Qetaki secures NLTB top job
03/10/2008
Former Fiji Attorney General Alipate Qetaki is the new General Manager of the Native Lands Trust Board (NLTB). Interim Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Chairman of NLTB Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama announced Qetaki’s appointment today. Qetaki was employed to act in the position this year after serving as the executive chairman of the Fiji Law Reform Commission since 2003. In a statement, Bainimarama said Qetaki was found to be the most suitable candidate given his qualifications and extensive hands-on experience in administration and senior level management.
“He also has excellent leadership skills, having led the organization during a three month transitional management period. “I have full confidence in Mr. Qetaki to turnaround the NLTB into a more efficient and results oriented organization. “There are also a number of reforms being brought about to bring down the
administrative overheads at NLTB and to make the organization more responsive to the needs of landowners and tenants, who are its main clients.”
Qetaki’s appointment is for three years.
Soli Vakasama 
October 3, 2008 at 10:54 am
I stand by my point, that all appointees by the illegal junta are highly questionable. Qetaki unfortunately has no moral fibre. He needs a job, so he is willing to eat the crumbs off Vore’s table, despite the fact he is much more qualified than he. This is what I referred to previously, professionals with no moral fibre and who see no conflict in colluding with the illegal junta.
Reminds me of Chuck Colson, the founder of Prison Fellowship. The Nixon Administration at the time employed more lawyers than any previous US Administration and when the Watergate scandal broke out, lawyers like Chuck Colson were imprisoned and it was from the prison, that Colson was converted and started the Prison Fellowship.
Colson redeemed himself in the end, but Qetaki is doomed. His character has much to be desired, let alone his leadership skills. As for the NLTB, I am worried that with him at the helm, like his predecessor Bakani, the late Ratu Mo’s words may come true when he interpreted NLTB as the acronym for NATIVE LANDS NO TRUST BOARD.
October 3, 2008 at 11:56 am
Fully concur there @JW. Qetaki is one who has benefited from all coups, without really putting in the hard yards. Like with all illegal appointments, and in termf of signing on the dotted line, he knows he is acting outside the law as only a legitimate Minister can appoint him! So I put to him to do the right thing by the LAW!
October 3, 2008 at 11:58 am
I agree with JW that anyone appointed by the regime is illegal as the regime is. People are beginning to ignore morality in the interest of self gain first. Its people like these who prop up the regime and give them a false impression of support rather than being motivated purely by money.
October 3, 2008 at 12:47 pm
He needs the job to support his two wives and drinking habbit.
Oti ga baci vekaci koya tu
October 3, 2008 at 12:56 pm
@JW – Bula Vinaka Tau – I would like to ask you about your position regarding ALL appointmnets by the IR.
I beleive someone raised the point here on SV when some line civil servants moved up the ladder in terms of promotions or those in certain statutory organisations moved into acting positions.
What about positions that must be fulfilled for service delievery to continue.
A case in point is Deve Toganivalu at the Fiji Development Bank. He has been there in many senior management positions for about 20 years now and is a very humble man.
Also the recent appointment of Joe Tuamoto at the helm of FVB. Another good guy and very capable, been in the FVB previously after he moved over from FTIB, has been running Blue Lagoon succesfully etc.
Both guys have academic qualifications and the professional chops to back up their claims. Are they to be thrown out with the bath water?
For one minute put yourself in the position of decision and policy maker in cases such as the above two, at this time and as part of the interime regime. I am honesty interested in what you would decide to do.
And this is not going into the level of an S/DMO where the medical services for an entire region hangs in he balance of good doctor/administrator delivering medical services and having to make do with a stresssed out workforce and almost zero resources.
With all due respect I hope you accept my questions in the same spirit in which they are raised.
October 3, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Apologies for the grammar and spelling. I was just typing as if I was talking to JW. BTW how do you spell and grammar check in these little boxes?
October 3, 2008 at 1:10 pm
@JW – Sorry my Tau, this is going to appear very ditzy (it has been a tough week) but after I hit the submit button, another thought occured to me. (I know the bulb is very dim and needs the weekend to recharge – TGIF)
What if we all applied for positions in the IR and many more good guys and gals piled in there and started telling it like it is.
