Fiji PM wins backing from MSG leaders
Sean Dorney, Port Vila
Melanesian leaders have supported Commodore Frank Bainimarama’s plan for democracy. [ABC]
Fiji’s military commander and interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama has won the full backing of the Melanesian Spearhead Group of countries for his continued rule.
After meeting Friday with the Prime Ministers of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, Commodore Bainimarama won their support for the lifting of the suspension of Fiji from the Pacific Islands Forum.
The announcement came at the end of a day-long meeting of the leaders at a retreat in Vanuatu.
Praise for Commodore Bainimarama
The chairman of the group, Vanuatu Prime Minister Edward Natapei says the leaders praised Commodore Bainimarama’s “Strategic Framework for Change” laid out in a recent address.
Mr Natapei says Commodore Bainimarama’s plan reflects a clear vision to achieve sustainable democracy.
The plan would allow Frank Bainimarama to stay in power for at least another five years without elections.
Papua New Guinea’s Prime Minister, Sir Michael Somare, says he has been convinced that some of Commodore Bainimarama’s plans were good for Fiji.
Interim Prime Minister delighted
Commodore Bainimarama, has described as a great result the about turn by the countries of Melanesia on the question of his legitimacy.
He was in a jovial mood when he arrived at the airport in Port Vila on Saturday to catch a flight back to Fiji and
is delighted he has received the unanimous backing.
“We came to tell the MSG Leaders what has happened since 2006 and what we need to do moving forward,” he said.
“They understood and that was good, that was great.”
It’s a significant blow to Australia and New Zealand and means next month’s Pacific Islands Forum meeting in Cairns to be chaired by Australia’s Prime Minister Kevin Rudd will be divided on the main issue, Fiji.
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Ever since the fool Rabuka pushed for Fiji to be recognised (duh) as Melanesian, our Nation has become like the other Melanesian Islands, BACKWARD in every way as soon as the irrelevant military here becomes involved in politics that is much too overwhelming for them.
For that leka Somare to state that Bhainimarama is good for Fiji, is the biggest insult toward the citizens of Fiji and negates all that we strive for.
These Melanesian leaders are the most corrupt around, feathering thei crummy nests by selling out their own people – as the saying goes, Birds of a feather flock together, Thick as thieves or it takes one to know one.
WANTOK just doesn’t cut it anymore.
Soli Vakasama 
July 12, 2009 at 12:12 am
Thi comes as no suprise, as the pacific way will obviously prevail(the element of respect), but this leaders did not realise the fate of the people of fiji is what they’re playing with.
Our freedom was just thrown out of the window,by these people, what a pity,Australia & NZ, please set the records straight, and show us the way.
July 12, 2009 at 11:47 am
Our MSG neighbours are not as foolish as some people may think.They know how much they will gain in the long run particularly with their tourism industries for as long as Voreqe holds the reigns in Fiji.Tourists from Australasia and Europe who normally came to Fiji in the past are diverting to their shores. Shallow as he is our illegal PM is reportedly overjoyed at the overall decisions of the meeting and not bothering about the negative effects on our country and how much it will cost us to entice those tourists back to our country when things get back to normal.
New Zealand recently announced a plan to spend some $80m plus upgrading Tonga’s tourism industry needs and we hope our Polynesian neighbours do not follow what the MSG has done.
July 12, 2009 at 11:47 am
This development reflects eactly how melanesian leaders respect the opinions (not) of their own people. They would envy Franks ‘absolute power’ and that he can do whatever he wants.
Culturally they would admire how he has taken what he wants, a real man.
So no surprises here and I for one question why Australia and NZ even bother.
July 12, 2009 at 3:25 pm
I think Frank Bai has gained nothing from this meeting but a few yes votes from his neibors. They all know that most of them receive aids from Aust and NZ and this will weigh heavily on MSG when the PIF meet in Aust next month.Aust and NZ have the money and resources to do whatever thsy want at the meeting even overturning any MSG motion to get Fiji back into PIF.We must not forget that it was Bai who dis engage with PIF in the first place and now that his bluff has been called he wants to re engage.The only way out for Bai is take fiji to election soonest.
July 12, 2009 at 4:39 pm
This just proves one thing – that Bai is not the only “leader” in the Pacific who hasn’t got a clue what he is doing or talking about!!
July 12, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Yeah – they are all idiots – no clue what they are talking about.
BTW:
The Melanesian Spearhead Group- its first director general – Papua New Guinea’s trade advisor Rima Ravusiro – his position is funded by the Chinese.
This Ravusuro guy worked as an advisor to PNG’s Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Immigration, and was previously employed by the Pacific Islands Forum secretariat – I am sure he knows what he talking about.
So who provided the money to build the MSG secretariat building in Port Vila.- China, do you think China has anything to do with this?
..and who is funding Franks regime in Fiji?
Last month Australia had “urged China and the rest of the international community to back efforts to return Fiji to democracy.” – I guess these guys did not get that message.
