Coup apologist Sharon Smith Johns Connect makes zero profit

The newly military appointed Audio Visual Commission Chairperson is promising Fiji millions from her new found “bulawood” movie world. Sharom Smith Johns is also CEO for Connect, the internet provider subsidiary company of ATH.

Latest report from ATH is that Sharon’s company Connect made zero contribution to ATH’s recently announced profits. Another humiliating performance by someone whose career has been given a quantum leap by the junta for not making any profit in her core business.

Now, the red-headed but full of hot air Sharon is already hitting the media trail making promises of soughts for FAVC.  She is taking on the lead role in her new movie called, “Dramatic but typical”.

Sitiveni Weleilakeba cuts all ties with FHL

Ex-FHL boss, Sitiveni Weleilakeba, is said to have resigned from the FHL Board today. Siti who lost his job to military appointed Sereana Qoro is believed to have maintained his Directorship  on behalf of the individual FHL shareholders after his Managing Director’s position was downgraded to just a Board Director.

But it seems that the man who holds the FHL success story template has opted out completely. Word from some shareholders is that he is extremely concerned with the ambiguous direction that the new Isoa Kaloumaira-led Board is taking and that they as shareholders are worried. They say it is bad sign that Siti is not there since it is he who built the company to what it is today and is the best person to manage it.

Insiders say  that FHL subsidiary staff members are also in a state of confusion with no clear direction given to them by Sereana. It is not business as usual as Sereana likes to claim on TV. The godly talk woman is actually swearing under her breath and is running around like a headless chuck looking for information on how to run the multi-million dollars investment company.

Sources say FHL now operates in an adhoc manner and no one seem to know what to do. The lady boss doesn’t even have a strategic plan to work from as it was a classified piece of work stored in the brains of those key executives she had forcefully removed.The commercial discipline that was the hallmark of FHL is now history with some business commentators jokingly remarking that FHL is on its way to doom and bust.

Sereana, as the military council financial advisor, promised them many things from FHL if given the top job. But now that she is there, she is expected to deliver but soon, Frank and his military council will know that she is just another of those who is ruling by bluff. Her real motive to get the job was to fill her pocket and prove to her ex-Adi Cakobau School scholars that she’s the “it” girl.

A source interpreted Sereana Qoro’s expulsion from the Methodist Church yesterday as an indirect way of telling her that she has been written off from the indigenous Fijian community. She is a traitor.The indigenous company she thinks she runs no longer belong to the natives and that she had allowed herself to partake in that dishonorable activity.

Mahen Chaudhry & Sereana Qoro talking to shift FHL millions

Sources say that self-promoted military finance advisors, Mahen Chaudhry and Sereana Qoro are in talks to channel some FHL millions to the national kitty in their desperate attempt to prop up severe cashflow problems faced by Frank’s regime.

Government payments to their creditors are intentionally delayed while many capital expenditure has almost come to a stand-still. To make matters worse, the millions in bottled water revenue receipts promised to Frank by them and FIRCA has come to nought deflating their national revenue projection to a significant low.

There are also talks that Frank’s malevolent empire is looking at FHL millions to finance most of the military operation with the argument that it employs 99% indigenous Fijians. They say that this is one of Mahen Chaudhry’s favourite wish i.e to dismantle the successful Fijian Holdings Limited, now with the help of a desperate power hungry indigenous Fijian woman.

John Swamy fathers a mongrel

The NCBBF that was impregnated by its own author John Swamy and collaborated by his celibate other half, Father Arm, has birthed an ugly unwanted mongrel called Charter. Their midwife, Mahen Chaudhry was present during the delivery.

The deformed baby mongrel is their promise to Frank and his compo-paid inner circle military council boys as Fiji’s redeemer. It’s their version of their god’s gift to mankind specifically created for those special people residing in the island paraside of Fiji. The mongrel baby has magical powers that claims to bring peace and harmony to the islanders and is already being carried around by its followers to all corners of the island nation.

But baby charter’s first introduction is facing major set-backs. The baby is pooing all the way and its followers are always busy wiping its mess. Even those who have set eyes on the deformed baby charter say it is unrecognisable. They couldn’t figure out what kind of a baby creature it was and are doubtful that Charter will live long.