So whenever a corrupt old goat said something at Board or top Executive level there was a deafening chorus of righteous indignation from our ilk.
What if all of a sudden all the IR cabinet members grew cojones and whenever Frank said something silly or illegal at the cabinet meetings he was met with a chorus of objections based on legal logic and sound reasoning backed by years of experience working at ground level with our communities. Oh how I wish!!!!
I know – all pigs fueled and ready for takeoff – but what if – would that not turn the tide?
October 3, 2008 at 1:29 pm
Ideal scenario raised by the esteemed IB. Trouble I see is that history have given the world the lesson worth taking when the one @ the helm is a Dictator 🙂 … like Bai surrounding himself with ball greasers and those who dare express opposing viewpoints to the almighty are quickly reprimanded. If Bai did not wield to the will of the of the people via the empty seats in charter promotions sessions then I doubt he will wield to a room of only a handful whom he personally have a hand in picking.
October 3, 2008 at 1:35 pm
Logic dictates the newly recruited opportunists are privy to Fiji’s zero election any time soon.
October 3, 2008 at 1:36 pm
@ my tau IslandBoy,
your questions are on point and well received.
I still stand by what I’ve said previously Tau. I realise that some line promotions would have been in order and these people being promoted are very capable and competent to fulfill these new positions, however, my objection is not their merit or competency or suitability for the position, like Deve Toganivalu & Jo Tuamoto, but it is the legality of their appointments that I question.
Furthermore my Tau, for professionals who have moral fibre, they should turn down the offer of being promoted because we all know that the coup is illegal.
Therefore it follows, the appointing body, where it be PSC or the IR, are also illegal and all appointments are tainted. If good people like Deve Toganivalu and Jo Tuamoto, who were in line accept these tainted appointments, then they continue to sustain the IR, who in turn continue to rape and pillage the country.
If professionals turned down these appointments, chances are they may be terminated, but it will definitely stop the machinery of the IG. However, to accept their new appointments, knowing full well that the appointing body is illegal in and of itself, then are they not condoning the IR through their passive accepting of their promotions?
It would be wonderful if all professionals are intentionally using their abilities to thwart the intentions of the IG, but history has shown that if they accept promotions and do not openly object, then the IG gets away with murder. Look at Germany during Hitler’s reign.
In short my Tau, you can’t say I believe the IR is illegal, yet accept their promoting you? Or as we say mai Vanua Balavu my Tau ‘you can’t have your cake and eat it as well.’
Sa dri yani.
October 3, 2008 at 2:00 pm
I say dont put Qetaki in NLTB and we collapse what we hold dear to our hearts as Fijians too. We collapse everything and blame the IG.
For everyone thinking that they deserve a promotion to FVB CEO or whatever, you all dont deserve it because its during the IG’s term. If only it was in an elected government time than ou deserve it, so if you thinking you want to earn more money to better your lives you are rubbish.
October 3, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I’m with @JW there. My worry is that, what if tomorrow Baini dies or something happens (and miracles are known to happen) that either the legitimate govt comes back in, or a new legit govt takes over. All these appointments are reviewed and you are seen as having accepted an illegal appontmt. Are you then not an accomplice to crime, as you knew very well that the person signing the offer letter is not a legitimate offeror. What then? The more ppl that should have stood up, the earlier we would have gone back to legitimacy, but when ppl turn a blind eye to the crimes of the offeror, and decide to accept their offers, are they not knowingly taking part in a criminal offence? Like receiving stolen property and all that? This, in my view is one of the greatest sorry tales of coups in Fiji – that ppl no longer have the moral integrity to see the difference and are taking an easy way out…a nation of losers. Those who should have what JW calls the moral fibre to stand up and be role models, are unfortunately taking us down the downward spiral. Everyone has a choice, it is what we do with that power of choice that matters in the end!
October 3, 2008 at 2:24 pm
Billy Man…..Morality tiko vei iko….Hi folks can I join in?
October 3, 2008 at 2:42 pm
hear hear Billy 🙂
October 3, 2008 at 2:50 pm
@ IB: You don’t spell and grammar check. You just let it roll. Its a place where most of my comments appear like their submissions of someone educated by Frank, whereas they’re actually just from someone with a mild dyslexia, dementia, and who has forgotten how to spell. Whatever comes across can’t be any worse than the uterings of others, or the proof reading we see in daily mainstream media newspapers.
