Any attack on my ministers is an attack on me, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama told the Fiji Sun yesterday.

He was dismissive of ex-Qorvis worker Graham Davis claiming in a blog from Australia that Mr Bainimarama had identified a successor and that the FijiFirst cabinet was divided along ethnic lines.

The PM made some strong remarks and said the Government’s focus is on recovering the Fijian economy and to get people’s job back.

Mr Bainimarama’s entire statement:

“It’s funny, people outside of Fiji often have the most to say and the least to offer the country. Graham is no different. I know him, and he did some work with Qorvis, but that ended sometime back.

“I think I remember the stress was sometimes too much for him. I don’t know why he’s dealing in gossip these days, but I also remember even in the best of times he always seemed to find drama. And if he couldn’t find it, he’d make it up.

“I have no idea what he wants now. Maybe attention, maybe a job. I really don’t know. I don’t care and we don’t want to give him either. But he needs to understand that an attack on Fijian democracy, our Constitution, any of our independent institutions, or any of my ministers is an attack on me.

“If you’ve read our Constitution, you know Fiji is a democracy. We are not a dynasty and I do not handpick my successor. The only ones who choose the Prime Minister of Fiji are Fijian voters.

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“I know, because they have picked my Government twice. As the leader of FijiFirst, I am appointed under our party’s constitution, like all our office bearers. And I will once again work hard to earn the votes of the Fijian people when I lead FijiFirst into the next election.

“Until then we have to recover our economy and get industries running again, get jobs back, and get help to those who need it most. I am working on these issues every day. We don’t have time to waste on gossip blogs. But for old times’ sake, I wish Graham all the best in his retirement in Australia.”

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