7. Mighty words, minor action and double standards
When you hear the PM talk about getting rid of corruption the words are mighty. No one can disagree with what he says and there are many minor cases of this government taking action. In particular against public servants – well done. They are all minor cases, though. Where is the massive corruption the former prime minister was involved in?
They have also left themselves open to perceived or real double standards. There are too many to mention (think Francis Kean, the AG’s brother, Mahen and tax). I felt the big turning point was when the PM paid himself back pay. The numbers did not stack up and no one believed it. He was either negligible in his duties and should have resigned for never having taken leave or he was simply lining his pockets. Double standards. A true leader would not have done it. It is still not too late to reverse these decisions.
8. Clever by half
The charter process started out OK. I was involved in this as well. But much of it was pre-written by John Samy. Minister failed to turn up. The process was never going to work. The voting on the acceptance was a complete joke. I remember clearly the day our housekeeper (yes, I have a house keeper, nothing sinister in that) came to me scared that the military had arrived and asked her to sign the charter. She is a reasonable reader but said she wanted to read it and thought it might be hard to understand. Maybe it was a good idea to start with but it became a farce. The final copy I have still starts out by talking about ‘respecting the constitution and rule of law’
Other examples of clever by half included calling for dialogue then excluding anyone with a alternate view. The latest example of clever by half is the spin on Mahendra Chaundhry. It is different now. It’s the RBF, it’s different charges. No one believes it.
The quote from Sir Winston Churchill on the right hand side about stumbling over The Truth from time to time, but "most men pick themselves up and hurry on by" is first class and true. Along with the undeclared conflicts of interest, failing to recognise 'The Truth' when it stares us in the face, is surely the trigger/tipping point that sets us off on 'The March of Folly'? The fact that this comment was made by one of the greatest yet also most unlikely wartime leaders known to the modern world, should give us all pause. A great quotation, Croz. Worthy of many 'Thinking not Sleeping' hours!When you hear the PM talk about getting rid of corruption the words are mighty. No one can disagree with what he says and there are many minor cases of this government taking action. In particular against public servants – well done. They are all minor cases, though. Where is the massive corruption the former prime minister was involved in?
They have also left themselves open to perceived or real double standards. There are too many to mention (think Francis Kean, the AG’s brother, Mahen and tax). I felt the big turning point was when the PM paid himself back pay. The numbers did not stack up and no one believed it. He was either negligible in his duties and should have resigned for never having taken leave or he was simply lining his pockets. Double standards. A true leader would not have done it. It is still not too late to reverse these decisions.
8. Clever by half
The charter process started out OK. I was involved in this as well. But much of it was pre-written by John Samy. Minister failed to turn up. The process was never going to work. The voting on the acceptance was a complete joke. I remember clearly the day our housekeeper (yes, I have a house keeper, nothing sinister in that) came to me scared that the military had arrived and asked her to sign the charter. She is a reasonable reader but said she wanted to read it and thought it might be hard to understand. Maybe it was a good idea to start with but it became a farce. The final copy I have still starts out by talking about ‘respecting the constitution and rule of law’
Other examples of clever by half included calling for dialogue then excluding anyone with a alternate view. The latest example of clever by half is the spin on Mahendra Chaundhry. It is different now. It’s the RBF, it’s different charges. No one believes it.
Aug 1, 2010 7:24:00 PM
Interesting insight free of spin. If only Frank could
surround himself with people who call it
like it is......rather than yes sir, no sir
military men and the like.
Aug 1, 2010 10:49:00 PM
# 9-10. Travel Bans and Elections
What about travel bans ?
I can only speak for myself and close friends on this one. I have used this excuse to not accept formal government positions. Frankly its easier than saying no. It deflects the anger to Australia and away from me. I’ve learnt not to make Frank angry. I don’t want to become a target. My friends except one feel the same way.
The travel bans have not been successful in changing their minds on anything. But they certainly have really annoyed those in power. Travel has long been considered a ‘perk’ of government and senior positions. The military wanted these perks – call it low level corruption if you like but they where wanting nothing more than others had got before. This hit Frank and his key people on a personal level.
What now 3.5 years later ?
