Ezekiel

A warning worth heeding: Chapters 2,3,4. Read this moning and made perfect sense.

Paternal Discrepancy

A while ago I read the betrayal of a husband by his wife in that he never knew he was raising somebody elses son until he encountered an incident during his boys' baseball game. Just as his boy was about to bat, he stood up to cheer his boy on but suddenly there was someone else who stood up and the resemblence was almost unmistakeable and started shouting and cheering as well. What happened was he went home, didn't finish his sons game and started on a fact finding mission and booked for a paternity test to determine who the father really is. Results came out and all the worst fears was realised, he was not the father, confronted his wife who denied point blank but the test was there. The term used for this type of thing is "paternity discrepancy". Knowing the truth is the onus of the concerned father himself. How do you react when the truth is revealed? Is the human intellect capable of forgiving such betrayal? Well one things for sure, failure to find out the truth might mean your genes end with you, it doesn't make you wonder why our ancestors had many wives, it could have been the fact that spreading the net so to speak would bolster their chances of survival but some might disagree, hey, we are not all the same actually some battles are fought this way to breed the other side to extinction. We have come so far but looking at our history when the Radini Levuka, the Vunivalu of Bau Ratu Nailatikau's wife was impregnated by Niumataiwalu founder of the Vuanirewa clan one would think that the child would have been killed with his father but it wasn't the case, Ratu Nailatikau raised the child himself and later became Vunivalu himself. But then again the prupose of him raising the child and whether he had other wifes who bore him sons is yet to be known because only Ratu Banuve seems to be prominent in digital records.
Lets head back to the the topic and delve more on its inception how it is brought about, infidelity, promiscuity the casual, sex friends with benefits and many more feel free to drop some in. Okay but the thing is the search for the truth is always the painful part but for I wouldn't settle for nothing less, if my wife is involved in infidelity I wouldn't mind hearing the truth, it won't kill me life goes on although years of trust gone down the drain but its always better late then never. Rise again and move on. 

Concocted Peace

On a far away land where skirmishes and killing was part of everyday living the more advanced or should I say the civilised side decided to put together a plan not only for the safety of their wealth but their future as well. The rest of the world was becoming tired of tyrants and oppression and the UN has just been formed for its purpose of expelling notions of dictatorialship and the assurance that the world conforms to a certain principle that every race regardless of differences has a right to live peacefully in the world. The leaders of the one side knew that it would be time before the rest of the world would be looking into their backyard. So a plan was weaved to infiltrate the other race without them noticing any difference and in turn unite them without fighting, this is a case almost similar to a cancer but this one the virus is planted and it weakens or diverts them to the required path. So they found one of the other factions own to do the deed for them. He goes through a scrutinised process to ensure no one becomes the wiser. Lead the country, end the war and bring about a smooth transition of leadership through the guise of peace. It is a tactic which could be brought about by the determination to survive on the other hand for the unsuspecting party its almost like watching a predator stalk and kill its prey, the depressing part is that that person and his lot stand to gain but the rest of their people are weakened further to the extremes of silence.  

A life of debt

 Living in debts could be one of the worst feelings that one could have, I didn't say the worst but one of the worst. Now that I have been ridden with it and trying to fight my way out of it, I felt it was my own negligence that has gotten me this way. Laziness, negligence, disregard and slackness seemed to be the order of the day for sometime now a trait which I have felt has crept in. From this experience I would rather not go through an ordeal such as this again. I know I'm not the only one, after appying for a refinance I was somehow surprised at the amount of files stacked with declined written on the paper band that held those file. It was thick enough that I knew if that girl carried it, she might have back cramps, that brought a little relief but still the thing is I didn't care about the debt but how I ended up to be such a wimp with that debt makes me doubting myself........  

The Wicked Man

 

“I am a wicked man... But do you know, gentlemen, what was the main point about my wickedness? The whole thing, precisely was, the greatest nastiness precisely lay in my being shamefully conscious every moment, even in moments of the greatest bile, that I was not only not a wicked man but was not even an embittered man, that I was simply frightening sparrows in vain, and pleasing myself with it.”

― Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Notes from Underground

Customary Proceedings

I could have chosen a better topic to accompany the change in name of my blog but I felt this was worthy enough. Sometimes it feels as though I'm looking for a tool that fits the job.......hmm
It is a talked about issue nowadays for the Itaukei communities how we are coping with our traditional obligations as opposed to our domestic or family responsibilities. Nowadays the main factor is how hard one is able to cope with the costs of attending to these obligations and upholding our traditions. This has lead to the attempted reseaches by various institution to bring to light the issues surrounding these complications of the Itaukei way of life. The question is, are traditions based or governed by a set of rules that determines its acceptance in a society or is it made to depict the nature of that society and its surroundings or is it a divine structure that we adhere to with strict attention to its details. Sometimes I ponder and realise this is just our doing.
During a talanoa session we had a discussion on how difficult it is to find a Tabua(whales tooth). To those who don't know, it is an item of great reverance in the Itaukei culture and holds its status in the hierachy of Fijian traditions. The gravity of the gathering or traditional obligation would determine its presence and sometimes how one perceives it to be. So we talked about how at different Itaukei customs the presentation of tabua would also allow the other side to return the gesture. In doing so every one goes back with something unlike in other customs as in mine the Tabua once presented does not anticipate such gesture. Though a marked difference it is still the Itaukei tradition and one would notice the difference in traditions even within Fiji.
After that small talanoa session I thought long and hard of why do we have that difference. Well heres my attempt in trying to shed some light on this subject. The presentation of the Tabua back to the presenting party is a show of respect and acknowledgement of their presentation. On the other hand there's the possibility that certain traditions are sometimes associated with their geographic location. It would be reasonable to note if Fijians from inland, the mountanous regions, would derive such tradition to avoid the scarcity of Tabua and ensure it's presence, hence the question Tabua could only have found their way up there if there was trade in exchange for big timbers that were used to build big bures and war canoes with the coastal tribes or those who have lived out in the islands with their links intact to the mainland and links which was as clear as day in those times for the frequency of their travel and visit.  

Lets end there for today...   

