Editorial: After All is Said and Done

If ever there was time to question the leadership of our head of Government, the time is now.

Fijians can no longer be fooled.

You might ask, how is the Fiji Sun measuring this statement? Have we done an independent poll to determine this?

The answer is, we have not and do not plan to do so.

Why? Because it is already self-evident and aligned with what the people have said.

Our letter writers have said it, our sources have said it, social media has said, political commentators, bloggers and those in the ranks of Government have all said it.

Our Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is no longer fit to run the nation.

It is evident in the back-and-forth decisions and public blunders he’s created over the past 17 months he’s had in office.

Attributed to that is the drama created by his close allies in his Cabinet and advisors.

Without further ado and in no particular order, we’ve pulled up a few examples of Mr Rabuka’s indecisive moves that have caused public outcry.

1. Japan’s Fukushima Wastewater release approval:

Our PM, in a statement, after having ‘carefully’ considered the report by a learned agency, he endorsed the move even as bigger nations like China and Russia denounced the move.

Critics argue that additional research was necessary to understand its potential impacts on the ocean floor, marine ecosystems, and human health. Back home, climate, health, environmental experts and organisers denounced the move.

2. Selina Kuruleca appointment as PS:

After purposely terminating most of the permanent secretaries who held the positions in the previous government, the new PS positions were advertised.

Ms Kuruleca was set to lead the Ministry of Education, however, its minister Aseri Radrodro and the unions opposed the move.

The PM, appeared to mitigate the situation by attempting to reassign Ms Kuruleca to another ministry.

This led to a public outburst from those who had confidence in the incumbent’s qualification and experience as a psychologist and educationist.

For about two months, Ms Kuruleca’s fate was still being decided until good sense prevailed and she was finally given the green light to ‘get the job done’.

3. Cabinet Reshuffle:

The reshuffle was a fail from the beginning. Already, political commentators were talking of a division in the Coalition prompting the move.

And while it had not yet completed a year in office, the reshuffle was announced via a statement on the Government’s Facebook page.

The Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filimoni Vosarogo was eyed for the Attorney-General position but did not qualify for the post because of a ‘professional misconduct’ record under the Independent Legal Services Commission. This meant, by interpretation that he could not hold the A-G post.

4. The ‘alleged’ ‘brutal’ encounter of ministers under the sheets on official travel business:

Fijians and political commentators awoke to an alleged raunchy exchange, drug-fuelled sex encounter by Lynda Tabuya and Aseri Radrodro.

The duo told the PM that they did not ‘do it’ and PM declared he believed them. Even Mr Radrodro’s party, SODELPA used AI to defend their man.

It seemed that only The People’s Alliance made the logical decision by removing Ms Tabuya as its deputy leader.

5. Parliamentary Emoluments Committee report on salary increases and adjustments for all Members of Parliament including the President and Speaker of the House:

If the ‘only $8.1million’ budget paid for by taxpayers’ monies wasn’t enough to cause further public outcry, what is?

The drama continues into its second week with its twists and turns and a possible revamp for the whole of the Opposition.

The above and more begs the question of whether our PM is fit to run a coalition that’s clearly hanging by a thread, allow rogue ministers to do and say as they like.

If otherwise, who then is fit to take over the reins when the other side of the house is also in disarray.

On the ground, the nation calls for decisive leadership and action to move the country forward.

Not the kind of leadership that will further widen the gaps of despair and further disparity.

As penned by leadership expert John C Maxwell, “Everything rises and falls on leadership!”

Feedback: ranoba.baoa@fijisun.com.fj