Waitakere Indian Association (WIA) excel,with new executives.

Thakur Ranjit Singh

Racial taunts of “curry muncher” and “get out of this country” were not unusual in the earlier parts of 1980s and 90s in New Zealand. And it was such abuses that inspired the founding President of Waitakere Indian Association (WIA) to think about forming a body as a collective pressure and advocate group to provide support for the growing migrant Indian community (People of Indian Origin) in West Auckland.

The Founding President, Praveen Chandra had told the tenth anniversary celebration of Waitakere Indian Association on 8 May, 2010, that the idea of forming an organisation of Indians took root at a birthday party in Te Atatu Peninsula in 1999. And sixteen years on, that organisation is still going strong, with its latest Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 31 July 2016.

All the president's men and women.The incoming executive members of Waitakere Indian Association elected at AGM on 31 July, 2016. SITTING -from left. Kajal Kumar (Assistant Secretary), Hasmita Singh (Secretary), President, Mahendra Sharma, Sunil Kaushal (Vice President), Manoj Tahal (Trustee/Executive)

STANDING -Left to Right- Hardip Singh (Executive), Preeya Prakash (Executive), Mohini Prakash (Assistant Treasurer), Sunil Chandra (Trustee/Executive), Chandrika Prasad (Executive), Nawal Prakash (Executive) Naveen Prakash (Trustee/Treasurer/Immediate Past President), Arvind Singh (Rohit) (Executive) and Dev Bhardwaj (Executive)

Over the past one and a half decades, WIA has been recognised as one of the best organisations in West Auckland, and perhaps New Zealand and received numerous awards for that. It has established itself as a credible community organisation and has formed sound working relationship with like-minded  organisations, the local Maori, Auckland Council, various ethnic groups, various Government ministries, NGOs, local business communities, the sponsors, and of course with its grassroots membership.

The stormy, rainy, windy and wintery cold last day of July, 2016, in mid-winter, saw a warm function at St John Hall in Henderson Auckland. It was an evening for the grassroots membership and the evening rounded off with networking, socialising and dinner. The membership included thinning and greying - haired senior citizens, jean-clad youths, sari and salwar-kameez clad ladies wing, and of course the smartly dressed engine room of the organisation - the past, present and prospective executive members of WIA. This was a day to continue celebrating an icon of West Auckland.

The big boss: Chairperson of Trustees, Sunil Chandra (standing), addressing the meeting while the Secretary, Hasmita Singh (left) is taking notes and the Treasurer Naveen Prakash is engrossed in the financial figures.

The meeting was first addressed by Chairperson of Trustees, Sunil Chandra, who thanked the outgoing executives for a job well-done. WIA has a three tier system, with Trustees, Executives and general membership. The permanent nature of Trustees ensures continuity and stability in the organisation, with trustees having powers of veto to ensure smooth functioning of the organisation. Such a system of governance ensures nobody can “coup” the hard work of the organisation at AGM. 

The founding Trustee / President Praveen Chandra has vacated office. The current Trustees are Sunil Chandra, Rameshwar Dutt, Abhay Ballu, Umas Chandra, Naveen Prakash, with Manoj Tahal making the newest trustee. Perhaps this form of a system would suit other similar organisations to keep opportunists away, and for smooth operation. The buck in such an organisation, does not stop at AGM – the Trustees give the final blessing to grant it legitimacy and authority. And that has been the reason for success and stability of WIA, thanks to the learned Trustees, who rarely get recognised for being the foundation and beacon of the organisation.

The two Presidents: Incoming President, Mahendra Sharma (left) watches on while the Immediate Past President/Treasurer , Naveen Prakash addresses the meeting.

The outgoing President Naveen Prakash presented his annual report and outlined the achievements. Apart from the annual popular Waitakere Diwali and Waitakere Holi (being the pioneer of Holi festival in Auckland), WIA was also been involved in other community activities including fundraising for hurricane in Fiji, working with Auckland Council on final death rite issues and working with like-minded ethnic bodies and organisations for well-being of the community. 

Respective Project Managers of Diwali and Holi, Anilesh Kumar and Mahendra Sharma presented their reports and wonderful events they managed. Other reports of successful subcommittees, such as Youth and Sports, Women’s Wing and Senior Citizens reports were also presented. Naveen being a former treasurer guards money very closely and was able to deliver a healthy surplus and bank accounts for incoming executives.

Part of the Senior Citizens at WIA Annual General Meeting

Allocating and delegating responsibilities to Project Managers for specific events provide opportunities for personal development and spreads leadership training and exposure. Its success was self-evident when the last Holi Festival Project Manager, Mahendra Sharma was unanimously elected as the new President.

Part of the members present at AGM

The full Executive Committee for 2016-2017 year are as follows:

President: Mahendra Sharma
Vice President: Sunil Kaushal
Secretary: Hasmita Singh
Assistant Secretary: Kajal Kumar
Treasurer/ Immediate Past President: Naveen Prakash
Assistant Treasurer: Mohini Prakash
Executive Members: Hardip Singh, Manoj Tahal, Sunil Chandra, Preeya Prakash, Chandrika Prasad, Dev Bhardwaj, Arvind Singh (Rohit) and Nawal Prakash.

One uniqueness about AGM at WIA is the smooth election process where most elections have been through consensus, in a cordial atmosphere, with guiding hands of the trustees. And we were blessed by a grassroots member of our community as the next President. Mahendra Sharma – a soft-spoken, humble person.

