Three former prime ministers are back in favour - and in the money.
Sitiveni Rabuka, Laisenia Qarase and Mahendra Chaudry were stripped off their government pensions as a result of the Regulation of Pensions and Retirement Allowances Decree 2009.
But the self appointed leader, Sitiveni Banimarama, has now decided to revoke the decree and reinstate the pensions.
He told the Fiji Sun: "We had meetings and we decided that this will be lifted. They will receive their pension payments as of tomorrow. We have made our point and we want to also make our point to people who are against us. We hope that these people think about this and learn from it.”
Baonimarmama told the paper the State had not forgotten about these people.“We know they are human beings and we have made our point and we understand that they need to provide for their livelihood.”
The former Prime Minister and the instigator of the 1987 coup, Sitiveni Rabuka, had this to say. “I am very glad. It is this prerogative for ministers and prime ministers to stop any payment of non -participatory pension payment.”
The Regulation of Pensions and Retirement Allowances Decree 2010 stated that people would have their payments ceased if the person in any way went against Government of the Republic of Fiji or any institution or authority of the Government.The decree was specifically promulgated to stop pension payments to people regarded as working against the Government. This included members of the former Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua-led government and its head Laisenia Qarase.-main source Fiji Sun.
Pictures: Top to bottom Qarase, Rabuka (left) and Chaudry.
Pictures: Top to bottom Qarase, Rabuka (left) and Chaudry.
5 comments:
Bainimarama is a common thief because how can a person give back something they never owned in the first place? The damage has already been done and stunt has backfired on his corrupt junta.
The question is,where have all the monies owed to these people gone?
These pensions are provided by the taxpaying public to their elected representatives and WWII veterans for their service in building up and protecting this country.By not releasing those lost pensions to them is in reality a despicable act of theft and another indication of mob rule.
Worse still is that this traitor tries to appear benevolent which just does not wash with a public who can see through to a thieving wolf in sheep skin.
My grandfather is a war veteran who along with other war heroes, served in the RFMF, First Battalion in the Malayan campaign from the age of 18.They fought and gave their lives for the freedoms that Bainimarama has destroyed.
For my grandfather's sacrifice in service,he above all deserved the basic right to oppose what Bainimarama and his misguided men are doing to the military and to Fiji and for that was one of those who have had his war pension cut.
I watched the Australian ANZAC Day celebrations on TV and envied how the Joint Military Services honoured and cared for their veterans and how humble the military chiefs were in their speeches to the people thanking them for their trust and reminding them of their loyalty in protecting their free society which those before them had died for.
At that very time it was sad to see my grandfather,a Fijian war hero suffer daily at the callous hands of someone who probably was not even born when he was fighting in the jungles of Malaya.
The past months has caused him undue stress and hardship in his old age of the kind that Bainimarama cannot imagine.As a consequence his health has deteriorated and placed stress on the rest of the family.
To further state that his lost monies will not be returned is theft and another slap in the face.
Can someone tell if the dictator will return all those jobs that they took such as the President,PM,senior civil servants,judges,Police and Prison Commissioners etc, etc..they too have families to feed?
So Rumbo the lunch with Thorpe hosted by former and current Commanders was worthwhile. Manumanu vukas of the same feather think together.
This bunch of vindictive coup mongers don'tknow whether they are coming or going? Thios so called decree (like all the others) was illegal and unncessary in the first place. Time for the international pressure against this human rights abusing cabal and their supporters to be sunbstanitally increased until this regime is totally eliminated. The fact that this junta has such 'highly respected' supporters such as crosbie walsh, jim anthony and john samy sums it up.
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