SAMOA - A MODEL OF PACIFIC DEMOCRACY?

 

SAMOA - A MODEL OF PACIFIC DEMOCRACY?

 

Thakur Ranjit Singh

Prologue

Fiji has had its share of political uncertainties and instability. Some of this has been exaggerated by the ridiculing of Bainimarama by the Samoan Prime Minister and satire and sensational news stories written by some Samoan journalists on Fiji’s political adversity. 

Samoa has been trying to cash in on Fiji’s handicap by attempting to step into the economic, transportation and regional leadership shoes that Fiji had carved out over the past three to four decades. 

With the amplification and browbeating of failure of democracy in Fiji, Samoa had consequently been projected as a model of Pacific democracy.

However, this myth has been shattered now in the aftermath of upheavals in Samoan Democracy

 

This article is over a decade old and was initially published in the blog The Pacific Scoop in December 2009.

 

It is coverage of the Pacific Islands Political Studies Association’s (PIPSA) 11^th conference held on 3 December 2009 at Fale Pasifika, University of Auckland.

Two Samoan academics and a former Samoan diplomat and a former member of the ruling party took turns in revealing what was wrong with the Samoan model of democracy which Samoans were reluctant to discuss openly in publicly.

 

And this was very evident by the forced withdrawal of this article soon after publication. It had to be withdrawn within days because the Samoans who raised the issues got cold feet once they got pressure from “outside” and did not want that published. To protect them after such a long time, I am republishing it with hidden names to protect their identity.

 

Samoan Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, as seen by NZ Herald Cartoonist on the day of the large red moon on 26 May, 2021 ( NZ Herald Cartoon) 

Samoa’s pride in being leaders promoting democracy, equality and social justice in the Pacific just now remains a shadow. Let’s revisit the problems that were unearthed over a decade ago, but those speakers were not bold enough to publicly uphold their opposition to a wanting democracy in Samoa.

 

The Conference

On plenary session on democracy in Samoa, a doctoral student and Samoan academic Fiu (real name hidden) spoke on Temokalasi ma le fa’amatai: A true democracy or dictatorship in disguise?

 

Fiu quoted other Samoan leaders who had likened their Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi to Hitler. He cited incidents of Prime Minister ignoring the wishes and petitions of Apia people to stop proposed gas pipes being laid through their townships and the changing of the roads where changes were brought about without proper consultation or informing the people. Fiu told the conference that:

Former opposition leader Asiata Saleimoa Va’ai wrote that history shows that political parties in the past who have dominated governments for many years have often become dictatorial and communist in their ways, giving the examples of Mugabe in Zimbabwe, Hussein in Iraq and of course Hitler in Germany. This he says is becoming the case with Tuilaepa and Samoa.

 

Samoa's democratically elected first lady incoming PM was locked outside Parliament by existing PM Tuilaepa, who ignored people's and court verdict to transfer power.

The question was posed whether these comparisons were justified and whether Samoa was under dictatorship or still had a semblance of democracy.

This was answered by the fact that the word “democracy” did not exist in the two most recognised published Samoan dictionaries. Despite the long history of chiefly authority in Samoa, universal suffrage was introduced only in 1990 when all were eligible to vote, whereas, before that only the matai were allowed to vote.

 

Fiu cites an experience of his recent trip back home where while all appeared to be well post the road change, the road switch debacle has resulted in another ongoing battle between the people of Samoa and the Government at a lower scale. 

Supposedly for the safety of Samoans, the government has passed a law  that all pubs and clubs must close  at 10pm while the business concerns have objected, saying most money was made after 10pm. A strange compromise was allowed which permitted establishments to open till midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, however all music, DJs bands etc must still be turned off at 10pm. While this could hardly be classed as a compromise, the sad part was that there was nothing much the business owners could do about it, illustrating the lack of democratic procedure.

 

Fiji's PM who has been at the receiving end and butt of jokes of Samoan PM who never ceased to humiliate Bainimarama for not respecting democracy. Now Tuilaepa has become butt of jokes for doing exactly what he used to accuse Fijian PM of doing

Fiu further reported that according to former Samoalive news editor, Cherelle Jackson, the gist of complaint of the people was not on the actual road switch, but rather the way government went about implementing the changes, completely ignoring and disregarding the voice of the people. It appeared that there was no sign of democracy having taken place during the process.