A City Indeed

During our photo control work around western Viti Levu, it was the first time for me to see and set foot back in a place where a lot of stories of Fijian history resides. That place is Rakiraki or the yasana of Ra. All of my preconceived ideas and wrong expectations about the place was quickly transformed into curious questions as to why this beautiful and breathtaking place had so many negative attachments to it. The stories of the Kalou ni Draki, the witchcraft pratices, criminals and the recent disappearance of the Lata sisters somehow draws my attention back to a conversation I had with this man from Nakorotubu in Ra about a statement that Ratu Madraiwiwi( Ratu Sukuna's father) made during his term as the 1st Roko Tui Ra; this people or their land is never to be a strategic part in Fijis development now and in the future. Then it reminded me of the exile of the Na Vosa Vakadua from Drauniivi a Fijian history not seen by our educators as worth teaching, I for one feel disgusted about all this nonsense, this Fijian history which needs to be taught in school of what reality is and what really happened to the changes in time and how those changes affected us Fijians, if it had been taught I cannot even imagine how differently our young ones would seen dvelopment and advancement. We don't need weak educators, if can't bite the bullet on certain issues then we will continue to be a whining nation whining and whining. Back to Ra. The first impression of the place and the many islands floating beside it just made me realise of how blessed our ancestors was, if this was truly the first place they settled in.
Recently the story of the girl found in a yacht bound for overseas led me to question as to how they got caught now and not then, is this political, why did they get caught now, I thought of calling my friend in Rakiraki Mr George Shiu Raj who might be able to lend a few insight as to why this is happening in Rakiraki but no I just went with my gut instincts on this and something surely wasn't sitting right in my stomach.
While there during the field work I saw just how magnificent the place was, we went to a trig next to a Telecom substation and all I could see was breathtaking, every story that I used to hear has just been put to shame. It was just perfect, the weather was fine, clear sun, less clouds and I could only imagine if that was how it looked when it was settled, those blesssed people. Nakauvadra laid on the right and the array of islands laid along the coast. Then we went inland nothing seemed to change, fertile land, healthy people and boisterous children. I have never seen a place so blessed that I felt that this people have been denied something for so long.
Its location, the close proximity of it to Vanua Levu makes it an ideal place for a central  port in Viti Levu or link between the two islands. Not only that there is even closer links between the people itself they could have been traversing those waters daily back in the days as Bua is visible from Rakiraki. I believe a city is to be built there, Waila is to close to Suva can't have that. If ever there was a place to initiate the Look North policy Rakiraki would be the platform for that. Rakiraki has the potential to sustain its new development.

If ever there was a time to put Bauan supremacy aside and really think about the advancement of ITaukei and our nation as a whole then this is the time for those who really care about their land and start thinking about this in the long run and seriously for the furtue of our nation.

Don't choke on that.

Keeping Up Appearances

I liked this sitcom when it came on Fiji One a long time ago. I felt sorry for the husband every time I watched it. Well watching the Miss Universe final judging, there was a category which would require the contestant to elaborate on humanitarian projects that they have taken up, the category being Beauty with a Purpose potrays a very important role that women play in society. Could we have that for our Hibicus Queens in the coming years? Sitted at the judges table was Nelson Mandelas son, who is also a strong advocate of humanitarian projects in his own country and around the world I presume. South Africa nowadays takes the leading role in terms of development in Africa and they have a very solid structure, thanks to the mixture of people in their country. The recent mining incident in South Africa has somehow given the world a different view of other developments in the country. The order to give the permission shoot to kill must be investigated as to how it led to that decision. The police are supposed to be protecting the law and working within it to prevent or limit the loss of life if it can. The miners had no guns but were shot down like dogs, was the situation assesed before acting leaves a lot of doubt into the execution of their duties as police officers.  Not long ago Australia was highlighted as a country which had police officers who were either trigger happy or  not trained well enough to tend to certain situations deemed combustible. I thought those shooting were the companies security..........I could be wrong maybe the government didn't want any interference in the mining.   

Who is willing.

Something funny just happened something must have taken my old post away. Let me just try and get this up and running again. I mentioned that in ancient Fijian history there lived extraordinary men who conquered and extended their territory with brains and brawn(known back then as a QAQA). I tried to compare this story with our current situation,  the common name bickering. I have always believed that history is always worth a look at to draw lessons from. Characters of such men are hardly seen in our country nowadays which we had plenty of in those days. Many say that they were possesed by dark forces, I totally disregard that claim made by some of our very own Fijians that all of them were. Some of them were truly daring and fearless men, if it was so the fighting spirit of the current generation could be said as such. Yes I'll admit that their beliefs was different but our (human being) inquisitiveness has always led us to explore and adapt. But we are living in an enlightened era. Which leads me to my former post as to the true meaning of the existence of Fiji. What was Fiji? Was there a greater vision for Fiji? Who created  Fiji? Is Fiji only a tiny speck in the Pacific submitting to the current state of affairs not of our choosing? Are there traits about its people that will need our history to be revised and meticulously rewritten. I asked in my previous post if we were once a powerful force in the Pacific worth of mention within the echlons of great empires of ancient times and with the current developments of the present.
20 or 10 yrs ago we wouldn't have dreamt of other races being called Fijians for whatever reason. Now we have got a decree that has enforced this over the land. No one is willing to put something solid on the table.  I said that this was unchartered waters for Fijians and will only be perceived as a threat rather then an advancement of Fijian ideals. Rightly so as we put it our land is our identity. A man once told me if don't have courage to change and move on you'll create a bottle neck for advancement, you will not discover new things or ideas and you in turn become territorial of your status and avoid developing your family, people, community and your country. To be honest our current mindset creates a stagnant environment. The institutions that leaders of the post colonial era have created have some advantages and also disadvantages.Its advantage is that we have something we can call our own hence the name I taukei, Itaukei Land Trust Board and so on or take ownership of. In retrospect those ancient men of the past never lingered long within the comforts of his surroundings or rested on their laurels, it is not a trait of extraordinary men.
I guess you're all waiting for this one. Yes, I still stand by my earlier post. A mataqali or Yavusa to be created for and ownership of land for other races which will also bring some meaning and belonging to the common name. Religious denomination should not be a factor but we must still acknowledge the fact that it is also an integral part of our recent status, the acceptance of Christianity. There is a big difference between hostile takeover and conservative adaptation. I guess I've covered all the angles, what do you think.... Now, the lali of conservative adaptation is to echo throughout the land.....

Jeremaia.Buinimasi

^{EZEKIEL 47: 21-23
21} “So you shall divide this land among you according to the tribes of Israel. ²² You shall allot it as an inheritance for yourselves and for the sojourners who reside among you and have had children among you. They shall be to you as native-born children of Israel. With you they shall be allotted an inheritance among the tribes of Israel. ²³ In whatever tribe the sojourner resides, there you shall assign him his inheritance, declares the Lord God.

Inclusive State

Since class six I learnt this three systems or principles, segregation, integration and inclusion in our social science classes and it somehow has stuck with me till today. Maybe it triggered something in me as a young Fijian boy, learning and discovering the way the world is and how we lived in Fiji, to be honest up until today whenever I think of it, it stirs my imagination and has somehow given me a perspective through the years of the discord that we face as individuals and as a society. I started to grasp the way things were back then and now as we embark on a journey that some of us are fortunate or ill-fated to be part of which will be decided by time is only left for the imagination to ponder upon its likely outcome then its prefered one. I for one am a firm believer in the uplifting of the human state to achieve its intended purpose for whatever field or life that he or she dreams of and aspires to be. Could we create a perfect system for that? If heaven is what it is compared to, creating a heaven on earth is the probable intention. We can only have something similar to it but never the original version. The capability  of mankind is only exact and cannot be futher then its limits. But our frailty has always been the defining factor that leads us to unsettle the balance set out by the MASTER himself. I believe in general consensus for the betterment of the whole but the shift of significance is worth a pause and a long and tedious consultation. 

