The Civil Service Coup cuts deeper into Fiji’s soul.

Fiji experienced its seventh coup since 1987 as civil servants over the age of 55 years were forcibly retired by the Bainmarama government.

The forced retirement came into effect today April 30^th, 2009, in effect making today the last day for over 2000 men and women who have spent most of their working life serving their country as teachers, nurses, doctors, police officers and in the many ministries and departments of government.

In some instances, the forcibly retired civil servants only received their termination letters towards the end of today, crushing the hopes of possible reappointments on contracts. All handing over to subordinates was hurried through today with all retiring staff forced to vacate their offices and desks by the end of work today.

The immediate vacuum of senior civil servants, especially in the education sector with a high number of principals/head teachers and vice-principals/deputy head teachers ending their careers on this sad note.

Ordinary Fiji citizens are struggling to comprehend the logic of the forced retirement. Apart from the impact on government provided services, the effect on families in terms of income will further impact the struggling economy. Even more worrying is that many civil servants housed in government quarters will be forced to immediately vacate their homes.

The forced retirement came into effect just twenty days after the Good Friday abrogation of Fiji’s Constitution by Fiji’s President, who subsequently reappointed the military council-run interim cabinet of Military Commander Voreqe Bainimarama.

There are also rumblings that the retirement age may be further lowered to 50 if Fiji’s economic situation does not improve.

Ignore Australian leader, says Fiji PM

Radio Australia News: Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:27:00 +1000


Fiji interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama says his country should not listen to Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's calls for the United Nations to stop considering Fijians for UN peacekeeping missions.

Fiji Broadcasting Corporation reports Commodore Bainimarama says Mr Rudd is not the UN.

The Fijian leader said he should not be listened to until the organisation itself comes out with a statement along the same lines.

He says it will be up to the UN to decide what action to take.

Mr Rudd said earlier this week that Fiji would no longer be considered for United Nations peacekeeping duties.

Why Can’t We All Just Sing a Song and Get Along?

OFF THE WALL
(Featured in The Fiji Times, Wednesday 30/07/2008, p7)

I had the opportunity last week to watch a moving and thought-provoking performance. No, not the “Sorry I confused you by switching cars on the way to the office;” or “Sorry to disappoint you but I’m not resigning,” performance. The performance I refer to had amateur performers. And they didn’t change their tune even once until the song was over.

I am of course referring to the Suva Secondary Schools Music Festival, held at what I’ve always known to be the National Gymnasium (not that I’ve ever seen a gymnastic performance there) which is today almost the ignored older brother (or sister) of the larger Dome/Arena of Sports City in Suva. As an International School Student, I remember performing many a strange display of contemporary dance at this venue; or sitting high up in the back (in theatre-speak those seats are often referred to as the “God’s”) trying luck on whichever poor girl was the object of my obsession at the time. More recently I remember being a ring-announcer to one of those boxing nights when “Joy-the-leaving-on-a-Jetplane” never showed up. “Let’s get ready to rum-ble!” Or maybe not, as the case was.

I was fortunate to get tickets for the family to watch the Wednesday night performance of some 400 young people from schools of the greater-Suva area as well as the Pasifika Voices, wonderful Taiko drummers and of course the arrangement and conducting of among others, the very talented and humble (as only the son of a Samoan Talatala can be)Iglese Ete. For those who never got to watch Malaga: The Journey, or attend the USP’s graduation day, it was wonderful to see an actual musical maestro (as opposed to the 7’s rugby one we know and love) in action. Choreographed movements and song seamlessly flowed to “inspire” at least one member of the audience, who emailed me later.

Some wanted more…well most wanted more music, but one or two wanted more out of the show; but my own experience was sublime, disrupted only by my dear children, who wanted first to go up to the stage and sing, then go up and dance, then go up and play the drums, then go up and conduct. Their mother who is visiting George Bush’s relatives (oh sorry.. it’s only in the Pacific that everyone is related) in the United States (actually on a wonderful history workshop facilitated by the US Embassy here), missed out on the show and the joy of having two children wanting you to carry them and sit on your shoulders, or go to the toilet (not to be confused with the other BOG next door), when your favourite song is about to be sung. Ah the joys of parenthood!