The new President, Sharma, in his first presidential address laid the basic foundation of the new executive. This, among others, included working closely with police, and having Indian Wardens in Henderson. This will be headed by the new executive member, Nawal Prakash, who is a former senior sergeant of Fiji Military Forces. The other was working with Fire Services to ensure checking on working smoke alarms in our homes. Sharma also emphasised working closely with the Maori community in general and Waipareira Trust in particular. In addition, WIA would work very closely with Shri Ram Mandir and Hindi School. One area of emphasis will be youth development, and well-being of Senior Citizens. Another emphasis would be extending the sphere of WIA with a membership drive to bring in more people on board.

Empowering women. A pride of Indian Community in New Zealand, Constable Mandeep Kaur Sidhu, Ethnic Peoples Community Relations Officer, based at Henderson Police Station. Here she is seen addressing AGM, while the past and incoming Secretary, Hasmita Singh is taking instant-minutes of the proceedings. With these ladies in the forefront and WIA executives comprising some 30%, West Auckland takes pride in empowering its ladies. President, Mahendra Sharma intends to work closely with police and law enforcement in Henderson.

With the mixture of new and the old, and with three trustees in the executive committee, the membership can expect another successful year from a very enthusiastic, energetic and well deserved team. And unlike many similar organisations WIA can boast to be empowering ladies by having some 30% ladies in key positions.

They say, charity begins at home. WIA, a charitable organisation is indeed unique in this way. Perhaps another rarity of WIA is that, while maintaining its transparency and good governance, it remains a community, a grassroots and a family organisation. To reflect this, WIA’s new Executive has two sets of father – daughter team, while there is a husband – wife team as well. It is through such homely and closely-knit team that Waitakere Indian Association continues to be a shining light of charitable organisations in New Zealand.

FIJI PUNDIT congratulates and blesses them in his usual, salutary manner-Aayushmaan Bhava.

[About the Author-Thakur Ranjit Singh is a former Secretary and Executive Member of WIA, and runs his blog site FIJI PUNDIT, covers news and issues that generally miss the radar of commercial news organisations.]

The Blacklisted NZ Journalists: When Fiji stands firm

Thakur Ranjit Singh

Barbara Dreaver and Michael Field are two New Zealand journalists still blacklisted (banned) from Fiji. When NZ Prime Minister, John Key visited Fiji in June 2016, he did raise issues with Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama to relax the ban. However, the banned journalists appeared arrogant and felt that Fiji owed an obligation to allow them in. Bainimarama effectively said, “…get stuffed…” (Pun intended, as one banned journalist used to work for a media called Stuff!)

It appears that some Fijian journalists, former journalist and media educators in Fiji tend to believe that sun rises from backsides of some Kiwi (read Anglo Saxon) journalists, and goes back to set there in the afternoon. For somebody who has studied journalism in NZ, and has been a media commentator and blogger here in Auckland, I can vouch that some media and journalists here cannot stand as exemplary beacon for Fiji or Fijians to emulate. Some are far from perfect, others are blatantly biased against certain political parties, and the remainder abuse their positions in media to shame any media student. Some appear to be lapdogs of certain influential advertisers. Therefore, Third World journalists in Fiji have to wake up to this fact and stop adoring those who are unworthy of this gesture.

Some people whining and whinging in Fiji need to shed off the shackles of colonialism, and accept that anything foreign or White need not be superior. It is better to be standing tall, than being a bootlicker or a servile journalist. FIJI PUNDIT is one such…Read on…

Barbara Dreaver

Michael Field

Prime Minister John Key’s visit to Fiji (9-10 June), marked a significant gain in the restoration of relations between New Zealand and Fiji. This was despite NZ mainstream media ignoring, appreciating and failing to report this. In 2006, during the reign of Helen Clark, Fiji suffered ‘smart’ sanctions, following the Bainimarama-initiated coup on December 5, 2006 that removed the Qarase Government. Ironically, she now needs Prime Minister Bainimarama’s support too in her quest to clinch the prestigious position of Secretary-General of the United Nations. What more, Fiji’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Peter Thomson is now the President of the United Nations and would decide on her fate! Following New Zealand and Australia’s rigid stand, Bainimarama said that he would not return to the Pacific Islands Forum until the influence of New Zealand and Australia on the forum were reduced. In his recent visit, Mr Key urged Mr Bainimarama to re-join the Pacific Islands Forum but did not get any commitment from him.

On ban imposed by Fiji on some foreign journalists, such as Barbara Dreaver of TVNZ and Michael Field, formerly of Fairfax, Mr Key said he had tried without success to get Mr Bainimarama to lift the bans. Mr Bainimarama retained his vigorous opposition to the banned journalists saying, the journalists’ reporting was misleading and mischievous and was not amenable to Mr Key’s call on media freedom in Fiji.  He said, "Certain journalists in New Zealand and Australia and certain journalists in Fiji think nothing of dispensing with the facts if they get in the way of the politically-motivated narrative they want to tell. We are saying to the news organisations that employ them, send someone else." He clarified that no one who reported on events in Fiji fairly and in a balanced manner was excluded and they were free to criticize the government or him in an opinion piece or report criticism by others in their news stories. 

John Key meeting Frank Bainimarama: Anybody reporting in a balanced manner was not banned from Fiji.

Indeed, hopes of Barbara Dreaver of TVNZ and Michael Field, on the lifting of the ban against them has been dashed, as Bainimarama spoke with same vigour and verve, leaving no doubt in John Key’s mind on the futility of seeking reprieve for them. Bainimarama accused Barbara Dreaver for posting footage of tanks in the streets of Suva when Fiji had no tanks in its armoury. She denied the accusation and claimed that TVNZ had no such footage. However, her footage showing schoolchildren pulling grass with their hands, as they did not have fuel for the motor mowers smacks of notoriety. In Fiji, the backup support for such eventuality is knives (machete), which is commonly used and pulling grass by hand is both unacceptable and impractical for clearing school grounds. Besides, the size of grass, which children were pulling, was not of a height that required desperate and unconventional measures. In addition to this, according to the TVNZ footage, the children seemed to move away, indicating that it was possibly a set up to ventilate her views on the Fijian economy. 

