moving the whole enterprise of the Forum, currently located in Fiji's capital is as unprecedented and undoubtedly a most costly affair, in terms of diplomatic relations, time, money and logistical hiccups. All of which are commodities that are in agonizingly short supply.


Taking up the White Man's burden, Australia and New Zealand would have to foot the bill, which is anticipated to reach the high seven figures and the hardest part in consideration for both nations, is to explain this vast expenditure to their citizens, already feeling the squeeze in the global economic decline. Citizens and civil servants alike would wonder if that expense would even measure up to the professed ideals of fiscal integrity by the standing Government.

What becomes of the diplomatic relations between Fiji and the Trans-Tasman nations would would be a question that may be solved in a minimax outcome of geo-politics.

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You Cannot Stop Us: Interim PM

Fiji will have a truly democratic electoral system before the country goes to the polls and none of the NGOs, political parties and overseas countries can stop that with any ultimatums, according to interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama.

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Bullying Fiji

Posted on 18:02, January 25th, 2009 by PabloThe ongoing diplomatic fracas between New Zealand and Fiji stemming from the peaceful coup staged by Vice Commodore Frank Bainimarama and his military allies two years ago has taken on the aspect of farce.

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Fiji Times publisher served with deportation papers

The publisher of the Fiji Times, Rex Gardener, is to be deported to Australia on Tuesday morning after being found guilty of contempt of court by the Fiji High Court on Thursday.The country's oldest newspaper was fined US$100,000 for publishing a letter that criticised the court's validation of the 2006 military coup.

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Is Fiji’s suspension from the Forum inevitable?

Niue Premier, Toke Talagi, and chair of the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders (PIF), said recently that Fiji faces the possibility of suspension from the Forum for saying that it is not able to have an election in March this year, as promised in an agreement at the Forum meeting in Tonga in 2007.

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