Page 39 - Islands Business January 2021

View from the West

TERMITES, POLITICS AND

PLUGGING LEAKS

By Dennis Rounds

I have a confession to make.
Lately, I’ve been obsessed about those Asian Subterranean
Termites and how they’ve caused so much destruction in our
western suburbs here in Fiji.
They burrow with almost silent but deliberate fervor in our
homes, ceilings and fruit trees, leaving a trail of minute holes
which leak fine “wood powder”.
Like most Western homeowners, I often self-indulge in fan-
ciful thoughts wishing some bank would cushion our financial
losses by generously converting that powder into gold dust!!
Seriously, however, one has to marvel at how termites
invade our midst without our realising it, feed off our invest-
ment, devalue our net worth and once they’ve had their fill,
swarm off to form another colony somewhere else in the
neighbourhood.
Sadly, my obsession with the little parasites has left me
wondering whether they’ve also chiseled neurological schisms
into my brain, causing havoc with my ageing biological wiring
system. The turmoil within the party boiled to the surface when
I find myself perplexed, trying to distinguish between ousted Party Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka, resigned from Parlia-
“insect” and what appears in my mind’s eye as two-legged ment and from his Constitutional role as Leader of the Op-
human “termites” wandering this tropical land of ours – our position, without first advising the party hierarchy. Rabuka’s
New Fiji. resignation came after he was replaced by Gavoka as Party
Take for example the widely publicised determination with- Leader.
in Fiji’s Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA), described Mr Rabuka, who is best known for having “No Other Way”
in some circles as a Fijian ethno-nationalist political party, to but to stage-manage Fiji’s first coup in 1987, is a man of sub-
ferret out rebel rousing “moles” who leak party secrets to the stantial political persuasion and backing.
whole world. After what might best be described as a colourful politi-
The party has embarked on a mission to “plug the leaks” cal career, post 1987, Rabuka disappeared into the figurative
and banish to the political wilderness moles who break party political woodwork only to re-emerge to lead SODELPA to the
confidentiality. closest it has come in recent years to beating Voreqe Bainima-
Sitting under my “hybrid” mango tree here in Lautoka, I rama’s Fiji First Party (FFP), in 2018.
could only wish the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF) would He has since resigned from SODELPA, and has announced
learn from the SODELPA resolve and banish those wood his intention to form a new political party, leading to wide
parasites which continue to threaten the “tranquility” of the speculation about the political support he will take away from
fragile alliance of Western homeowners. SODELPA.
The furore within SODELPA is focused it seems, among Somewhere in the back of my mind, I keep hearing Prime
other things (including widespread rumours about in-house Minister Bainimarama bellowing out in Parliament his disgust
finger-pointing and raised voices), on the fact that some at how Rabuka had abandoned his post, leaving SODELPA in
“mole” leaked the party’s political caucus vote which saw the tatters.
recently elected Party Leader, Viliame Gavoka lose SODELPA’s “Aha”, I say to myself with a degree of comfort, “it seems
bid to have him appointed to the Constitutional position of Suva, as the seat of political power isn’t without its own form
Leader of the Opposition. of termite infestation”.
Gavoka lost, 14 votes to five, to another seasoned SODELPA
politician, Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu. The loss came despite a Dennis Rounds is a former owner of Islands Business, and a
directive from the Party’s President, Ratu Epenisa Cakobau, veteran journalist.
that no other party parliamentarian, apart from Gavoka, be
considered for the position. editor@islandsbusiness.com

Islands Business, January 2021 39