Misrepresentation or wrong association

In my opinion this is rife in our community maybe for a defiency in mental capacity or just outright stupidity. Lately I've noticed that people in our community are quick to associate a word to an organisation or movement. For example a Fijian says Soul its quickly associated with Souls to Jesus or any word for that matter without being properly grasped a similar example would be the word "GAY" it used to mean happy but now its just being associated with "homosexuals" a stolen identity if I may it should be called that (homosexual) because its a freak of nature, a craving for the same gender something is certainly not right somewhere. I believe this association stole that . If that is the case, how are we going to move further and if foreigners are quick to grasp the meaning before our very own, good for them at least they are not as stupid as some us are and as some of them are. We cannot change the past but if we are to build a new nation based on its influential people thinking along this line, we might as well start thinking of massive insurance deals or complete overhaul of the system. It is no surprise that when extraordinary things happen in our country people are bemused mainly for their lack of belief or understanding that it is possible. It is this type of people we need to be aware of. I have long expirienced this through my school days and I have found out that we will waste our time in trying to convince them. Just do it sit back and watch them marvel and listen to their analysis and their insight on what is happening, sad to say you can't catch what you can't see. I tell you I'm enjoying this and savoring every little moment the twists and turns. The mode of these events are landslide and tsunami with a pinch of whipstorm and a slight flooding if you wanna call it that. I understand you didn't get a single thing I just mentioned, well all Icansay is catch up or you'll be left behind WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY BEHIND. Okay wrong associaters, is that a word,you get my meaning I might just have a little fun with you guys. Don't I just make you think with subsequent bursts of anti-climatic intervals and it goes on and on and on. One moment you think you got it the next, no it's like this well I never meant it to be that way but hey you came along lets get it on.

Sign out with John Cenas signature gesture.

What is in a name.

When this name issue came up, trying to have a common identity and being called Fijian I felt a little outdone. Come to think of it was quickly approved without extensive consultation. Mr Yabaki encountered alot of resentment and disaproval from the Fijian community in contrast to his submission that led to the use of the name, I felt a decision was already made and if this was just a show to make us think that our opinion matters which I hope will not be the case in this  constitution consultation process, whatever the outcomes we must remember everything done dishonestly will not survive long and will become an embarrassing legacy for those who are pushing it through. The fear of GOD is certainly missing.  This subject will continue to linger on without proper closure if the resentment is still there like an unhealed wound, a little scratch and it would become a sore again. Contemplating on it lead me to the story of the two women in the proverbs who went to Solomon to settle their disputes on who should have custody of the infant child that was living. The one who had lost hers agreed that they should split literally cut the child in half and the other whose child lived decided to be given to the other woman so that the child would survive. In the end to keep it short King Solomon decided to give the child to the woman who felt that the child should live and the other woman be hung and killed. Pause, reflection.

I found this issue of having a common name to be a bit similar or having a plot similar to it. The name being the child and the mothers the races whose name is being disputed.

I leave it to the floor.     

Divide and Rule

Divide and rule is a combination of political, military and economic strategy of gaining and maintaining power by breaking up larger concentrations of power into chunks that individually have less power than the one implementing the strategy. That my friends is straight out from wikipedia thanks to them. This strategy has been engaged throughout history and it shouldn't be new to us if you know history. One could say that it also correlates with human behaviour, how we interact hence the execution of such tactics, well we can't behave like anything else but humans so this strategy will stand the test of time. Power struggle or destroying a premonition that an intact group could cause havoc later. However this is a strategy that can be employed by both sides but who ever executes it perfectly would be elevated. It is always done in absolute discretion without the unsuspecting party knowing the concealed motives of the other.
Fiji is no stranger to this tactics as it was employed by our ancestors in raw cloak and dagger fashion but who would have thought that we would be trapped in our own devices. The Tongans are a respectable people, formidable opponents in the past and more so in Pacific politics most recently. It would be a big mistake or a bad miscalculation on our part if we stand back and let things happen the way its going right now. It only takes a moment of slackness to let the devil in. Though we are neighbours, history has enlightened us just how treacherous the Tongans can be, their influence over Polynesia is evident of their prowess. Fiji is no exception if choose to ignore them. This day and age we fight on a different front, politics, economics and if unavoided military intervention which is why education seems to be the acquired choice of weapons(knowledge is power) for an all out modern war. It gives me the chills to think of it but it cannot be ignored a cold war is inevitable. I would shout just to drive the point home, THE FIJIANS(ITAUKEI whichever arsehole came up with the name) ARE SCATTERED OR HAVE BEEN DIVIDED. Well thats the true picture we are divided but their is hope and the only thing that can unite us FIJIANS is....I won't say it because revealing it would mean giving up our ONLY source of strength. Observing the Tongans operate is like watching a painter on a canvas, the patience, almost meticulous like an archeologist. But everything has its weakness once you identify it, well, you are in a position to make deals or just exterminate it. But we are a enlightened people(found the true and living GOD) we forgive and move on.

The Annan Dilemma

I used to see Kofi Annan as a respectable man but not lately, sometimes you can almost see him dancing to a different tune or a being a puppet on a string. Quite an observation from a far away land and yet we live under the same sun, rain is part of our seasons and even the sea water is still salty and what the f.. is he doing poking his nose on a fight that he won't understand if he can feel the loss of the people on the streets then he would shut his mouth go back to his land and sought out the shit thats all over Africa ohh his more sophiscated to be entangled in Africa or am I wrong or whoever is behind him I guess its time for you to start exercising some resposibility and honesty and submit that you just cannot control things anymore.

AM I CLOSE 

Game Theft

Let us talk about sports, what it was made for, what were the intentions of the creation of such games and as naturally with all things through time its role in our society has seen extraordinary changes the early twentieth century has seen the explosion of professionalism in sports and its portrayal on the world stage celebrated to captivate the human mind. Through the years sports has also been identified as marginalized, well lets take a look at the local scene here in Fiji the development of various sports and their current status. Lets take soccer and rugby for example then will come to other sports where its current racial demography tells of how it was back then since our country got introduced to these western games so to speak and its development through the years. We tend to look far in order to answer our questions about being identified as one people but we don't realize that our very past time, entertainment or amusement lopsided with race substances. In a way we can say we're relaxing through undetected flaws or errors. Since we are pushing for a one nation one people system we start by tearing down the walls of segregation from our sporting bodies lets if they truly have the sport and Fiji at heart. Sports should be enjoyed by everybody when it fails to do that then its place in society is questionable for that particular sport and surely its status is compromised.

About to be redeemed.

Some believe the sins of our fathers lives on to create havoc on the next generation or so. At first I tend to think otherwise, it is natural human behavior that we master our own destiny rather than it being controlled by a higher power or an entity beyond our understanding. At times I too lack the natural instinct that I should be accustomed to now without questioning its supremacy, I have myself to blame for that, wanting at times. It is the realization of the presence of God that reignites the belief and the faith that in time all will be moved to its rightful place. Every altercation done by men to suit its current status will be reversed. This natural change was bound to happen. As we speak it is happening and no one can stop it. Redemption is an inevitable  process that can never be walked over.  As of today it hurts me more then I can say that we are now in a state of war, the war chests are being dusted slowly, the war temperament is being triggered. Lo and behold this war will be a testament to the resolve of the few remaining believers in a proud and strong nation free of greed and self interest, the politicians will not be spared as well. It is as though nature has become one with the crying souls of this land.  

In Gods Time. 

Where Eagles Dare

The succession of a new leader or visionary to carry things forward to the future is always a critical issue depending on which field he is in. The competition begins as soon as the holder declares his status of relinquishing the position.  One has to study the behaviour of eagles to understand why it is King of the sky. In stormy winds it is the only bird that dares to take flight. Maybe it is an inbuilt system by God to show us the magnificense of this animal and maybe learn something from it and almost draws a similar comparison to the breaking of the open ocean on the reefs. In it's tumultuous and aggressive approach it is suddenly brought to its calmness along the reefs and it leads to the question of how nature deals with its own aggression and how the master architect puts in place natural objects to show the way of how amidst all the turmoil and ambiguity clarity is obtained.  May God provide for us abundantly and his choosing be respected and accepted till eternity. 

