I Kneeew It…I Kneeew It….As Soon As I Saw Chaudhry Au Kila Saraga Na Blerry Tamata Qo…

Sure enough FIRCA has put the screws on Westech Gold, if the garnishee order placed on Westech International is not lifted the One Hundred and Fifty Miners  who have been re employed by Westech will not receive their salaries this week. The Fiji Times had this breaking report FIRCA Order Affects Miners. For the full story click on the link.

Now I think it’s fairly obvious that Westech International is genuine in their efforts to stay in the country for the long term future of Vatukoula and all the people who depend on the mine.

Why is FIRCA hampering the efforts of a company that is trying to revive an economically depressed area. Sources say that the Expat tax adviser at FIRCA from New Zealand seems to have a bone of contention to pick with investors coming into Fiji. This man was responsible for the delay in the settlement of the MOMI Bay tax issue and now he’s set his sights on Vatukoula and Westech.

While I don’t believe he is working in conjunction with the UK and Canadian company, who were getting well acquainted with Chaudhry and Khaiyum, I do believe that he may not realise that he’s being used as a pawn in a much larger tangled web. Ask any legal or accounting firm in town and they’ll tell you in no uncertain terms this so called Tax Expert from NZ is responsible for causing a lot of delays in major investments trying to get off the ground.

Keep your ears to the ground because I don’t think we’ve seen the last of the teething problems Westech has faced in trying to get the Vatukoula Gold Mine operational. They’re probably more akin to birth pains rather than teething problems considering the amount of grief the Interim Regime is putting them through.

Surprisingly the Fiji Times could not obtain a comment from the P.M., Chaudhry, Parmesh Chand, Tevita Vuibau or Princess Fiona Khaiyum. What all of a sudden those unelected, egocentric Government poseurs have turned into shrinking violets? I think not and if my hunch proves to be correct I think there will be even more skullduggery afoot as the Interim Regime tries to discretely sabotage the deal.

Yet this is the same Interim Regime that claims they want to welcome investment, as far as I recall they hardly welcomed Westech International with any fanfare. They didn’t even break out the champagne when the deal was signed, the only thing they did of any notice was to censure and remonstrate Tevita Vuibau for doing exactly what they told him to do. That was nothing other than ensuring the deal with Westech was signed, in case you missed it I covered this story in a previous post Connect The Dots…..

These ignoramuses from the Interim Regime wouldn’t know their head from their @$$e$ even if it said hello to them.

As soon as I Saw Chaudhry I kneeeew it….I kneeew it… Na Blerry Tamata Conman Qo……….

Oilei Na Depower…. Oilei Na Delay?

Yesterday’s Fiji Sun newspaper had the following story in relation to the Vatukoula Gold Mine operation, now owned legally by Westech, for the full story click the following link State Washes Hands of Mine Operations. The report goes on to say that the Interim Regime will not be interfering with Westech with regards to their recruitement policy so long as they comply with the existing Labour laws.

Well the only welcome news from this whole affair is the fact that the Interim Regime has woken up to the fact that the job of Government is to facilitate the whole process of enabling the private sector to grow, while ensuring that the interests of the public are protected.

But this still does not answer the question of whether the Interim Regime has changed their stance on the tax issue and the placing of a garnishee order on Westech Gold by FIRCA. No matter what Chaudhry may say to distance himself from this latest development there isn’t a thing that happens within the Minstry of Finance, and now FIRCA that he doesn’t know about or has his fingers in.

I fear that we haven’t heard the last of the Canadian and UK mine outfits that were currying favour with Chaudhry and Khaiyum. Chaudhry for one is vindictive enough to sabotage the livelihoods of an entire community if he feels he’s been slighted or he wants to prove a point. Case in point is the Tourism Industry and the much needed funds for their FVB overseas marketing campaign.

Make no mistake the Tourism Industry does have visitors coming in, but that is at the expense of reduced airfares and hotel rates.  Everything is still hanging up in the air at the moment, if Chaudhry released the money when he said he was going to we wouldn’t be in this mess.

Five months down the track and the FVB still has not received the balance of funds they were originally allocated in Chaudhry’s revised budget of March this year. Chaudhry’s excuse is that the Interim Regime does not have sufficient funds to spare. Well I guess Chaudhry’s expected economic recovery just hasn’t materialised no matter how many times Mandrake says Abracadabra and waves a Magic Wand in front of Frank. 