I wondered what had happened to our gems – it seemed you’d gotten lost for a few days.
October 3, 2008 at 3:03 pm
By the way, has any1 checked out RFN’s “So what Now Frank?”.
Indeed Frank – SO WHAT NOW?. You are very quiet. So are most of your apologists, at least in terms of saying anything that isn’t completely predictable or aof any substance. It reminds me of those old Three Musketeers comedies. “Another Fine Mess you’ve gotten me into Ollie!”
But, at least you can console yourself because you’re in fine company – a wife that is prepared to tolerate you as long as you keep trowing her a few trinkets, a daughter who can now claim to appear a victim and validate your duty as a father by being dependant on you for sympathy, a few peeps around you licking your boots and telling you how wonderful you are. You’re well represented – a few clergy, some bush lawyers and human rights ‘experts’, one or two academics all prepared to validate your claim to a higher ground.
Trouble is, no one seriously believes any of it.
October 3, 2008 at 3:33 pm
I think it’s time for people to start wearing a Democracy headband or armband !
Maybe undies too , in case you get taken to the camp and stripped down , at least you can continue your silent protest while jogging !
October 3, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Hey Cmon Tim, lets keep the comments above the belt man. No use going below the belt. All this vulgarity is blasphemy….I am sure you are more educated then the way you have just commented.
As for the work of the IG, cmon man you have to give them the credit they deserve right, I mean your rights are still intact, the constitution is still supreme, development projects are on the go and finally Tui Namosi has accepted the Charter in entering his villages. Besides your negativity, alot of people seem to have grasped reality that we all have to move on. They have suddenly realised to resist will only prolong our return to early elections. The only reason FB is quiet is because the opposition like Beddoes want to move on…
So get a hold of yourself and wake up and dont worry we will recieve you with open arms and embrace you with all the Love we can give.
Peace Bro.
October 3, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Good Idea Mark, maybe if you start sewing them send some up to camp so that we can also help tell the people that we are truly living in a democratic society, where eople like you still can air their views in the media, news papers and other mediums. I mean just look at Kamel Iyer (or however u spell his name) spewing all his rhetoric i the papers….But who cares…no one.
Luv Man
October 3, 2008 at 3:48 pm
@Joe Lad, Albert Einstein was known to have said something like,” Armed force always attract men of low morality.” This is what we are seeing here, a coup has become a scale on which we can weigh those with morality and those without. Na yaga gona ni vuli qo JL, that we can have the strength of our moral conviction (not power of the gun) to counter the evil of armed force, violence, murder of unarmed citizens, theft of a government, and all the crimes of this illegal regime you so blindly uphold. And you know what another famous person said, “Anyone who has proclaimed violence as his method of operation, must choose lying as his principle.” This is the modus operandi of the military junta, council, stupid empty headed goons so ready to obey blind orders, and those men and women of low morality who are attracted to the darkness of your tunnel vision.
October 3, 2008 at 3:55 pm
In other words, the Charter they so vainly promote is the biggest lie ever made on the people of Fiji to cover up the crimes of the military since 2000. Dro tiko e loma ni yaloka! The best thing for this nation is to disband the military, send them all to the village to go and plant and kana mai na buno ni matanidemu! Sa rauta na free ride tiko, coba na uniform ni vakacagina wavoki! Dou kubu mada ga nomudou dakai!
October 3, 2008 at 3:58 pm
I would have to use lace for the soldiers and crutchless for Francis , what a sight !
October 3, 2008 at 4:00 pm
Oh certainly true, it does attract men of low morality and changes them into men of higher morale values whose value are far more important then their very own lives. As for the Vuli part, why do you always have to reiterate your brilliance and intelligence. We may not be able to compare ourselves to your level of intellect, but we dumb people always say that empty cans always tend to make louder noises.
As for your debate on moral convictions….we took over based on our moral values, we acted on our moral conviction that what was happening was immoral…and so we acted. You see the difference between us the less educated and you the far more intelligent is that when we act, you guys still take too much time in figuring out what just happended. Having the slightest idea of what just hit you in the rear.