News report last month – “Australian parliamentary secretary for Pacific Islands affairs, Duncan Kerr, has denied reports that he said Chinese aid to Fiji is hindering sanctions imposed by Canberra and Wellington.”
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao “…..China and Pacific island countries should expand economic and trade co-operation. He said China would continue offering economic and technological assistance to these nations.”
This ain’t about Fiji – it’s the Chinese who have their finger up the whitey Boy’s reektum. – the Pacific Islands Forum, currently chaired by Australia, suspended Fiji…. may be they should have thought about it a bit more.
Wait and see when the MSG crowd pulled out of the forum.
and BTW – we haven’t discussed Indonesia yet.
So these guys have a clue alright – it is ANZ whose big stick approach has back fired – they had thought that they would get Frank and the dinky little country on its knees – they had no clue what could happen.
July 12, 2009 at 7:24 pm
It really isnt Fiji thats suspended from the Pacific Is Forum. Its Frank that they dont want at the Forum. Period.
Too much agepeche (sp?)
The MSG to pull out from the Forum? I dont think so, Budhau. Nah.. they have much to lose.
July 13, 2009 at 9:25 am
Think what the Chief really meant to say but couldn’t was – Bainimarama’s good for PNG – which he is.
July 13, 2009 at 11:07 am
LUVFiji – the idea of MSG pulling out of the forum is not as far fetched as some might think.
It all depends on how much of a hardball China wants to play with the Australian.
Below is a story from a year ago when there were rumours that MSG might pull out of the MSG. This may work in Frank’s favour and seems to be playing his cards right in regards to this.
MSG says no plans to pull out of Pacific Islands Forum
Updated June 4, 2008 21:40:38
The new Director General of the Melanesian Spearhead Group, Rima Ravusiro, has assured member nations there’s no truth in recent speculation that the group might pull out of the Pacific Islands Forum.
Our Pacific correspondent, Campbell Cooney, reports the opening of the new Melanesian Spearhead Group Secretariat offices in Vanuatu, and the appointment of a Director General has led to speculation the group, is about to break away from the Pacific Islands Forum.
The Melanesian Spearhead Group (MSG) is made up of Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and Fiji -countries with much of the Pacific’s population and resources.
Mr Ravusiro has told Radio Australia’s Pacific Beat program there will be issues on which the MSG will take a united stand, but its members have no plans to leave the Forum.
“The MSG Secretariat will be complementing the efforts of the Forum Secretariat,” he said.
“Where there are issues that are particularly of interest, if not common desires of the MSG, then I think that will take slightly a different role.”
It’s also been revealed the leaders of the MSG have asked the Pacific Islands Forum to give its support to Papua New Guinea national Sir John Kaputin in his role as secretary-general of the Africa Carribean Pacific Secretariat in Brussels.
It’s understood some African members of the ACP bloc are unhappy with his performance, and want him removed.
July 13, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Vinaka Budhau!
July 13, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Luv you too – keep hope alive.
July 13, 2009 at 4:17 pm
may you live ling Budhau
July 13, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Thanks Kaiveicoco – keep me in your prayers. I wish you all the best also, I hope your side prevails.
July 13, 2009 at 5:45 pm
Budhau,
justy to let you know i am not on anybody’side in this debate.I admire and appreciate your arguments as much as everybody else’s, I am not a supporter of LQ or the SDL neither do I support the FLP and your side I am morfe of a social justice person,reformist I should say.
June 29, 2010 at 12:51 am
Just to give you folks an heads up.Theres big things going down in the political arena here in PNG.Grand Chief was re elected back to power and is forming a coalition government in compliance with the Warangoi Accord.So PNG support for Fiji will just probably increase.Before re election some PNG bloggers and online forums were cautioned not to speculate about corruption and on how the Chief was dealing with Fiji issue etc accusing expats of infiltrating NGO’s and setting up blogs that only focus on the negatives.
About Chinese involvement there is no doubt they are in this too.PNG probably got a ‘Chinese cheque’ from China.Meaning the out come has already been decided.No matter what both parties win.Australia and new Zealand should rethink their approach towards pacific island countries and stop acting like they are the only regional powers here.China is serious about pushing them out and are going about it the right way.
MSG is not a big group.But with resources comes political power.And the melanesian countries are rich in resources.What will Tonga give to Australia,rugby players?.The $1.37billion Ramu Nickle mine and the $9billion(not really sure about the amount but its a multi billion dollar project) PNG LNG project are just examples of things that can make the MSG a regional powerhouse in future.
June 30, 2010 at 5:08 am
unlike australia/nz
it will be decades away before china have serious impact in the pacific we only need to look at how each country responded to natural disasters most recent was cyclone tomas. australia and nz came to the aid of the fijian people (because it is just that – free of charge to fiji) whereas china and other asian countries although dictatorship friendly had nothing to show
that reality in stark differences does not go unnoticed by those who have the real power — the people.