So the next question is where to from here? We’ve seen in this past week a call from the Qaranivalu for the Interim Regime and the country and large to all join in the spirit of reconciliation to move the country forward from it’s current impasse. Only to see that effort rubbished by the Interim Regime and have the Prime Minister’s Office call for an investigation into Ratu Inoke’s purportedly inciteful comments. For the full story read the following front page story from the Fiji Times Chief Under Police Probe.

I read the full page advertisement that the Qaranivalu placed in the Fiji Times over the weekend and I have to say I found nothing inciteful in his statement. If you want inciteful then why didn’t the Interim Regime investigate that wannabe human rights crusader who’s transplanted himself across the ditch, the ignoramus Thakur Ranjit Singh when he was interviewed on Close Up two Sundays ago. I don’t know about the rest of you but he got me incited enough to consider going down to Fiji One and giving him an introduction to the age old tradition of fisticuffs.

There was a Fiji Times Letter To The Editor in response to this pathetic attempt at political commentary by a Ranjiv Singh of Samabula. I felt that it was quite apt and to the point that I decided to print the whole letter below.

Close up program

The Close up program aired on Fiji One on 19th August, 2007 was definitely “ill thought” by the Fiji One team in terms of their guest, Thakur Ranjit Singh. The caption said political commentator.

What qualification does Thakur have to make him a political commentator?

His comments on Fiji seemed shallow, naive, ill thought, racial, provocative, inciteful and damaging and shows deep resentment towards the indigenous and the chiefs of Fiji.

If this Thakur is a champion of the rule of law, democracy, social justice and morals; I wish to ask him one simple question — what is his success story?

Why should we or anyone believe him? This is the same Thakur that was the editor of a failed print media in Fiji. This is the same Thakur, as indicated by him on Close up, contributes to blog sites.

Fiji One assisted him in this pursuit. Why was there no one approached to rebut his comments?

I urge Fiji One to act more responsibility in these trying times in Fiji and not allow individuals with hidden agendas to grandstand. I also urge those that have chosen to migrate from Fiji and not live here to build bridges to “butt out” of our internal business. I also urge the IG to take to task those that create racial slurs.

To, Thakur Ranjit Singh; you boldly said on Close up that as a ‘Thakur’ you will continue to live like one, my message is Thakurs are bold, strong warriors that do not fear combat. Why did this Thakur run for cover to New Zealand?

RANJIV SINGH
Samabula

Nice one Ranjiv, a well thought out letter that would have alot of people sharing the same sentiments. I don’t know what is up with Fiji One TV, do they not even bother with offering another point of view as a rebuttal so the public gets a fair and balanced view? Lately the media industry as a whole seems to be representing only one side of the story and I’m not sure whether it is due to intimidation by the regime or have they given in to this pervading sense of apathy that has crept in? Whatever the reason they need to be more vigilant as well as dilligent in exercising their professional duties the public depends on them.

Recently I met up with a friend of mine and we spoke at length on whether it is worth it in the end to continue voicing an opposition to the Interim Regime while it seems as if the whole country has resigned themselves to just moving ahead with the Interim Regime remaining in power. I still believe it is worth it and I also believe that if the media cannot report accurately on what is going on then it is up to forums such as the internet and the blogosphere to pick up where they left off. You do not have to be a political scientist to know that within the population a silent undercurrent of tension is building up as the Interim Regime lurches from one crisis to the next. 

Bill Gavoka rightly pointed this out in Fiji Times Letter To The Editor, he commented on how one of the Village elders at their Tikina meeting spoke on the sate of the nation and how that feeling was widely agreed upon as the consensus of all those present. The full letter can be found by clicking on the above link, while the parting shot at the end of Mr Gavoka’s comments are printed below.

It struck me that while the Fijian people may have acquiesced silently to the state of things in Fiji, no one should take their silence as acceptance.

Mr Bainimarama should take note that although unspoken, the grassroots people blame him when his interim administration is neglecting tourism.

It is to Fiji’s detriment that the Interim Regime continues to disregard calls by the Qaranivalu to move forward. Regardless of how much of a distaste they may have for the man personally it is for the Interim Regime to look beyond that and put the interests of the nation first.

What is needed is a spirit of humility, patience and wisdom on the Interim Regime’s part to understand that they can’t be spiteful when genuine offers of assistance come their way. At the end of the day the Qaranivalu and the SDL party, of which he is a President, form what constitutes the overwhelming majority of the Fijian voting population. To disregard that voice is to disregard the wishes of the silent majority.

The supposed support that the Interim Regime has from the Provincial Councils and Chiefs is miniscule to say the least. They have delayed the release of the FNPF Audit report, they have delayed the naming of the Tribunal panel to look at the Chief Justice’s case, they have delayed the reinstatement of the GCC, they have delayed elections,……..I think that they are just trying to delay their own demise. I’m sorry was that inciteful?

Oilei Na De Power!!! Once the Interim Regime starts cleaning up they can’t stop because they love De Power!!

SSSSsssshhhhh…..Silence Is Golden

Lately we have not been hearing much from the Fiji’s Legal Wunderkind Extraordinaire, the Irrepressible, Irresistible in the Confines of Prison, Irrelevant, Idiot of an Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum. All of these big stories have been breaking with the Vatukoula Gold Mine deal finally being signed, yet not a peep out of a man who is usually knocking over old grannies just to get his fifteen minutes of fame in the press.

Could it be that the poor boy’s incompetence is finally catching up with him and his head is next for the chopping block with the purported Cabinet Reshuffle. Read the following story in the Fiji Sun PM Plans To Reshuffle Cabinet. Could it be that Frank is sick of his bungling up of practically every case against the Interim Regime, or is Nacho Libre wondering why they are paying him and still hiring expat lawyers as well as local law firms to represent the Interim Regime?

We should be so lucky if Frank sends him packing. If for no other reason than not having to hear Princess Fiona spout off a whole lot of nothing as if he’s the world’s greatest authority on all legal matters……. and everything else in the Encyclopeadia Britannica from A to Z!!

I recall an occassion where I happened to be sitting at a Rugby Match overseas with a group of Fiji students and in our midst was one of Fiji’s latest additions to the High Court Isikeli Mataitoga. The scene resonates with me because I see the same sort of self deluding importance that Mataitoga exhbits in Khaiyum. At the match Mataitoga boasted that the reason he was given the Ambassador’s post to Australia was because of the inside dirt he had on the then SVT Government, which could have brought them crashing down.

I thought at the time, as I still think now, that for a person who is supposed to be the diplomatic representative of Fiji it was quite unbecoming of Mataitoga. Firstly because what purpose did it serve to boast to us other than to underline his own fanciful perceptions of his incriminating knowledge of the Fiji Government. Secondly if what he said was true that was neither the time nor the place to be discussing such sensitive national issues. Thirdly I know for a fact that a lot of the legal cases that the SVT Government fought and lost were due to the so called legal expertise of the now High Court Justice.

My point is is if we are lucky enough to see Khaiyum get reshuffled and drop kicked into the annals of history as the Attorney General who spent more time in International Airports than he ever did in the Court Room, well he might be as lucky as Mataitoga was and become Fiji’s Ambassador to……. your guess is as good as mine.

I heard Bombay’s nice this time of year, then again maybe he can finally get all the camera time he wants if he breaks into Bollywood. Areh Fiji’s Singing Diplomat in ‘The Bourne Wrong Identity’ or ‘Die Hardor Just Die Reh!!’

Yeah break into Bollywood….more like break a leg ya mouthy !@#$*+?

Connect The Dots…..

Regarding the signing of the Vatukoula Gold Mine Deal between Westech and the Interim Regime, the following week a story appeared in the Fiji Sun putting the whole transaction under another unnecessary cloud. Click on the following link for the full story. Cabinet In The Dark on Gold Mine Deed.

To surmise the newspaper item reported that the Interim Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources was forced to apologise to the Interim Cabinet and the Nutcase of a Prime Minister for signing the deal witout their knowledge. As I reported to you in Follow The Yellow Brick Road…. the poser of an Interim Attorney General had his nose put out of joint when the Nutcase Prime Minister instructed the Interim Regime to sew the deal up and close it once and for all.

For Frank to claim that the Interim Cabinet had no knowledge that the deal was being signed is a complete fabrication for two reasons. For one I have it from confirmed sources that  Frank specifically instructed his boy Parmesh Chand to go and make sure that the deal was being signed, he was there in person during the final negotiations. Two the Ambassador designate to China, SIR NA SONA KAI KADAVU MAI VEI, was also there as a representative of the Interim Regime at the Commander’s personal behest.

