Rebuttals

We were incredibly proud of our PM when he gave his speech to the military. His words carry strength, vision and give us the hope that good things are on their way. Despite the efforts of the RFN and SV bloggers (who seem to be always blogging about mundane issues) to once again tell lies to the world about the election dates and their extremely foolish attempts to portray us as Islamic terrorists, we remain undeterred. The PM's speech has given us the courage to say what we wish to say because we feel the truth must be heard.

On the issue of Rex Gardner, the matter is now closed and we would like the public to know that this issue will not be allowed to be used as a martyr. Gardner's actions of malicious intent were well noted and the fact that he admitted to a criminal offence add weight to the reasons for his removal. We will standby that decision and this will not be reversed.

Coming back to the issue of the Methodist Cult, we note that while the RFN site spent a great deal of time pillow blasting the group, it failed to remember that only two or three blogs before that, it was kissing the feet of their leaders of the group. The inability of the RFN arse-kissers to grasp the subtle messages behind our blog on serves to reinforce the fact that they are merely empty vessels which choose to makes noises in order to be attract unnecessary attention. Again, the RFN bloggers chose to make the articles written by us one which tries to strike racial overtones. We disagree strongly and at no point do we insinuate such a concept. Our article is written based on facts and figures - we all know the majority of the people affected were Fijians who just so happened to be Fijians. Why deny that? Here, the RFN and SV bloggers continually harp about their ethnic identity but refuse to allow a distinction to be made where they fall in bad light. We believe that the Fiji community needs greater support in this tragedy as many have lost their entire farming crops which were used to feed entire families and villages. Do not be stupid, RFN and SV bloggers. We see through your muslin thin treacherous acts and will not fall prey to them.

The announcement of the 2010 elections will not be made at the PIF. We will make an announcement when we want to and the PIF is certainly not the forum for such an announcement. This is a matter which concerns our people and has nothing to do with the people of other countries. Just because we dont have elections this year the people of all the other countries will not die of shock. We are certain they respect our sovereignty and will allow us to do what is necessary to ensure a free and fair election. The constitution will certainly need to be amended to ensure that gutter-snakes such as Qarase and his band of robbers will never return. The PM has already stressed this point clearly: Qarase is never coming back and if the people want to continue living under military rule (which is the best thing that has happened for this country), then vote Qarase - he will never enter his office nor will he be allowed to execute any decisions. We cannot allow the SDL to take us down the same horrific path it did in the past and we will recover from another coup but we cannot survive with the SDL govt.

The RFN and SV bloggers need to understand that we will not be allowing any elections until the constitution is changed to ensure that those promoting racial hatred or people who commit acts of a racially biased nature are sacked from office by the President who will be the supreme executive of the govt. of the Fiji Islands, as is the case now. The Qarase govt. made attempts to nullify the President's powers and usurp those powers for themselves to make more executive decisions. They were stopped in time and the nation tethered back and forth on the brink of collapse. We restructured and weeded out corrupt practices. We ensured that all those who got jobs in the civil service based on favoritism were thrown out and never allowed to return. Our work has been massive and resulted in a more efficient and controlled management of finances which were previously lacking. We have done a lot and proven to the people of this nation that under our leadership, they prosper more then they did in the past. Certainly, with the global crisis, our lives may be somewhat stretched but we are comfortable knowing that wretched bills such as the Qoliqoli and RTU will never see the light of day. This is our response to the first question they have posed to the members of this blog.

We choose to use this blog as a medium for communicating our views and letting the world know the unbiased and unedited truth. Our opinion is that the media in Fiji have long been pawns of the govt. of the day. We believe that their interests are generally in line with the govt. so long as the govt. continues to give them advertizing mileage and other financial perks. This govt. recognized that the media in Fiji are not independent. The journalists who report stories have long compromised their positions and taken political allegiances with various parties. People such as Anish Chand, the teletubby of Close Up is a well known NFP supporter. We are fully aware that his questions are prepared by the NFP team and we know that they are geared towards embarassing the position of any govt. member who attends the show as a guest. We also know that people such as Netani Rika are staunch SDL supporters who use their powers to write any article in favor of the SDL and discriminate the current govt. We are aware of many other reporters and media outlets who have benefitted from the past govts. financially and reputably. This is perhaps the crux of the matter. This govt. will not allow the media to abuse the power of media freedom and it has been long establised that media freedom does not give the media the power to report what they want. Where restraint needs to be used, it should be done and the foremost thought in any journalists mind when reporting on something is to ensure that the report does not cause any form of instability.