Michael Field also tried to defend himself but showed his obvious unsavoury reputation. He wrote, “Bainimarama and Sayed-Khaiyum, who really run the show, are a kind of unelected politburo. Only last week they had opposition politician Tupou Draunidalo kicked out of Parliament until 2018 when she correctly called Education Minister Mahendra Reddy an idiot.”  Fiji has a democratically elected Parliament with Bainimarama’s approval rating consistently 60 percent or above since his election, which also credibly reflected on his Government. Field endorses Draunidalo’s comment, stressing that she ‘correctly’ called Reddy an idiot but ignored her comment, accusing Reddy for saying ‘dumb natives’, in a bid to stir racial feelings, when he did not utter such words. To claim that Sayed-Khaiyum running the show is an insult to the Fijian parliament and people of Fiji and Michel Field has proven that he thoroughly deserves the ban to remain. When journalists become judgemental and blatantly opinionated, they deserve to suffer the consequences. 

Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa who was riled by Dreaver's report on Samoa  being " awash with guns and drugs"

By such actions, journalists of the ilk of Barbara Dreaver and Michael Field invite retaliatory measures against them and when it happens, they navigate for public opinion to rescue them.  Indeed, for Michael Field, banned from Fiji, Tonga, Kiribati and Nauru, proved his culpability in being biased, insensitive and too opinionated for his own good. On Barbara Dreaver, a Fiji Sun source (June 12) claimed that following complaint to New Zealand’s Broadcasting Authority against her by Samoan Prime Minister, Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi, claiming Samoa was “awash with guns and drugs”, the TVNZ was reportedly ordered to pay NZ$5,000 to the Samoan Government. Mr Tuilaepa reportedly later claimed that the ruling was a “victory for responsible and substantive reporting”

Interestingly, these two claim the high ground of media freedom and their right to impose themselves, as they deem fit, on island nations but disappear in the thin air when dealing with China, Iran or Saudi Arabia when leaders of these nations come to New Zealand. They do not whinge, as they do against Fiji now ruled by a leader who has the guts to stand up to people like Barbara Dreaver and Michael Field.  Media freedom is a right that impinges on the practitioners in the field of journalism to dispense their obligations responsibly and not recklessly, as Barbara Dreaver and Michael Field do.

Further, Barbara Dreaver’s defence against Fiji’s stance through the TVNZ on 10 June clearly demonstrated her resentment, arrogance and self-righteousness, which one hopes does not extend her sentence by the Fijian authorities. She obviously has to learn the art of diplomacy in dealing with national leaders and nations, hiding her hostility and contempt, easily captured through her body language, voice modulation, including facial expressions. Obviously, she would not dare do that to the Chinese Government on the state TV, risking her job at the command of the authorities from the Beehive! 

Indeed, such journalists are the cause for media controls being implemented in many countries and when it happens, they cry foul. Fiji is not a perfect democracy but an evolving one that is substantially better in concept and practice than past governments, anchored to the 1970, 1990 and 1997 Constitutions. 

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is the principal of blog FIJI PUNDIT and Indian Media Watch - New Zealand. He is a qualified journalist, a postgraduate scholar from Auckland University of Technology’s (AUT) with honours and a former media personality from Fiji. He is a media commentator, specialising in social media, covering Fiji and local news, generally bypassed by the mainstream and side stream media.]

When a character from ‘Airlift” visits Shri Ram Mandir: His Excellency Sanjiv Kohli

Thakur Ranjit Singh

As the Indian dhol sounded out, and the conch shell or shank, was blown by Pundit Jagdish Maharaj, His Excellency, the protagonist of Airlift, Sanjeev Kohli was escorted into Shri Ram Mandir in Henderson, Auckland on the evening of 16 July, 2016. His entry was preceded by flagbearers carrying three flags of the countries touching all of us: New Zealand, India and Fiji. 

A person of such a short stature, such a humble-looking servant of people, how could he have caused miracles in Kuwait during Desert Storm (Iraqi wars)? One could but be proud of the very pivotal role he played in rescue and evacuation of over 150,000 Indians from Kuwait during Saddam’s invasion in 1990. [I overnight saw the movie “Airlift” in preparation to write this article.]

The reel and real Sanjeev Kohli. Left, Actor Kumud Mishra who plays Sanjeev Kohli in Airlift. Centre, the real Sanjeev Kohli, the then Joint Secretary of Ministry of External Affairs (MEA)  who visited Ram Mandir. He is now Indian High Commisioner to New Zealand. Left, poster of Airlift"

When Akshay Kumar’s ‘Airlift” was released, questions were raised about authenticity or truthfulness of the events and the story. One of the main characters, Sanjeev Kohli (played in the film by actor Kumud Mishra), has spoken out. The truth is that real Sanjeev Kohli exists, and that differs from the reel (movie) Kohli, who is portrayed as a helpless Joint Secretary in Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). The real Kohli dispels a lot of theories about the lack-lustre performance of the Ministry, “We had orders from Delhi not to leave till the last Indian had left, and we did it despite limited resources,” he reportedly told NewsMobile in an exclusive interview.

Sanjeev Kohli, now Indian High Commissioner to New Zealand, is an Indian Foreign Service officer of the 1988 batch. He is known in the ministry as a quiet performer who has served in Kuwait, Moscow and Qatar and served as a Joint Secretary in MEA headquarters in Delhi. He was a young third Secretary in the Indian mission in Kuwait when Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait on 2nd August 1990. “It was a traumatic time we were completely stuck without any communication link, it was about ten day later that we set up a communication link with great difficulty, but we never fled the country,” Kohli told media. In the movie, the Indian diplomats desert the mission with a lone staffer telling Akshay Kumar that all diplomats had left. It is reported that the movie Airlift is a tremendous effort by Akshay Kumar and does score on creativity. However it appears to have failed in research, missing out on important factual points which would have helped the movie.

