letters

Sour grapes allegation

WE have read with dismay the reports from Fiji of Apisai Tora’s speech to the western chiefs in Veseisei Vuda in early April.

We wish to draw the atten tion of your readers to the fact that Mr Tora was a member of the NFP who, following on from the NFP’s election victory in April 1977, voted for an Indian Prime Minister (Mr Koya) in preference to a Fijian (Captain Maitoga).

The thought occurred to us as to how much credibility was to be attributed to his present activities which can only be described as counter productive to the task of nation building which the present government appears to be so intensely com mitted to.

Apisai Tora must not forget the following facts: 1. Fiji was ceded uncondi tionally to Great Britain in 1874. 2. It was the British Colonial Government which brought the Indians to Fiji in the first place under the indentured system. 3. It was the British Colonial Government which allowed the Indians to remain in Fiji. 4. The Indians in Fiji today are their descendants. 5. These Indians are Fiji citi zens by their birthright and under the granting of Fiji constitution; and 6. Mr Koya did not have any authority or power to make any concessions on behalf

of the Indian community as to their status in Fiji.

We call upon all right think ing citizens of Fiji, regardless of ethnic origin, to judge Mr Tora’s comments in the light of his maverick past. We must not be intimidated into remaining si lent in the face of Mr Tora’s racist and inflammatory re marks; we must recognise that the scare tactics perpetuated by people of Mr Tora’s ilk are designed to frighten non/indi genous Fiji citizens into fleeing the country.

Mr Tora’s reaction smacks of sour grapes. It is possible that he is suffering from “post ministerial blues.” It’s simply not cricket, Mr Tora. One can not play a game of cricket and then threaten the other side because one has lost the match or, even worse, demand afterwards that all future games are to be played with the proviso that only one’s own side wins.

To limit the citizenship rights of some of the national popula tion without the consent of those affected would be not only undemocratic, but would be to introduce apartheid into Fiji. One is either a Fiji citizen or not; there are no in-betweens.

Also, we question Mr Tora’s allegation that the new govern ment is an Indian party. It is the first truly multi-racial party in Fiji’s history and could not have come into power without the votes of Fijians and general electors. Is Mr Tora going to threaten these voters as he has done the Indians?

Mr Tora should realise that his pronouncements and actions are presenting a highly detrimental image of Fiji to the international community. We call upon the new government to deal very firmly with any attempts to break the laws of Fiji, which are sacrosanct, and

we call on the DDF to scrutinise all racist and discriminatory re marks made and actions taken by political figures, and to take appropriate action in the light of Fiji’s constitution and laws in general.

The people showed faith in Dr Bavadra and elected him our Prime Minister. We can only hope that the same people will show their good sense by distancing themselves from Api sai Tora’s disruptive activities and allow him to sink into the depths of political history where he deserves to be archived.

Times have changed.

We are:

Anil Singh,

Chandu Lodhia,

Executives of NFP’s Youth Movement, Sydney.

Bank

details

I HAVE read your article on “Shell Banks in the Pacific” with considerable interest.

You made the distinction be tween the banks that operate legitimately with the backing of reputable banking institutions and those that were formed by entrepreneurs for other reasons.

As Tonga featured rather prominently in your article, I would like to draw to your readers’ attention that the Bank of Tonga falls into the category of a sound reputable institution with impeccable ownership.

For the record Bank of Ton ga is owned: • 20% by the Kingdom of Tonga • 20% by the Kingdom of Tonga in trust for the people of Tonga • 20% by the Bank of Hawaii

• 20% by the Bank of New Zealand • 20% by the Westpac Banking Corporation Westpac Banking Corpora tion is Managing Agent.

As at 31st December 1986, its financial situation was: A55et5...T0P553,617,000 Liabilities T0P539,342,000

Shareholders’ Funds $14,275,000 Net profit after tax for the year to 31 December 1986 was T0P52,882,000.

May I commend you on the substance of your timely article.

Russell Leitch,

Chairman, Bank of Tonga.