 

Savea Sanoa Malifa, who had written in the Samoa Observer likening the Prime Minister with Hitler, said that the PM already had complete control over Samoa.

He already owns Parliament, Cabinet, the Public Service, the Church, the business community, all the villages and their happy, itching mayors as well, the public media and the little boys and girls there jumping eagerly to his command - in fact, the man owns practically the whole country- when one man “owns practically the whole country”… and not necessarily under the will of the people, chances are they are a dictator.

It was observed that in absence of an opposition party, Samoa had become a one-party state, contrary to what the Westminster system defines democracy as. It was felt that the Human Rights Protection Party (HRPP) completely dominated the Parliament, hence anything they say goes. National University of Samoa Vice Chancellor, Leapai Professor Asofou So’o was quoted as saying that:

 

a disadvantage of the party system is that, when the party in government obtains too much power and has been in power for a long time, parliamentary opposition is rendered meaningless.

 

This point is illustrated by comparison of Samoan government since the introduction of universal suffrage in 1990 with other long well-established democracies. The available data shows that in the two decades between 1990 and 2009:

 

United States of America had 4 governments and 4 Presidents

Great Britain had 4 governments and 4 Prime Ministers

Australia had 3 governments and 4 Prime Ministers

New Zealand had 4 governments and 6 Prime Ministers

Compared to all these, Samoa had ONLY 1 government and ONLY 2 Prime Ministers.

Despite Fiji not being a model democracy and despite its current government being periodically ridiculed by Samoan Prime Minister, Fiji had seen more changes than Samoa, with two constitutions, 4 Prime Ministers, four governments and ..er...two coups.

Fiji has been dubbed a failed democracy by some academics for failing the ultimate test of democracy - SMOOTH TRANSITION OF POWER. Now Samoa, an ardent critic of Fiji remains accused of failing that test. Ironically, Samoan PM Tuilaepa (top) has always been critical of Bainimarama ( above) for not allowing that transition. Now he himself stands accused of doing exactly the same.

Conclusion

In his concluding remarks Fiu summed up his presentation as follows, which is best presented in full:

In concluding, democracy is a clouded concept in Samoa. At the national level, there exists a government that has in general adhered to democratic practices however there have been instances of lately where they have ignored the democratic process in order to implement things they know full well would have probably never passed had they given the people a democratic say.

The irony of all this is that the flagship of so-called democracy, the government, has in recent times displayed obvious anti democratic behaviour, and dare I say, have indeed been rather dictatorial in the running of the country… they only listen when it suits or benefits them. Other than that, the order of the day seems to be dictatorship.

Fiame Naomi Mata'afa, the first Lady incoming PM of Samoa has guts and  resolve to unseat a party which had "stolen" democracy from Samoans for some four decades. But she is denied smooth transition of power by the sitting PM who had been masquerading as a disciple of democracy.

At the village level, indigenous democracy is thriving. Although from an outsider’s point of view, the matai system seems very dictatorial as well as being a body that suppresses individual rights.

Despite the inconsistencies of democracy at national and village level, the one constant is that at the end of the day, barring a military takeover, it is the people that choose their leaders, their Prime Minister, their matai etc, and this process regardless of how other decision have been made, will inevitably be democratic.

Democracy will prevail and if people feel they have not been listened to initially, nature and society work in such mysterious ways that eventually they WILL be heard. I am predicting that the voices of the Samoan people will be heard at the next elections, and that the road switch issue may actually be the undoing of the HRPP party.

Although throughout the past and present, democracy has at times appeared nonexistent, democracy in the end will prevail, and as the cliché goes, “will have the last laugh”............ But then again, anything can happen in Samoa.

 

Epilogue

Despite Fiu’s prediction, nothing changed in the 11 years since this conference in Auckland, and Fiu would be a professor by now and may recognise his presentation, which 11 years ago, he was too scared to have it published. Perhaps he may be bold enough to come out now.

 

It took a long time, but it seems democracy will now have the last laugh at the situation in Samoa now.

 

And Karma is at work with Samoa’s PM Tuilaepa who always took pot -shots and ridiculed  Fiji’s Bainimarama for playing with democracy in the past.