Sanjeev Kohli facilitated and coordinated with various agencies to arrange almost 500 flights to evacuate over 150,000 Indians stranded due to Iraqi war- Desert Storm in 1990. The real story is that people were not abandoned. Indian government cares for its stranded people.

And despite its shortcomings, Airlift did show Sanjeev Kohli as a righteousness and loyal civil servant who played a key role in ensuring Indians were safely transported to India.

Therefore it was a historical moment when Shri Ram Mandir, on that cold wintery evening, warmly welcomed a distinguished guest, very deserving of the honour. Master of Ceremonies for the evening, Sunil Sharma very ably controlled the evening event which was a joint effort of Waitakere Indian Association (WIA), Waitakere Hindi School and the hosts, Shri Ram Mandir. Naveen Prakash the president of WIA, explained the role of Indian Association which has become a leading light for Indian Diaspora in West Auckland. Despite its volunteering efforts and being the genesis of celebration of various Indian festivals, the organisation was dependent on funding, and hinted on Indian High Commission coming to its rescue, in promotion of Indian culture. 

The grand entry: with dhol, preceded by three flags, new Zealand, India and Fiji. His Excellency, Sanjeev Kohli is escorted by Naveen Prakash, President of Waitakere Indian Association.

Outlining the history of Hindi School, students of the school informed that Hindi School was an off-spring of WIA which is now an autonomous body, which has been responsible for guiding language and culture in our young generation. The youth wing of Shri Ram Mandir, consisting of ladies, Pooja Kumar and Sagrika Kumar explained the history of the temple which has brought the community of Henderson together and has now matured into a community centre from being a devotional centre.

But the evening was reserved for the real hero of Airlift, His Excellence, Sanjeev Kohli. I wished to request him to email me his speech. But how do you request a speech from somebody who could speak very eloquently for some ten minutes in English, without any notes or written speech! It was all impromptu and it spoke volumes of the calibre of an accomplished and yet humble international Indian diplomat.

"A family which prays together lives together and are strongest together. " Sanjeev Kohli giving his address at Shri Ram mandir. He said, of all his trips to Auckland, the visit to Mandir was most fulfilling as it brought the nostalgia of his sweet childhood experience of visiting Mandir with his family. He told the devotees that temples also play a crucial social role in building bonds and community networking.

“ It is more than a delight to be present here-I feel blessed to be present in this magnificent temple…..As far as my tenure here is concerned I have been here for some four and a half months and had visited Auckland four - five times, mostly for business purpose. But this has been the most satisfying visit, “Kohli Ji told the devotees in the temple.

He had a nostalgic feeling of his “sweet memories of childhood which became alive again “by coming to the temple. He fondly remembered his younger days and childhood where he visited temples with his family and prayed together with his parents and siblings. He was pleased to see similar interaction, with various generations of people, young, teenagers, kids, babies and the elderly.

“It is a kind of feeling we need to develop in our younger people. A family which prays together lives together, and is always strongest together,” he said.

Group Photo: from left, Pravin Kumar- Managing Trustee - Shri Ram Mandir, Sunny Kaushal, Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi- National List MP, Councillor Linda Cooper- Auckland Council, Baljit Kaur- Executive- Waitakere Indian Association, Constable Mandeep Kaur- Ethnic Communities Relations Officer, His Excellency- Sanjeev Kohli, Ami Chand - Whau Local Board, Sunny Kaushal - NZ Labour Party and Naveen Prakash- President of Waitakere Indian Association.

Kohli praised the efforts of the Hindi school performers and especially the girls. “As a father of two girls, I feel proud to see the girls taking the lead over boys” He praised the Hindi school initiative. “A nation which does not take pride in its language does not go far”. On funding, he committed their assistance and would be prepared to help wherever possible. He was so impresses with the temple that he (jokingly) wishes to make it into a training centre…” I think we should also bring some Trustees from India who run temples to come and see and learn the way you do things here. The way you have maintained this place, I need to salute the vision and commitment of Pravin Ji (referring to Pravin Kumar, Managing Trustee of Ram Mandir) and his team, “he said.

Elaborating on the wider roles of place of worship, he advised devotees to have a paradigm shift. “Temples are not only a place where you get your devotional and spiritual fulfilment, they also serve a very important social cause. I think they bind communities together, and also in terms of building bonds within the community. We perform marriages in temple, we perform other events in temples. And whenever you have a problem, you go to temple and seek divine blessings. You also interact with your friends here. This is especially important if you are away from your country,” He praised the Indian Diaspora for their achievements and especially named Kanwaljit Bakshi, who was present, and praised him for noteworthy service to the community.

He touched on the issue of problems people faced with the past High Commissioners and many grievances people had. “We like feedback on the services we provide. I would like to assure you that someone who cannot have his problem addressed in the normal way, is most welcome to send me a direct e-mail, or message, I personally go through each mail and message, and it will be an honour to serve you, “he assured.

Acharya Dinesh Prasad Semwal,(right) a priest at Ram Mandir, presenting Holy Book to His Excellency, Sanjeev Kohli (left). In the centre, looking on, is Pravin Kumar, Managing Trustee of Shri Ram Mandir Charitable Trust.

Indeed, a person of such a small stature, lifted up the morale of all of us at Shri Ram Mandir.
He did it the same way as depicted in ‘Airlift.” With about 500 flights, he intervened, coordinated and facilitated evacuation of over 150,000 Indians stranded in Kuwait in Iraqi war of Desert Storm.