So because u r all still contemplating the finer details of what should we do…we the less educated have decided to take this country forward. So think and drem all u can. Bcause the more u do the better it becomes for the lesser educated people of this country who we are doing this for.
Anyways Luv man
October 3, 2008 at 4:01 pm
Good idea Joe Lad
Lace and crutch-less for Francis and the boys at the ” Camp ” it up !
October 3, 2008 at 4:04 pm
Joe lad
I can just see Francis and Co. wearing crutch-less lace knickers , what a sight !
October 3, 2008 at 4:04 pm
October 3, 2008 at 4:09 pm
And so it is Friday!! You just might get a laugh out of this one from our Discombulated Bubu: a great weekend to y’all!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
A stroll through the Cassava Patch
Bainimarama was walking through the cassava patch near the Nabua Creek after a stressful day presiding over his ego.
‘What majestic leaves!’
‘What powerful water!’
‘Even the animals are smiling at me!’
He said to himself.
As he was walking near the creek, he heard a rustling in the bushes behind him. He turned to look, and saw a 7-foot grizzly bear charging towards him.
He ran as fast as he could up the path. He looked over his shoulder and saw that the bear was closing in on him.
He looked over his shoulder again, and the bear was even closer. He tripped and fell on the ground. He rolled over to pick himself up but saw that the bear was right on top of him, reaching for him with his left paw and raising his right paw to strike him.
At that instant Bainimarama cried out, ‘Oh my God!’
Time Stopped.
The bear froze.
The tapioka leaves became still and silent.
As a bright light shone upon the man, a voice came out of the sky. ‘You deny my existence for all these years, teach others I don’t exist, and even credit your coup-evils to me. Do you expect me to help you out of this predicament? Am I to count you as a believer?’
Bainimarama looked directly into the light and said, ‘It would be hypocritical of me to suddenly ask you to treat me as a Christian now, but perhaps you could make the BEAR a Christian?’
‘Very Well,’ said the voice.
The light went out. The sounds of the Tapioka forest resumed.
And the bear dropped his right paw, brought both paws together, bowed his head & spoke…
‘Lord bless this food, which I am about to receive from thy bounty through Christ our Lord, Amen.’ ENDS
October 3, 2008 at 4:11 pm
A sight indeed Mark.
October 3, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Luvfiji
lol’s
October 3, 2008 at 5:11 pm
@JL, God created life, you do not have the right nor the license to take it away, to such extent that you debase/value your low morality more than your life. Sounds llike a very screwed up bunch of morons up there at camp! De human bombs! Maybe you will just self destruct otherwise let the bears run loose in the camp me so tale e ciciva na tavioka patch. Vinaka bubu, & Luvfiji!
October 3, 2008 at 5:40 pm
Joe Lad – sorry if my comments offend but if what you find offensive are my remarks about bush lawyers, personal dishonesty of those coup apologists (and often their families in receipt of benefits), their suspect credentials, certain of the clergy (a minority), then I’m afraid I can’t withdraw them.
Are you suggesting Human Rights are intact? seriously? The most fundamental human rights have been removed by this junta.
As for the church, there are quite a few where I live (Catholics) that are absolutely disgusted with the the church leadership and their failure to at least chastise some of the leadership in FIji. It really does smack of the kind of abuse they’d all hoped was being dealt with globally.
All that is quite apart from what this coup has done to the reputation of the RFMF.
October 3, 2008 at 5:51 pm
@JW – Someone gave me a botlle of JW Blue Label which I had only seen in duty free and never contemplated buying, it nade me think of you.
A class act still going strong.
I think this is an important issue to resolve. leaving aside the personal circumstances of Alipate Qetaki and to be quite honest I know who he is but don’t know him personally or well enough to hold an opinion.
If we are not able to fight the army with force because they are armed, what are other strategies we can use to come to an amicable solution effectively disarming them.
How do we “make” them listen to our voices and take into account the essence of the truth we speak?
The burning house analogy is tired and rings hollow and saying they are moving the ciuntry forward is a stupid cliche because we do not have national agreement on the direction, let alone the route and speed.
Thus my point about working with them to effect change from the inside, though I do undertand that in terms of maintaining a moral standpoint, one cannot even be seen to have compromised.