I don’t see much changing over the next 2-3 years. The economy will struggle but not collapse, business will continue. I can’t see any progress on sugar and its hard to see any happening without massive investment and new management. Tourism needed a shake up and will re-invent itself. Actually many forget that Fiji benefited from SARS and the Bali bombing so prior to the coup Fiji had had it pretty easy. The industry has adjusted.
10. Elections, will they happen ?As it stands today the promises are there. Maybe even the will but I don’t believe they will happen. There is no incentive to all those military people enjoying power. There is no incentive for the PM who becomes more comfortable doing the village visit and grand openings. Most of all though there is no real evidence of progress. Very little real nation building and no reconciliation all. Fiji is becoming more and more divided.
Aug 2, 2010 12:39:00 PM
# 11-13. The Good and Bad News on Business
( Croz, responding to some of your questions)
11．The good news on business
Tourism is generally a good news story for Fiji. There are some good operators in Fiji and large chains are backed by branding and networks that feed their chains. Government can’t really claim the success as it is the industry that has adapted to the challenges of operating in Fiji. The best thing government has done is stop attacking tourism (although the Reserve Bank (RBF) government still lashes out now and then). They will continue to grow their businesses. Sadly they all now have a ‘coup plan’ just in case. It’s not just big brand names and chains – look at Rosie’s who own LikuLiku for an example of home grown success and a well run operation.
The likes of Hari Punja and his chips and biscuits are also success stories. Everyone loves to have a go at these local tycoons but they are exporting to Australia and New Zealand. Look at the other Punja’s in the West who are exporting to many Pacific Islands. These companies should be encouraged, not attacked. Fiji Water is a success story that has survived Mahen Chaudhry and crazy views from his government. They are not perfect but the overall impact is good for Fiji’s economy. Government would do well to celebrate these companies' success. Business, including foreign investment, follows success not government propaganda (a friend once described the Trade and Industry Board (FTIB) as the turd-polishing department).
12. The bad new
Sugar is dead, or more correctly dying. I have seen no real positive action on sugar in the 3.5 years of this government and none for that matter from the previous government. It was hard for the previous government with massive union/opposition pressures and influence but no such barriers exist now. Why has government done nothing to fix this ? There is no opposition – they act like a military dictatorship all day every day but when it comes to sugar they worry about who they will offend. The one area that probably needs a military dictatorship to push things through is sugar. Even then there is a good chance they will fail but trying something now is better than crying later.
The new RBF focus on micro-business and micro-credit is hobby horse and pipe dream stuff. The models from India will not work in Fiji. By all means encourage financial literacy (a good place to start would be with some of the military and senior government people). Also, yes - encourage small business but don’t pretend this is an answer to the economy or that government or RBF can teach small business. They can’t.
The focus on so called ‘leakage’ in all industries is rubbish. You can’t stop it – why should every dollar stay in Fiji ? If Australia applied the same, the tourism money coming to Fiji would stop. A better way to think about this is if I have $1 coming into the country today and 40c of that is going out, focus on making the “$1” into “$2”. That way 80c is going out but you have “$1.20” left behind. Tinkering with the 40c to make it 45c or 50c won’t work and the benefit will be small.
(Croz, thanks for your note it encouraged me to finish.)
13. Can the Chambers of Commerce help?I don’t think so. One of the chambers is run by a failed businessmen and well know coup apologist (I actually think he is more correctly described as coup opportunist). It is the only chamber government talks to because like good soldiers they tell them only what they want to hear. The other chamber is more practical but government wrote them off long ago for daring to say something different to government.
Maybe government could take on some advisers – business people from outside Fiji perhaps with one or two from within Fiji but conflict of interest will always be present.
- "Conflict of interest will always be present.." Conflicts of interest are often present and that is not the issue: the issue is whether they are undeclared and what the person who wears the different hats decides to do to mitigate them. Many business people in Fiji have failed in this place. Many directors and Chairpersons sitting on diverse boards (How did that happen again?) are seen to avoid discussing their conflicting interests with fellow directors, so jeopardising the proper running of the business or institution they are currently with. This is a failure of personal and corporate ethics: no more, no less. It must always be exposed as such.
- Another thinker said...