Fiji's journalists are low ranking journalists by international standards. Their reports lack accuracy and quality. Most of the reports published are done with a slanted view and the whole article will generally tell the people what the journalist thinks is right instead of what the truth is. We think that the media will need to be more careful and operate like any other sector - with restraint and moderation. We cannot allow the media to continue assuming they are god and can say or do what they want. Media freedom exists in Fiji but just like any other country, it is governed by the laws and policies of that country. If the media in Fiji are unable to regulate themselves as they have so rightly demonstrated over the years, then people such as Daryll Tarte need to consider alternative career options or get out of Fiji because their slanted views will not be tolerated.

The media should learn to accept that their days of flaunting the govt. and running amok with wild, unsubstantiated stories is over - this govt. will come down hard on the media if it fails to uphold the principles on which journalism was built: truth

This was our response to the second question posed by the foolish bloggers of RFN. These matters are now closed and will not be discussed further.

We continue to ask the RFN and SV bloggers to see the light of day and join us in our quest to take the country forward - your own people are asking you for help. Will you continue to spurn them with contempt?

Our Country, Our Laws

We read the articles on the RFN site, particularly those which discussed the 2010 elections. We note with great disappointment that the site chose to publish an unsubstantiated claim when it is we who know the truth. The elections of 2010 will happen and while the recent blog by the RFN and SV bloggers has done its best to once again shade the truth, their shabby attempts have once again been thwarted by this site which continues to publish the truth and the real voice of the people.

It is wise of the PM to tell his colleagues that he will not be swayed by the ridiculous antics of Australia, NZ and other minuscle states which think they have the right to dictate terms to Fiji. This is Fiji and the govt. will decide where we go - and that direction will be one which benefits everyone in this country. The fact that the SV and RFN bloggers concocted their sky-high tale about the PM stating the 2010 elections will not happen, only those who have some connections with the reality of the situation will testify to this fact - and that group is us.

We also note with concern that mention has been made of the AG attending the PIF instead of the PM. As mentioned before, this site has made it abundantly clear to the fatheads at RFN and SV that the PM is not in a position to attend as he is needed in Fiji to steer us out of the recent disasters. The fact that the AG has gone in his stead is not any indication of who the real PM is. It is showing you, the biased bloggers that teamwork and solidarity is very much alive in the govt. and that members can trust one another to the point where they can delegate members for key events. So, the foolish attempts by the RFN site to portray the PM as "afraid" to go are based on baseless facts which can easily be translated to heresy and lies.

On the note of Rex Gardners removal, we would like to be the first to say that this decision is fully supported by us. This has been long coming and Gardner should have realized long ago that any seditious comments or comments which have the possibility of raising instability in this country will have serious consequences on the individuals involved. The govt. along with the army will not be toyed with by unscrupulous people such as Gardner who concoct seditious stories merely to increase paper sales. We hope that this move will result in the media learning that every action carries a consequence and their recent behavior will not be tolerated by this govt. unlike the previous SDL govt. which used the media as its mouthpiece for spewing their propaganda all over the place. People such as Nawari and other key media officials were all hand-picked by the SDL criminals and they ensured that every item published praised the govt. instead of exposing the rampant level of corruption going on inside the govt. and the fact that the govt. treasury was nearly empty.

As per the requirements of expatriate working conditions, any expatriate found to have been served with a sentence of a legal nature is in breach of their working contract and as such will be subject to deportation at the discretion of the govt. Gardner obviously thought this was a joke and flaunted this to the point where he reaped what he had effectively sowed. The govt. will continue to monitor all expatriates who come into Fiji and then try to dictate or impose their ideals on us. We will not allow such behavior and Gardners deportation should come as no surprise. Regardless of the comments that will no doubt follow this news, the NZ and Australian govts. are in no position to tell us what to do. Our country will be run according to the laws of Fiji and not other countries laws. Any expatriate who feels they have a right to comment in our local political affairs is mistake and will be taken to task if discovered.

It is hope that this move will ensure that any individuals who come into our country in the future to work will respect our laws and customs.

N.B: For the commentator who published that our previous article was written by an Indian, look again if you're not too blind and stupid. Look carefully at the words used and the expressions. It is of someone you are all too familiar with and have heard these words a number of times. Look carefully - that is all we say.

The Fiji Times Falls.

We are back!!! After taking a break for a day to celebrate the appointment of Obama as President of USA, we were very interested in reading your comments. While some of your comments have bordered heavily on racial grounds, we will not be deleting them because we believe in open dialogue.

Once again, the rancid RFN bloggers have ended up with a foot in the mouth. Their ridiculous blogs mention that the PM's non attendance to the PIF is a sign of fear and cowardice. As usual, they have been proven wrong. The PM will be sending a delegate and even though we are sending a delegate, let it not be assumed that this is being done simply because the forum kicked up a fuss. We are a sovereign nation and we will not be pushed around by any of the other countries. It would do the heads of these countries to remember that we will push back. Just as the expulsion of the two commissioners of NZ, we will not allow other countries who have commissions here to think they can behave in a manner which does not conform to our countries rules and international laws.