However when house is broken down and dirty and you have to fix it, you will also have to get dirty. I know this is another cheap analogy but lets take your argument to what is perhaps an illogical conclusion.
I maybe getting this wrong but am sure you will “gently” correct me.
Sometime ago I raised the point about instructing our respective accounts people to hold the PAYE portion of our salaries in a suspense account and only forward to FIRCA after elections according to the constitution.
I also said that one has to be prepared for a legal challenge and there is the argument about our liability being to the administrative arm of the government and not to any political arm of government or a regime.
In addition I fully appreciate not everyone can give such instructions as a form of protest as you have to be in a senior enough position so that even the CFO takes instructions from you.
I am bringing all of this up because if I follow your argument to the nth degree, does that mean all wo are paid from tax revenue are being paid illegally and should not accept their regular salaries?
Even if they were civil servants well before Frankie got the twinkle in his eye.
Best way to resolve this is as follows. Weather is Suva is overcast and cold. My aunt is making a huge bombay pot of hot (very gaga) boneless lamb curry in marsala with stacks of fresh roti. Come on over and we can wash it down with the blue label. Ask Tim to bring the ginger ale and soda water but it has to be Canada Dry.
October 3, 2008 at 5:53 pm
Yeah, show ur true colors, its ticking your emotions…but that natural from people who think they are so smart, they dont even know where to start. Grow up man, look at reality and ask urself…is talking enough.
If you want to show your moral conviction then stand up, why are you afraid to…or is it more simpler to hide behind the backs of the people you say you champion….
We may be screwed up, but when it comes to the crunch time, you guys go hide under the bedsheets, whilst we take care of making those hard decisions, because after all your moral values are an abstract not reality, you live your moral convictions in your minds, we live it in our daily lives even until the good lord re-calls us back into his heavenly grace.
As for your fairy tale LUVfiji, thats pathetic, dont you have anything else to bring into this forumn then all that garbage…cmon, lets stick to the facts, we dont want to know the level of your mental imaginations, I mean is that really how you think things would end up as…my goodness I though I was speaking to a bunch of intellectuals, it seems you professors have nothing else to cook up but your wild imaginations. Im glad the country is not being led by a bunch of people who think bears can speak and say prayers what ignorance amd blasphemy..
Anyway…peace and love.
October 3, 2008 at 6:11 pm
& my Tau Islandboy,
I once told my wife that there was a Blue label JW and she thought I was making it up because she only knew of the red and black label. I told her that the blue label was of a much higher quality and until she actually saw one in a duty free shop did she believe it existed.
Kua ni leqa my tau, lia boto na siga, tou na qaimarautaka na blue label koya and it will be my shout.
Au sa loloma tu yani vei qei ena kuro curry oqori, kau nanumi au talega ena roti malumu mai noda.
Have a blessed weekend my tau.
October 3, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Yet another opportunist gets to again ride in an air-conned govt pajero behind a govt driver coz he can’t drive.
The IG are so blinkered they continue their dance with devils diametrically opposed to their rhetoric of ‘non-racialism’ and anti-corruption. The old git was interim AG after both 1987 and 2000 coups, helped write the 1990 constitution and ordered staff at the official receiver’s office to shred his bankruptcy files when he was PS Justice.
Are we to believe he has now renounced his racist views? I suppose after “democracy is a foreign flower” matapolo finau tabakaucoro joined the bandwagon, Qet wasn’t far behind in jumping on the bandwagon.
October 3, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Yet another opportunist gets to again ride in an air-conned govt pajero behind a govt driver coz he can’t drive.
The IG are so blinkered they continue their dance with devils diametrically opposed to their rhetoric of ‘non-racialism’ and anti-corruption. The old git was interim AG after both 1987 and 2000 coups, helped write the 1990 constitution and ordered staff at the official receiver’s office to shred his bankruptcy files when he was PS Justice.
Are we to believe he has now renounced his racist views? I suppose after “democracy is a foreign flower” matamapolo finau tabakaucoro joined the bandwagon, Qet wasn’t far behind in jumping on the bandwagon.
October 3, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Joe Lad – are you the new Budhau?
He had a good run, and was an interesting distraction. But he inevitably ran out of steam (just like Concerned, Ali, Satish, VTS, Niggy Tardust etc. before him) because paid ghost-writing simply can’t compete with genuine outrage of people who are just reacting naturally to injustice and stupidity.
