Post Fiji Day sentiments

Another Fiji Day has come and gone. While we celebrate the birth of independence for our country in our various corners of the world, my focus was on one matter. The fact that Voreqe Bainimarama has vowed that his December 5th 2006 coup, is a coup to end all coups.

We would love for that to be reality. Who wouldn't? But as in all REAL cases, the adages of 'Practice what you Preach', 'We will know them by their Fruits' is something I cannot ignore in the case of Voreqe Bainimarama.

I am no saint, but at least the consequences of my actions only affects me and those I interact with, NOT A WHOLE NATION'S PRESENT AND FUTURE as in the case of Voreqe Bainimarama. We are now three Fiji Days past the time Voreqe forcefully used his guns to take away the very essence of why we celebrate Fiji day. The day we gained our independence from Colonial powers so we can exercise and proactively utilise our God-given gifts of intelligence, values and ideals for the common good of our nation. Recently the life and contributions of the late Rt. Mara was celebrated. For some he is an example of the good that can come to our country when good men do something. For others, it seems like he didn't probably do enough when he was nearing the end of his hardearned career as a politician and Fijian leader. But at least we may all agree that his legacy is far more positive and uplifting than the current self-appointed military leader who is ruining our country at the moment.

The Fiji Times reported this morning that the PMs of PNG, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu are currently meeting with Voreqe to reaffirm their support for him. Of course, as Pacific islanders they will do that. It's one of the identities of our whole existence as Pacific Islanders. Our concept of looking out for the extended families even if it means sharing the meagre resources we have. But the difference is as I have indicated before is, if Voreqe's grandiose ideas of reforms only affected him and his family, then by all means go ahead and do it. BUT unfortunately for us who love Fiji as it was pre-coup days, this is not the case.

I would hope that these Pacific leaders would follow President Obama's lead and support his messgae as stated here, “We enjoy a friendship founded on the mutual commitments of our societies to peace, freedom, the rule of law, and democratic ideals,” he said.

“It is through our shared commitment to these ideals that the friendship between our countries has developed so strongly over the years.”

But by cowardly using his guns to forcefully take away our peace, our rights, our freedom and our liberty, he has made promises to try and sway our minds to accept his mission. Some, like these Pacific leaders have fallen into that trap not realising that by extending their hands in brotherly fashion to support Voreqe, they're blindly looking the other way and not supporting the PEOPLE OF FIJI to whom all of this matters.

I hope that when these leaders meet Voreqe, they will request from him a GUARANTEE THAT HIS COUP IS THE COUP TO END ALL COUPS. Because where I am sitting, I don't see any light or truth in those words. It will be four more Fiji Days to come until we know for sure if what Voreqe said is going to happen. I like to think I am an optimist but still with a track record like Voreqe's, I will remain pessimistic about his so-called altruistic reasons to be our country's saviour.