For Frank to deny any foreknowledge of Westech signing the agreement with Tevita Vuibau on behalf of the Interim Regime makes him look like the proverbial Village Idiot. But then again we are getting used to his verbal backtracking it only proves he should elevated to the position of Provincial Idiot.

Then we hear rumours of Cabinet reshuffles and there are definitely some antsy people in the Interim Cabinet who are wondering whether their head is on the chopping block. The Fiji Sun item on the impending Interim Cabinet shakeup can be found at the following link PM Plans To Reshuffle Cabinet. 

The only way for these unelected nohopers in the Interim Regime to keep their paychecks, at our expense, is to cozy up to Frank and agree with whatever he says. It doesn’t help when Nacho Libre is prone to changing his mind at the drop of a hat depending on which way the breeze is blowing through his empty head. Who would’ve thought that air could pass so freely through concrete blocks…..the ignoramus must have a breezeblock sitting on top of his neck!!!

Now I had reported that the Interim Attorney Genral and Minister for Finance both expected to receive some kickbacks if their preferred Mining Company took over the Vatukoula Gold Mine. Is it any surprise that now their plans have been thwarted, we see the following pressure being applied to Westech Gold. The Fiji Sun reported on FIRCA slapping a garnishee order on Westech Gold effectively freezing their local bank accounts. You can read the full story at the following link. Gold Miner’s Assets On Ice.

With Chaudhry’s boys planted inside FIRCA, how conveniently did they get rid of those who tried to expose his tax embezzling hide,  it is no stretch of the imagination that this is all part of Mandrake’s doing for being slighted by Frank’s insistence to give Westech the go ahead for Vatukoula. This is just another way of getting his own back, hopefully sabotaging Westech’s efforts to successfully run the mine. They in turn get frustrated after the pressure mounts slowly on different fronts forcing them to sell the mine or pull out; then Chaudhry’s backers walk in and pick up the pieces for a song.

Stay tuned as we connect the dots, the picture of what this Interim Regime monster really looks like is beginning to take shape. What was the Interim Regime’s catchcry? “Good governance and transparency……”

Are they capable of upholding such high standards and lofty ideals? My Black @$$ they are….them !@+~#?*$ Chaudhry and Khaiyum are setting up their family shops while you and me pick up the tab!!!!

Who’s A Pretty Boy Then, Eh???? Ai Yai Yai What An Ugly B#$?*!!!!

In response to the post Fool’s Gold I mistakenly referred to the Interim Regime Attorney General as Pretty Boy. Jean d’Ark was quick to point out that this name was inappropriate and uncalled for….then my wife told me what they refer to Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum as…………..Bloody Hell they could be twins, quick kiss the Pretty Boy and see what he turns into??!!

Follow The Yellow Brick Road….

Well I’d heard the news over the weekend that the Westech deal to run Vatukoula mines actually eventuated on Friday. That’s welcome news for the miners of Vatukoula and the people of Tavua, but surprisingly this was one press conference where the attention seeking, media freak of an Attorney General was nowhere to be seen.

I wanted to wait till today to see if the Interim Regime was going to make a statement before I posted a follow up to Fool’s Gold!! The following story was reported in today’s Fiji Times, click on the link for the Government statement from Vuibau. State happy with mine reopening. 

Now that it’s all confirmed  for Westech to go ahead with their plans it’s time to reveal what the Idiot of an Attorney General has been up to.

Reliable sources have informed me that last week the brokers for Westech had been trying to reach ‘Iass’ for the last few days, but his promises to return their calls immediately went on for four days without any call back. The  UK and Canadian outfits, that the Interim Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources had mentioned as potential buyers, were waiting in the wings and apparently quite cosily meeting up with the AG.

Also they had an employee of the Mineral Resources Department who was in their pocket and doing his utmost to frustrate and hamper the deal. This person had been promised by one of the overseas firms the position of General Manager if he could stop Westech from running the Vatukoula and Tuvatu mining operations. So it was in his interest to ensure that the Westech deal never got signed.

I believe that person’s name is Raibose or something like that. You may or may not know that the Director of Mineral Resources has been suspended and is now most probably terminated. This is due to his refusal to falsify his report that Westech was in breach of certain parts of the contract. When he refused to do so the Interim Regime quickly saw to it that he was removed so they could get a lackey in place who would write the report as they saw fit.

