Cogito, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. (René Descartes, mathematician and philosopher,1599-1650)

Wednesday 24 February 2010

(+) A Slap for NZ Labour's Backhanded Support for Dialogue


New Feature. Letters to the Editor.  Scroll down.
Support the Readership Drive. See left column.

Labour Party.spokesman Chris Carter supports  the National-led goverment's moves to improve relations  with Fiji --- if Fiji does as it is told.

The Labour Party, repeating what it said when in government,  is concerned:
  • That "there is no clear timetable or commitment to restore the rights of Fiji’s people to elect their own Government" [which there is!]
  • About the "direct interference ...in the independence of Fiji’s judiciary."
  • The "continuing censorship of media."
  • The "overt restrictions on people’s freedom of speech."
  • The "arbitrary arrests, killings [sic!], and beatings of people in police cells, as reported recently by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other respected NGOs." [Respected by whom? Labour has uncritically swallowed their piggy-back reports hook,line and sinker.]
Sanctions, Labour says, should only be lifted when these issues are addressed because

“Concessions by New Zealand and the Pacific Forum cannot send a message to the wider Pacific region that the overthrow of a democratically elected Government by force does not have serious consequences." [How patronising can you get!]

And finally, "Foreign Minister McCully [should] give a strong message that a clear pathway to the restoration of genuine democracy in Fiji is fundamental to improving relations between our two countries." [ My italics. It's a genuine democracy Bainimarama is hoping to establish.]

So what's changed? What new wisdom has Labour brought to the table? Well, nothing actually. They said all this four years ago. They have merely  reacted to National's initiative because that's what an Opposition in a democracy is supposed to do. But they could have lost themselves quite a few few votes from former Fiji residents in doing so.  And in critical Auckland electorates at that.

My advice to Labour. Don't re-visit past policy: nothing changes in four years. Don't reseach issues: just apply your pre-progammed ideological position. Don't send anyone to Fiji to see what's going on. Oh, and don't read this blog. Just keep repeating "Pretty Polly. Pretty Polly."

P.S. Sorry, folks. I'm not usually this sarcastic. But how can you reason with un-reasonable people like this?

1 comment:

White Frangipani said...

Croz - Spot on! I can see Chris Carter is angling for another little cruise abroad - to a beautiful Pacific Island .....Hmmmmmmm...... The Fiji Islands is the perfect destination! Chris Carter was chosen to be a member of the Commonwealth Observer Team that monitored the January 25th general election on the Caribbean Island of St. Kitts & Nevis, so in the Commonwealth’s eyes he now has good experience in the overseeing a “genuine” democratic election. http://www.cuopm.com/newsitem_new.asp?articlenumber=1302&post200803=true

Mind you he probably doesn't want to wait until 2014 to be able to dip his toes into white sand and the beautiful turquoise waters of one of Fiji’s tropical islands so it would be timelier for him if Fiji’s general election was held this year. After all, he wouldn’t want to lose his beautiful newly aquired tan too quickly! (Now I am being sarcastic!)

It just goes to show though that Chris Carter and his Labour Party haven't a CLUE about what is happening in Fiji. The problem with the NZ Labour Party is that they are being wrongly advised. On the other hand the National Government is now showing that it has moved on from clinging onto Aunty Helen’s Foreign Affairs petticoat, but the Labour Party will never let go, so long as she is around.