- Thinking makes some good comments but much more needs to be said about tourism and sugar. For example: - Government has been pumping in $24m into tourism in recent budgets - Tourism brings in only 40-42c in the dollar while the sugar industry brings in 90-95c in the dollar. - The wages in the lower section of the tourism industry are very low - There has been a mismatch between tourism and agriculture and furniture production which, hopefully is in the process of being remedied..
- Subversive dig? said...
- Is the Alan Judd quote to the right here, Croz, a parody of the Dictator, by any chance?
- SOE said...
- Am unsure about Alan Judd as I have never encountered anything by him before. However, this quotation reflects Barbar Tuchman's observations to a 'T'. We need some self-actualised thinkers and advisors around. Self-actualised people have lost their egos and found their wits: the sum total leads them on to Wisdom. When we meet such people, we recognise this instantly. They are courageous and constantly seeking for new ways and means. They do not have to prove themselves right but look for innovative ways to improve and are flexible in their 'smart thinking'. I must say that President Obama comes immediately to mind and also Sir Winston Churchill. Not too many others measure up to them. Leaders cannot afford to be self-effacing but they do require humility in their thinking. A constant peer review must be going on and if it is not, then mistakes creep in. "Primus inter pares" - First among Equals. A good way of thinking about PMs. But Australia has just turned this on its head?
- Anonymous said...
- @ Subversive Dig? The Qarase quote is rather amusing to ponder now (three years and more on). The consumate self-absorption and certainty of the 'topped'. Has former PM Kevin Rudd said anything like this, one wonders? If not, will he soon?
- Aug 3, 2010 7:25:00 PM
- Anonymous said...
- @ Thinking not sleeping Good thinking but your time might be better spent sleeping in Fiji at present. My own friends there say no ones talking becaus no one is listening. Look forward to your next bit all the same.
To read other people's comments and add your own, click “comment” at the end of the posting.
1 comment:
Thanks to Thinking ... Not Sleeping for this series. They raise important questions but on two particulars in #7-8 Double Standards when he was referring to the People's Charter, I think he makes two important errors.
1. John Samy did not write the Charter
As one who was involved perhaps more than this correspondent on the People's Charter, in my view John Samy would disagree with this person's view if he is referring to the Charter and the whole ‘State of the Nation and Economy Report’ of the NCBBF on which the PCCPP is based. Both were the collective work of a whole range of people and one only has to skim through the SNE Report to realise that it was not the work of one individual, although it would be true to say that John led and inspired the process. There are other people living in NZ
who contributed their ideas to the work on the Charter (at least one of them used to be a very senior civil
servant in the NZ government) who would also disagree with your correspondent's shallow comment about the
I recently met in Fiji a retired NZ civil servant who used to be head of the PM’s department in NZ no less, who thought highly of the People's Charter: and he is one of the few Kiwis who really understands the situation here as he once worked in Fiji.
2. Voting on the Charter
“The voting on the Charter was a complete joke” your commentator claims. He gave one example to base his judgement on. But what was not a joke is that close to 65% of people of 18 years and over support the PCCPP.
There would have been some abuse as mentioned by your correspondent but the voting was by and large free and
fair on clearly defined issues. All the ballots were checked after the vote to further weed out any doubtful ballots and these papers are still being kept in case someone wants to challenge the vote in a court of law.
I think the Charter is a good starting point for international dialogue.
If Australian and NZ diplomats were listening to people like your correspondent, no doubt they would have confirmed their own predilection to dismiss anything supported by the Bainimarama regime as fraudulent and not worth taking seriously.
This would be a serious mistake, as the vote on the People's Charter was a vote by the ordinary people of Fiji for the very principles and practical policies that the international community had been demanding to be done in Fij and it was a major strategic mistake by the Australian and NZ governments to have dismissed the PCCPP as a fraud and not a practical basis on which to dialogue with the Bainimarama regime.
These governments have run out of options now on which to base a practical policy for engagement with Fiji, especially now that most of the MSG States have taken positions on Fiji that are contrary to the Pacific Islands Forum position. It is not too late for the Forum to reconsider the People's Charter as a possible basis for dialogue with the Bainimarama regime, even so.
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