This is where Raibose came to the fore as he started to try and manoeuvre Westech out of the deal to be signed with the Interim Regime. He was the one who cooked up the idea to place the expression of interest in the Fiji Times while negotiations with Westech were being stalled. This was done in the hope of frustrating them to the point where they would just pull out of the deal altogether.

But in the Interim Regime’s haste to put the Expression of Interest for the Vatukoula Gold Mine out they made an  egregious mistake in their advertisement. Basically the properties they listed in the Expression of Interest already belonged to Westech Gold when they signed their deal with EGM.

When the final deal was signed the Interim AG and Chaudhry had both failed to stop this from getting through Cabinet. Apparently there is a split in the Interim Cabinet, as the Interim Idiots all jockey for position to sidle up to Frank. Whoever gets Frank’s ear first is the most likely to see his plans get approved. A lot of the Ministers are getting fed up with Chaudhry’s high handed attitude as he believes because he holds the public purse strings, he holds all the aces and wild cards.

 Make no mistake about it people, these guys have realised that they need to profit out of this coup because when the country returns to democracy you can guarantee that they’ll never be employed again in Fiji. You don’t think that Chaudhry and Iass were just doing this out of their feelings to protect the future of the miners of Vatukoula and people of  Tavua do you?

No mate, they were going to be getting a big time cut if the Westech deal was going to fall apart…. and we ain’t talking about loose change either……A Couple ‘Undred Grands Worth of Fiji Dollars for selling the people down the Swanee while they Jolly It Up in The Lap of Luxury!! Bloody Charming innit??

Well I think I’m going to have one in celebration of the mine reopening… Cheers to the Miners of Vatukoula and the People of Tavua!! At least things will be looking a bit better after struggling with uncertainty and the dire financial straits you’ve been subjected to at the whim of the Interim Regime.

Just remember it’s Aiyaz Khaiyum, Chaudhry and this Raibose geezer who’ve got a hell of a lot to answer for!!!!!!

Fool’s Gold!!

The Interim Regime Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Tevita Vuibau has got a bit of explaining to do. Following on from a previous post on the Vatukoula Gold Mine Saga All That Glitters Is Not Always Gold!! the article below was reported on Fijivillage.

 2 new companies may run Vatukoula Gold Mine

Two new foreign companies will be given the green light to run the Vatukoula Gold Mine if no agreement is reached with Westech today.Interim Land and Mineral Resources Minister, Tevita Vuibau confirms a company from the United Kingdom and the other from Canada has shown interest in operating the mines. He refused to reveal further details about the companies.

Vuibau added that final talks with Westech are expected to be held later today.

He said some important issues are still pending to be resolved with Westech.

The Interim government called for expressions of interest from companies to operate the mines after talks with Westech was prolonged.

If the Westech Deal has fallen through then the people of Vatuakoula, Tavua as well as the Nation of Fiji have a right and demand to know what transpired. And don’t give us the bullshit excuse that Westech didn’t front up with their side of the deal. What’s to say that the new companies that come in aren’t going to face the same difficulty with the Idiot of an Attorney General, more interested in looking pretty for the cameras than providing sound legal advice.

Not to mention half the time he’s farming out all his work to the private sector while he jets around the world on the public purse. Well enjoy it while you can Pretty Boy… you can recount your tales of your Far East travels to your cell mate in the East Wing of Naboro prison, Cabron!!!

An editorial that appeared in the Fiji Sun earlier this week wrongly placed the responsibility of failing to close the deal at Westech’s feet. At the end of the day the money owed to the Miners by Emepror Gold Mines for redundancy pay is not the responsibility of the new owners but that of Emperor Gold Mines. The Interim Regime is at fault if they’ve allowed EGM to abscond from their responsibility to the Miners by allowing EGM to leave the country. If this is the case, what makes the Interim Regime think that the UK or Canadian Mining outfit will want to assume the costs of the Miners redundancy package.

Unless of course these companies that are lined up to take over the Vatukoula Goldmine are giving something a little bit extra to the Interim Regime. Could they be connected to the mystery backers Chaudhry and Khaiyum had lined up all along? As the Chuck Berry song says, “You Never Can Tell.”

Then again I am reminded of the song by the Stone Roses which aptly sums up Pretty Boy Khaiyum’s handling of the Vatukoula Goldmine Deal…..it’s called “Fool’s Gold.”

