Behind Fiji’s

Political Currents

Behind Fiji’s Cabinet reshuffle

Fiji’s Prime Minister, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, has ended his country’s most popular guessing game by naming Ratu David Toganivalu, 49, his deputy in a minor, but significant, cabinet reshuffle which cost two ministers their jobs, but solved some prickly political problems.

In the move he dropped the minister for home affairs, Ratu William Toganivalu, 53, elder brother to Ratu David, whose portfolio was handed over to the controversial, and powerful, Northern Division leader, Militoni Leweniqila, who was previously minister of lands, housing and urban affairs. The other ministerial casualty was Akariva Nabati, minister of state without port-

folio, who had been head of the Special Branch, of the Royal Fiji Police before re tiring to contest, and win, a seat in parliament in the 1982 general election, The position of deputy prime minister, generally accepted as the heir-appa rent to Ratu Mara, became vacant in February, 1983, with the resignation of Ratu Penaia Ganilau who had been appointed Gov ernor-General in place of

Ratu Sir George Cakobau, the Vunivalu (king) of Fiji.

Sir George is said to have retired somewhat reluc tantly, but now lives quiet ly on the chiefly island of Bau, on the coast near Suva in Viti Levu.

After Ratu Penaia’s move into the stately and beautiful government house Suva, always eager for gossip and speculation, seethed with rumors of in fighting and advantage seeking among par liamentarians. But Ratu Mara, thoroughly aware of the traps, refused to name anyone and, until now, has let the situation stabilise and cool.

Now, by giving the job to Ratu David, Ratu Mara has again demonstrated his mastery of Fijian affairs, and of the rebels in his party, and is thus now even more firmly in control than before.

Ratu William is consi

dered by many to have posed a potential threat to Ratu Mara because he is, in his own right a high-rank ing chief, and a popular leader with substantial support in the Bau-Tailevu province, still regarded as the seat of power in Fiji.

The Toganivalu clan holds a unique position in Fijian society, akin to that occupied by the Borgias in Rome or the Brahmins of India who were kingmak ers and counsellors to royalty.

As eldest brother and head of the clan, William is a close confidant and advis er to the Vunivalu, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, who lives with his active and influen tial wife right on that seat of power.

Before his removal from the Cabinet was announced Ratu William was offered

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the consolation prize of a roving ambassadorship, but he declined it, prefer ring, he said, to remain in parliament and honor the duty given him by his con stituents. He has accepted the loss of his ministry with apparent calm and good grace, and is thought likely to continue coopera tive. He is unlikely to cause any problems for a prime minister to whom his brother is deputy, for to do so would be seen as bet rayal of family loyalty.

Ratu William is, howev er, a powerful and some times unpredictable man and only time will tell whether he will continue to sit quietly and enjoying the social round of Fiji and the duties of his electorate, or, from the inner councils of Bau, become a thorn in Ratu Mara’s side.

The choice of Ratu David as deputy has been greeted with general approval and genuine pleasure in most quarters of Fiji. Not only is Ratu David popular among Fijians, but he is very well regarded by the Indians and Europeans of the com munity. He was Western educated, and also schooled in the deep tradi tions of Fiji. He is comfort able in the corridors of power at home and over seas, and is known as a man of reason, and political moderation. Most impor tantly in a society where race relations are vitally important, he has stood out as a champion of multi racial harmony.

Indeed, his first words after being named Deputy Prime Minister were that he ’’would die a happy man if I can bring the two major communities, the Fijian and the Indian, closer together.”

Two other leading politi cians were tipped as possi ble candidates for the de puty’s job. The first of these, Mosese Qionibaravi, was formerly the Speaker of the House and then an excellent minister for fore ign affairs and tourism for 18 months before taking over as Minister of Fi nance. That post had just been vacated, reportedly with some heat, by the highly respected Charles Walker who was, himself, the other candidate for De puty Prime Minister.

Mr Walker’s resignation from the cabinet came as a surprise and has not been fully explained, although it is widely assumed it was in angry protest over cabinet’s majority decision to give public servants a pay rise at a time when, quite plainly, the country could not really afford it.

Civil servants make up 60 per cent of the wage-ear ning work force in Fiji and represent a potent political force.

By walking out Mr Wal ker is considered to have torpedoed his chances of becoming deputy prime minister, although there are those who suggest he may have guessed the ulti mate decision before he walked out, or that he was not interested anyway.

In any event, Ratu Mara, wisely recognising that Fiji can ill-afford to lose a man of Mr Walker’s consider able skill and experience, brought him back into the cabinet in the reshuffle, giving him the portfolio of primary industry.

The other significant change in the cabinet in volves the powerful, and controversial, Mr Militoni

Leweniqila. He has been shifted out of the sensitive lands, housing and urban affairs ministry and put into home affairs, the post vacated by Ratu William Toganivalu. Land is the most touchy of all political issues in Fiji where 85 per cent of the land area is owned by the Fijians who make up just under half the total population. This was a deliberate condition of the Constitution at the end of British colonialism and one which Fijian leaders guard jealously.

Mr Leweniqila stirred a national controversy last year when it was disclosed in parliament that he had handed out, virtually free of cost, choice lots of Crown land in Suva to va rious aquaintances.

He was also involved in some quite acrimonious political scraps with the mayors of several towns over urban matters. It has been fairly frequently sug gested that Mr Leweniqila looks after his friends with the same vigor as he pur sues his foes.

By moving him Ratu Mara has taken the steam out of a potentially danger ous situation which could have racial overtones, and at the same time has avoided argument from Mr Leweniqila by giving him a post of equal importance and influence.

The thorny lands port folio has gone to mild mannered Jone Naisara, a party veteran, who also re tains the ministry of ener gy. Housing and urban affairs have gone to Mr Ted Beddoes, an affable and easy-going man who tends to leave day-to-day operation of his ministry to the bureaucrats.

On the whole the changes are beneficial for Fiji.

They have removed some problems, both present and potential, and they have consolidated Ratu Mara’s position as the accepted leader of all communities

in Fiji.

Vijendra Kumar.

Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara