International "Pote"

The delegation that left Fiji's shores to sell their wares at the recent Pacific Island Forum Foreign Ministers made the embarrasing assumption that they could convince intelligent, elected officials of our Pacific neighbours with the same drivel that they repeat daily to themselves to justify their actions.

This embarrasement was somewhat a "total shock" to the Dictator and his regime, and the best reply the military propaganda machinery could come up with was stating that the Eminent Persons Group to Fiji had their minds made up about Fiji before talks were held with the Fiji stakeholders [fijivillage article]

The move by the Pacific Island Forum Foreign Ministers to stand by the EPG report [pulse of the pacific] shouts out to the people of this country that our woes and sufferings are not being ignored by our Pacific neighbours.

As our civil servants begin their plans for strike action against the illegal military regime, we all heard Leweni's threat of military action guised in a reminder about the renewed Emergency Decree. One wonders what the dictatorship will do now that their own neigbours have made their stand, and what excuse they'll come up with this time for their retaliation to such actions or what they like to call "preventative measures".

I would like to wish these civil servants my very best in their actions and hope that their leaders do not receive the "re-patriotism" that the military have become notorious for.

The right for these hard working people to stand up for their money should not be denied them, nor should they be ignored. After all the 5% pay cut only applies to the civil servants - but not the interim MINISTERS!!! Aren't they also the servants of the people!! Should not they be receiving the same treatment ?

What does this imply about the quality of leadership - military or otherwise - that this country is under right now? When the going gets tough, everyone else takes the pay cut except them?

How does this reflect on this dictator's leadership under fire? (and i'm not referring to the tavioka-patch dash).

The cry for return to democracy has been heard by our neigbours, now lets hear it from our own nation!!