True modernization

Since independence, this concept or idea has not fully materialized. If our current situation is something to be described as our current status in modernization then I would say its a big pile of crap,shit for that matter and we are living in it. We think we speak, dress and behave like other modernized society that that is it, hell no, the problem with our early modernizers is lack of vision. I have always thought that previous leaders were narrow minded (lacked vision) and passive, coming to grips with our real situation and I haven't been proven wrong. The only thing that is rife in Fiji is opportunist and dangerously so the so called who's who of Fiji, what a bunch of glory seeking arseholes and scum of the earth group. All of them the responsible Itaukei groups and the other races who have turned this place into a struggling economy. But we are an educated society, civilized for that matter....I've got this to say to that GOD HELP US ALL.

Amounting to Something

It is basic human behavior to be envious of someone you don't like, to be prospering and it takes exceptional understanding to be sound with it. Through this we unravel the levels (basic to exceptional) of human behavior that we toil to understand and at  times blinds our actions. Envy, rage, suspicious, mistrustful, hate, lust, greed and many more. Do you wonder why? Yes, you will. We are human beings, even the earth was created with its hurricanes, storms, earthquakes and disasters yet we tend to agree with its existence more then our own intrapersonal disasters? We have even gone to the extent of trying to wipe it out indefinitely then you'll have to wipe out the human race because we are born with it or wipe out the planet. Nowadays we have developed early warning systems to detect and track disaster thanks to our advancements but the our intrapersonal development seems to elude us. Whatever we might think of it is all part of our human personality and the technique is to master it....In itself it is part of the whole..simple no, it takes endurance, experience, resolve, sacrifices and forgiveness to name a few. Try achieving one at a time and by all means supplement it with the word of GOD in the Bible.

Bye for now..    

Smearing Dirt

Ohh man this week just started with a bang.
What is a smile worth in this type of environment? I'll lay it out for you, A BIG CANE (or a small dagger) KNIFE ON YOUR BACK.....lol. You don't have to guess how deep it is, you can judge by how well she maintains the smile, that's  how long and deep the cut is gonna be. Come on man. Yeah everyday I'm shuffling....I always find the quote, "Everyday is a new day to learn something new about somebody" the best approach in knowing someone.  But leave the bad and take the good, yeah right take the bad as well it might come in handy.

Peace out man...I can't stop laughing.

Black pig to the rescue.

I had a peculiar dream while sleeeping at home in the early hours of last Sunday, I could tell becoz I woke to the sound of the lali maybe to the second calling. To be be frank I didn't see the wild black pig, I could only see the black snake coming towards me, I thought why the f.. would I be dreaming of a black snake, just as it was about to go at me, out of nowhere this black pig appears and snatches it in its midair lunge and I could see the black pigs teeth and the snake clutched on it. I gotta say this is the first, I've had dreams before but not as vivid as these. Just like to share it with those who visit blog.

Happy dreaming.

Setting the proper ground work

If one thing has been revealed by the current floods that wreaked havoc in the western division it is the proper ground work. In Fiji the problem is prevalent in making a quick buck takes precedence over safety. During its undertaking (quick buck ventures) the weather might be fine or theres been a long series of acceptable conditions to go ahead but who can forecast the future, ten years ahead  so to speak. Maybe it is becoz we have different beliefs or coincidence for some or fate for the religious.  Whichever it may be it still points to the inevitable, disasters do happen because its how the world operates. It is how nature balances itself and how do we create a comfortable environment for settling down on? That is it. We study the environment that we are about to settle in to suit us and also for future developments but what blinds us or deter us from these studies or assesment so to speak? Who would blame them, back then they were just a bunch of cane cutters and Fijians prematurely exposed to the western way of life  without even understanding their ideology. To make it worse we haven't even solved this issue (improper planning) and have embarked on daring development expansion further deteriorating the problems, it's when certain events as these occur that the realization sets in, this is a reason why the shelved river diversion project which was proposed years ago is being seriously looked at now. We might still be bearing the brunt of paying the loan in completing the project but years down the line we have saved lives foremost then houses, farms and the local economy. People who stand in the way of certain undertakings should be pushed aside more so arrested locked and the keys thrown away.    

Will and Bill the Krills

I was watching Happy Feet 2 with my 2 kids at home, it was when we came to this part where the swarm of krills were moving and going about their day to day activities introduces Will who tends to defy the nature of a krills life in swimming in swarms, so he makes his point known to his friend that he tends to swim out of the swarm and wants to see what life is like from the swarm. Eventually he succeeds and this is the part which struck a chord, Will and his friend Bill realise that their purpose in life is to be lunch, dinner and breakfast for the different species living in the ocean much to Wills resentment of their status.

It is surprising that sometimes we have to learn lessons from the way things play out naturally in nature in this case though we tend to think for the krill in order to expose a message.  The reality for human beings is not far off in fact is not so pleasant, there are instances where citizens of a country a like these krills swimming in one direction taken by the current but the most hurting thing is throughout their lives they are unaware of the truth of what lies beneath. The thought overwhelmed me to a point of despair and it certainly brought me thinking if this has been happening all this while it is time for those involved both foreign and domestic to call it in. What is it you are hungry for? The only way it has survived thus far is it has not met a worthy adversary, as with all hunting methods: locate and reveal the target then terminate, capture, destory, detain, arrest, annihilate, devastate, tear down, overthrow, abolish or wipe out depending on how tenacious the resistance is going to be. Now lets sit back and watch as it unfolds. Oh and wikileaks was a joke of a cover-up of megaproportions.... yeah talk about falling flat on your face on a tarsealed road. 

Melting Ice caps or land mass expanding.

This is a theory though not being seriously considered  as worthy of research it is sort of a contemplation. The theory is based on a physics experiment I remembered we did back in secondary school where we dropped a small stone into a graduated flask the weight of the stone can be calculated by taking into account the difference in the water level by observing the graduations on the flask. The current climate change theory suggests that global warming heats up the atmosphere and in turn melts the ice caps in the North and South Poles. This is another theory, recently I read that New Zealand is drifting closer to Australia by millimeters according to findings by geophysicists of these two countries. The finding is based by movement of the plates. But no one has come up with the theory that landmass growth can cause rise in sea level. Remember the world once thought that the earth was flat before we discovered that it was round. It is worth a research landmass growth, search it up, continental drift and the lot then disregard the irrelevant.