He now finds himself in a deeper chasm of arrogance and has himself become a dictatorial “Hitler” who needs to re-check his use-by date.

 

Like the tsunami, the change may come with little warning, it has taken long, although preliminary warning shots had been fired in Auckland over a decade ago in this Pacific (PIPSA) conference.

Samoans now await change that they have been craving for decades.

 

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is a former Publisher of Fiji Daily Post newspaper, and a Pacifica Fiji Indian recipient of Pacific Islands Media Association (PIMA) and AUT postgraduate scholarship at AUT where he completed Masters in Communication Studies (MCS) with honours. When he wrote this article in 2009, he was still a postgraduate student at AUT, and attended the conference on behalf of Pacific Media Centre (PMC). He currently is  retired and runs his blog FIJI PUNDIT.]

 

BOOK REVIEW: SATENDRA SINGH’S (JAI FIJI’S) “ VIDHWA - THE DARING WIDOW"

 

BOOK REVIEW: SATENDRA SINGH’S (JAI FIJI’S) “ VIDHWA -The daring Widow

By Guest Writer: RAJENDRA PRASAD

[Originally from Vaqia, Ba, Fiji, he is author of “Tears in Paradise” and “Enslaved in Paradise”]

I am indeed privileged and honoured to do a book review of a fellow villager budding writer Satendra Singh (Jai Fiji) from my neighbouring birth village, rustic and dusty Rarawai, Golflinks, Ba in shadows of Rarawai Sugar Mill.

The Vidhwa is stripped of all happiness and dressing in colours after death of her husband in some Hindu Communities. She stands very distinctly rejected and "uncoloured" in crown of other colourfully-dressed married woman? Isn't it time modern educated women should start sending those outdated modes and practices to trash bins, and rewrite future of Widows from viewpoint of women - educated women?

And that is not the reason for my review to be partial in anyway. In fact, this is a salute to this budding writer, who, like me, has taken this mammoth challenge, a common villager, aam aadmi, who has not been to a university, but writes from heart that is very readable. 

And that is done in a climate where we have dwindling book readers, with the new generation busy with their modern gadgets and phone technologies.

The Guest Writer, RAJENDRA PRASAD, who kindly agreed to read the book and write this review for FIJI PUNDIT. He is a renowned author of Tears in Paradise and Enslaved in Paradise

Recognising such a constraint, he has written short books which are packed with action, drama, emotion, and suspense. The other advantage of such amateur writers is that they do not write boring academic pieces but the thoughts flow deep from their real-life experiences. Such is the case with VIDHWA too.

Vidhwa (widow) is an apt title for this book and author, Stan, F.J (pseudonym) acutely knows the Hindu societal norms and practices, which were meant to destroy, if not, hurt and humiliate the widows. In this, Vidhwa could be referred to as ‘double jeopardy’, noting that the central character suffers the loss of husband and, in a cruel twist, she is held responsible for it. In such circumstances, some lives are lost through suicide when victims choose it as the ultimate option to escape sustained familial and public humiliation.

The launch of VIDHWA in Auckland by Labour Minister Phil Twyford (right) at GIRMIT REMEMBRANCE DAY in Auckland on 7 May, 2021 . President of FIJI GIRMMIT FOUNDATION NZ, Krish Naidu is with him after the launch. 

Like his first book, TEARS OF A FATHER, this book is also rooted in the community, echoing its societal oddities.

It also touches on very deep hypocrisy – pakhand prevalent in our people. They project themselves as deeply religious but their walks differ markedly from their talks wherein the villains gain approbation as virtuous.

STAN - the Author, SATENDRA SINGH (JAI FIJI) - the two faces: In his younger days in Fiji (top) and how he looks now (above)

Vidhwa also exposes the multifaced people, the colour-changing chameleons,(girgit, bistuia) who comprise our society. It movingly captures the local village politics and how some rich and influential people use their wealth and influence to hurt or exploit common people who stand up for their rights. It is not all grisly and gruesome, as the author, seemingly, also captures high school knowledge and experiences to sprinkle his story with variety that includes romance and mystery, including contemporary news on drugs and the mystery of missing girls. 