The RFN and SV bloggers are misguided by the assumption that meeting the leaders at the PIF will do much for Fiji. We are of the opinion that nothing will be gained from this meeting as has been the case for many years. To even have the slightest notion that Fiji will be ordered to do something is based on unfound facts - we will not be swayed and it is up to the other leaders to realize that this govt. recognizes and will not sell our sovereignty down the drain as the past govts. including the SDL have done for money. We will not allow countries such as NZ and Australia to blackmail or bulldoze their way as they have done in the Solomon Islands. Our stand is going to remain and nothing will change that. The RFN and SV bloggers will become old men and women if they think their blogs are going to change the current situation in Fiji. We have achieved a lot since this govt. came into power and we will take the people forward into a new era where we will show them that good governance can be achieved and that race based politics are wrong for the country and its people.

We were a little surprised to have drawn fire from LoyalFijian. We understand his views but we disagree with them as our purpose is to draw out the buffoons who blog from RFN and SV. Our articles have not used profanity and our arguments are logical and direct. This is why our support based grows by the day. We note that the RFN and SV bloggers had at some point commented that no one supported our blog as all comments were against our articles - we invite them to look again today. Our support is growing, just as the support for this govt. is growing and the people realize that the PM is genuine in his cause to bring Fiji back to normality. We invite the LF to look carefully at our blogs and understand that we are not promoting the RFN and SV blogs. Rather, we have done everything to expose their lies and slanted truths. We have shown the world that the truth was being hidden from them by a group of shoddy bloggers who want the world to share their warped sense of ideas and irrational behaviors.

The conviction of the Netani Rika and Rex Gardner shows that the media needs to exercise control when publishing aricles. The acts of the Fiji Times clearly showed that there was a determination to defame the govt. using the open column (letters to the idiotic editor) as the medium. While touting media freedom, the Fiji Times blatantly published articles of extremely seditious manner and also failed to exercise due diligence. Rika, as editor had the full opportunity to prevent the letter from being published yet failed in his duty as a journalist to uphold the principles of his profession. Today's ruling has shown the world that journalists need to be held accountable for their statements, particularly those that provoke racial hatred or cause distress.

According to the Fiji Times websites latest article:

The High Court in Suva today fined Fiji Times Limited $100,000 and imposed a suspended prison sentence on its Editor-in-Chief, Netani Rika, for contempt of court.

Mr Rika was given a three-month jail term suspended for two years. The company was fined $100,000 and made to post a bond of $50,000 for good behaviour for two years.

Rex Gardner, the acting CEO of Fiji Times Ltd, was given a conditional discharge to be on good behaviour for 12 months.

Judge Thomas Hickie said judges were not immune to criticism, nor were they infallible, but the freedom of expression had been grossly abused in this case.

The Fiji Times had published a letter on October 22 last year critical of judges in the Qarase v Bainimarama court case. Justice Hickie found that the letter had gone beyond reasonable and fair criticism of the judges.

The Fiji Times published an apology about two weeks later.

Outside of court, Solicitor General Christopher Pryde said he was pleased with the ruling because it sent a strong message to media organisations to report responsibly or face the consequences.

Fiji Times Ltd lawyer Richard Naidu said it was a long judgment involving a number of legal issues and no statement would be issued until it had been fully studied by Fiji Times lawyers. Quote

While the FT published an apology, it took two weeks to eventuate by which time the damage caused by the letter had done its work. In order to prevent the court case from even ocurring, the FT can be assumed to have published the apology without any genuine intent. The FT lawyer, Richard Naidu will perhaps finally understand that media freedom is not meant to be taken as face value. Just like each of us are governed by policies and rules at work (not the RFN and SV bloggers as they have no scruples about anything), the media need to realize that such policies apply even more to them because of the information they handle and disseminate publicly. In future, perhaps journalists will learn to publish the truth instead of the slanted version which is entwined with their own conclusions generally founded on rumors and lies.

Media organizations in Fiji along with Daryl Tarte will perhaps now stay quiet because they have long been touting the freedom of the media and its independence. Perhaps Tarte will now realize that his ridiculous notions are what lead to this culmination of decisions and as an honorable man, he will resign his position. Our congratulations to Mr. Pryde and our sincere thanks to Justice Hickey who has shown that the Judiciary's role is still very much independent and they are not swayed by the rantings and ravings of fools such as those in RFN and SV. Perhaps the bloggers will also now realize that their actions will one day make them accountable to the law and we look forward to meeting you in the Courts that day.