September 15, 2021
“This is not a government of fairness or good governance or due process. This is a government of bullying and fear”, said National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad.
Professor Prasad made the comment after the chief executive of Fiji Bureau of Statistics, Kemueli Naiqama, was terminated following the release of the main report on the 2019-20 Household Income Expenditure Survey.
“Last night (Tuesday) Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum threw one more of his tantrums. By today, the chief executive of Statistics Fiji, Kemueli Naiqama, was escorted from his office reportedly by soldiers who are Aiyaz’s bodyguards and his contract terminated”.
“This is our country in 2021”.
“When Aiyaz criticises USP’s Vice-Chancellor, the Vice-Chancellor is deported”.
“When Aiyaz comes under attack for Bill 17, Opposition MPs and activists are arrested”.
“And now, Fiji’s leading statistician has apparently not done his job in a way that matches Aiyaz’s rhetoric. So, it seems, he has been fired”.
“Nearly 15 years since Frank Bainimarama’s coup, the days of 2006 are coming back”.
“These are times in which you can be deported, arrested, or sacked just because someone in the Government does not like you”.
“We were told the 2006 coup was about creating “true democracy”. But what has happened? We have just come back to the dark days of dictatorship”.
“So what has been “the reality of the matter” for the last decade? Was there ever democracy? Or was it just that our fake democracy used to be better covered up?”
“These are the questions Fiji’s people need to be asking today”.
Professor Biman Prasad
Leader