SODELPA’s boycott leaves bitter taste

Krishna Datt, Suva

It is not often that a little country like ours gets a visit from someone of the stature of the Prime Minister of India.

We tend to easily forget that the Indian Prime Minister is the leader of the largest democracy in the world.

We all know that there are sharp differences on a number of issues between SODELPA and the FijiFirst party. Both the parties do not seem to have geared out of their election campaign mode. This will no doubt continue for a while.

If the differences can be converted into a constructive debate on alternatives offered to the people of Fiji, it would be healthy for all of us. People will be able to make their own assessment and do their own critique on the proposals. But when the differences are reduced to petty feuds and reactionary behaviour, an otherwise healthy advocacy of differences could become counterproductive.

The decision of FijiFirst not to allow the leader of the Opposition to move a vote of thanks in Parliament to the address and the visit of Prime Minister Modi was a breach of protocol. It smacked of distrust. Obviously, the FijiFirst may have feared that the Leader of the Opposition might say something controversial which could undermine the Government and create a bad impression. If such a logic was used, it was obviously based on a lack of trust. Both the political parties want Fiji to prosper economically and for its people to leave in peace and harmony. The Fijian people have opted for the path offered by FijiFirst. Now it is time to demonstrate respect for each other’s points of view and move forward offering constructive alternatives based on goodwill and respect.

Fiji’s future can only be founded on trust. It would have been naïve of SODELPA to use the opportunity to publicly insult the government in the presence of a visitor.

I have enough faith in the SODELPA leader to believe that this is not what she would have done. SODELPA’s reaction must be a result of a culmination of frustrations they have been feeling since the election.

However, the reaction of SODELPA by announcing a boycott of the Parliament was sad. It was no time or place to bring forth all those frustrations on such an occasion. It would clearly be interpreted as a statement on India, no matter how we rationalize the reaction. This has left a bitter taste in the mouth of a lot of Fiji citizens. SODELPA leaders have lost an opportunity to demonstrate goodwill in the presence of a visitor, despite their frustrations.

SODELPA had a number of options to show their dissatisfaction on FijiFirst breach of protocol. At the budget response every speaker of SODELPA could have used the occasion to repeatedly emphasise their frustrations and dissatisfactions. They could have indeed boycotted one day of budget debate as a mark of their protest.

NFP may well have joined them in this and the Opposition would have remained intact.

But to boycott on the day of Prime Minister Modi’s arrival was regrettable. Political leaders should have seen the Fijian people, in all their mixed variety, young and old, at the Albert Park who welcomed Prime Minister Modi; watched the moving moments when iTaukei men and women, in a sense of tearful joy, bowed to kiss Modi’s hand.

There was real appreciation and affection in those gestures. The Fiji National University lecture theatre was full to the brim to hear Prime Minister Modi.

The sense of being in the presence of a great leader, audacious and awe inspiring was present through-out the ceremony, at every gathering and at all points on the road side (Grantham Road as an example) where people of all walks of life had gathered to cheer and to get a glimpse of Prime Minster Modi.

SODELPA leaders missed the boat, the people didn’t. The bitter taste remains. Hopefully the leader of the largest democracy in the world will see SODELPA’s expression of dissent more generously as an exercise of a democratic choice.

Leaders of SODELPA might want to take heed that riding rough shod over the feelings of people can easily erode the remaining sympathy and support.

Political decisions will have to be carefully thought out and in any event it cannot ignore the feelings of the people.

FijiFirst had organised an excellent visit. It was well ironed and smoothed. It was a beautiful day.

Hopefully, Modi will have taken back sweet memories of Fiji and we will have learnt some lessons for the future.

Tabua apology to Fiji PM

Dr Sushil K Sharma, Lautoka

Tukai Lagonilakeba (Lautoka), your letter to the editor of FS 22/11/14, under the title of “Pacific Leaders’ Visit” could not be expressed any more eloquently than the wonderful manner that you hammered your point across and into the bulls eye -like a fast racing dart by a champion, with a sportsman’s draught in one hand and a dart in the other, swinging away and aiming directly at the bulls eye on the dart board –at the South Seas Club in Lautoka.

I agree with you that now would have been a good time as ever, as they are in Nadi at the moment meeting Xi Jinping the President of China, for the Samoan and the Tongan PMs to pop into a pawn shop in Nadi town, to browse, bargain, haggle and then to  purchase one tabua each — and head to the meeting site at Denarau, grab hold of the “now my mate Bainimarama” and kneel down, weep openly, give their cheeks to him to be slapped, and only then present to him traditionally with their own hands, not an aide, those tabua and beg for forgiveness, from our Fiji PM.

If they miss this opportunity, they may have to catch a whale out in their local waters in Samoa and Tonga, and try to pull a few teeth out and hopefully let it go, and then try to travel to Fiji in a canoe not our Fiji Airways as they should be put through some rough justice for their past acts and omissions.

I also agree with you that they can no longer be allowed to just broom the dust under the mat with a ‘sasa’ broom, with head bowed and tail between their legs; and pretend that all is all right.

Being from the Pacific and forever in their own countries being accorded traditional apologies almost on a daily basis, using the “Pacific Way”, being used to many pigs and boxes of New Zealand flaps and boxes of “Hellabys” presented to them, for sure they all know what needs to be done; if they are genuine to strengthen the bonds, rather than carry this artificial smile like Suka Singh’s “smiling assassin” (FT Nov, 14).

I am sure that all Fiji Sun readers of all political leanings agree fully with Tukai that “True friendship is long term and not a matter of convenience. That is the true Pacific way which we Fijians are doing our level best to forge.”