Your logic is tired and contrived, and like Budhau, you will also eventually tire of the months of mental contortion required just to keep up with the debate when people don’t even bother reading your posts anyway.
Hope you enjoy soaking in your own poison over the coming months – you won’t achieve anything other than that!
October 3, 2008 at 9:13 pm
Hey Joe Lard, the average IQ of the Rotten Fijian Murdering Farce is 70.
If you include bananasinpyjamas, it is 50.
October 3, 2008 at 9:13 pm
If you include Joe lard, it is 30.
October 3, 2008 at 10:51 pm
Well Well – looks who Joe’s blowing now.
October 4, 2008 at 7:36 am
Joe LArd
JL
The only reason why the FMF took the action it took was becasue the officer corp was so stupid that it believed the dribble fed to them by FB who was actually acting on behalf of the politicians behind the scenes. You will note that members of the IG are begining to turn on each other – the same will happen to the officer corp – those with some sense of decency left as they beging to realise the enormity of their stupidity. Clean UP? What Clean up! The FMF has beeen dragged down the tube to protect the stupidity of one man who ordered the murder of his own men!!!
This is the leader that you are defending. Let us not forget the reason for the coup – that it was the law was catching up with Fb and he needed a way out!!
Finally JL – FB will abandon you once he no longer has any use for you – his track record to date speaks volumes!
October 4, 2008 at 7:55 am
@JLab- did your precious voceke share his $184,000 with you? No? You don’t know? See, this is what happens when soldiers blindly follow their leader for the crumbs he throws in their way. Hitller thought exactly as you guys- to clean up the nation… history looks back to see only a dirty rotten scoundrel and a scumbag who was forced to take his own life to escape the wrath of justice. That is what blind stupidity does.
October 4, 2008 at 8:26 am
Thats right @Patience – Yet another opportunist; yet another from Tailevu!
Never to be outdone, AQ had to jump on to the bandwagon. No qualms on that one, his reputation was already tainted anyway. The iIG just took long deciding on him. I wish him well!
Vinaka na bili Tailevu. Draki e dai lave na rara na Rt Cakobau – me ratou lesu lala na cauravou mai na ‘noca’! Go GREEN!!
October 4, 2008 at 6:10 pm
O rau qo o Vore kei Qetaki..na ka ga me tukuni….sa leqa ga mai tailevu sa rui sivia na gusu kabasu qai viavia turaga. Koya e sega ni turaga ena saga tikoga me Turaga..qo sa karua ga ni koro oya mai Kadavu o tavuki o koya sega ni dodonu me Ratu e sa na yaco ga me na Ratu ena yacana ena nodra viavia levu..Dua na kena vakaraitaki qori o Jo Nawalowalo e sega ni mai turaga sa mai vaka Ratu taki tiko..Sa da dui toka mada ga ena vanua dodonu me da toka kina baleta qori ga na vu ni kena caka na coup..Tmata kece e via rogo tiko..Ke a vakarorogo o Vore ke sega ni caka na coup..Na nona via rogo kei na nona viavialevu sa mai noda tu kina qo na i samu ni dawa…Sa rauta mada!!!1..sa sega ni rawa ni da vosa kece ..Me so ena vakarorog me rawa kina na toso..Sa dri yani!!
October 4, 2008 at 10:33 pm
Thanks @ Abeche.
And may I add that apart from their stupidity and bankrupt morality in agreeing to be accomplices in their failed ‘cover-up’ coo-coo, it was basically GREED for more $$$ that sealed the deal.
So how can one see these rottenfmf council as being any better than the COMMON ROBBERS and THIEVES that we read about in the media. In fact, these so-called smarty-pants, well-travelled & trained MILITARY OFFICERS are the worst kind of thieves because they’re like wolves in sheep’s clothing.. the foxes in charge of the hen house.. the S.O.B’s that preach & preach their BS until they start to believe it themselves that they’re really doing Fiji a favour… when in fact, they’re all guilty of capital offences that would hve warranted a death penalty if not for the human rights component in our Constitution!
October 6, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Qetaki is from a warrior tribe for the Vunivalu. what a shame!!!!