Fiji politics and other trivia
Jim got back from Suva late Friday afternoon, and it felt like it wasn't a minute too soon. Also Island is a pretty busy place, and with us unfamiliar, and Kyoko still recovering from a mild stroke last month, we had our hands full. The core of vilagers who are regular workers at the Island have become absolutely indispensable, and kept us alive for the week. We sat up for a while into the night hearing what Jim had found in Suva.
Part of the urgency for the trip was to report to the Government Corruption Investgative Committee about what had happened with the govt contract for a new supply boat for Cikobia Island, which had been signed, dragged on for over 2 years, and then languished for lack of funds Although $70,000 had been sent to the ministry of Transportation for it, nobody could find it!! The Cikobia community finally raised enough money for Jim to do a total rebuild on their old boat. That sort of thing is exactly why Commodore Varanaeke (Frank in English) Bainimarama, after a year of clear warnings to the Qarase govt, finally went through with the military coup that now runs Fiji. The US, New Zealand, and Australia have all been very critical of the coup, and have instituted sanctions, but the GCIC continues to uncover mountains of evidence of graft, bribery and theft among all levels of the last government. Jim was not a supporter of Qarase after the first couple of years trying to do business under his government, and less so after, against all polls and odds, he won a second term. (Sound familiar, anyone???) So Jim was a bit tickled after a round of visits to several govt ministers, to report that the committee is closing in on Qarase himself now, looking at his business dealings and personal fortune. Truth is, although the coup was apparently justified and probably necessary, things like that are never an unmixed blessing. Good intent notwithstanding, Jim says the Committee is a bit of a vigilante group, prepared to believe the worst and act accordingly. Frank's army power base isn't well trained or well suited for police and governing work, and there are indisputable cases of abuse of power and brutality as the coup govt suppresses dissent. Frank is an excellent soldier, and I believe has the good of the country at heart. But he's not a good politician at all, and there's not a subtle bone in his body. The sooner he can get thru the investigations and indictments, and then hold elections, the better. But if he doesn't keep on until that's achieved, it will all have been for naught. And, coincidentally, if he fails, someone will either imprison or kill him for his trouble. He has incentive to make it work.
On another front, Jim's favorite cabinet minister was evidently clean, and has retained his post, so Jim went to see Posele about permits, contracts, and advice on my work permit. Posele at first said we were far enough out of town to just do what we want to, but Jim said we want to play it by the book, so Posele sent him to the Deputy Commissioner for Immigration. He took along a resume letter he'd had me write about my qualifications and our aims. The upshot was that the Dept. Comm called in the regional manager, and explained that I was to get a permit. The manager asked the standard question; "Why can't a Fijian do the job?" but hadn't quite finished asking when his boss said, with considerable force, that no Fijian had my qualifications for the position, and I was going to get a permit or he was going to "kick some butt". Jim has NEVER heard a Fijian present that aggressively before. They avoid confrontation at all costs. So, immediately on his return, he scheduled for me to go to Labasa with him to get my medical exam and initiate the NZ Police Report for my visa. That trip is the next story.
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