Church to give ultimatum to RFMF officers

Word is that Fiji’s largest church denomination, the Methodist Church, will soon give the ultimatum to all its military members serving in the Royal Fiji Military Forces to choose between the church or RFMF.

This follows the church’s move to confront two of their lady members, Tevi and Sereana Qoro to reassess their choice in supporting the military regime. Tevi is a committee member of the NCBBF while Sereana Qoro is a financial advisor to the military council that appointed her as Fijian Holdings Limited CEO. Both women have opted to support the tyrants for their hefty pay-checks.

The church is said to be very concerned of the fact that it is their Methodist Church members who have been Fiji’s coup perpetrators since the first coup of 1987. The irony  is that in the absence of the right to choose, their lower-ranking RFMF church members automatically become custodians and protectors of these tyrants by virtue of their oath to serve their coup-maker superiors.

The church will seek an audience with Frank and his military council soon to tell them that they must allow those who wish to severe their ties with the military to do so. Their right to choose must be respected and should not be treated as a traitor or be court marshalled.

The Methodist Church is also believed to be negotiating directly with the international community to finance social projects that will create employment opportunities for those who will choose to walk out of camp and word is that the response from the donors have been very positive.

This latest move by the Methodist Church is one that will create a huge wedge within the RFMF. Most of the officers are understood to be in disagreement with what their superiors are doing but are only holding on to their job as a bread and butter issue. How the church will influence their loyalty is going to be a big test for them and has the potential to undo the military power that has been widely abused and dishonored by Frank and his coup apologists and beneficiaries.

Why is Freddie Keshwan running away from HFC?

The $400,000 FHL new recruit must be thanking his lucky stars for the whooping hand-out from Sereana Qoro and his non-commercial Merchant Finance Chairman, Colonel Aziz Mohammed.

Sources from within say that it is double what he was getting at HFC, an off-shoot company of FNPF. They said that despite the cheap funds Freddie was getting from FNPF to run HFC, he was only able to make a dismal $100,000 in net profit before the 5.12.06 coup. In the financial world, such result is viewed as a hopeless and unsatisfactory performance.  It is much lower than what the guy was getting in salaries despite all the mothering he was getting from FNPF. 

Either Freddie is an extremely good negotiator or Sereana and Aziz are so desperate to get someone to fill Pramesh Sharma’s big shoes. It is also understood that Merchant Finance’s ex CEO was forced to resign despite raking in an average of $6-7million in net profit per year compared to Freddie’s miserable $100,000.

These sources said that other shareholders of FHL are up in arms with the extravagant remuneration package offered and can’t wait to face Sereana Qoro and her Board in their upcoming Annual General Meeting.

It was also established that staff morale at HFC was always low due to Freddie’s dictatorial leadership style. Many of his key staff left him sighting irreconciliable differences. Among them is the learned lady staff who now heads Capital Market Development Authority.

Freddie is said to be haunted by the many souls he had unfairly tormented with his artificially inflated 2007 profit. He had acted dishonorably and knew that he took advantage of the coup. He used it as a lame excuse to increase his interest rate which saw mortgage repayment double overnight. Sources say he is also guilty of what he did to the two ousted FNPF executives. Their properties were ceased and put on mortgagee sale to satisfy his Board’s vindictive demands. The case is still pending in court.

Insiders added that Freddie has been involved in various businesses outside of HFC which were a conflict of interest to his CEO position. Two of his business partners were his own staff. Both have left HFC since. One of them migrated to Australia and has been publicly attacking Freddie’s corrupt ways on letters to the editor column. Whether Freddie declared his extra-curricular business ventures to Sereana and Aziz remains to be seen.

Mahen Chaudhry the father of lies

While we had given credit to Mahen’s strengths, his dishonesty unfortunately always outweigh his good side. People simply don’t trust him except those whose pockets he strategically fills to promote his own selfish and highly politicized personal vendetta. He’s the kind who gives one and takes back two, or even three. His AUS$2million proves that.

Mahen Chaudhry is also Fiji’s most well known unforgiving citizen. He is probably the most hated man todate too.  More so than Frank  since most see him as the one manipulating Frank’s stupidity.

