Former Prime Minister and Opposition Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka, fully emerged from his political wilderness this week when he launched his People’s Alliance party with a big promise to reshape the destiny of Fiji.
Speaking at a party function in Nawaka, Nadi, Mr Rabuka said the country’s newest party hoped to rescue Fiji from those who had taken Fiji to an undesirable place.
He said the People’s Alliance would turnabout from “damages and pain” generated by years of “tyranny, intolerance, arrogance and bad governance”.
While many will fi nd his remarks a political daydream, to many unhappy and struggling Fijians, his political assertions come as a relief. Among the many reassurances the People’s Alliance made, it seems making sure people’s enjoyed their civil, political and religious rights seems high on the party’s agenda.
Why not! Many sectors of society seem to feel that there has been a systematic weakening of these rights for some time. This has in turn resulted in a number of infringements affecting the protection of individual freedoms and rights. Affected individuals have been unable to meaningfully participate in the civil and political life of the country without injustice and fear.
Mr Rabuka said that his government would end the ordeal of Fiji’s historian, Professor Brij Lal and his wife Dr Padma, whose legal rights he said “have been trashed”.
“This distinguished son of Fiji and his wife, Padma, are banished, apparently for life, from the place of their birth.”
The Labasa-born academic has been a resolute critic of the government since the military coup of 2006. In 2009, following a political commentary he made in the media, he was given 24 hours to leave the country.
Professor Lal was the nominee of the Leader of the opposition, Jai Ram Reddy on the three-member Constitutional Review Commission, whose work resulted in the adoption of the 1997 Constitution.
The Lals currently live in Australia. “A People’s Alliance government will welcome home Prof Lal and Padma, also a distinguished academic. We need them here,” Mr Rabuka promised.
Mr Rabuka’s home coming invitation will be gladly received by many other of Fiji’s sons and daughters who had been exiled or feel distanced from their motherland for reactive and shallow political reasons. Their families in Fiji will now have the chance to meet their loved ones again.
It also means some people outside government believe in reconciling and healing the hurts imposed on Fijians over the past years as the way forward. It was also evident from Mr Rabuka’s speech that the People’s Alliance intend to right the wrongs inflicted by the government on the University of the South Pacific and its leadership. In February this year USP Vice Chancellor, Professor Pal Ahluwalia and his wife Sandy were detained and deported from Fiji early in the morning.
A letter signed by then Acting Director of Immigration Amelia Komaisavai later explained that Professor Ahluwalia was “a person who is or has been conducting himself in a manner prejudicial to the peace, defence, public safety, public order, public morality, public health, security or good government of the Fiji Islands”.
The People’s Alliance promises to redeem Fiji’s status in the region for that shameful assault on the USP and give the institution full support.
“We will ensure that never again will a vice-chancellor be taken away from his home at night for deportation,” Mr Rabuka said.
“We will also let all the major institutions and businesses operating in Fiji know that our government will not have a policy of deporting leaders and chief executives.”
Rabuka’s call regarding USP should augur well for countries who jointly own the regional university. It is also essential for the enjoyment of academic freedom at USP. It must be pointed out that the overwhelming support for Professor Ahluwalia and the respect for the USP Council’s leadership in past months demonstrate that the majority feel that government’s actions have been heavy handed and inappropriate. It is imprudent for any government to impose conditions on university funding for ideological or arbitrary political reasons.
Government owes USP over $60 million in grants. A true democracy allows for institutional autonomy where institutions whether they are universities or government’s independent offices, possess the right to self-regulate without external interference and undue political influence.
Regulations should only be for ensuring an institution is accountable in the delivery of its services in Fiji. The removal of senior civil servants and heads of offices and institutions has become a bone of contention between government and those outside government for some time now.
Recently, the Fiji public witnessed the unceremonious termination of Kemueli Naiqama, the chief executive officer of the Fiji Bureau of Statistics, for failing to comply with Section 5 of the Statistics Act 1961.
On Friday, two international statistical bodies expressed their concern in a letter written to the Prime Minister over Mr Naiqama’s “political” termination.
“The Government’s decision has damaged trust in the Fiji Bureau of Statistics,” wrote Stephen Penneck of the International Statistical Institute and Misha Belkindas of the International Association for Official Statistics.
Also, about a month ago, Solicitor General Sharvada Sharma was suspended following an allegation of misbehaviour.
Suggestions on more just and impartial ways of treating people who do not share the same views as government are mounting.
People recognise these are vital for their enjoyment of human rights and are yardstick for measuring vibrant and democratic leadership.
The recent outbursts expressed against authorities and leaders by interest groups, professionals, political parties and civil society show that there is a growing demand for transparency and accountability and adherence to good governance principles in Fiji.
Given Fiji’s proximity to the polls, a time when citizens get to choose the next team it wants have in Parliament, leaders should take swings in public mood seriously.
Fijians are not looking for people with money and fancy promises.
Now, more than anything, they are looking for leaders that listen, have honesty, empathy and understanding.
Until we meet on this same page same time next week, stay blessed, stay healthy and stay safe!
