Helen Clarke vs Fijian Government

Heres a thread thats got nothing to do with the market.

Has anyone been following the political developments between New Zealand and Fiji over the last few months? The latest maneouvre is the expulsion of New Zealand High Commisioner to Fiji and the booting out of the country of a kiwi reporter.

Chairman Helen Clarkes response to this is almost that of a rabid dog - but with a twist. She is advising all New Zealanders to stay away from Fiji stating that she believes "it is only a small step from expelling the High Commisioner to personal violence against Kiwi tourists". Even the NZ travel advisory website states "Currently, Fiji is calm but a rapid deterioration to the situation, including the potential for civil disorder and violence, cannot be ruled out. New Zealand citizens in Fiji should be security conscious at all times, avoiding demonstrations, large gatherings and areas of military activity".

What a load of rubbish.

I have very recently returned from Fiji and saw nothing to indicate this. I might add that not all of my time there was spent insulated in a resort either.

My View of this affair is that it is now a personal battle between the very strong (almost butch actually) Helen Clarke and Commodore Bainimarama of the Fijian Interim Government. She has effectively told him to pull his head in and he didnt respond the way she wanted him to so its come down to 'face'.

By advising Kiwi tourists not to go there for holidays Helen Clarke is attempting to use the wallets of NZ citizens to punish Bainimarama. She knows it is really the only effective tool she can weld against him. Although despite this, 6000 to 8000 kiwis continue to go here every month.

My problem is I don't think its the role of Governments to tell or control the public where they spend their money, but I suppose thats what you get when you live in a communist country.

Are there other Kiwis out there who might be able to add another opinion - or even Australians.

Hi Who,

I would guess that part of NZ's worry is that in the event of another coup, the gov't of NZ will be held responsible for the safety of their citizens within Fiji at that time.

In todays world, it is always someone else's fault, so the Gov't has to cover their butt by saying don't go there, it could be dangerous.

Helen Clarke, hey leave him alone

I think Helen should pick on someone her own size, what a bully she is:

yep
Just like she takes on the USA with a moral stance ( inherited from David Lange 1984) -

But unlike us, NZ has a moral backbone

2020hindsight said:

yep
Just like she takes on the USA with a moral stance ( inherited from David Lange 1984) -

But unlike us, NZ has a moral backbone

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By us, do you mean the 51st state?

2020hindsight said:

yep
Just like she takes on the USA with a moral stance ( inherited from David Lange 1984) -

But unlike us, NZ has a moral backbone

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Helen is an unusually principled politician, and she has more B*lls than her aussie counterparts

Prospector said:

I think Helen should pick on someone her own size, what a bully she is:

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Yes, I think Fiji has an airforce so it would be a mismatch.

YELNATS said:

Helen is an unusually principled politician, and she has more B*lls than her aussie counterparts

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B*lls? If she has anything I'm certain she has those.

But you know what? Further to my original post, I wonder why Helen Clarke is so hot on this Fiji thing at present. Could it be because the root of the Fijian coup was to do with Indigenious ownership of land as opposed to 'immigrants'?

There are parallels to NZ's problems you know.

And also she knows there is alot of dissent within this country, people have had a gutsfull of tax, land claims, dole bludgers, solo mothers on $65,000/yr, the list goes on.

In Fiji some people weren't happy about the state of affairs so.....they did something about it. Maybe she doesn't want anybody back home here getting any big ideas about how to change things?

Helen Clark is annoying but even more annoying because she is right a lot of the time.

Have to respect her, no choice really. She does make Howard look rather wimpy.

Broadside said:

Yes, I think Fiji has an airforce so it would be a mismatch.

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Broadside - you remind me of something
I love the islands, but I can tell you this as a fact. In 1975 maybe 1976, the Fijian Govt bought some new jet warplanes.

The front page of the local paper (Fiji Times) had a picture of the then Minister of Defence - with the broadest of grins, great flash of white teeth lol - and (serious!! no kidding !!)

The headline read " NEW WARPLANES " and
just under the the headline read .. "There is no truth in the rumour that the new planes will be used against our Indian population!"

PS Commodore Bainimarama is arguably a political criminal surely. If new elections were held now he would have more cred.
Here is the Fijian Govt spin on the announced elections in 2009 !!

http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2007/06/20/20fijilive14.html Australia welcomes Fiji’s stand on elections
Wednesday June 20, 2007

Australian Foreign Affairs minister Alexander Downer has welcomed the announcement by Fiji’s interim regime that it has agreed that general elections be held in the first quarter of 2009.

A statement from the Australian government said Australia remains strongly of the view that the interim administration must make genuine steps toward a swift return to parliamentary democracy.

Fiji's Cabinet had agreed in principle that a parliamentary election in Fiji could be held in the first quarter of 2009, the timeframe suggested in the report of the Independent Technical Assessment of Election Timetable for Fiji.

The report, commissioned by the Pacific Islands Forum, was released on 7 June.

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http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2007/06/20/20fijilive9.html Frank has himself to blame: Clark Wednesday June 20, 2007

New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clark says Fiji’s coup leader and interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, has only himself to blame for the downturn in Fiji’s economy.