He has the audasity to exert his authority with the gun yet he continues to seek compensation from the same military who gave him the power to rule. Mahen’s court case where he is seeking damages for his captivity in the coup of 2000 is still ongoing. And the same plaintiff who wants to be paid by innocent taxpayers for being a victim of the 2000 coup is now saying that his 2006 coup is a good coup because he masterminded it to fix Fiji’s economy that will eventually pay for his compensation and finance his electioneering activities. Mahen Chaudhry is more corrupt and deceitful than previous governments he spends all his time denouncing. He is morally bankrupt.

His vindictive heart is cancerous and has ravaged some key fraternities in what use to be a growing and stable Fiji.  His hunger for power has wreaked havoc on peoples lives and he doesn’t give a damn about it. He might have Fiji’s interest at heart but his own comes first.

He continues to pursue his own significance in an inappropriate manner that divides rather than unites. Simply put, Mahen Chaudhry is NOT the type of leader Fiji needs right now. He is only good in pushing Fiji peoples patience which could very well snap back at him if he is not careful.

Reducing expenditure at the cost of peoples right to a decent health care, education, infrastructure, affordable food and daily needs is hardly anything to be proud of. The deliberate civil service pay-cut to make his balance of payment look nice is an unjust and very boring finance gimmick.

Mahen has crowned himself as Fiji’s worst Finance Minister ever and people will never forget that. He goes down in the history books as Fiji’s most terrible economic killer.

Sources close to RFN said he was ordered to call yesterday’s press conference to face up to his embarrassing sluggish economic performance. So he put on his falsehood gown and immediately spoke in his native language as the father of lies.

Spend-thrift Sereana Qoro pays Freddie $400,000 to join her

FHL coupster, Sereana Qoro has appointed HFC CEO, Freddie Keshwan, as her Merchant Finance head. And word is that a $190,000 basic salary plus other perks will add his total package to almost $400,000 in what is believed to be much higher than what was previously paid to any of the ex Merchant Finance bosses.

Ousted Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase was an ex boss of the bank and so was Siti Uluilakeba and Pramesh Sharma. Sources say that the three who drove the bank to record financial performance were hardly paid the amount that Sereana has offered to Freddie. An offer that was made against a backdrop of a major run in the bank with many depositors withdrawing their money and big ticket clients taking their business elsewhere as confidence in the bank’s management takes a serious dip.

These sources say that Sereana and Freddie are very close Christian friends. They have the same management style and often impose their beliefs on their staff to the point of sacking those who disobey their value system. Sereana was quoted as telling her staff that she is the anointed one to take over FHL and her appointment of Pastor Freddie Keshwan into her FHL military appointed team will definitely raise alot of questions on how the two have applied their Christian principles to their self-styled appointment. Only time will tell which god they are serving.

Military Council can save Fiji

While military strongman, Frank Bainimarama, flies away to Tonga today, he will be leaving behind a nation that wants him to fly away with his coup baggage. 

Could his absence bring a new dawn to Fiji and her people? Will the military council do the honorable thing and save everyone from an imminent disaster?

After all, it is the military council that is ruling Fiji now. Not Frank or his cabinet.

The military council will bring back honor and glory to itself and its subjects. They must peacefully replace Frank, replace the current interim with a new caretaker government and move Fiji back to election in lieu of their pardon including Frank and the President.

No bloodbath must ever take place and the opportunity to avoid all that is staring at the military council in the face.

Will they uphold their oath to the people of Fiji or will they continue to take everyone in harms way and be damned forever?

Chaudhry brings the best out of people

Whether you like Mahen Chaudhry or not is immaterial. What must be understood is the fact that Mahen has a good side to him that has touched many lives. His followers prove that he is their trusted leader and that he does whatever it takes to look after their interest.

He has done many things viewed by many as controversial and corrupt – but all in the name of his followers. And he had raised his hand to mend Fiji’s economy to prove his critics wrong and is still working at it.

He is a good husband and provider to his wife, a good father to his children, and a darling to his grandchildren, despite his short-comings. He is a hard-working man and a disciplinarian and those who work under him can vouch for that.

And the man has admitted that he is on his way out. He has not hidden the fact that he is looking forward to an election and will contest it. He has tasted both sides of the pie and is sure that a democratic election is the best imperfect solution for a happy co-existence amongst all denizen of Fiji.