A best dressed Hindu widow is stripped off her fashion and beautiful clothes upon death of husband. Why is her present and future determined by a man? Why aren't   similar reciprocating atrocities and discrimination bestowed on widower husbands who are ready to re-marry before the flames and embers of the pyre (chita) of their wives have cooled? Were script-writers of Hindu scriptures very male-chauvinists, with no real-life experience, always putting down women?

The story line very ably weaves all these into an ending which is very interesting and would sound like a Bollywood plot. But the plot insinuates that righteousness and truth are the ultimate victors and strongly endorses respect for women who have been the victims of decadent societal norms that afflicted every generation.

Fortunately, they belonged to a bygone era, though the society is not completely rid of it. These societal beliefs and practices were conceived in a less enlightened era but entrenched itself so strongly that that its residual effects touched every generation. The author aptly captures the depravities associated with such beliefs and practices, which may not make as much sense to today’s educated and enlightened generation, but they do provide a healthy forum for introspection and reflection.

There are sparks of brilliance throughout the book, which perhaps captures author’s disgust of some of the beliefs and practices introduced to demean, demonize, and destroy women’s social standing.

VIDHWA -THE DARING WIDOW - The Book Cover.

Vidhwa, based in Fiji, has target audience and the author weaves through intricately to keep the reader enthralled and engrossed to the end.

[About the Author: Rajendra Prasad is the author of two historically-enlightening books on Fiji, TEARS IN PARADISE – Suffering and Struggles of Indians in Fiji 1879-2004) and ENSLAVED IN PARADISE – A history of Mammoth Betrayals of Fijians by British, Chiefs and Leaders in Fiji 1876-2006.He is a Foundation Trustee of FIJI GIRMIT FOUNDATION NZ, and a former Ba Town Clerk. He now resides in Auckland. Those wishing to acquire these books can e-mail Thakur Ranjit Singh at: thakurjifj@gmail.com or inbox message to him on Facebook]

DINESH CHAND: A GRASSROOTS SPIRITUAL HUMANITARIAN, RISING FOR THE POOR IN THE COMMUNITY

 

DINESH CHAND - A GRASSROOTS SPIRITUAL HUMANITARIAN, RISING FOR THE POOR IN THE COMMUNITY

 

Thakur Ranjit Singh

There was a moment of surprise in the overflowing Malaeola  Community Centre when a name for the GIRMIT LEGACY AWARD was announced. This was at FIJI GIRMIT FOUNDATION NZ- organized 142^nd Anniversary of Fiji Girmit Remembrance Day ON 7 May 2021.

 

A modest DINESH CHAND, the recipient of Fiji Girmit Legacy Award - EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE VOLUNTEER. Note his distinct handlebar moustache.

The MC Bipin Shankar’s voice boomed, echoed, and resonated  through the very elaborate and efficient sound system and state-of the art two huge digital screens provided with the courtesy of Neil HDEV:

 

The Foundation  felt that there was a vacuum in our awards system in New Zealand because many individual awards out there are given to those who are already paid to do what they do, hence such awards sound hollow and pointless.

Anybody getting any funding and paying themselves handsomely and distributing or using leftover for others are not necessarily great.

Great are those from normal walks of life, a common man, an “aam aadmi”, one who takes own time and use own resources, beyond call of duties, without any support or funding or even any wish to be applauded - but keeps on doing that extra bit for the vulnerable in the community. And doing that for decades.

Therefore, this year the Foundation decided to add an award to recognize such an individual for selfless service.

And that  is EXCELLENCE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE VOLUNTEER AWARD.

And that deserving individual, ladies and gentlemen, is  DINESH CHAND

 

And this was the moment of surprise.

We all expected somebody in suit and tie walking up from the VIP seating area.

MC Bipin Shankar (left), with Award Recipient, Dinesh Chand, who was given the Legacy Award by Jennifer Khan - Janif, a Trustee of FIJI GIRMIT FOUNDATION NZ

Lo and behold, that was not so. But a very modestly, but nicely - dressed volunteer videographer who has been shooting the activities of the event, handed his big, sophisticated video camera to a friend, and stepped onto the stage.

And this, ladies, and gentlemen, was DINESH CHAND - one of us, but very much more than many of us, our busy videographer of the event, better known in the community as DJ DINESH. 