For a change, New Zealand has been honoured with the calibre of an Indian High Commissioner we can all be proud of. And Shri Ram Mandir was honoured to host such a humble servant of the people.

Your Excellency, Sanjeev Kohli Sir, we salute you. You make all People of Indian Origin proud. Jai Hind.

[About the author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is a Kiwi Fijian (Indo-Fijian) and the principal of blog FIJI PUNDIT. He is a qualified journalist and media commentator.]

Auckland Transport: A tail wagging the dog

Thakur Ranjit Singh

A Frankenstein monster is what you create but cannot control. This aptly applies to creation of Super City in Auckland. This monster, among others, is Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) which ironically are uncontrollable and not answerable to the elected officials. These unelected bureaucrats wield immense power, which creates the situation of a tail wagging the dog. One notorious omnipotent Frankenstein Monster is Auckland Transport, not answerable to anybody. This article shows how this overrides our elected officials. And if a Brexit type referendum were held here, we would have “Auexit”, where Aucklanders would opt to be freed from the monster of a mismanaged Super City, and unbridled powers of its uncontrollable CCOs. Here is an insight into what you would not read in a mainstream newspaper in New Zealand. 

The lament of an ethnic journalist in a White country is same as a peacock dancing in the forest. Never mind how charmingly, elegantly and gracefully the peacock will dance, hardly anybody notices. I had given this article to NZ Herald some two weeks ago for publication. It appears they decided not to publish it. Hence this peacock will once again dance in the jungle, FIJI PUNDIT. And this ethnic person is talking about a White Institution this time.

AT stands for Auckland Transport, which has embarked on a multi-million dollar rebranding project that would colour our buses in one colour, and further confuse passengers which bus goes where. The colour -coded bused  associated with serving each section of the city like Manukau, Waitakere and North Shore would have been more effective, easily identifiable and customer-friendly. But AT does not have to listen to anybody.

Yes, I am talking about the Frankenstein monster that Rodney Hide has created: AUCKLAND - THE SUPERCITY and its children. Today I will speak about one child from the group of siblings called Council Controlled Organisation (CCO). The irony is that this beast, called Council Controlled Organisation in reality, nobody can control – not even its father, Auckland Council. Today I will talk about a naughty and ill-disciplined child called Auckland Transport (AT). It has been causing havoc in Auckland with its grey and blue tinted glasses. Auckland Council and the mainstream media ignored the plea of this ethnic blogger some three years ago, and hence failed to see that peacock dance, as it did that in the forest, in blog, FIJI PUNDIT.

This was about the  2013 scrapping of history in Henderson to remove Christmas Parade because the Johnnie – come – late, AT objected about some transport issues we were unaware of for over 11 years.

As the linked article by the same author shows, AT's past officious and unbending attitude resulted in scrapping of 11-year Santa Parade in Henderson.

Vanessa Neeson (present and past) Chair of Massey Henderson Local Board attributed this shift in history to the officiousness of this new monster that seemed to be answerable to nobody. For 11 years Henderson, under Waitakere City Council had Santa Parade with little or no objections. But this new monster, sitting in the former Waitakere Council building, raises concerns which are officious at the best, and conceited, nonsensical and irrational at the worst.

In 2013, before the last Auckland Council elections, Waitakere Ethnic Board (WEB) held an election forum. Yours truly as Chair of the Forum raised this issue with potential mayors. John Minto, John Palino, Reuben Shadbolt, Uesifili Unasa and Penny Bright (minus Len Brown) were there and the unbridled powers of the unelected, and at times, unaccountable CCOs were seen as a matter of concern. Penny Bright was the most ardent critic of CCOs: “I believe that big corrupt corporates control Auckland through Council Controlled Organisations “(CCOs) where unelected businesspeople run the Auckland region like a business, by business, for business. CCOs must go,” she told the forum.

The way AT 'controls Auckland Council brings to reality this satirical depiction of a tail wagging the dog.

My blog KIWI PUNDIT raised concerns that were not heeded.  Here an arm was concerned about disruption of bus services to a few hundred people for two hours in a small suburb of West Auckland. On the other hand the Auckland Mayor and Auckland Council,  have no trouble in shutting off Queen Street to allow topless women to have ‘Boobs on bike’ or some parade that far under weigh the fun and pleasure of so many children in Waitakere. The Council needs to have its priorities right, have some control over its unelected CCOs and not allow the over-paid bosses in ivory towers to displace our elected representatives and Local Boards. 

Now, three years on, NZ Herald, in its editorial on 24 June, 2016 seems to have woken up to this concerns and has raised issues about multi-million dollar branding by painting the buses in same colour. Auckland Ratepayers' Alliance spokeswoman Jo Holmes, in a NZ Herald statement said that the move was "insane" and a "waste of money", and there were lot more transport issues that should take priority instead of painting the buses. Ms Holmes branded Auckland Transport priorities as muddled and rightfully said Auckland needed more reliable service, not more expensive council branding. It is estimated this is going to cost millions.

AT has embarked on removing 75-year old history of Birkenhead  orange and cream buses with that boring greyish blue painting. The board's decision to paint the buses is a classic illustration of how misguided corporate thinking can be when the body is using public funds

North Shore residents are also concerned that the fleet of 75 Birkenhead orange and cream buses, which was part of the neighbourhood's identity was being lost in the Super City through this greyish blue painting.