The coup has brought out the best in him, eventhough many cursed him. But the guy has definitely brought out the best in everyone too i.e their tolerance to uphold justice and their peaceful fight for freedom.

Many say that Mahen Chaudhry should be popped out but only traitors do that. The guy has alot to offer and is the best devil’s advocate there is. He has Fiji’s best interest at heart and personalizes it like everyone else except that his is more public.

His coming out of cabinet will make him one of the most strongest democracy advocates again. Watch!

Colonel Aziz Mohammed getting worried

One of the key players behind the 2006 coup is Colonel Aziz Mohammed. This is the Bond University law undergraduate whose experience in law revolved around his restrictive military policing before his glory days arrived. He was an unknown until after the coup. Sources say that he is the link between the high-profile Muslim coup backers like the Shameem sisters to the junta and continue to promote the interest of those who are close to him.

But Aziz Mohammed has brought much shame to most of the law-abiding and hard-working Muslim citizens of Fiji who do not agree with what he represents. Most of them say that Aziz has been used by a small influential Muslim group called the Ahmadiyyas.

This Ahmadiyaas group is led by Judge Nazhat Shameem, the comforter and real brain behind Frank’s coup, her sister the biggest promoter of human rights violation in Fiji, Aiyaz Khaiyum the shallow interim AG, the Sahu-Khan lawyers and other high profile Muslims who have accepted military appointments. They are now crucifying members of the Muslim League including its President and Hexagon Group owner, who tried to work in tandem with the Qarase-led government.

But word is that Colonel Aziz is feeling threatened by his own military colleagues. His statements are in direct contrast with what they know is best for Fiji. He is one of Frank’s pet hit man and is also a reason why Pramesh Chand was pissed off from office last week. Now that Pramesh is back, Aziz will have to do his messenger boy job between Frank and Judge Shameem somewhere else outside of the fourth floor. His military colleagues now understand what a hopeless legal advisor he is for getting them into all these mess and are already back-stabbing him.

Public Service Commission promote ethnic bias

PSC’s speedy resolution to re-install senior civil servant Pramesh Chand as Permanent Secretary to Frank suggest favoritism and bias.

Other senior civil servants who were unceremoniously ousted by the junta are still awaiting word from PSC to justify grounds of their dismissal. Only one has resumed duty after he was found NOT guilty. And the most glaring fact is that most of these ousted top professionals are indigenous Fijians.

This latest move by the junta and PSC does not help the already racially polirized thinking of the working class people of Fiji. The indigenous Fijians in particular now believe that they continue to be marginalised in all ways by this military government. Special treatment shown to Pramesh only aggrevate such feelings.

Unlike Pramesh, these senior civil servants did not resign freely and still consider themselves as loyal servants, ready to serve the nation again when they can prove that they are straight. Pramesh on the other hand had publicly defected.

When he handed in his resignation letter to PSC last week, what he technically did was declaring his independence from the nation and the people of Fiji he was serving. He had deserted his public duties as a civil servant, even without the courtesy of telling his own boss. Frank told a radio network that he didn’t know of Pramesh’s resignation but had only suggested that he take leave. Can Pramesh now claim that he did not commit insubordination at its highest order not only to Frank as his immediate boss but to the people of Fiji? Can he be trusted?

Pramesh has shown that he no longer has confidence in the military government. He has also shown that he doesn’t have what it takes to effect positive change to the junta on behalf of the people of Fiji he claims to serve. He has failed both ways.

But today, he is back in fourth floor assuming what he says is for the best interest of Fiji. He has already proved that he is a top-class traitor. A few hours after he resigned, he immediately sort sympathy from Joji Kotobalavu, the man who was illegally displaced from the same position that Pramesh now enjoys. He has exposed his turncoat game and the military council doesn’t need to deal with another double agent to get Fiji back to a general election.

The once respected Pramesh Chand has lost the plot and will pay the price somewhere down the line. He has proven that he is a power-hungry vengeful overcomer!

Sereana Qoro already on a spending spree

The lady who organised military backing to coup her Fijian Holdings Limited Board for the top job is now cruising in her new top of the range, leather pack, Toyota Prado landcruiser. This car splurge happened only a few days after she seized power over the most successful Fijian investment company.