A tall, big, and handsome man, with a distinctive handlebar moustache was smiling to receive his very deserving, and long overdue award. 

Dinesh Chand, with his Girmit Legacy Award and wth his tell-tale handlebar moustache, in front of FIJI GIRMIT FOUNDATION NZ banner.

But bigger is his heart – a great deal bigger than his pockets, but still he has been spending the little he has and sharing with the less fortunate in our community.

The citation of his award was long because of the many good things he has been doing for the community. It read:

There is great deal more he has been delivering as a philanthropic, spiritual human being, without any support from anywhere, completely on a voluntary basis, that many do not know about. There is a long list.

Dinesh Chand, with library books, distributed in various Fiji schools

                  1) Helping underprivileged children of Fiji, by providing books, stationery, bags, shoes, and school uniforms.

2) Sending wheelchairs, walkers, walking sticks to disabled people in Fiji.

3) Providing free transport to vulnerable people of South Auckland to doctors, hospitals, WINZ and other similar needs.

4) During COVID lockdown, he worked with Fiji Girmit Foundation NZ with shopping, getting prescriptions to people without, delivering food parcels to disabled  people and shopping and drop - off to people in isolation. Recently, he has started taking elderly to funerals.

         

The family photo (montage) of Dinesh Chand

And the list goes on…and on…and on. He is blessed with wife Geeta Chand who he calls his pillar of strength, and has 4 children, who all are grown up now.

In the past decade, he had been spending much time in Fiji while bringing us all the news, documentary, and current affairs of Fiji on Triangle TV as a Freelance TV Program Producer.

 

This TV closed in 2011. The programmes he brought were, among others, – Jharokha NZ (Windows), Dehatee Darsan (View of the Rural)  and Bhakti Sagar (Religious).

 

I personally remember doing a Fiji Girmit programme with him in 2008, but because technology was on VHS tapes and not digital, those unfortunately could not be saved.

 

Like the situation of another recipient of Girmit Legacy Award, Sam Achary, Dinesh also left Fiji in search of better opportunities after coup of 1987. He is from a rustic, dusty village of Wairabetia, almost halfway between Lautoka and Nadi Airport.

However, he is well-rooted in my home-village of Rarawai, Dam, Ba, Fiji where his mother comes from and where he spent great deal of his childhood at his Grandfather’s (Nana’s) place. His parents now reside in Calgary, Canada, and they would be proud of his son.

 

The proud parents of Dinesh Chand, Mr. and Mrs. Shashi Pal,
who reside in Calgary, Canada. They are overjoyed with

    achievements of their son.

Dinesh arrived in NZ in 1988, just out of his teens as a young man of 21, with very modest cash to carry him through. He has very impressive work history and real -life experience which appear to have made him into a philanthropic donor, a compassionate servant of the poor and a grassroots person. 

He has been unnoticed doing things for poorer in our community. Unnoticed till now when Fiji Girmit Foundation NZ wishes to reveal such individuals amongst us to inspire others into doing selfless  service. 

Arriving at a tender age, through his real-life experience, and with diverse work experience and an aptitude to help others, he is now developed into a mature person with even a matured compassion for the vulnerable.

 

His colourful career, among others, included being a paints salesman, a dispatch clerk, a team leader, an Uber driver, a taxi driver, a courier operator, a night club proprietor, a transport operator, freelance Tv reporter and work stretched from Auckland to Wellington with frequent trips to Fiji for TV programmes. 

But ultimately, he settled for what he was doing on the night of receiving his award - videography, shooting video for events. As a Multi DJ, he also runs DJ programme for dance and parties, and has very advanced knowledge of music for all occasions and tastes.

 

    Apart from earning a living, he spends much time      also living for others.

 

   He shared a heart-touching story about a homeless lady and an abandoned boy:

Dinesh Chand with the homeless Ba market vendor, Tulsi Amma, who he helped in 2004. She passed away in 2009,.

I helped a lady from Ba – Tulsi Amma. She was a market vendor and sleeping under the stall. This was during my TV days in Fiji in 2004. I moved her to a 1-bedroom flat and paid for her expenses till her death in 2009. When she died, the Ba Police called me as I was registered as her next of kin. I flew from NZ to manage and attend her funeral.