Felix The Cat…Where’sThe Bleeding Report?? You Conniving Rat!!

Following on from a previous post Felix The Cat…Heavens To Murgatroid..A Rat Even..hmm Exit Stage Left!! and Felix ‘The Cat’, Come Out, Come Out, Where Ever You Are? You Rat!! the following article appeared on Fijilive today. It detailed the landowners frustration and disspointment with FNPF’s handling, read as bungling, of the Natadola Project. To date we still have not seen the Ernst and Young audit report that determined who is to blame for the current impasse. Remember this is the one that Chaudhry claims he hasn’t seen. Only because Mandrake already knows what’s in it, his illegally appointed board doesn’t come out too well, and he doesn’t want to pay the $2,000,000.00 owed to Ernst and Young Australia.

Looks like Felix The Cat has got some explaining to do, just like everything else this Interim Government has been involved in it’s just shown to be a complete waste of taxpayer’s money. At the end of the day that money to be paid to Ernst and Young Australia will be coming out of our retirement funds, not to mention the impending legal costs that this board will incur on our behalf for defending their sorry hides and self evident incompetence.

Felix Anthony and Daniel Urai and all other Illegal Board Appointees should be taken to task by the FNPF fund members for jeopardising our future….

FNPF failed Natadola project: landowners
Thursday August 09, 2007
Some disgruntled landowners of the Natadola Tourism Project want the project to start afresh alleging that the Fiji National Provident Fund does not have the ability to manage the project.The landowner’s spokesman Ratu Osea Gavidi also alleged that members of the new Natadola developers and FNPF employees attempted “an illegal takeover” of the Yatule Beach Resort.

Gavidi said the resort is owned by Natadola Land Holding (NHL) Limited and the new developers or FNPF representatives “have no right to demand the handover of the administration of the resort”.

NHL had its foreign investment registration certificate cancelled together with the Natadola Project’s original managers Asia Pacific Resorts Integrated Limited (APRIL) on claims that the Natadola project was 26 weeks late and only 10 per cent of the work had been carried out after about $60 million was pumped into it.

Gavidi said regardless of the allegations made against APRIL the landowners want APRIL and its chief executive Gerard Saliot back to continue with the project with new investors from overseas to replace FNPF that currently has 51 per cent stake in the project.

“The landowners are calling for a complete, new audit of the project since controversy erupted publicly earlier this year,” Gavidi said.

“They want all allegations of mismanagement and abuse since then to be fully investigated.”

Gavidi said the landowners also want to know the findings of an independent audit on the Natadola project.

“There is nothing confidential about this audit because it involves the money of the workers of Fiji,” he said.

“So in the interests of transparency and good governance, they have every right to be told the findings.

“The FNPF has shown that it does not have the ability to manage a project as large as Natadola. It has put the money of the workers at risk.”

Comments have been sought from Natadola Bay Resort Ltd (NBRL) board chairman Felix Anthony.Fijilive

A Soldier’s Fortune…

Recent moves by the Commonwealth Secretariat to stop the British Government recruitment of Fiji nationals for service in HM Armed Forces were misguided. All of those innocent men and women who are signing up for duty in the British Armed Forces have nothing whatsoever to do with the coup of December the Fifth, 2006. They should not be categorised with the current personnel of the Fiji Military Forces along with their Interim Regime cohorts, who are responsible for the current political and economic crisis that the country is facing.

For full details read the following story from Fijilive “British Reject Lobby Against Fiji Recruits.”

If anything the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Australian Government should be supporting moves by the NZ Government to lobby against the participation of Fiji Military Personnel in UN Peacekeeping operations around the globe. I guarantee that the moment the Fiji soldiers are heading back to Fiji if they are instructed to withdraw from Peacekeeping operations then you will see how much support Frank really has.

As I have believed from the beginning and combined with information that all is not well at QEB, read the HydeNCeek story Military Under Threat, there is definitely a split in the army. If the pressure is kept up on all fronts the natural laws of attrition will apply to the Interim Regime’s existence as they cannot afford to fight battles on all fronts.

Just as the campaign to protest Driti’s posting had an effect I urge all citizens who are opposed to the participation of the Fiji Military Forces in UN Peacekeeping missions to voice their opinion to the Commonwealth Secretariat, Australian Government. Unfortunately I have looked all over the United Nations website and I can’t seem to find any direct email addresses for the UNPKO.