Happy research

Amplifiers

A few weeks ago a man from Naitasiri was talking to me about  the sau or supernatural powers our chiefs once had and went on describing how it was revered in Fiji. I didn't remind him of how they received those powers back then he was quite intelligent enough to understand. He was hard pressed on the treatment being given to our Chiefs by the current regime. In this day and age being enlightened and having an open minded approach is a good combination in tackling issues. We are not the same as the past. The Sau is gone, the only avenue for receiving Sau nowadays, is true acceptance of  GOD as the overall power of the Vanua and Matanitu there can be no compromise, denying this will reveal the true nature of your status. We say that people belong to the Chiefs and are not accountable to anybody for their actions. We have accepted Christianity, the only title disputes that we have nowadays is when we read or listen to the media about a certain faction of a Vanua bestowing a chief there only to be challenged by another party saying they are the rightful holders. Then the NLC steps in to clarify who the rightful holder should be. Now going back to the old days, title disputes would be settled on the battlefield by the opposing faction or a surprise attack and there's the contests in which a display of skills, wits and intelligence is involved the latter I believe was the ancient of the two and was widely used then the first method before the dark ages, then to the victor goes the spoils. In certain times, a whole family has to be wiped out to avoid any future ramification as was in the Cakobau era though dissimilar in certain areas when Ratu Seru himself was hidden by his father from his enemies for fear they might kill his son and end his line. Fijian politics in the days leading to the colonial era was pure cloak and dagger stuff. Nowadays it might be of a different version but it still has the same attributes.  Back to this Naitasiri man, I told him one can make comments about chiefs nowadays, their style of leadership or how they handle themselves in this day and age but with the right reasons. We are firm believers nowadays that Kings are from Gods calling, a belief etched right out of the Bible. What we must also understand nowadays when it's from God it is within his authority to take it away when he sees fit. I stressed to him challenging a Chief for the right reasons is acceptable only to a certain point. If he or she disagrees then take your leave and pray it works out for the best. We must always remember anything done deceitfully will never live out its years. If we truly believe in the God of Jacob then we must believe and understand the promises he made to him, Blessed are those who bless you, your descendants will be as many as the stars above and cursed are those who curse you.  To that man whether he got what I said, his intepretation is his own. Remember problems are meant to be solved. Solving it is the problem and the cycle continues.  

Whose your DADDY( The MATUKU War)

Though a small part of Fijian history or one of small significance, it remains the cornerstone of Matukuan debate  and its significance in the LAU group only recently through Ratu Sukunas administration but was part of the Lomaiviti Group.As a young boy, as it would be for other Fijian famillies of their history,  I would sometimes be reminded of this past. The elders found it necessary as it defines our existence to this very day. The Valu ni Lotu as it was being refered to was nothing more then a pretext of  the Tongan warlord( Maafu) to expand his territory. Conquering the Yasayasa Moala has been on his mind although he was cautious of being reprimanded by the missionaries for they would eventually find out  his intentions and methods of spreading the gospel. My grandfather would sometimes admit with a bit of guilt that we were one of the last to accept Christianity he would sometimes defend it by stressing the method that Maafu was using didn't augur well with our ancestors then. In those times clubbing people for any reason meant war. Then the war was at Matuku's doorstep. After pacifying Moala who fought but lost, credits to them, Totoya was their next target, Totoya being the passive(sometimes refered to as pet of the other two islands) of the two accepted Christianity in exchange that they won't meet the same fate as Moala. Maafu collected warriors from the two subdued islands and headed for Matuku. By then the warriors of Yaroi, Natokalau Lomati, Ravi2 and the rest of Matuku led by Ratu Meli Saronicava as their General, the youngest son of the then Tui Matuku Roko Yaroi were prepped for battle. On their arrival there was slaughter on the beach. A big contingent of Tongan soldiers were slaughtered there as were some of their allies. That beach is named after the slaughter as Moor of Blood or Disembarkment of Blood, in Fijian "Udu Dra" and is a testament to that. It was told that it took six months for the standoff and finally a tactic by the Tongan warlord to bring one of Tui Matuku's (king of Matuku) daughters to plead with his father to come to Lakeba and accept Christianity like the rest of the Lau group finally led to his acceptance of the faith and he sent for his son to recede the protection of Matukus walls. He left for Lakeba and on his arrival was surprised that the same Tongans whom he was travelling with shouted cries of victory which meant Matuku has been subdued. To his embarrasement he was furious with his daughter, had he known of such treachery he would have stayed and continued with the fight. He asked the Tongans to be taken back but who in his right sense of mind would go through that nightmare again. Matuku finally accepted Christianity in the manner it was supposed to have been. This history survives with us and our next generation of Matukuans so we be reminded of the sacrifices of our ancestors and  with the realization of defending your livelihoods means the survival of the future generation and you protect it with your life. We are the envy of the Lau Group in that we do not wear the tawala or gafi2 as they say it in functions as a sign of a conquered people, the rest of Lau wear them signifying this and they sometimes wear it with pride without knowing the meaning of it. The Tongans regard this as an embarrassing chapter of their history in Fiji and leaves reasonable doubts on their side of the story which has become widely accepted since most early writers and local historians were from the North of Lau. Our true acceptance of the faith led one of Matuku's sons( from Natokalau) to be the first  Fijian President of the Methodist Church and led the independence of the methodist church from it's governing body in Australia in the 60's. I only pray that the Tongans or anybody for that matter had realized that using force or treachery will not end up well for them.......remember nothing can be hidden for long. Eventually there's a breaking point.      

Same sex marriage.

In Fiji, there is a growing sentiment and recently loud rhetoric's in the media of the new constitution having provisions for safe sex marriages. Pacifying a robust and once volatile society in this manner will never work. We accepted Christianity a few hundred years ago in the sense that it would enlighten our minds from the darkness it was in some otherwise I'll explain that later. We felt the power that came with it and still do. The Fijian society is one of a strong and magnificent nature. It is so because of our customs and tradition. When Filipo and Kelepi marries or Marica and Liku immediately the system is thrown in disarray because its a wrong program. Nothing can be produced from it. This types of behavior is nothing more then mens uncontrollable nature. The grassroots Fijians don't believe in same sex marriage, this is a lifestyle brought about by ancient western societies due to ignorance of its repercussions, I believe the Fijians won't take this lying down. Take this as a warning and respect the powers that be.  

History and Porn

Demarcating the boundaries of the act and the sensation has been one of the intensely debated areas in trying to curb the rise in the viewing of porn by teenagers.They are more probably the same. One cannot operate without the other. I remembered during a grog session with one of our bosses, he asked the younger guys a question, whats is the two oldest profession in the world? None of us knew what the answer was. With a little grin he answered, Land surveying and prostitution. I was a bit astounded. That blew a gap wide open to deliberate  on 2 professions very detached from each other and yet common in their survival. The question, what do these two professions feed on if I may classify the latter the same. By feed on I mean what human trait does it awaken? Yet in these millennium we still haven't answered this question, it could have been answered a long time ago, for the latter it would prove futile. Maybe I've shed a little light on this subject and maybe not. Let's see in say a few years from now.   

The greatest fear

I have always felt that greatness or power left unchecked could lead to certain chaos. Complacency in rendering the deserved attention can be detrimental to you and your surroundings. Men are capable of achieving great things given the right focus and attention to the task. There still remains a level or limit to our pursuit. We have quotes which says "The sky is the limit"and many more which states where theres a will theres a way. I do not have any quarrels with The Will, it is the recognition of its limit that I am stressing. When men try and become gods or the overruling authority over an entity. If one of Gods own ceation the sea has its coastline for it to recede, then I believe as part of nature we dig deep to isolate and acquire its consequences.The fear that you might consider yourself greater then God himself. At this stage, you are lucky if you are aware of your shortcoming and redirect your approach on everything you do before its too late. Though such a short paragraph for a title so vast but history has been a collection of such human endeavours. Go to the library or surf the web.