This is the same lady who was approached by the military to serve as an interim minister but she backed off fearing the backlash from the international community on her two children studying in Australia. Instead, she told them she will work with them to take over FHL.

Sources have now reported that she is one of those “faceless” advisors to the military pre and post coup and was responsible for leaking information from FHL as she schemed her way into building a case against her bosses. Her leaked information were also used by FICAC as she concorted to nail down her ex boss Siti Uluilakeba.

Sources from within say her unemployed husband is now enjoying the vehicle as it is he who is also serving as her full-time chauffer.

But her spending spree doesn’t just end there. She has bought brand new cars for all her executive staff from Basic Industries Limited who have now relocated to the 7th floor of Ramarama Building replacing all the operational staff who served under the previous Board and management. Even the Secretary to the Board has been rewarded with a new car. All these in return for their undivided loyalty she has demanded from each of them.

Frank needs help

The hive of activities created by Mahen’s failed bottled water tax, among other things, has taken a toll on Frank’s precarious life.

Frank, who has an abnormal but mild heart condition, is a sick man and must re-prioritise his responsibilities in life for his own sake. He is lying in bed this weekend regurgitating where he has gone wrong.He  is finally realising that he can’t solve all the problems in Fiji, and no one can, with or without the barrel of the gun. One can only try.

One great lesson everyone must learn is the fact that the problems are exacerbated when you rule with a gun.

Frank’s good-intentioned anti-corruption clean-up campaign and the charter’s vision of a peaceful and prosperous Fiji is the ideal island paradise everyone dreams of. It’s the same old adage doctrine preached by almost all political, religious and social groups in Fiji. The same one that is also tearing everyone apart. But why?

This is the burning question that is posssessing Frank right now. He believes he is doing the right thing with his very best. But he has noticed that the environment he is creating doesn’t seem to be responding too well to his ideals eventhough they are exactly the same.

Even the people he has placed his trust in like Mahen Chaudhry and the state (cabinet, military and junta supporters) he has built are beginning to fail him badly. Something is amiss!

What Frank is left with is himself and his manufactured power-mad and abusive state. His indefinable doctrine for a peaceful and prosperous Fiji has failed. He thought he could be a manufacturer of that “correct” environment topped up with his imposing mind programming belief on Fiji and her people. This has proved to be his most dangerous delusion.

Frank is treading on unforgiving grounds. He has over-stepped his boundary and must withdraw immediately if he is to live.

The latest development in his health is a statement in itself. Fiji’s military strongman has again been confronted by his own mortality. His weakening earth-suit is reminding him that he and his coup, like everything else, is only for a season. What you do in that season and how it impacts on peoples lives will determine your real worth.

And Frank’s rulership season so far is best reflected by the state of the very people he is ruling now. Majority of his subjects are unhappy. They feel oppressed and believe that he and his military state infringe on their human rights and freedom. What a sad state of affairs for a ruler!

Frank needs help and needs help now! The military council now owe it to the people of Fiji to stand up to their ordained role and tell their boss that there is still time to reconcile with his subjects. They must call a new caretaker government to take Fiji back to election in August 2009.

Confrontation of any sort must NEVER EVER be entertained. No more blood must be spilt; not even Frank’s, the military, Mahen, Aiyaz, or any other citizen of Fiji should be sacrificed. NO MORE!

Fiji and her law-abiding people are willing to pardon the regime and together we can!

Will Pramesh return to serve under Frank?

Pramesh Chand has proved that he can be indispensible solely on merit, well at least for now, and not with a gun like his envious arch enemy, Mahen Chaudhry.

His boss Frank begged him to come back while that useless rubber-stamp Public Service Commission Chairman, Rishi Ram, could only try to formalise yet another spectacular face-saving event for the junta.

Pramesh brought some degree of integrity and order to Frank’s office but will his return dilute his own personal credibility and future career prospects?

Does he really think that his return will significantly influence Frank and his military government for the better?

Is he trying to remain faithful as a civil servant to a state that abuses its authority and claims to be sovereign or is his faithfulness a result of the transcendent law of whichever God he is praying to?  