The abandoned destitute child, Dewa Nand, who Dinesh Chand adopted, and saw him through school and Teachers College till he graduated. 

 

In 2005, a young Fiji Indian boy was left in Waidradra Village, Navua by his father, who promised the villagers he would return. But he never came back for his son. I adopted him as a son, named Dewa Nand, who later changed his name to  Sakaraia Anisikau Raicalo. I paid all school and College fees and living expenses that saw him graduate from Lautoka Teachers College with Bachelor of Education as a high school teacher.

Dewa Nand, the once abandoned adopted son of Dinesh Chand, took on an Itaukei (Fijian) name of Sakaraia Anisikau Raicalo. He is seen as a grown up graduate from Lautoka Teachers College in Fiji.

 

He also helps people in other ways through other agencies he heads or works with. He is President of NZ branch of Yaadein Vision, a charitable organization which extends its helping arm to Fiji. This includes equipping schools and making improvements.

Yaadein Vision has provided water reticulation, bus shelters, thousands of schoolbooks, computers, faxes, and scanners, 100 new wheelchairs, power generation and has sponsored 1000 students at 50 schools. He has also linked up with Friends of Fiji Heart Foundation to help them and publicize the good they do through TV documentaries.

A bus shelter being built in Fiji by Dinesh Chand as part of a project of Yaadein Vision

Closer to home, Dinesh has been at the forefront of advocating on suicides and mental health issues facing the community in New Zealand. In August 2020 he led a talanoa (hui, discussion) sessions by getting the community together to acknowledge we have a problem. A number of positive initiatives have since come out of that and will be taken on board in progressing that issue which Fiji Girmit Foundation NZ has on its radar.

And nobody can stop him from the good he does. His next project, among others, include sending a 20-foot container of disability goods to Western Disabled People’s Association in Lautoka, Fiji. Dinesh would really love others to help and sponsor all the good that he does. He plans to venture into fund-raising  dinner and dance family nite, and hopes, others, after reading his story, will be motivated to help. 

  Dinesh Chand with FIJI GIRMIT FOUNDATION NZ TRUSTEE,          Jennifer Khan-Janif, who  presented him the award at an              overflowing Malaeola Community Centre on 7 May 2021 

A big salutation for such an individual whose exceptional deeds for humanity would inspire others. He may not visit Mandirs, Temples or religious activities, he does not feed milk and food to dead statues, but believes in service to the living who need those food and help. Hinduism says the best good a human can do is to do “parr hitt”, service to humanity and creatures of God. He does exactly that.

I normally use poems to pass messages to community. In Sam Achary’s writings, I mentioned the poem “IF”. In Dinesh Chand’s case, I use my secondary school, DAV College, Ba’s famous poem, Leigh Hunt’s “ABOU BEN ADHEM”. This was taught by the then principal, Satendra Singh. The message of this poem is that the people who love their fellow men will be blessed and loved by God himself ... The poem ultimately argues that love of humankind is love of God - because people are God's creation.

In essence, the poem is saying that anyone who claims to love God, without putting this into practice first through a love for their fellow human beings, does not really love God at all. I certainly hope that so - called religious people can comprehend this simple message.

I am not sure if Dinesh has ever read this poem, in fact he does not have to. This is because he unselfishly and unconsciously walks in these footsteps, because he shows his love for God by loving humankind and creatures of God.

Indeed, we are stirred and motivated by this lover of humans. And he remains simple, modest common man, armed with a video camera,  but a heart full of love for his fellow citizens.

Dinesh Chand, MULTI DJ remains a very worthy recipient of  Fiji Girmit Legacy Award for excellence in volunteer service to the community.

You make us proud. Aayushmaan Bhava-remain blessed.

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is one of the initiators and a Founding Trustee of FIJI GIRMIT FOUNDATION NZ. The seeds were planted in 2012 with some visionary community leaders, fruiting in 2021 with over 1,500 overflowing audience in Auckland Girmit Day. He is a journalist and runs his blog, FIJI PUNDIT. He normally writes in-depth articles on Fiji Indian community leaders that are overlooked or ignored by the mainstream and side stream media. E-mail: thakurjifj@gmail.com]

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