NZ Herald questioned this use (read abuse) of public funds: “The board's decision to paint the buses is a classic illustration of how misguided corporate thinking can be when the body is using public funds.” The editorial also questioned the ability and talent of Auckland Transport for imposing such unpopular decisions without any solid customer research. Auckland Transport was accused of promoting itself by flexing its muscles, the action that cannot be questioned. It concluded:

“Corporate hubris in the public sector can always pass on its costs, and since these bodies are protected from political interference they cannot be punished by voters either. AT looks determined to make us grey and blue.”

Indeed if Auckland Council had taken any notice of that peacock, KIWI PUNDIT, dancing in the forests some three years ago, when Henderson Christmas Parade was unceremoniously scrapped, perhaps Auckland Transport today may have been more controllable, answerable, accountable and dependable.

[Thakur Ranjit Singh is an Auckland-based ethnic (read Indo-Fijian) journalist running his blogs, FIJI PUNDIT. He is a former Board Member of Waitakere Ethnic Board (WEB) and is a media commentator.]

John Key's Fiji visit: How a conceited NZ Media let their PM down

Thakur Ranjit Singh

As the NZ Airforce Hercules eased into a very warm Nausori Airport in Fiji with its Prime Minister John Key, Frank Bainimarama, stood tall at the tarmac, with his heads held high on 9 June, 2016.

He has effectively passed a message to Australia, as well as New Zealand that he could survive without their support. So, he did. In response, New Zealand Prime Minister John Key has been expedient to play by the new rules: “It’s time to put the past behind us and move forward.”  Indeed, NZ needs Fiji’s support and vote for Helen Clark to be the next Secretary General of United Nations. 

Professor Robbie Robertson from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne summed it well when he spoke about NZ and Australia’s attempt at punishing Fiji and freezing it out of regional blocs. “They assumed in the past they could pressure Fiji and bring it to its knees,” says Swinburne’s Robbie Robertson. “They failed.”

Two neighbouring Prime Ministers, Fiji's Frank Bainimarama, and  New Zealand's PM John Key, sharing gifts in a very cordial atmosphere in Fiji. Kiwi Media let down John Key through their distorted news reporting which said Fiji visit was a disaster for John Key. This is  very misleading and poor journalism on the part of NZ media which failed to report facts.

So did New Zealand media. This was an opportunity for them to appreciate and understand Fiji. But sections of a White Kiwi media has been conceited and vindictive, hence they wasted this chance. And in doing so they did not hurt Bainimarama, but, and let down their own PM, and contributed to him losing face amongst Kiwis back home. Reaction of New Zealand media to Bainimarama’s 2,400 word speech was only confined to some ten percent of that speech which kicked on the butt of a wanting NZ media.  “……there appears to be a substantial body of opinion in New Zealand – led by your generally hostile media – that what has happened in Fiji somehow lacks legitimacy. That somehow, I lack legitimacy and my government lacks legitimacy. This is simply not borne out by the facts. We have moved on but it would appear that the New Zealand media has not.”

On media ban on journalists, Fiji PM said that no one who reported on events in Fiji fairly and in a balanced manner was excluded. While accepting fair criticism, Bainimarama said he “cannot allow the wilful propagation of false information that damages the national interest and undermines our vulnerable economy.” He effectively told NZ media owners to send someone who respected the facts and the right of people to know the truth, and not some twisted concoction. 

Unfortunately, NZ media played exactly the same way Fiji PM had accused them of. Bainimarama’s information-packed speech with essential pertinent facts about Fiji were ignored. It appeared NZ media was running around like chooks with heads cut off, and wailing that they have been kicked in the butt by the leader of a Third World Country. They never covered the other facts that Kiwis needed to know. 

Who said nothing was achieved by John Key's visit to Fiji? NZ media failed to see the positive side of thing and was intent on their own agenda -setting, showing Fiji's democracy in bad light.

This irony was not lost on NZ Herald readers who expressed their feeling in the letters column. One Robin Osborne wrote:” I note with wry amusement the only subject of importance apparently raised at the PM’s visit to Fiji was the return of various media reporters.”  One Grant Anderson raised very pertinent issues that bugged great number of people: “It was disappointing to see that the media coverage on Mr. Key’s visit to Fiji focussed on how Fiji treats some New Zealand reporters rather than other very important issues relating to Fiji and NZ mutually, like Fiji support for Helen Clark and so on.”  In fact TVNZ’s weather reporter who was hosted by Tourism Fiji recently reported from resorts in Fiji. He told more about Fiji than the hordes of reporters covering Key’s Fiji visit.

Perhaps, Professor David Robie, who specialises in Pacific reporting, need to take these reporters for a refresher course at Auckland University of Technology’s (AUT’s) Media and Communications department and train them how to communicate what they missed from Bainimarama’s other 90 per cent of the speech. Anglo Saxons (Europeans) just naturally do not happen to be better journalists than home-grown Fijians journalists.

Fiji PM informed an ignorant NZ media that ten years ago, some Fijians were more equal than others, their votes carried more weight than others and they enjoyed a range of privileges that others didn’t share, such as employment etc.

He also said when Helen Clark visited Fiji ten years ago, there was no common name or identity. The term Fijian – an English word – was reserved for one ethnic group only. He informed that Qarase regime wanted to introduce an equivalent of Foreshore and Seabed Act that NZ has soundly rejected. It would have undermined Fiji’s tourism industry and turned Fiji into an economic basket case. He said ten years ago, the then government wanted to introduce a reconciliation bill that would have effectively freed those responsible for bringing our nation to its knees in the rebellion of 2000 and the subsequent mutiny in the military. 

Bula, Frank. Kia Ora, John

To stop the racial seed germinating to destroy the nation, action had to be taken. The same elites responsible for 1987 and 2000 political instability were posing another grave threat to national unity.  And so Bainimarama embarked on a revolution to create Year Zero in Fiji. This was to grant every citizen of Fiji a common name, equality and social justice and to move the country forward as one nation, one people.