Does he really believe Frank will honor his promises to woo him back given the long chain of broken promises he is well known for?

And why does Frank want Pramesh back instead of replacing him with someone from his own military council like Colonel Aziz Mohammed or a seasoned civil servant like Tui Cavuilati?

Pramesh knows everything about Frank’s military government and is well informed of its true intentions. He was also part of previous governments apparatus and is in a good position to know what works and what doesn’t. 

He is Frank’s shadow Prime Minister and play a very crucial role in advising Frank on how his regime should rule within the proper boundaries of its role. But is that reflected in Frank’s or the junta’s careless decision making and sporadic behavior thus far?

How about his wife and two children? Does he really need to subject them to all these baloney?

Pramesh is on an important cross-road of his life. He has been given a chance to reflect on his past decisions and to improve on it. He should now draw upon his reservoir of wisdom to be able to differentiate the precious from the vile. Only time will tell Pramesh’s real motives.

Fiji celebrated yesterday

Chaudhry’s foreseeable departure from cabinet saw many people celebrating yesterday. Word is that many were glued to their internet and radio for most part of the day waiting for updates on Chaudhry’s fate.

There were many sighs of relief, cheers, and early grog parties as the news spread across the nation like wild fire. To most, it was the best thing ever for a very long time. The news was ringing like sweet music in their ears.

The united people of Fiji were celebrating except the minority few who support the junta. Friends of all races embraced each other over their cuppa and their bowl of grog as they anxiously awaited confirmation from Frank that Mahen was going.

A sudden wave of forgiveness for Frank and his military also swept through the country yesterday as these celebrating majority put their high hopes on Frank that at least for once, he was going to do something to the best of their interest.

But Mahen’s resignation has become another wait and see game that will have to come to a head soon.

Yesterday was Frank and the military council’s best opportunity to make good with the many people they have hurt, and the people were very ready to embrace them too. It was indeed good cause for celebration and could have been the best platform to take Fiji and her people forward to that elusive Fiji paradise.

Chaudhry begged to resign at will

Insiders say that Chaudhry had asked Frank to allow him to resign at will soon instead of being asked to resign by the military council.

The junta couldn’t keep up with the truth spilling out on cyber today as dawn broke in Fiji. They got disoriented with the leaks from within as they tried in vain to contain signs of their self-inflicted disintegration. Their public relations machinery broke down. Even the ahh man and wannabee communications expert Leweni was no where to be seen. They couldn’t believe that Chaudhry’s fate was already public knowledge well before the crack of dawn. An elaborate cover-up was to follow, and it was a bloody lousy one at that too.

But insiders say that Chaudhry’s fate was established late last night after the interim government gave in to the water bottlers demands. The junta finally realised at the negotiating table that the closure of water bottling plants will create a disastrous domino effect to Fiji’s already ailing economy. A clear-cut SWOT analysis proved that point but Chaudhry deliberately excluded that anaylsis from his cabinet paper.The country’s foreign reserve was going to take a sudden negative swing. One capable of creating a financial tsunami in Fiji.

The laid-off water bottle factory workers themselves became an instant menace to the junta. They were disgruntled citizens who seemed to have lost everything and were easy targets to incite. And last night, the junta was forced to admit their humiliating mistake and accepted defeat publicly.

The military council members who were present at the emergency meeting with the water bottlers couldn’t believe the misinformation provided by Chaudhry in that bottled water tax cabinet paper. Chaudhry’s cunning and bulldozing tactics convinced the dumb interim ministers to endorse that water tax anyway. He coerced them and now, he is using that same collective cabinet approval cloak to delay his exit from office.

An emergency cabinet meeting is expected tomorrow to formally rescind their earlier cabinet decision and sources say that Mahen is expected to bow out soon after.

Others have said that Frank’s denial to terminate Mahen’s services today as advised to him by the military council is clear sign of a man who can not free himself from his financial captor. As we had revealed earlier, Mahen paid Frank to execute the coup. Frank’s guilty behavior today has confirmed to the military, the people of Fiji and the world that he is in the take with Mahen.