Welcome to Matuku

To those who have just tapped in, I extend my warm greetings to all of you. I have read on yahoo that Donald Trump fathered offsprings from many wifes, this is the first time I've ever seen one and two after a hunt in Africa for that matter. Is this what succession strategy is nowadays.....I believe it's working. The corporate world is a volatile and sinister environment. Hunters indeed, coming in from the cold............all I can say is rainbows man, when the suns rays reflect and refract inside a drop of rain a rainbow is formed,  ohh an idea just came to mind. I'll let this one run.......the rainbow is gonna be perfect. It's always interesting to entwine a little intelligence in some things. The calm moves with the storm, don't get caught on the wrong side. I just added this on for sort of a retraction, the axe is worthless without the woodcutter, a saw without the carpenter and so is the tail for we are worthless without our creator the Almighty God.  

The War Within

The case with Syria is a very complex one. We are only looking at the visible discussions that are televised, broadcasted on the radio and printed on the press. While it is essential for a so called legit regime to do so, it is the individual interests of those in power that should never be left out. These are the issues that prolong oppression, drag an incomplete resolution into obscurity, all for the purpose of fulfilling each others obligations of self gratification over the lives of the suffering. It seems as though it’s begun to look like a Mexican standoff between the Syrian regime and the Western Allies. I bet Syria is packing ammo that could re-arrange the exterior outlook of a plan already in motion, then theres the Western Allies who's trying not to let that happen. While it tightens the noose on one end Syria is threatening to release on the other. Well that’s how I look at it. Something’s got to give; I believe this is too much to chew right now. So chew slowly. Ahh I suddenly remembered George Bush Jnr's phrase from a speech at the beginning of the Iraq war, "Those who feel the warmth of our embrace will find comfort in it, and those who feel its heat will be burnt by it."  It was something similar along that line I must have misquoted but that is how I would have wrote it once. They were already in Iraq then.

The last of a generation

Yesterday we laid to rest the last survivor of one generation of the Buinimasi family of Matuku, both Natokalau and Yaroi. There's the Vadravadra lineage in Gau still living. We were talking during our family gathering and one of my uncles from Yaroi said that now we have become orphans, I didn't hesitate in pitching in, I just said  this is what life is. The old depart and the new take over. This is the master plan, sometimes the problem is we are used to clinging on (I laid it out in a respectful manner so as to avoid any animosity). There will always come a time when we will face these situations, practice it at home, because by the time you are called for a greater cause you won't have any reason to doubt yourself. May the Almighty guide her soul Home. Salote Leba, 86 yrs old of Natokalau Matuku Lau.

     

Transformation

While it has tranformed and diversified to a wide spectrum at least I've paid homage to it's conception. I will repeat it again, it was innocent and true. The rest is divine intervention.

God be with us all.

And the flies have landed

 It's amazing how quickly people pass a judgement before considering the details and facts. That is where the weakness is, we should learn to be patient. Thinking is what constitutes a wise decision. The strength of an argument is measured by its relevance and it's cohesiveness. Then again this is my blog and will depend entirely on what the writer is intending. Sometimes I like to look at it as a vast land mass just waiting to be developed sensibly.   

If it was anything but fair, why? Are we idiots? Where were the learned Fijians who should have seen this?

Fiji Coup Supplement

31st July 2000
The Land Rent Debate - how the land rental system exploits the indigenous landowners

(two articles from the Sunday Times)

ALTA payments are fair, growers say

(Sunday Times, Fiji, 23 July 2000)

CANE growers have dismissed claims that the Agricultural Landlord and Tenants Act exploits landowners by denying them rent based on the true economic contribution of their land to agricultural production.
Fiji Cane Growers Association general secretary Jagannath Sami said the claims were made by academics John Davies and Courtney Gallimore were incorrect.
"My association is questioning the sources of figures being quoted by the two and demands an explanation from them," he said.
"We believe the rent formula provided for in ALTA is just and fair to both the tenants and land-lords."
Mr Sami said that under the provisions of ALTA the Native Land Trust Board-appointed committee of valuers declares the unimproved capital values for all types and classes of agricultural land every five years.
Annual rental is calculated on six per cent of the unimproved capital value.
Under the last valuers report issued In September 1997 first class land worth $8000 UCV was rented at $480 per hectare. Second class land worth $5000 UCV was rented at $300 per hectare, while third class land worth $2500 UCV was rented at $150 per hectare.
"Since most of the cane land is In the second and third class category, the figures above definitely do not tie up with the $65 per hectare as quoted by Mr Davies and Gallimore," Mr Sami said.
"Hence their criticism of ALTA is unjustified."

---

The Reality of ALTA Rents

(Sunday Times, Fiji, 30 July 2000)

We should like to thank Jagganath Sami for again raising the question of ALTA land rents (Sunday Times, 23 July 2000) and, in the process, providing the opportunity to further reinforce the reality of the agricultural land leasing situation in Fiji. Mr. Sami raises the issue of the declared unimproved capital values of sugar land and the fact that rents set at 6% of these capital values would result in rents of up to $480 per ha, and wants to know how to reconcile such figures with the $65 per ha figure we used as the average rent per ha for sugar land.
This is not a new issue. Had he read the whole of our document he would see the resolution there, in black and white. Alternatively, he could have just asked Grish Maharaj, who raised exactly the same issue in the Daily Post on March 4, 2000, alongside of which was an answering response.
However, for the sake of clarity and reinforcement, we would again like to explain the reality of ALTA rents and the mechanisms by which they are set.
First, we should like to state that we have absolutely no quarrel with the valuers employed under ALTA to assess the unimproved capital value of land. The figures they reach on land values are eminently reasonable and similar to those reached in our document using a totally different methodology. And while we judge the rental formula in ALTA to be inappropriate in terms of providing the necessary incentives to growers and landowners, and for producing some inequitable outcomes between farms in different locations, we concede that in terms of actual dollar values, if the figures for rents per ha that Mr. Sami quoted, namely $480 for class 1, $300 for class 2, and $150 for class 3, were actually paid by tenants, not only would they be generally fair, but we also doubt whether there would be an ALTA problem. Many landowners would no doubt be delighted to receive such rentals and any criticism of ALTA would then be limited to other issues like the duration of tenancy or compensation provisions.
However, the fact of the matter is that the figures quoted by Mr. Sami, generally, are not the rents that are actually paid by tenants. The figures derived from taking 6% of the unimproved capital values of land relate simply to the maximum possible rents that in principle could be applied. While some rents may be at, or close to, the permitted maximum levels, the vast majority are far below these maximums. The reason is that there is no guarantee in ALTA that these maximum rental levels will be applied, and even if they were, ALTA (section 24) allows tenants to appeal any rent levels to a tribunal that can then authorise a reduction in the actual rent paid.
In view of this, it is clearly vital at this juncture to spell out in full detail the amount of rent that is actually paid by tenants to prevent, once and for all, any possible misrepresentation of the reality of ALTA rents. To this end, the situation for sugar leases, as of July 25, 2000, is detailed in Table 1.