The coming together of rival schools to sing duets of appropriately titled songs got me thinking that instead of all this money being spent on councils to weave better mats could be equally (or better – your choice, this article is democratic) spent on putting together a Choir for Singing about a Better Fiji. Of course those singing about a new day (no offence but I prefer the Stevie J. Heatley version) could be in the back up choir as could all the former, or in-limbo members of parliament and former or current members of the military-inspired Cabinet. There’d even be enough room for the military council and the rest of the other councils. However the stars of the night would be the duet singers. Here a couple of suggestions for songs.
1. Let it Flow (originally sung by Toni Braxton) Mahendra Chaudhry and the Water Bottlers
2. Message in a Bottle (originally sung by The Police) Mahendra Chaudhry and the Cabinet
3. Get Back to Where You Don’t Belong (originally sung by The Beatles) Evan Hannah, Russell Hunter and Viliame Naupoto (okay that’s a trio)
4. Ain’t No Sunshine (when He’s gone) (originally sung by Bill Withers/covered by Skee) Frank Bainimarama and Pramesh Chand
5. What’s Going On (originally sung by Marvin Gaye) Neumi Leweni and Daryl Tarte
6. How Can We Be Lovers If We Can’t Be Friends? (originally sung by Michael Bolton) Frank Bainimarama and Laisenia Qarase
7. Another Brick in the Wall (originally sung by Pink Floyd) John Samy and the TASS singers
8. Swing Low, Sweet Chariot (sung by UB40) Tukana Bovoro and Taito Waradi

Next week: “Heroes and Villains.”
Have a week blessed with Love, Light and Peace!

Disclaimer: Rev. Bhagwan is a member of the Faculty of the Methodist Davuilevu Theological College. The opinions expressed in this article are personal and in no way represent the opinion of the College or the Methodist Church in Fiji and Rotuma.

Chill Babe, its only Democrazy

The FAME (Fiji Awards for Media Excellence) people still have yet to come up with a category for profound malapropisms... which could be sponsored by the Military Regime's Department of Silly Talks. Case in point, the statement by Military Council's Attorney-General, El Haj Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum that we should not obsess over March 2009 election timetable (Fiji Sun 15/7/08). This to a people who are constantly accused, by those from more time-efficient cultures, of following "Fiji-time", moku-siga and my favourite Fiji Islands mantra, "why do yesterday what you could do next week."

I know the Sayed-Khaiyum family, consider Aiyaz and Riyaz close friends and have even celebrated Eid with their family. So this isn't a personal attack. However, I would like to take on this call to be less obsessed with time and take it as far as it goes. Could he then ask FICRA, FEA, Telecom and all those places that we have accounts and dinau to also not obsess about timelines for payments?

And if...oops... I mean...when this Elections, which is taking in eschatological proportions (i.e. almost as big as the Second Coming of my and maybe your Lord) does happen, again if Il Duce/Herr Diktator /Comrade Frank and the Politburo..er..Military Council do feel Fiji (the country), at 36 years old and counting, is eligible to vote; will they kindly not obsess over how long it will take bubu to come from the koro to vote and keep the poll booths open late to allow for last minute vote-shopping, vote-buying and vote casting?

And if we're a bit slow from all the kava we've been drinking while we've been waiting for our chance to vote, will they give us time (and allow us to keep our sunglasses on) to try and make sense of the ballot paper or meditate and reflect on who we should vote for ... or just take a short nap?

Mind you while we're not obsessing over time here, may be they'll tell us not to obsess over the timeline between casting votes and the announcement of who won the lottery and gets to be the next government to be removed at gunpoint.

Well at least there's an upside... we pulpit pounders may not have to worry about people looking at their watches if our sermons are too long... as long as we're preaching about the elections.