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Category: Fiji politicians

  • Fiji Women’s Minister Lynda Tabuya calls for stronger online bullying laws

    By Tiana Haxton, RNZ journalist

    Fiji’s Women and Children’s Minister Lynda Tabuya says Pacific island countries need to “strengthen our laws” on online harassment.

    Tabuya spoke to RNZ Pacific on the sidelines of the Pacific Women in Power forum taking place in Auckland this week.

    She said the issue that she was dealing with — which is allegations of a sex and drug scandal between her and former cabinet minister Aseri Radrodro — was currently with the police.

    “[Police] are investigating it,” she said.

    “And it just so happens that a person who was causing this harassment online lives in Sydney,” she said.

    She said she was able to get the assistance of Australia’s online safety watchdog to issue the notice to the person to take down the content — images — because it is a crime in Australia.

    “If you put up content that is or appears to be the person, so then the person [who published it] needs to take the content down otherwise they can face prosecution,” she said.

    ‘Grateful for swift action’
    “That was the process I followed and I’m grateful to the Safety Commissioner of Australia for the swift action.”

    However, she said the situation she found herself in was not exclusive to her.

    “It’s me today, it could be someone else tomorrow. It doesn’t have to be a minister or public figure.

    “But if you have women in Fiji or across the Pacific who are facing this, and they’re being attacked — especially for populations where there are more people outside of the country than in [the] country.

    Tabuya said therefore there was a need for strong policies, not just in Fiji, but across the region.

    “You get more attacks from people who live overseas. Women MPs need to reach out to those countries where those people are attacking them live because the laws are much stronger.

    “But it’s also a lesson for us within to strengthen our laws so that we can stand up against online bullying.

    “The world is unfair and being a woman in politics, we face a lot of unfairness and injustices. But I think it also makes us so much more determined to stand up and be heard,” she added.

    Meanwhile, Tabuya is currently the subject of an inquiry by her political party following the sex and drug allegation, the outcome of which has yet to be released.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Rabuka stands firm on sacking decision – coalition at risk

    By Temalesi Vono in Suva

    Fiji’s fired Education Minister Aseri Radrodro rebuffed three letters from the Prime Minister and legal advice from the Solicitor-General that led to his sacking as a cabinet minister, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka revealed yesterday.

    Rabuka also said he wrote twice to the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) leader Viliame Gavoka and met him once to discuss Radrodro’s non-compliance to his directives to reappoint members of the Fiji National University Council who he had sacked.

    “I requested honourable Gavoka to urge the SODELPA Management Board to consider taking action to ensure the unlawful decisions outlined above, are rescinded, as it could invite serious legal consequences for the Coalition Government,” said Rabuka.

    He added that Radrodro would cease to be minister from today.

    “Honourable Radrodro may attend his former office to remove his personal items and honourable Gavoka may request him for a handover-briefing on his return from official travel.”

    Rabuka had announced the sacking of Radrodro for “insubordination and disobedience” via social media platform Facebook.

    RNZ Pacific reports that Fiji’s three-party coalition government is at risk of collapse after just over 12 months in power following the dismissal of Radrodo, with calls for Rabuka to step down as prime minister.

    Radrodro — who is one of three MPs from the kingmaker party, Sodelpa — told local media the sacking came as a surprise, saying he only received a letter of his dismissal after it had been announced on social media.

    He told local media he was not sure if he remained an MP.

    However, the Cabinet and Parliament are two separate institutions independent of each other and Radrodro remains a parliamentarian.

    Aseri Radrodro
    Sodelpa’s Aseri Radrodro . . . dimissed for “insubordination and disobedience”. Image: Republic of Fiji Parliament/RNZ Pacific

    According to the Standing Orders, only Parliament can remove an MP either for disciplinary reasons through a process in Parliament as provided for in the Constitution or in any law or if an MP Member is expelled by his/her party, or he/she resigns from the party, under which the party formally informs the Speaker of such a resignation or expulsion.

    Temalesi Vono is a Fiji Times reporter. Republished with permission. This article is also republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Rabuka’s message to the nation: ‘I am the PM of Fiji and all its people’

    By Naveel Krishant in Suva

    Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says he is the prime minister for the whole of Fiji and all of its people.

    In an interview with Fijivillage News, Rabuka said he would like everybody to have a happy New Year and not worry too much about the changes that they think this new government would bring in.

    He said the biggest change was that they could have a “happy new year”.

    Rabuka said the legacy of his previous leadership was his ability to work with opposition parties to formulate the 1997 constitution.

    He added that this time he would like to continue that effort to work across the floor of Parliament and across the political divide in Fiji.


    Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka’s interview with Fijivillage News.

    The multicultural makeup of Fiji’s 903,000 population is about 65 percent iTaukei Fijians, 30 percent Indo-Fijians, and 5 percent “others” including those of other Pacific Islander ethnicities and Europeans.

    ‘Citizens’ assembly’ plan
    FBC News reports that Rabuka announced in his national address that a “citizens’ assembly” would be convened for consultations on a coalition manifesto review.

    Rabuka said this would involve Fijians from all walks of life to add to the manifesto and vision statements of the ruling People’s Alliance, National Federation Party, and the Social Democratic Liberal Party (Sodelpa) coalition.

    He said the assembly would seek ideas and concepts from delegates to complement the government’s plans for building a better, more prosperous, and happier nation.

    Rabuka said the coalition government intended to establish specialist reviews in four key areas:

    “The constitution and legal reform, the economy, defence, and national security and a forensic examination of the spending of the FijiFirst government.

    “Each review team will include people with expert knowledge. The teams will report to the appropriate cabinet member, Of course, a looming issue is the state of Fiji’s public finances.

    “The government debt may be now above $10 billion.”

    The citizen’s assembly is part of the coalition government’s plan for the first 100 days.

    Promise of ‘united Fiji’
    RNZ Pacific reports that Rabuka’s inaugural address to the nation was delivered to the people of Fiji via the state’s social media channels.

    Rabuka, the instigator of two military coups in 1987, has assumed the role of head of government for the second time in his political career, after being prime minister between 1992 and 1999.

    Fijian voters voted out Voreqe Bainimarama’s FijiFirst after two terms in power, signalling their appetite for change. He was also a coup leader, in 2006.

    Rabuka’s message to his fellow citizens was one promising a better and united Fiji for all.

    “Our country is experiencing a great and joyful awakening,” he said.

    “It gladdens my heart to be a part of it. And I am reminded of the heavy responsibilities I now bear.”

    Apart from being prime minister, Rabuka is also responsible for foreign affairs, climate change, environment, civil service, information and public enterprises, and leads a cabinet made up of 19 ministers, as well as 10 assistant ministers.

    He accepts that his cabinet is “larger than I initially planned.”

    Parliamentarian pay cuts
    “Some of you [Fijian people] will be concerned about the cost,” he said.

    But he offered his assurance to the people that he would take the necessary actions to cut costs, beginning with cuts to parliamentarians’ paycheques.

    “In a democracy, the people are in charge,” Rabuka said.

    “Elected representatives like me, and my parliamentary colleagues, do not lord it over you. We are your servants. We are here to listen to your concerns and respect your views.”

    In his speech he set out the direction the Rabuka’s People’s Alliance-National Federation Party-Social Democratic Liberal Party coalition government will be headed.

    Naveel Krishant is a Fijivillage News reporter. This article drawing on Fijivillage, FBC News and RNZ Pacific is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.