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Melanesia in Review: Issues and Events, I993

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Melanesia in Review: Issues and Events, I993 &@Miasw;:;VU,"@,IMlfUWMl&H!f&MMliM.".iW;;p @ ¥IiIlO"&"'- i! at...-- Melanesia in Review: Issues and Events, I993 FIJI minister and deputy prime minister, Prime Minister Sitiveni Ligamada Fiji's second governor general, and, Rabuka made a startling, if after the 1987 coups, the republic's first refreshingly accurate, observation president. The Great Council of Chiefs about the situation in Fiji during a state swiftly elevated first vice president (and visit to New Zealand in April 1993. longtime Alliance prime minister) Ratu "Some of us have been going around Sir Kamisese Mara to the presidency. the world saying that everything is nice Mara's unsurprising ascendancy in Fiji. It is not," he said. "We have to caused much disquiet in Rabuka's accept that" (FT, 2 Apr 1993): The year camp. Mara has a well-known and 1993 was not a very nice one for highly developed disregard for Rabuka and his government. Dogged Rabuka. His own preferred successor by one scandal after another, its back­ as prime minister was Josefata Kami­ benchers threatening rebellion, its poli­ kamica, Rabuka's arch political rival. cies for effective national government The relationship between the two men marred by resurgent provincialism, the will be watched with great interest in Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei 1994· government finally met its end in For all its problems, 1993 began on a November when the budget was hopeful note, with talks continuing on defeated in Parliament. It was forced to a possible government ofnational resign after only eighteen months in unity. Rabuka, who had sprung the office. The country began to prepare idea in Parliament late in 1992 without for the next general elections, due to be consulting his own party or the Great held in mid-February 1994. The year Council of Chiefs, was vague about ended on a note of confusion and dis­ what exactly he meant. His proposal array. was littered with unexceptionable There was other unhappy news dur­ statements, including the perceived ing the year as well. Siddiq Moiddin need to "develop a social and political Koya, a founding member ofthe partnership that transcends suspicion National Federation Party, its longtime and distrust, that elevates us as a controversial leader, a leading criminal nation and gives us a combined sense lawyer, and a chest-thumping orator of common destiny and purpose" (Fiji who had played a conciliatory role in 1993). However, a few months earlier, Fiji's transition to independence in he had stated categorically that accept­ 1970, died of a heart attack in April. ance of the principle ofthe para­ Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau died in mountcy ofFijian interests was a pre­ December from leukemia. He was the condition for national unity. Initially, Tui Cakau, paramount chief ofthe Rabuka's critics were skeptical, seeing Tovata confederacy, longtime Alliance his unity proposal as a tactic to divert POLITICAL REVIEWS 439 attention away from his manifold try to reach a broad consensus on, a set political problems. Indo-Fijian leaders of fundamental principles which is to Jai Ram Reddy ofthe National Federa­ be the basis of mutual co-existence in tion Party and Mahendra Chaudhary Fiji as a unitary but multi-racial and of the Fiji Labour Party were skeptical. multi-religious state." Second, it was to They wanted the government's com­ devise the draft terms of reference for mitment to certain principles of power­ the proposed parliamentary select com­ sharing that were just and fair to all mittee on the constitution. The final communities in Fiji. Nonetheless, they task was to look at other models of agreed to join Rabuka in informal dis­ government "considered appropriate cussion ofhis proposal. for Fiji in terms ofpromoting unity and The talks faltered because of the harmony among all its communities, vagueness ofthe concept, as well as and their equitable representation and opposition from powerful Fijian participation in the political leadership groups. Ratu Mara, whose blessing ofthe country, both in Parliament and was clearly critical, said publicly that in government" (Reddy 1993). The rec­ a government ofnational unity would ommendations ofthe committee were not work under the terms ofthe 1990 to be submitted to an independent con­ constitution. Mara's caution was stitutional commission. The talks were echoed by his proteges, including Jose­ followed quietly in the media, raising fata Kamikamica and Finau Taba­ hopes for a peaceful resolution of vari­ kaucoro (FT, 15 Feb 1993). Rabuka's ous issues surrounding the review of own cabinet was unenthusiastic and the constitution. As it happened, all relegated the proposal to a long-term this work was put in abeyance with the objective. The Great Council of Chiefs defeat ofthe Rabuka government. listened politely to the proposals in The Fiji Labour Party did not partic­ May, but avoided taking a stand by ipate in the discussions on the constitu­ asking the government to ascertain the tion. It had withdrawn its support for feelings of ordinary Fijians through the Rabuka and walked out ofParliament machinery of provincial administra­ in June to protest his failure to act on tion. promises to them a year earlier (Lal With the unity proposal languishing 1993). These included an immediate in the provinces, Rabuka shifted gear review of the constitution, repeal ofthe and began preparing the ground for his 10 percent value-added tax on most promised review ofthe constitution. consumer items and ofthe labor He set up a cabinet subcommittee reforms, and consultations on the Agri­ chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and cultural Landlord and Tenants Act. Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Rabuka's rebuffplaced the Fiji Labour Filipe Bole. The committee was subse­ Party in a precarious position, since quently expanded to include four mem­ they had nothing to show for support­ bers of the Opposition headed by Jai ing his bid to become prime minister. Ram Reddy, and met twice during the The results of a by-election in the middle ofthe year. The first of its three Indian constituency of Rewa-Naitasiri tasks was "to develop further, and to underscored Labour's predicament. In @"W9&f.i ,4@peMUfMEFt¥¢&ijf@Slma:pWl#"'."MIMliiQi.'P.f§8' @iiHfil?n ..... 44° THE CONTEMPORARY PACIFIC· FALL 1994 a fiercely contested battle, the National wanted further restructuring ofpower Federation Party's Aptar Singh won within Fijian society. In May, a group handily over Labour's Ramesh Chand ofwestern Fijians led by Ratu Osea (though this is a strong NFP constitu­ Gavidi, the founding leader ofthe now ency). Defeated and disillusioned, defunct Western United Front, and Labour returned to Parliament in Sakiasi Butadroka, leader ofthe Fijian August and began to repair its relation­ Nationalist Party, launched the Viti ship with Rabuka's known opponents. Levu Council of Chiefs to promote the Meanwhile, Rabuka was consoli­ interests and aspirations ofFijians of dating his own base in the Fijian com­ the main island of Fiji. One ofthe munity, presenting himself as the council's resolutions was that the presi­ uncompromising champion oftheir dency of the republic should be rotated interests. He announced a number of among the four confederacies measures including increasing the (Kubuna, Tovata, Burebasaga, and the Fijian scholarship fund; establishing a as yet not formally recognized, Yasay­ small-business agency to advise Fijians asa Vaka Ra) instead ofonly the first on how to run small ventures; promis­ three; that all state, and eventually fee ing financial assistance to the provin­ simple, land be converted to native ten­ cial councils and Rotuma to buy shares ure; that Fijians be handed back all in the exclusively Fijian investment ownership offisheries and mineral company, Fijian Holdings; providing rights; that the government, rather funds to Fijian mataqali 'land owning than landowners, pay the administra­ units' to purchase fee simple land; tive costs ofrunning the Native Lands floating the idea ofexempting Fijian Trust Board; and that Fijians be given businesses from income tax for up to preferential treatment in the exploita­ twenty years; and transferring the tion ofnatural resources (such as for­ management of73,841 hectares of state estry and fisheries). Only when these land to the Native Lands Trust Board. concerns had been addressed, hinted Not all ofthese promises were carried the council, should the question of out, as Rabuka's nationalist Fijian crit­ reviewing the constitution be consid­ ics often pointed out, but the message ered. was clear. Rabuka was moving in the Clearly, Rabuka was riding a tiger right direction for Fijians, and it was he could not dismount at will. But all only a matter oftime before the gov­ his other problems paled into insignifi­ ernment's pro-Fijian policies bore fruit. cance beside the revelations in the Indo-Fijian leaders complained ofthe report ofthe commission of inquiry discrimination against their people in into the so-called Stephen Affair, pre­ the public sector, in statutory bodies, sented by retired judge and politician and in government aid programs. But Sir Ronald Kermode. Anthony their voice mattered little in a political Stephens, a local part-European busi­ system where the Indo-Fijian commu­ nessman with previous brushes with nity itself was marginalized. the law and a close association with Many Fijians applauded the general extremist Fijian politics, had been thrust ofRabuka's policies, but others charged in mid-1988 with illegally POLITICAL REVIEWS 44I importing arms into the country. After integrity and reputation were attacked being cleared, he sued the government in Parliament and in the media, and for F$30 million in damages, but dissidents within his own party pre­ agreed to settle for nearly $IO million pared to move a motion ofno confi­ in cash and other benefits. The terms dence in him. The report gave Rabu­ ofthe deed of settlement were leaked to ka's opponents the excuse and the the press and exposed in Parliament by weapon they needed to "do Ra- Opposition Leader Jai Ram Reddy, buka in." leading to the resignation ofAttorney Several Fijian backbenchers wanted General Aptaia Seru.
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