Fiji First candidate assaults voter at church hall meeting

Nemani Bainivalu with paralympic cousin Iliesa Delana: both have been named Fiji First candidates

One of the 21 Fiji First candidates named to contest the elections racially abused and assaulted a voter at a meeting in Wainivula a few days ago.

Nemani Bainivalu lost control during a heated debate with a man in the audience over land and is accused of saying "..o iko na luveni kailoma sega na kemu qele” or "Oh, you son of a part-European, you don't have any land," then assaulting him.

Reports coming in to C4.5 say the attack was witnessed by a number of senior Fiji First officials, including the party's president, Dr Jiko Luveni, but no action was taken to stop the assault or to condemn it.

Sources at the meeting were shocked at the behaviour of Bainivalu and Luveni's lack of leadership.

Turning away from attack: Jiko Luveni

Land is a major concern for itaukei voters, who in recent months have tried to get transparent answers from the illegal regime leading up to the election.

The debate at the Wainivula Church Hall revolved around changes to the Native Land Trust Act, the effects of the Land Use Decree 2010, and the provisions in the regime's 2013 Constitution, which allows just one person, the prime minister, to control the administration of land deposited in the Land Bank.

Participants say Nemani Bainivalu lost control after Fiji First was bombarded with questions from the floor.

The attack is unacceptable and harks to Bainimarama's dictatorial leadership and should've been reported to police.

But it is clearly an example of Fiji First feeling the heat as voters who see through the lack of transparency and inconsistencies around issues such as land and the Constitution, keep the pressure on them. 

The naming of candidates, including three youths, has prompted renewed calls for Fiji First to engage opposition parties in a national debate with SODELPA youth president, Pita Waqavonovono, urging media and community leaders to let Youth Candidates have the stage.

"Youth need to hear their leaders," says Waqavonovono.

"Do they want a Government that will set the scales right, end the coup culture and make a meaningful step to Fiji democracy or do they want to buy into FijiFirst propaganda and help entrench the coup culture and suppression of rights - in short extend the dictatorship?

"The decision at the polls will affect our economy, and many of our concerns as youth rests in the hands of the media and community leaders to grant us this opportunity."

Evidence of more assets appearing

Another Bainimarama asset: New house for Mary Bainimarama.

So we ask the question again - has Frank Bainimarama and Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum declared all their assets?

The answer continues to be NO and there is enough evidence to show this.

Take this house on Milne Road. It was bought by Frank Bainimarama as a Mother's Day gift for wife, Mary, but wasn't declared in his Fiji First Party assets.

As said before, the pair have more stashed away then they've admitted so, yes, pigs do fly.

Mick Beddoes has meanwhile had a closer look at the Constitution of the Fiji First party and says it reads more like a secret cult then a political party movement.

The general secretary of the regime-led party, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, has said of  Fiji First: "It's more than a party, it’s a political movement."

Like Frank Bainimarama, Khaiyum blames the country's unresolved ills such as health, water, roads etc, (even after 8 years under their control), on all previous governments. 

The Bainimarama Government it seems is without fault.

Read what Beddoes has concluded about the treasonous pair who insist they have done so much for Fiji.

Ro Teimumu Kepa responds to Bainimarama

The Rewa chief takes on Bainimarama and launches SODELPA's manifesto 


Today we give Fiji the SODELPA manifesto for national happiness, progress and freedom. I wish to sincerely pay tribute to the party members who contributed to it over a period of several months. They have performed a great service to SODELPA and the country. 

SEA OF BLUE: SODELPA supporters  defy regime and turn out in numbers to march in solidarity in Lautoka with leader, Ro Teimumu Kepa

We have called the manifesto Reclaiming Fiji because for nearly eight years our motherland has been in the hands of an unelected dictatorship intent on reshaping it according to its will. 

The time has come to put Fiji back into the arms of the people. We own this country and we will decide its future. Our manifesto explains how SODELPA will restore and renew Fiji and lead it into a new world of togetherness and respect, where we overcome our differences, live as good neighbours and help each other. It will be a Fiji of prosperity and opportunity. Our nation will shine again as a symbol of hope for humanity. Guided by the principles of our party, we seek God’s blessing for the task ahead. It will not be easy given the hurt, the stress and the damage caused to the country. 

SODELPA UNITED: Deposed PM Laisenia Qarase among the marchers.

But we have much talent and energy among our parliamentary nominees; we are inspired and lifted by our vision for these islands. We have the ideas and the resolve to make them real. So now we are on the march! We are seeing public support for SODELPA in every corner of Fiji and overseas where our people live. They are joining with us in what is more than an election. 

Fiji's deposed PM warns Bainimarama and Khaiyum 'your days are numbered'

Laisenia Qarase has told coup leader, Frank Bainimarama, and his illegal attorney general, Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, their days 'are numbered'.

In a video released on Youtube yesterday, Qarase responds to Khaiyum's latest diatribe about the Great Council of Fiji, which appeared in the Fiji Sun this week, describing the comments as 'denigrating and insulting.'

Qarase says Khaiyum has no right as an Indo-Fijian to tell indigenous Fijians what to do, especially about the GCC. 

He also says opposition parties with large Indo-Fijian followings, such as FLP, NFP and PDP, all want to retain the GCC.

A party stalwart says Khaiyum and Frank Bainimarama have used media and criminal decrees to try to frighten SODELPA but it was now stepping out on social media 'to find space for our democratic and indigenous group rights that include diversity.'

"This is not about racism but about market science, art and truth."

Opposition biggies ready to get in ring with Bainimarama

The people have called it: poster doing the rounds.

Never has it been more important for a political debate, than now, as the illegal government continues to try to bury its lies and inconsistencies.

In fact, there should be a series of political debates between the Opposition parties and the regime led Fiji First Party and coup leader, Frank Bainimarama.

Candidates debates are the norm in general elections and are widely accepted as bringing new democracies a number of positives, including helping voters make an informed choice, discouraging personality attacks, and keeping a record of promises and therefore, officials, honest.

Even war-torn Liberia, which had its first democratic elections in 2005, following a military coup in 1980, had presidential debates during the run-up period.

And yet Bainimarama and illegal attorney general, Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, have rejected calls from political parties for them to debate him - why? 

Because neither he nor his image makers can afford to risk destroying the myth they've worked so hard to create. 

Son of Fiji's coup leader in court for assaulting wife

Charged: Bainimarama and Kabakoro.

Frank Bainimarama's army soldier son has appeared in court charged with assaulting his beauty queen wife.

It follows rumours over the weekend Meli Bainimarama had stabbed wife of less than year, Hosanna Kabakoro, during a domestic incident.

Bainimarama and Kabakoro  appeared in court at the same time this morning - he on  common assault and she on causing bodily harm.

The pair were bailed and made to pay $3000 sureties. Both have also been directed to live with relatives: he with Meleti Bainimarama and she with Bernadette Rounds Ganilau.

They are to reappear next month.

Father and son: both implicated in beatings of citizens.

Meli Bainimarama was earlier reported to have spent the night at Nabua Police Station while Kabakoro was taken in by the Fiji Womens Crisis Centre.

Kabakoro was kept in an 'undisclosed location', after laying a complaint on Saturday.