Page 5 - IB April 2021

View From The West

“LORDI- WHO’S YOUR DADDY?”

By Dennis Rounds discontent voiced in kava sessions about daily struggles and
rising commodity prices?” I asked myself.
I recently built up enough courage to take a pot-holed ride Then there was the question about a proposal to ban the
from the growingly decrepit western division to Fiji’s seat of sale of cooked food at markets. Wouldn’t it deprive women-
power and burgeoning wealth, Suva. folk of their meagre earnings which put food on the family
Along the way, I was entertained by the hundreds of vehi- table?
cles driving beyond the speed of sound, car speakers blasting The Minister for Local Government quickly put a stop to
the latest and most popular vulgarity they now call songs. further public discussion on the proposals, claiming they did
One song caught my attention, “Lordi-Who’s your Daddy?” not reflect “government policy”.
It must have been sunstroke but my ageing brain flashed im- “Did she get a dressing-down from Daddy?”
ages of the American Chargé d’Affaires in Suva, Tony Gruebel Daddy was apparently left out in the cold when public dis-
standing, sagging head and apologetic look, before Prime cussions began on a proposed Draft Police Bill.
Minister Bainimarama’s Special Envoy to the Pacific Islands The Draft Bill gave police sweeping powers of arrest, deten-
Forum, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola. tion and seizure of equipment. It proposed lengthy jail terms
“Who’s your Daddy, Tony?” my mind’s voice demanded in and heavy fines on citizens and companies refusing to comply
shrilling pitch. “Doesn’t he know that Bainimarama is the with police efforts to modernise its capability to meet the
Pacific’s Climate Change champion?” challenges of changing technology.
“Why invite President David Kabua of the Marshall Islands It allowed for electronic eavesdropping by the police, re-
and ignore Voreqe Bainimarama who is the voice of small mote monitoring of personal activities and covert recording of
developing states?” private digital conversations.
“Who’s your Daddy, Tony?” my mind’s voice squeaked in Rising public outrage over the proposed draft and moves to
shock and disbelief. “Is your Daddy Joe Biden? I am shocked organise public marches resulted in Prime Minister Bainima-
and appalled that you haven’t told him who Frank Bainima- rama ordering a halt to any further public debate on the draft
rama is.” Bill which he said did not reflect “government’s vision” for
“Is your Daddy trying to encourage the break-up, by the Fiji.
break-away Micronesians, of the Pacific Islands Forum? The consultations had apparently been funded by the
Doesn’t he know that Bainimarama is the incoming chair of United Nations Development Programme and the New Zealand
PIF? And that he is way ahead of everyone else in terms of government.
climate change experience and leadership?” One seasoned observer equated the rise and fall of the draft
And, so the one-way dressing-down conversation continued. Police Bill to a rugby match. The UNDP and the New Zealand
Apparently, some in the comfort of their air-conditioned government were the match organisers, Fiji’s Minister for De-
suites and padded leather chairs in Fiji’s seat of power were fence was team manager and the Commissioner of Police and
offended that Prime Minister Bainimarama was not included his men the players sent out do battle on the field.
in this month’s virtual climate meeting to which the United From the tightening scrummage big Daddy saw an oppor-
States has invited 40 heads of government!! tunity to steal the ball and score a run-away try – sealing the
“Big deal. We have bigger fish to fry here at home”, I fate of the Police Bill.
blurted to myself while driving through the serenity of the In having the draft Police Bill withdrawn, Prime Minister
Serua Hills which separate Suva from most of Viti Levu. Bainimarama won over scores of political opponents.
I find driving and “brainstorming” less stressful and even That song just kept reverberating itself within the cellular
less distracting than driving and having to talk to your pas- layout that is my brain. “Lordi – Who’s your Daddy?”
senger. Reality sank in when my car’s shock absorbers began to feel
So, within the confines of my car, the questions began to the impact of deepening craters which Fiji’s pot-hole-riddled
flow – like a running river fed by streams. roads are fast becoming.
“Who’s Fiji’s Daddy and where is our Daddy?” The Minister responsible for Infrastructure recently told
Did Daddy authorise circulation of draft proposals to over- Parliament that money to repair potholes was scarce and that
haul municipal market laws? most of Fiji’s roads had passed their “use-by” dates.
The proposals came from government-appointed consul- Like a penniless child craving ice cream, my inner voice
tants who wanted to ban the sale of liquid kava at Fiji’s screamed in the highest and yet most inaudible decibels …“I
markets. Apart from the leisure and friendly conversation need rescuing, where’s our Daddy”.
communal kava consumption provides, it allows for heart-felt
grassroots discussion on politics, the economy, and any other editor@islandsbusiness.com
subject that might be topical.
The consultants offered “kava bars” as an alternative. Dennis Rounds is a former owner of Islands Business, and a
“Why? Is it to contain within four walls the growing public veteran journalist.

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