Here are a few email addresses to get you started:

Commonwealth Secretariat
Special Advisory Services Division (SASD)
Marlborough House
London
SW1Y 5HX

Telephone: +44 (0)20 77476430
Fax: +44 (0)20 77476450
Email: csdrms@commonwealth.int

Alexander Downer’s email address: minister.downer@dfat.gov.au

All That Glitters Is Not Always Gold!!

Saturday’s Fiji Times had an advertisement for Expressions of Interest in the Vautkoula Gold Mine operations. In yesterday’s Fiji One News they reported on this particular advertisement, queries to the Interim Regime as to what this meant for Westech Gold’s deal to buy the Vatukoula Gold Mine were left unanswered.

You may recall that just last month it was reported that Westech Gold was ready to finalise the sale of the mine with the Interim Regime. The story can be found at the following link Westech Meets Inspectors. Now we have an advertisement in the Fiji Times placed by the Interim Regime saying otherwise. The Interim Regime owes an explanation to the people of Vatukoula and Tavua if the deal with Westech Gold has gone South.

Reliable sources have informed that Westech Gold were finding it increasingly difficult and frustrating to deal with the Interim Regime in particular the showpony Attorney General Aiyaz Khaiyum. He appeared to be more interested in delivering press conferences rather than the intricate legal details of the sale.

In June the Fiji Times reported that the Interim Regime was awaiting word from Westech Gold and had given them 24 hours to respond. That story can be found at this link State Awaits Word From Westech. It contains a number of false and misleading statements by the Interim Regime AG.

Firstly that the Interim Regime has given Westech Gold 24 hours to respond. In actual fact Westech Gold were fed up with the continuing delays by Khaiyum and the Interim Regime negotiating team, that they set a one week deadline for the deal to be concluded or Westech would pull out. In an attempt to save face Khaiyum claimed that they had given Westech Gold an ultimatum backed by a deadline of 24 hours.

Secondly Aiyaz Khaiyum claimed that the Interim Regime was pouring in Hundreds of Thousands of dollars to keep the mine operational. That is complete and utter bullshit, number one the Interim Regime doesn’t have the money or the political will to do that. Number two Westech Gold has been paying what now amounts to a couple of million dollars to keep the mine dry while it is not operational. The only reason they have not claimed any credit for this is that it will put the Interim Regime in a bad light as the Interim Regime have stated from the outset that they are responsible for keeping the mine dry. With the overinflated egos involved small things like the truth could upset the applecart!!

Imagine a whole town’s livelihood sacrificed for the sake of some unelected poser’s reputation. In addition to this there was an article that appeared in the Fiji Times last month regarding Westech Gold’s financier Red Lion Management Limited, which is headed by a Canadian Billionaire Walter Berukoff. Aiayaz Khaiyum claimed that Westech Gold had only just secured the finances required to close the deal.

Another blatant lie on Aiyaz’s part, Walter Berukoff was Westech Gold’s financial backer from the very beginning. He was even in the country to meet the Interim Regime as far back as five months ago. The Interim Attorney General demanded to meet their financier in person so Berukoff made a special visit to Fiji. Apparently the treatment he received at the hands of the Interim Regime was shabby to say the least.

If you want an idea of the type of backing that Berukoff can provide then read the following articles:

• Hotelier Marcelo Montenegro has eye on the big prize
• La Mancha: Walter Berukoff

It was only after a local independent Mining executive consultant pointed out to the Interim Regime who Berukoff was in the Mining Industry, that they sat up and took notice. Now we are left wondering what has become of the whole deal, is Westech Gold still going to purchase the mine or has the Interim Regime, in particular the Attorney General, stuffed up the contract once and for all.

Well if you want to ask him you’d better wait at Nadi Airport, he spends so much time jetting out of the country it seems as if he has the uncanny ability to be overseas when it all goes to the dogs. If recent reports in HydeNCeek are anything to go by the Interim Regime is spending a small fortune on hiring private lawyers to fight their cases, see the story The Chiefs Are Back.

Combine this with the rulings on the GCC case and SSP Rasiga you really begin to understand that the boy hasn’t got a bloody clue what he’s supposed to doing. My only worry is how long the miners of Vatukoula and the people of Tavua who depend on the mine are going to have to suffer if a new owner has to be found.