Clark also says Fiji must prove it wants to return to democracy before New Zealand can take its stated intentions seriously.
Radio New Zealand reports that Fiji’s interim government has agreed in principle to a working group’s finding that elections could be held by March 2009.

But Bainimarama first wants help from New Zealand and Australia to get Fiji back on track economically, blaming his critics for the downturn in tourism and investment.

Clark told Radio New Zealand he (Bainimarama) has only himself to blame.

“The economy will be worse if he does not put the place on the course to Constitutional government because he is relying on funding in particular from the European Union to help restructure the disastrous sugar industry, his economy is crumbling around him now,” Clark said.

Bainimarama had said that if Fiji’s economy declines further, the elections may be delayed.

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http://www.fijilive.com/news/show/news/2007/06/20/20fijilive11.html Demands for passports rise Wednesday June 20, 2007

Fiji's Immigration Department expects 17000 new passports on Friday as demands rise following the 2006 coup.
People have been queuing up at the Immigration offices since the last batch of 3000 passports arrived early this month.

Immigration Director Viliame Naupoto is keeping his fingers crossed that the new batch will not be taken up before the end of the year.

Three thousand passports brought in early this month are "fast disappearing", said Naupoto. "Last Thursday, 462 passports were issued in Suva alone," said Naupoto. "Before that we used to issue 150 passports a day and that includes the western towns as well."

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2020hindsight said:

The headline read " NEW WARPLANES " and
just under the the headline read .. "There is no truth in the rumour that the new planes will be used against our Indian population!"

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Sounds like the writing was on the wall for some time. I have a theory why Helen Clarke is doing this, her government is struggling in the polls and she needs a diversion. She may be principled, ballsy and have backbone but being a politician she will still be none of the above if votes are at risk

The same news as posted on Aust ABC website :-
http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/06/19/1956045.htm
You'd have to assume that Bainimarama has the local press under his thumb. - sad day

Expelled commissioner concerned for Fiji democracy
Posted Tue Jun 19, 2007 7:15pm AEST

New Zealand's expelled High Commissioner to Fiji, Michael Green, is sceptical about the prospects for a return to democracy under Frank Bainimarama's military-backed administration.

Mr Green says the regime took exception to a speech he delivered in Suva eight weeks ago when he repeated New Zealand's blunt assessment that the coup was neither legal nor constitutional.

And he is not convinced Commodore Bainimarama's commitment to a restoration of democracy and the rule of law is genuine.

"There's an enormous disparity between the things his administration says it stands for - good governance, transparency, accountability - and what they actually do," he said.

He says even though expulsion is an occupational hazard for diplomats in trouble spots, he regrets ending his posting that way.

The Foreign Affairs Minister says it is encouraging that Fiji has agreed in principle to a parliamentary election to be held in early 2009.

Alexander Downer says the interim Fiji regime must make genuine steps toward a swift return to parliamentary democracy.

He says Australia is willing to assist Fiji with technical and financial support for an election if it commits to the agreed timetable.

Commodore Bainimarama has condemned comments from the head of the Australian Army troops could be sent on peacekeeping operations to Fiji.

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Speaking in East Timor on Sunday, Lieutenant General Peter Leahy said the recent coup in Fiji and imminent elections in Papua New Guinea had the potential to incite tensions that could leave either or both countries vulnerable to instability.

The Army chief says it is possible Australian soldiers will be needed in the both countries.

Commodore Bainimarama says the comments are creating fear in the minds of investors and tourists, and undermining the already fragile economy of Fiji.

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In summary , I don't reckon Helen Clark can be criticised for her comments - Downer made similar comments here WhoDares, and for some reason the Fijians have left him alone - they can't afford to alienate everyone in the region is my guess

New Zealand's expelled High Commissioner to Fiji, Michael Green, is sceptical about the prospects for a return to democracy under Frank Bainimarama's military-backed administration.

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You heard about Michael Green getting VIP seats at a Rugby match in Fiji, and Bainimarama being pissed off that he'd been given lesser status seats ? Arguably the principal reason /trigger for the expulsion.

As Clark said, " hell if he can't organise seating at a rugby match , (heaven help Fiji)"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Clark New Zealand has, during Clark's terms of office, pursued what she and her supporters call an "independent" foreign policy. New Zealand retains a nuclear-free zone status, a stance also taken by the opposition National party, (possibly at the cost of a free trade agreement with the USA), and refused to participate in the Iraq invasion without UN sanction.

In March 2003, regarding the U.S. led coalition actions in the Iraq War, Clark told the newspaper Sunday Star Times that, "I don't think that September 11 under a Gore presidency would have had this consequence for Iraq." She later sent a letter to Washington apologising for any offence that her comment may have caused.[15]

Helen Clark has always enjoyed very good relations with China. In a report in the "People's Daily", Chinese President Jiang Zemin indeed referred to her as an "old friend". He hoped to "establish bilateral long-term and stable overall cooperative relations with a healthy development geared to the 21st century", and "broad prospects for bilateral economic cooperation". Clark had strongly supported China's entry into the WTO.[16]

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NZ the decent state of opportunity.

Fiji doesn't offer much in the way of stability and then there is corruption.

The anti white attitude stinks.

Helen Clarke - champion.