Page 10 - IB July 2018

Political Brief - FIJI

with IB Online (www.islandsbusiness.com)
Fiji parliament adjourns, but no poll date in sight

Newly-formed Unity Fiji Party led by former Governor of
the Reserve Bank Savenaca Narube has also done the same.
But not the ruling Fiji First Party of Prime Minister Frank
Bainimarama.
They have yet to announce their list of provisional candidates
although its party general secretary, Attorney General Sayed-
Khaiyum was reportedly travelling around the country’s main
centres doing candidate interviews. This in addition to the
massive public relations campaign going on with the huge bill-
boards that have sprung up along major roads Fiji-wide since
February, undoubtedly under the direction of the Washington
DC-based PR firm Qorvis, are proof that the ruling party is
slowly but strategically gearing up for the polls.
About a week before they handed down their 2018/2019
Budget, a new slogan went up on the billboards – All Fijian
Families Matter. Unsurprisingly, the budget was heavy on
Peter O’Neil, Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea addressing the Fijian Parliament concessions for families.
in early July. Photo: Supplied
Its new parenthood assistance payment allocates a $1000
By Samisoni Pareti grant to every child born. Maternity leave increased by 6 days
to 98 days and for the first time too, the introduction of 5 days
HANDING down of a record $4.6 billion (USD1.99b) budget to of paternity leave and an additional 5 days of family care leave.
being addressed by the visiting Prime Minister of Papua New Those families that are already under the government’s social
Guinea, Fiji’s 2014-2018 parliament session adjourned sine welfare payment scheme get free insurance together with all
die 12 July to prepare for the general elections, although the government employees.
government of the day has still yet to announce the poll date. The flying visit of Prime Minister Peter O’Neil on the other
All that it was prepared to let out of the bag was the $20.4m hand has the tell-tale signs of nothing more than a PR stunt,
allocation for the 2018 elections in the national budget plus the for he has nothing earth-shaking to announce except to make
remarks during the budget debate by the Minister for Economy noises about the possibility of PNG entering into a bilateral
and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum that under their trade pact with Fiji and the sensitivities surrounding West
2013 constitution, elections have to be held by mid-November Papua.
this year. Rumours say it may take place either late September When the Speaker of parliament interrupted the opposition’s
or early October. official response to the government’s 2018/2019 budget in
The absence of a date is not stopping major political parties order for PM O’Neil to address the house, the visiting PM had
from organising themselves however with many already out nothing new to say except to thank his Fijian counterpart for
on the campaign trail. his leadership in climate change negotiations as President of
The two parties that made up the opposition in the just con- COP23 and to invite him to his hosting of APEC leaders in Port
cluded parliament, SODELPA and the National Federation Party Moresby this November.
have already announced most of their ‘provisional’ candidates.’

Chiefly burial for Ratu Joji Rabuka in court again
A claimant for the chiefly Vunivalu title was laid to rest near his FORMER Prime Minister and leader of the Opposition’s SODELPA,
late father at the chiefly burial ground on the island of Bau, off Sitiveni Rabuka has denied charges of breaching bail condi-
the coast north of the capital, Suva. Ratu Joji Kadavulevu Ca- tions imposed on him by the Suva Magistrates Court. Rabuka
kobau was the eldest son of the late Ratu Sir George Cakobau, had to cut short his visit in Fiji’s northern provinces on 13 July
the former Vunivalu of Bau who also served as Fiji’s first local to return to the capital to answer new charges of breaching the
Governor General following independence from Great Britain in Bail Act of 2002. Prosecutors told the court that the former PM
1970. Ratu Joji died in June after a long illness. had approached a witness of another case where he faces false
declaration of assets and income charges. He had already denied
Chief files police complaint these charges.
Claimant to what’s deemed as Fiji’s paramount traditional chiefly
title, RATU Epenisa Cakobau has lodged a complaint against Bainimarama accused of abusing Opposition
police and the army for his arrest on Bau Island on 7 June. The FIJIAN Prime Minister, Rear-Admiral Frank Baimimarama, has
complaint has been lodged at Nausori Police Station. Ratu Epenisa told Opposition Leader, Ro Teimumu Kepa, to marry if she wants
claims police and the military abused their powers by arresting better travel allowances. In the Parliament complex at lunchtime
him, his herald Ratu Jack Komaitai and a representative of the during its budget session early July, Bainimarama accosted
Gonesau Clan, Dr Ratu Joji Malani. The men were seized by armed Kepa, obviously unhappy about her remarks during the budget
troops who burst onto the chiefly dwelling at Mataiwelagi around debate regarding his $3000 daily travel allowance. Kepa later
5am. The raid was ordered after police received reports that Ratu told journalists she regarded Baimimarama as an officer and
Epenisa would be installed as Vunivalu. a gentleman.

10 Islands Business, July 2018