Scandal hits govt

Politics - Fiji

By Fiona Phillips

PRIME Minister Sitiveni Ra buka’s government was rocked by a scandal last month when alle gations of adultery surfaced. The Suva-based local news magazine, The Review, published a report

containing allegations of Rabuka

having had sex with a female journalist last year, while attend

ing a provincial council meeting on

the island of Taveuni.

The issue was first raised during a caucus meeting of the ruling Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei Party by a dissident group of five backbenchers, led by former cabinet minister and once staunch Rabuka supporter, Ratu Inoke Kubuabola.

This was followed by a letter to the prime minister by the group, which was leaked to The Fiji Times , newspaper just days before the tabling of the revised 1994 Budget.

In the letter, the dissident group asked Rabuka to resign immedi ately. They raised two issues which they said would have serious impli cations on government’s account ability in running the affairs of the

nation. They questioned Rabuka’s pro moting of Fiji as a Christian country in light of his adulterous encounter, and his promoting a government of national unity without seeking the blessing of the Great Council of Chiefs.

However, members of the government coalition the SVT, the General Voters Party and independents rallied be hind the prime minister and confirmed their support for him despite the alle gations. A government statement issued by Information Minister Ratu Josefa Dimuri said the allegations against the prime minister had been fully resolved “within the context in which it was raised”.

“For the SVT and GVP caucus, it is a closed matter,” the statement said.

“Their attention is now focused on the 1994 Budget Bill which they will support with total unity and solidarity.”

Ratu Josefa said the prime minister had again referred the matter to the SVT parliamentary caucus and had been “unequivocally open and candid in explaining his position to his parliamen tary caucus colleagues”. He later said that government ministers had denied

Allegations of adultery rock the Rabuka govt Just a month after his election into office for a second term

leaking information about the prime minister’s private life to the media.

Rabuka has not denied the allegations.

Ratu Josefa, a former journalist him self, threatened to suspend operations of the The Review for several months had he the power. Rabuka was also assured of the support of the five parliamentarians who had called on him to resign.

Despite the allegations, Rabuka man aged to get his national budget passed through parliament last month and was reported as saying his victory in parlia ment showed no one was trying trying to topple him. Government won the vote 37-32. The defeat of last year’s budget forced the country to go to the polls again for the second time in three years.

The Fijian Association Party which

was formed last year to contest the February elec tion also called on Rabuka to resign with party leader Josevata Kamikamica say ing the behaviour and pub lic morality of the prime minister were not a matter of a private nature. Kami kamica was finance minis ter in the interim govern

ment following the military

coups of 1987. He was a favourite for the post of prime minister after the 1992 general election but lost out to Rabuka.

Rabuka’s private life hit the headlines again at the end of last month just when all thought the storm had blown over with his alleged affair splashed across the front page of the local

weekly newspaper

Weekender. According to the newspaper, Rabuka admit ted his liaison with the female journalist. The paper went as far as nam

ing the journalist. Media

organisations throughout

the country came out

strongly criticising the employer (The Fiji

Times) of the journalist and the woman.

Other media editors expressed disgust and said the affair had brought disgrace to the profession.

Government has not issued another statement and Rabuka has remained silent. He flew out of the country on April 25 for a two-week trip to the United States where he is expected to discuss the closure of the USAID office in Fiji and the failure of the US government to appoint an ambassador to Fiji.

But before flying out, Rabuka made a move which went to his credit by appointing a female minister to act in his absence. Taufa Vakatale, who is educa tion, science and technology minister, is one of only two female ministers in Rabuka’s cabinet. Women’s organis ations have come out in support of Vakatale’s appointment as it is a signifi cant one considering that women remain in the background as far as politics in Fiji is concerned.

It was a smart decision on the prime minister’s part as he has the women on his side. For now at least. □

Rabuka: allegations of adultery while in office