James Batley was the Australian High Commissioner to Fiji when he was suddenly expelled from the country in 2009 as Bainimarama set out to prove his country’s sovereignty. He still hasn’t been allowed back but has told Pasifik News that Fiji’s new democracy is a work in progress. “I think there’s always been a view in Australian circles that it was unrealistic for Fiji just to flick a switch from an unelected government under Frank Bainimarama to a fully functional democracy straight after the elections,” he says.

It appeared that this sacked diplomat with a black ban has better appreciation of a Third World Developing country. That appeared to be drastically lacking in NZ journalists who were trying to view a Third World democracy with a First World tinted glasses. They still tend to believe that a mere switch on of a button would make everything well in Fiji. They believe they are smart, yet they are so naïve. In fact it appears some may still believe we wear grass skirts in Fiji. Bainimarama requested NZ Government for a genuine cooperation and understanding. He pleaded to Key and his Government to work with Fiji to create a better framework in which to conduct its affairs, which was less prescriptive, more consultative, with better appreciation of the challenges Fiji faced.

Bainimarama told Key what NZ media failed to hear. “We are not New Zealand. We have different challenges and priorities. We are not the New Zealand democracy. Evolved and robust. We are the Fijian democracy. Finally genuine yet still in its relative infancy and with institutions that need to be strengthened. And we are not the New Zealand economy. Our economy needs to have its fundamentals protected and strengthened to empower all Fijians,.” he told Key. A lackadaisical and apathetic NZ media, completely failed to understand and broadcast this intelligence and plea from Fijian PM. 

He appealed NZ to work with Fiji to build those institutions, strengthen its democracy, work with Fiji to improve the lives of Fijians, and help build strong institutions without political bias or interference and help. He pleaded NZ to work with Fiji in a collaborative manner. 

Frank Bainimarama concluded: “Prime Minister, a great partnership is possible, one based on mutual confidence and trust. So I look forward to our talks … welcome to Fiji. It’s been a long time between drinks, as they say - 10 years since we last had a New Zealand Prime Minister here, even though we now welcome over 100,000 Kiwis every year. We hope that like them, Fiji will be where happiness finds you. …”

"Look John, Kiwi media thinks we still wear grass skirts in Fiji, and they think I am still a dictator despite democratic elections. Your media seem to indulge in agenda-setting, showing Fiji in bad light. Your newsrooms in NZ are too white while your country is browning very fast. Your newsrooms need to reflect the colour of the country. To understand Fiji, your mainstream media need to employ some Fijian journalist who understand Fiji. Kiwis cannot appreciate our fundamental challenges. See how they wrongly said your visit was a disaster." 

So, where was the hostility that NZ media reported? Why was it a lost cause for Key? Bainimarama was indeed true in saying that NZ media is very wanting, and always looks to find scandals when it came to Fiji. They failed to report all that which is reported here by an unemployed ethnic journalist in New Zealand. With what is reported here and by blog FIJI PUNDIT, how come sections of NZ media report Key’s trip as a disaster? They indeed deserved that rebuke.

So, if they felt that Bainimarama kicked them in the butt, they fully deserved it. But what was more revealing was that it was John Key’s own White Kiwi media which failed to report on what was achieved, reported negatively, and in doing so, kicked in the butt of NZ PM. The trip was not a disaster. If you understand Bainimarama’s speech, it was NZ media which failed, and was a disaster on Key’s Fiji visit. 

They say, karma is a bitch.  Sections of NZ media which thinks they are too White showed their dark side in Fiji. Thank God, I am still an “unemployed” ethnic journalist in New Zealand.

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is the principal of blog FIJI PUNDIT and Indian Media Watch New Zealand in Auckland. He has a postgraduate qualification in journalism (with honours) from Auckland University of Technology’s (AUT) and is a former media personality from Fiji. He is a media commentator, specialising in social media, Fiji and local ethnic issues.]

BAGHBAN -- THE GARDENER - RAISING ELDERLY ABUSE AWARENESS

BAGHBAN -THE GARDERNER- ENHANCING ELDERLY ABUSE AWARENESS:

By Thakur Ranjit Singh, 

Elder abuse is international and universal. June is month for Elder Abuse Awareness, and I am republishing my earlier publication to raise awareness.

It has many forms, among others:

1)  Financial abuse - children retain and claim for parent’s pension, or elderly benefits for their use, and leave them penniless, having to beg them for their OWN money. 

ELDERS THEY NEED TO HAVE SEPARATE ACCOUNT AND BANK CARD IN THEIR NAME AND FULL ACCESS TO THEIR FUNDS WITH PRIVATE PINS. 

2)  Physical abuse – not providing for heating or cooling or proper accommodation, or provision of food. In extreme cases, beatings.

3)  Mental abuse-treating elders as children and not allowing them freedom of choice and movement, verbal abuse and denying them access to grandchildren. 

BAGHBAN: The Bollywood movie that immortalized obligations and responsibilities of children to their ageing parents, and made great awareness of parental-elder abuse. In this movie, Big B and the Dreamgirl were abused by their children, when the father decided to take things in his own hands. Compulsory viewing.

Appearing extremely religious externally, we seem to be the biggest hypocrites when we cannot walk our talk on treatment of our elders, our parents and close relatives. There are many cases of abuse within our communities such as financial exploitation, where migrants use elders as baby sitters and discard them when not needed. Or using up their pensions to pay off their mortgage or for their expensive lifestyle. Today, I am talking about many other forms of abuse. 

The abuse take various forms. as already stated above. They are: physical abuse, psychological and emotional, financial, scam by strangers, sexual, neglect and abandonment.