TABLE 1

SUGAR CANE LEASES UNDER ALTA, 2000

Rent per Hectare ($)	Total Area (hectares)	Number of Leases	Total Annual Rent
0 - 100	80,939.11	5,423	$ 3,612,158
100 - 200	20,520.33	4,130	$ 2,764,507
200 - 300	1,891.75	599	$ 429,108
300 - 400	81.86	53	$ 26,982
400 - 500	31.00	19	$ 13,432
500 >	9.52	7	$ 5,070
Totals	103,473.57	10,231	$ 6,851,257

SOURCE: NLTB, JULY 25, 2000

AVERAGE RENT PER HECTARE = $66.21

TABLE 1A

SUGAR CANE LEASES UNDER ALTA BY PER CENT, 2000

Rent per Hectare ($)	Total Area (%)	% of Leases	% of Total Annual Rent
0 - 100	78.22	53.01	52.72
100 - 200	19.83	40.37	40.35
200 - 300	1.83	5.85	6.26
300 - 400	0.08	0.52	0.39
400 - 500	0.03	0.19	0.20
500 >	0.01	0.07	0.07
Totals	100.00	100.00	100.00

Table 1 above shows that while some land does carry rents that will be close to, or at, the maximum permitted level, the vast majority of leases pay less than $100 per hectare – a mere 9 hectares out of total of 103,473.57 hectares, representing less that one-hundredth of one percent, pays over $500 her hectare in rent. Indeed, dividing the figure for the total assessed rent payable on all sugar leases ($6,851,257) by the total area under sugar leases (103,473.57 hectares) shows the average rent per hectare on sugar leases to be $66.21. But remember this figure of $66 is an average, and in practice some rents will be above, others below this level.
What is particularly disturbing about these rent levels is not simply their absolute levels, but their relationship to the value of the output the land can produce. In this respect, a typical parcel of cane land, when farmed with due diligence, can easily produce 55 tonnes of cane per hectare, which, based on the average value of cane over the last few years ($50 per tonne), would be worth $2,750. Now given the current $66 per ha average rent paid by tenants, rent payments work out to only 2.4% of the value of the output the land produces. This is by far the lowest level of any country for which we were able to get data. To illustrate the magnitude of the difference between Fiji and international standards, consider Figure 1 below, which compares the proportion of gross agricultural income that goes to the landowner as rent in Fiji and several other countries.

FIGURE 1

Source: Davies and Gallimore, "Reforming the Leasing and the Use of Agricultural land in Fiji: an Economic Incentive Approach, 2000

It should further be pointed out that not all of the 103,473 hectares currently under sugar leases are in fact used to grow cane. Some is devoted to higher valued vegetables and some used for other commercial purposes. Taking this into account, rent as a proportion of gross lease income may be an even smaller fraction than 2.4%.
Now if the 2.4% share going to the Fijian landowners is not exploitation, then what is? It should further be remembered that the current rents of $66 per ha are much higher now than historically – indeed it took the coup of 1987 for any serious attention to be paid to addressing rent levels. Indeed, the submission of the Fiji Labour Party to the JPSC on ALTA, dated February 1999, points out that rents have reached the levels they are at today, as summarised in Table 1, only following some hefty recent increases, with some rents having increased by as much as 800-900%. Consequently, while today’s rent levels are low enough, the recent increases notwithstanding, throughout the approximately one century during which Fijian land has been leased, the returns to the landowners have been unconscionably low, nothing short of a national disgrace.
Finally, with respect to sugar leases, we wish to focus on the implications of the unequivocal statement of Jagganath Sami that, "We believe the rent formula provided for in ALTA is just and fair..." The dollar value of the rents to which he referred, remember were $480 per ha for class1 land, $300 for class 2, and $150 for class 3 land. Now if we multiply these "just and fair" rents by the actual area under each class we can obtain a figure for the "just and fair" total rental income from the entire cane belt. In this regard, according to Grish Maharaj, in his letter noted above, 40% of the cane leases were on class 1 land, 30% on class 2 and 30% on class 3. Consequently, the "just and fair" rents payable, in total, on each class of land would be:

40% of 103,473 ha = 41,389 ha x $480 = $19,866,816
30% of 103,473ha = 31,042 ha x $300 = $9,312,600
30% of 103,473ha = 31,042 ha x $150 = $4,656,300

Adding up the "just and fair" rents for each class of land we reach a total figure of $33,835,716. This figure, remember, relates to the total "just and fair" rental income payable on the total 103,473 ha under sugar leases in the current year alone. However, as noted in Table 1, the actual rental income paid on all sugar leases amounts only to $6,851,257. Now the difference between the "just and fair" rents and the actual rents amounts to a staggering $26,984,459. This figure represents the lost landowner rental income attributable to ALTA’s indenture of native land – the exploitation arising from actual rents that are less than "just and fair." Now, over the 30 year life of ALTA, the total dollar value of this exploitation, this transfer of income from landowner to tenant, will be an enormous $809,533,770 – yes, over eight hundred million dollars. And if compound interest is factored into the calculation, the total figure easily exceeds $1,000,000,000 (one billion dollars). In other words, ALTA’s indenture of the 103,473 hectares of native land rented (for 30 years) for sugar cane production exceeds one billion dollars. Now, according to the 1996 Fiji Census of Population and Housing there are 66,998 indigenous Fijian households. If one billion dollars were equally divided amongst the 66,998 indigenous Fijian households, each household would receive approximately $15,000. This amount of money could, for example, be used as:

• down payment for a modest house, or
• payment for a first degree at the local university, or
• start-up capital for a modest business, or
• purchase of a small second-hand tractor, or
• purchase of livestock for farming, or
• purchase of farm equipment and farm structures, or
• purchase of a second-hand minibus, or
• purchase of a small second-hand carrier/truck, or
• purchase of a second-hand car/taxi

And remember, this would apply to every indigenous Fijian household – all 66,998 of them. Indeed, if indigenous Fijians were paid "just and fair" rents for their lands would there be any need for affirmative action programmes? Would there be any need for Fijian Affairs Board (FAB) scholarships? Would there be any need for government grants to the provincial councils? Would Fijians be under-represented in business ownership and the professions?
Just for the sake of completeness, it is worth turning now to the case of non-sugar ALTA leases. The situation here is summarised in Table 2 below:

TABLE 2

NON-CANE LEASES UNDER ALTA, 2000

Rent per Hectare ($)	Total Area (hectares)	Number of Leases	Total Annual Rent
0 - 100	325,138.55	3,433	$ 1,745,467
100 - 200	2,916.63	1,035	$ 400,090
200 - 300	608.94	238	$ 141,454
300 - 400	117.37	94	$ 40,217
400 - 500	72.21	67	$ 32,145
500>	123.40	45	$ 74,402
Totals	328,977.10	4,912	$ 2,433,774

SOURCE: NLTB, JULY 25, 2000

AVERAGE RENT PER HECTARE = $7.40

TABLE 2A

NON-CANE LEASES UNDER ALTA BY PER CENT, 2000

Rent per Hectare ($)	Total Area (%)	% of Leases	% of Total Annual Rent
0 - 100	98.83	69.89	71.72
100 - 200	0.89	21.07	16.44
200 - 300	0.19	4.85	5.81
300 - 400	0.04	1.91	1.65
400 - 500	0.02	1.36	1.32
500>	0.04	0.92	3.06
Totals	100.00	100.00	100.00

Again by dividing the total assessed rent of $2,433,744 by the total area leased of 328,977.10 hectares, we obtain a figure for the average rent per ha paid on non-sugar ALTA leases of $7.40. That’s right, seven dollars and forty cents per hectare per year. To a significant degree this very low average rental is attributable to large forestry concessions. For example, one forestry concession of 92,500 hectares pays a total rent of only $22,767.
In conclusion, during the debate on ALTA there seems to be something of a convenient collective denial in some quarters about the reality of ALTA rent levels and the depth of the detrimental impact it has on the entire indigenous Fijian society. It brings to mind the delusions of the flat earth society. Yet the facts of the matter are plain for all to see, if they wish to see. We are indeed grateful to Mr. Sami for affording us this opportunity to again present the facts so that the paper’s readership can use them and make up its own mind on the issue of landowner exploitation.
John Davies and Courtney L. Gallimore,
July 28, 2000

---

John Davies is Professor and Head, Department of Economics, Acadia University, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada.
Courtney L. Gallimore is Lecturer, Department of Economics, University of the South Pacific, Suva, Fiji.
This article, it must be emphasised, reflects the views of the authors alone. It in no way relates to the official position of any institution to which the authors belong or have belonged.