Frank’s lies continues and he has naturally lost track of it like Mahen. In one of Frank’s interview today, he said he tried contacting Mahen yesterday to join them at the emergency meeting with the water bottlers but he couldn’t get through to Mahen. In another interview, he decided to change his story and said that they wanted other members of the junta, not included in the bottled water tussle to sit in with an open mind. Frank’s contradictions are an insult to the people of Fiji. He is getting caught in his own lies and will self-destruct if he doesn’t change his game plan now.

But according to Mahen, he will be making his exit soon because he has come to the end of his Fiji economy reform program and he said that he also wants to prepare for the next election. Which reform program or which election? No suprises there. It’s just Mahen’s usual ruse.

Cabinet defunct without Pramesh Chand

Word from 4th floor is that cabinet was not able to meet after Pramesh Chand walked out of his job. It had literally become defunct.

Pramesh knew he was acting out the role of interim Prime Minister for Frank and he tried to discharge his duties the best way he could. Unfortunately, his powers became too much to bear for Mahen Chaudhry and Aiyaz Khaiyum. They had to frustrate Pramesh out.

It was Pramesh who read and understood all cabinet papers and its supporting papers. Not Frank. It was Pramesh who would speak on every agenda and matters arising, and not Frank. It was Pramesh who would answer and discuss all queries raised by the cabinet members.Not Frank. It was way above Frank.

Frank’s role was to sit there and pretend that he knew everything. All he did was ask Pramesh to think and speak on his behalf.

But Pramesh was seen meeting up with Joji Kotobalavu a few days ago. And the laughter that rolled out of Joji’s Samabula house was very telling indeed. Both men are now planning to write a book as pseudo Prime Ministers.

Fiji people willing to forgive Frank’s junta

There are strong indications that the people of Fiji are willing to pardon and forgive Frank, RFMF and everyone else associated with the coup if Frank is willing to consider a fresh, apolitical and professional interim government line-up whose only job is to take Fiji back to election in August, 2009.

And insiders say that a group of credible men and women who have no political ambition to stand in the next election are being approached with the understanding that they will be disbanded with no strings attached when a new democratic government is voted in. Some of those approached are believed to be successful executives who were kicked out by the junta itself.

This mass cabinet wipe-out is necessary to win back lost confidence from the people of Fiji and the international community.

The marching orders given to money man, Mahen Chaudhry, is synonymous to a “vote of no confidence” to the interim military government and Frank and his military council understand that.

To avoid further bloodshed from a likely coup within or a civil uprising from the people, the military know that they have to re-group, cut their losses and work directly with the peoples wishes.

It is the power of the people that will save them from the slammer and that permanent 10 foot-under death chamber. And the people are ready to give that to them if they are willing to give back their political freedom with the guarantee that with the new-look cabinet, Fiji will have an election in August, 2009.

The people of Fiji have impressed the whole world and even their coup perpetrators with their continued calmness in the face of intolerable human rights violations since the coup of 2006. They have exhibited a high degree of tolerance, humility, togetherness and forgiveness, while the real truth and faces behind the coup presented itself around them.

But Frank and his military council must play smart. This is the only chance they have to save themselves and everyone else in Fiji. They must change their game plan now.

Jim AhKoy to replace Mahen Chaudhry

Sources are saying that military appointed Fiji Ambassador to China and ex-Minister of Finance for Rabuka’s SVT government will be recalled to replace Mahen Chaudhry.

Word is that Jim, who was on the phone to Frank late last night, is ready to take up the challenge. Jim is often seen as the best Finance Minister ever in the history of Fiji. He applied his entrepreurial skills when in office and started selling off government’s interests in various organisations creating that much needed impetus to attract both local and offshore investors to participate in rebuilding Fiji’s economy after the 1987 coup.

He brought private sector discipline to the public servants who worked with him at the Finance Ministry. He engaged himself in promoting investor confidence by introducing many investment incentives that are still alive in Fiji today. He was business-friendly, unlike Mahen Chaudhry who thinks that all business people are crooks.

The garment industry that is still employing more than 10,000 people today was another of his success stories with the help of his financial advisors, Robert Lee and Navitalai Naisoro.

The 72 year old Jim has nothing to loose. He has all the experience, the contacts and the drive to give back to his beloved country.

He has the midas touch and is a great distraction from the no March election hype.