Elder abuse (also called "elder mistreatment," "senior abuse," is a single, or repeated act, or lack of appropriate action, occurring within any relationship where there is an expectation of trust, which causes harm or distress to an older person."

In Indian culture, parents will suffer in silence, will swallow their tears of despair, but will not say anything that will hurt their children. Do they deserve to be abused and ignored by us?

The core element to the harm of elder abuse is the "expectation of trust" of the older person toward their abuser. Thus, it includes harms by people the older person knows, or have a relationship with, such as children, a spouse, partner or family member, a friend or neighbor, or people that the older person relies on for services. In my case, I priorities abuse of parents by their children.

Despite the fact that many Indians would wish to sweep it under the carpet, I have first hand knowledge of how some of our people have been abusing their elders wherever they are settled. I know of silent –sufferers within our elderly community because of our culture stops them from talking, and they remain silent and shed tears alone. AND CHILDREN ABUSE THIS FORM OF EMOTIONAL BLACKMAIL

Parents' love for their children prevent them from revealing the crime and abuse by their children. And many such abusive children have high profile in politics, sports, are school-teachers,  or in community organisations and religious bodies -and big talkers. Many can be seen wearing suits and ties and giving big speeches and high and mighty talks in various events or socials.

I personally know of an Indian elder couple who went back to his home country because his daughter-in-law was abusive of his elderly wife. And the last time I visited their home before their departure, that daughter-in-law (patohia, bahu) was reciting Satya Narayan Pooja to the family. 

Hypocrisy comes in many forms. When asked why this was not brought to the attention of the son, the father replied that he did not wish to cause discord in his son’s family. Hence, many swallow their tears, and sacrifice for happiness of their children.

Two older Bollywood movies that depict forms of elder abuse - Ghar Basake Dekho (Try to set up a Home) and Aap Ki Parchhaiyan (Your Shadows-the children) Grandchildren may bring the understanding to their offending parents.

Indian Cinema and Bollywood have made many exceptional movies to depict this theme. The older ones include ‘Ghar Basake Dekho” (Try to raise a family), and“Aap Ki Parchaaiyan (your shadows). But the latest one, Amitabh- Hema’s Baghban (The gardener) seems to have greater effect on our community.

“Baghban”, the Amitabh Bachchan movie on old age depicted obligations of children to their ageing parents. This movie was reported to have brough awareness and pricked the conscience of many children who have ignored their obligations to their ageing parents who sacrificed their happiness and worldly pleasures for a better future of their children.

Below I present a rough translation of a father’s lament at the treatment his children had given him, and some lessons of the old and new. 

This is memorable Amitabh Bachchan dialogue from that movie.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kTk3tvigwEI

 

The famous and memorable Amitabh Bachchan speech from "Baghban" which is translated here

I am going to talk about…conflict arising between the days gone by and the days to come… about the broken relations between two generations. It’s about the drooping shoulders on which some children had once sat to see the world….about the trembling hands that once held the hands of their children as they taught them to walk…about the parched lips that once sang lullabies . But which have been silenced now.

Times have changed. Life has changed. If people of my generation will recall, we were always caught up in ties and in relations that yielded nothing.

Our father was God. At our mothers’ feet lay heaven. And now, now people have become very sensible. The new generation is very clever and practical.

 For them, every relation is like a ladder on which they will step to rise further in life. But when they have no use for the ladder anymore, with the rest of broken furniture in the house, old containers, old clothes and newspapers, (kachra) they are dumped in the attic (kabaarkhana).

However, life does not take you up like a ladder. Life grows like a tree. Parents are not the steps on a ladder. Parents are the soul of ones life – they are roots of life.

However big the tree is, however green and filled it is, it can’t stand on its own once its roots are hacked.

With all humility and respect, I ask today, the children for whose happiness a father spends every penny of his hard – earned money with a smile, those very children when the father’s eye-sight weakens, why they hesitate in giving them light?

Parents are not the steps on a ladder. Parents are the soul of ones life – they are roots of life. "Children perhaps forget what is our present today will be their present tomorrow. If we are old today they will also grow old someday. The question we ask today, they will ask tomorrow.”

If a father can help his son to take the first steps in his life, why cannot the son give his father support when he is taking the last few steps of his life?

What crime is it of the parents who have devoted all their lives to their children that they are given tears and loneliness? If they cannot give them any love, who gives them the right to snatch love from them?

What do these children think? The parents God has united in love, can they separate and force them to lead a life of misery and despair? Is it for a day like this that a man seeks children?

Children perhaps forget what is our present today will be their present tomorrow. If we are old today they will also grow old someday. 

The question we ask today, they will ask tomorrow.....”

Indeed, an eye - opener for the children who have been abusing their elderly parents in one way or the other. God does not reside in dead statues in temples or other religious institutions, or dancing to music of keertan or bhajans, or running Ramayan mandalis. 

God resides at the feet of your ageing parents. 

Please, make a start. You will grow older, and the questions we elderly ask today, you will ask tomorrow.

I pray… jab tak hai ke akash pe chand sitaare, bhagwaan salamat rahe, maa paap hamaare…. (till we have sun and moon in the skies, we pray to Lord  to give good life to our parents….song from ‘Aap Ki Parchaiyan)

Even if one son  learns from this, my objective would have been achieved. 

Hail our elders and parents.

Shat Shat Naman- Salute to the elderly parents who sacrificed their life and happiness for happiness and comforts of their children..

[About the Author: Thakur Ranjit Singh is a journalist and blogger at FIJI PUNDIT. He is  a Founding Trustee of FIJI GIRMIT FOUNDATION NZ and also Secretary of Waitakere Indian Association (WIA) Seniors Group in West Auckland. E-mail: thakurjifj @gmail.com]