Saturday, October 2, 2010

Solomon PM's colours oh! so similar to Bainimarama

Solomons Prime Minister Danny Philip has cobbled together enough of this rogues gallery to form a government with a one-seat majority. He is sanguine about the corruption claims. ''I'm concerned, there are certain things that people have tried to bring into the open,'' he says. ''There's a bit of frivolity in it, there's not seriousness in it. It's a little bit of a smear campaign.''

His government is on a charm offensive, eager to reassure foreign aid donors who are the mainstay of the Solomons economy. ''I'm working very hard talking to our partners in explaining the dynamics and the dimensions, the policies that we will present as a government,'' Philip says.
But this is a leader more focused on preserving his own political skin. Earlier in the day, speaking to a lunch meeting of the Chamber of Commerce, the reassuring rhetoric of ''reform'' is laid on thick, but Philip struggles to outline any specific, long-term plans - the exception a curious scheme to forgive the crimes of the tensions period by excusing all murders except those of police, clergy, women and children.

Many people complain that the underlying ethnic rivalries have not been tackled - despite the establishment of a South African-style truth and reconciliation commission - and cannot be tackled in a political climate so focused on the short term.

Read more here:
http://www.theage.com.au/world/grim-past-fragile-present-20101001-160yn.html

Saturday, September 25, 2010

18 year old company director? Only in Aiyaz's Fiji

The Fiji ILLEGAL government has reduced the age limit for the appointment of a company director from 21 to 18 years as part of amendments to the 2010 Companies Decree and the 2010 Company Rules.

ILLEGAL Cabinet based its decision on submissions made by ILLEGAL Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

Khaiyum said the minimum age of 21 years has posed problems for people who are proposing to set up companies and who wish to appoint persons as directors who are over 18 years of age, but who have not yet reached the age of 21 years. WHICH COMPANIES? PLEASE, DO TELL.

“Although the (respective) Act allows the appointment of directors below the age of 21 years, this can only be done if approval is granted at the general meeting of the company and special notice is required for any such appointment.”

He also added that in line with international definition and the ILLEGAL People’s Charter for Change, Fiji had reduced the age of adulthood from 21 years to 18 years with respect to a number of laws, such as the Marriage Act and to be effected, the electoral voting age.

As such, he said that it is necessary to make amendments to the Act, in order to allow persons who have reached the age of 18 years to be appointed as directors or as secretary of any company in Fiji. HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE IN DIRECTORSHIP DO THESE 18 YEAR OLDS HAVE? THIS LAW IS JUST TO CATER FOR THE INDO-FIJIAN COMPANIES MANY OF WHOM HAVE MADE THEIR MILLIONS IN FIJI AND ONLY CONTRIBUTING TO THEIR WELFARE AND WEALTH.

The Companies (Amendment) Decree 2010 and Companies (Winding Up) (Amendment) Rules 2010, will come into effect once they have been published in the Gazette.

National language - I am confused

Discussions are already underway in the I-taukei affairs ministry on what we will use as a national language.

WE ALREADY HAVE A NATIONAL LANGUAGE, WHICH IS FIJIAN. THE OTHER RECOGNISED LANGUAGES, HINDI AND ENGLISH ARE JUST THAT RECOGNISED. BUT IN THE WIDER CONTEXT OF THE WORLD - ENGLISH IS ALSO THE LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION IN OUR SCHOOLS BECAUSE THE WIDER WORLD WILL ACCEPT GOOD ENGLISH SPEAKERS/WRITERS IN THEIR WORK PLACE RATHER THAN SOMEONE WHO ONLY SPEAKS FIJIAN.

The revelation was made by the Minister of Education, Filipe Bole this morning when launching the first I taukei school books to be used by secondary school student from forms 5 to 7.

Bole said that talks have started within the I taukei affairs on what will be used as the national language. Please, explain what this means? Each nation has its own national language. Which planet are you guys on? Obviously there isn't much thinking or vision on the plate at the moment that the discussion of a national language is paramount at the moment as opposed to the real need of providing funds to enhance the education system in Fiji.

He added that the 1997 constitution which was abrogated by the President in April last year have three recongnised language fijian [SIC], hindi [SIC] and english [SIC] but the plan now is to have a national language.

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Bole added that if the national language is adopted it will not be compulsory to teach in schools.

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Bole was the chief guest in launching the I taukei secondary school books called the Moli Koula with former teacher Etonia Lote as the author to be ude for form 5 to 7.

Story by: Shalvin Deo