Fiji Coup Supplement

When Love Conquers (Remotely Sensed)

I'm not sure how to approach this, there is alot of heartaches, missed opportunity, should have been, could have been ohh.............. this is how it all started, innocent , pure and true, but if only, what would it have been like. Only God knows and he has his plans. I have come to appreciate how strong and fierce love is and the status quo(Gods plan), it has the tenacity to conquer the hearts of man and even the world and how wonderful and powerful it is. There is a small catch, it takes two for it to reciprocate into something phenomenal. I will be answerable for my actions one day and when that day comes I hope my explanation will be enough to quell any resentment towards my action and I pray to God to put the words in my mouth as only he can simplify it, the wisdom of it all is out of my grasp but it takes God given intelligence to understand it and flow with it. Then there is the love for family, children, all in all the notion of love compells man to do things in his life time that will etch his name in eternity..............for me the memories have a special place and will only be retrieved by the only person that can truly claim for unleashing it's full potential. Damn I'm beginning to sound like a broken record, so much for the effort. Okay, some things should be left alone until the time is right for it. To be clear on one thing, what transpired was genuine, I guess it's the only reason it's survived this long and genuine things wanna get associated with it. I never used it as a tool for swaying thoughts if it had been it would have died out a long time ago as is the nature of everything artificial. Structured has always been the way I approached things but since then it has given me a new perception of how that structural approach can be improved, I'm not saying I'm more sharper now but atuned with my surroundings.....Well for those that might be thinking of reproducing it to achieve something, don't waste your effort. Find God and he will set you free. Yeah you don't like it, not even Obama....can do anything about it. It's unsolvable just get on with your lives and take control of what you can and leave the rest for whom it was meant to be.  

 Have a blessed life to everyone who's reading this.

Putting the hit out.

In action movies this line refers to the elimination of a certain threat or competition for power, money, drugs or to have total authority over a dominion...... I'll finish this tommorow...the bus is about to leave. Okay lets try and go a bit further on this. when the hit is being put out the unsuspecting victim is unaware until word on the street reaches him, then and only then he does the natural thing that any human being would do when threatened or any living thing, he starts his contingency plans , measures that will assure his safety. Now there are two options here, depending on the amount of data or info you have on your oppossition and what you have against him, you take the offsive approach or the defensive one. Whichever  you choose you have made the first step to react. Now back to the person who gave the hit. It is always likely that at times you know that person and in other cases it is someone you don't know whichever one it is they both have something in common, "You out of the picture" but then again if you have survived then I believe they will be more weary as to know whether you have known or not and when it comes to that, the rest is left for your imagination. I'd like to leave this with a simple phrase. "The world revolves because everything or everyone has a fair crack at the whip."  Peace OUT.

KOBA NA BASIRI

The war cry of the Madjudju clan. When I heard the stories of this clan and their conquest I tried to relate it to their so called war cry. In villages I have gone to, some have forgotten or do not know the meaning of their war cry which somehow depicts the temparament of their society as a whole. For this particular clan KOBA NA BASIRI is defined as an eveloping body that swallows everything in it's path. It can be likened to a landside a close comparision but it incorporates a number of people moving as compared to a landslide. Such was the characterization of this clan in the aftermath of a battle. In following the different war cries around Fiji one can gather quite an astounding collection of combat tactics operated by this so called cannibals. In Fiji we are lucky that we have the NLC that stores such valuable information but is left underutilised. Ohh how we have been enveloped by so called modern education but I have yet to see a notable integration of the two wisdoms......in my lifetime maybe never, from education to engineering to agricultural and many more and bring it to a certian standard that we have nowadays. Suddenly the indigenous Fijians have become a consumer oriented people. We have relied so much on these new system that we have failed to recognize the fact that we are alienating ourselves from wisdoms that can save us from being dummies in this system. For this is a battle of ideas and systems and it is fought in solitude from the naivity of the human race. The influence of indigenous Fijians in the Pacific is shrouded in myths and legends but the names of places is testament of this once blazing flame. On the islands of Ha'apai in Tonga if I'm not mistaken their is an island called Matuku, claims have been made that this names were brought during the conquests of the Tongans during Maafu's time. Going through history before the Maafu  insurgency into the Lau waters the name has been there and has been linked to the earliest settlers of the eastern Pacific. In Auckland New Zealand there is a Matuku which I believe would have a Maori clan that resides over it and would be interesting to  hear their stories, there are others in the Pacific and it would be interesting reading. For those who came in late, if ever there was a thinking that Fiji is a defenceless autonomy, I believe we were blessed from the beginning of time and we will continue to be. Then the acceptance of the Living God by our ancestors to replace our idols and belief in other superbeings have only bolstered and assured our existence that we will flourish. While we enjoy peace we are also aware that the enemy can strike at any time. There is no substitute to the survival of our race, if it is threatened by any means, extraordinary events will unfold, even if one of our own is bought to instigate such a move that is detrimental to our existence there will be a natural phenomenon.     

A name that'll sell

I was thinking of this name if I earned a resort on an island, "On This Island". " On this Island Resort". Yeah sounds kinda catchy, ain't it. You decide what you want your island to represent or appeal to. Yeah i feel this could fly man....

okay

On this blog

I started this blog to share a little bit of what I may be thinking of at the time and also just lay it out there like it is. So in case your grasp of proper english is violated by some postings please feel free to criticize but it'still my blog I decide what goes and what not and I've got my reasons.

Peace out 

Strangers to its powers

What a revelation that whilst we spend endless hours in church and all its gatherings , especially here in Fiji we have never yet fully attained the true meaning of what it is to realize the true power of the word of God or even God himself. The word of God is not a passive entity that is lame and without a feet. It is a mobile and active energy that alters the elements that it comes into contact with to its desired specification. Yes, God's specification. In case we wonder if the Bible was meant to be read by theologians or professors then it is time we really read our bible a little more in order to understand its simple logic that was meant for every men irrespective of your level of intelligence. Keep on reading and experience the change. I know it might be boring to start but what you must realise the ending is always important. Once you get hooked, once you've tasted it, it revolutionizes your perspective of this world. It's like you're here with a clear understanding of every thing that happens around you. Everything makes sense which makes you wise, the thing is once you've come into contact you're a different person from who you used to be. Ohh there's something else, wherever you are it seems you are able to dictate the environment around you as to your calling but it's always for His purpose. What should be understood is the gain of others is your victory. I'd like to end it with a phrase from the movie malice in wonderland, "You can't unravel the complex without mastering the simple."

Have a good day.