Parliament of Fiji

PARLIAMENT OF FIJI

PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

DAILY HANSARD

MONDAY, 26 APRIL, 2004

The House met at 10.00 a.m. pursuant to adjournment.

MR. ACTING SPEAKER took the Chair and read the Prayer.

PRESENT

All honourable Members were present except the honourable Member for Nadi Urban Communal (A. Ali), the honourable Member for Cakaudrove West Provincial Communal (Ratu R.S. Vakalalabure) and the honourable Assistant Minister for Health.

MINUTES

HON. LEADER OF THE HOUSE.- Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, I beg to move:

That the Minutes of the sitting of the House of Representatives held on Monday, 19th April, 2004 as previously circulated, be taken as read and be confirmed.

HON. T. YOUNG.- Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, I beg to second the motion.

Question put.

That this House expresses its deep regret at the passing on Sunday, 18th April, 2004 of the Right Honourable Ratu Sir Kamisese Kapaiwai Tuimacilai Mara, GCMG, KBE, CF, KStJ, MSD Turaga na Tui Nayau, Sau ni Vanua ko Lau and Turaga Tui Lau, Chief Minister from 1967 to 1970, Prime Minister from October 1970 to 1992 and President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands from 1993 until 2000, and records its deep appreciation of his long and outstanding public services to the House and the nation, and tenders its profound sympathy to his family and vanua.

HON. L. QARASE.- Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, since Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara left us, so many words have been spoken and written; so many images have come back to us. The memories and recollections of a nation are shared and the tears still flow. The davui and the lali send out their message about the passing of the chief, and the people have been drawn together by their shared grief. We have found in his passing that sense of unity that Ratu Sir Kamisese worked for with such enduring conviction, even though he was so often frustrated and disappointed, and even rejected.

In 2000, his public career ended in controversy and bitterness amidst the convulsions of that year. His heart must have grieved as he contemplated that political and social catastrophe. It is a tragedy that his final years were spent in the dark shadow of what happened to him and the country.

I think, we, the Members of Fiji's House of Representatives, where he was such a commanding presence for so many years and in so many debates, can feel his presence today. We have decided amongst ourselves to honour him with this motion.

Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, the accolades to Ratu Sir Kamisese have been many and will no doubt continue. This outpouring of praise in Fiji and overseas, reflects his immeasurable contribution to this nation and his impact in international and regional affairs.

He was our greatest statesman and national leader, and his voice was listened to by regional and world leaders. We are familiar with the details of Ratu Sir Kamisese's extraordinary career and accomplishments. They have been reported extensively in the media.

I see little point in merely repeating and recycling what has already been said. I hope the House will bear with me then if I share a number of personal observations, comments, recollections and anecdotes about Ratu Sir Kamisese and what he meant to me. I also intend to talk about the role of the chiefs and their significance for Fiji, and other issues that continue to challenge our country.

The Tui Nayau was my high chief. Let me say that I am one of the many, many Fijians who believe that even in the 21st century, at a time of unprecedented change, the chiefly system has relevance and validity for the indigenous people. Indeed, I assert that it has relevance for all the citizens of Fiji. To some, the chiefs are an anachronism. To me, and those of like mind, the chiefs and chiefly authority, within the Fijian communal context, is a binding force. They represent stability, order and continuity. To a Fijian, a chief is a symbol of indigenous identity and a cultural inheritance, which stretches far back into the mists of history. The Fijians, without their chiefs, would be incomplete. It is rightly said that the chiefs and the people are one. Without the chiefs, the entire nation would be weakened and vulnerable. Think of the role of the chiefs in pulling this country back from the brink in 1987 and 2000. They gave leadership when it was needed. They were a moderating and constructive influence. Since we became a sovereign State, the chiefs have been a stabilising political factor.

The big four - Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, Ratu Sir Edward Cakobau, Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau and Ratu Sir George Cakobau - were central to our country's progress. Ratu Sir Kamisese, with the assent and loyal support of his chiefly colleagues, took the pre-eminent role.

They chose him to be the leader of the Fijian delegation to the Constitutional Conference in London. As Independence neared, they again endorsed him, this time to be Prime Minister. Here was an outstanding example of chiefly give and take or the veisolisoli vakaturaga. This Government's beliefs in what the chiefs represent explain our policy of assisting the Great Council of Chiefs to more effectively fulfil its role. The establishment of the Fijian Trust Fund to give the GCC financial independence and the decision to build a permanent headquarters for this august council, illustrate this.

When I was growing up in the village, chiefs were to be feared and honoured. They had powerful manna. Even now at the age of 63,I still feel it. The fear has gone but the reverence and respect for those of rank remain. It is part of me and my custom. You might not like a chief in terms of personal qualities but the authority, the title and status that go with the position cannot be removed.

Ratu Sir Kamisese was one of the best examples of the chiefly rule and authority. He had to walk a difficult road that traversed two worlds.

Traditionally, he was required to fulfill the numerous obligations that went with this chiefly rank and to abide by the rules of a customary social order. Nationally and democratically, Ratu Sir Kamisese provided leadership for a plural population divided along racial lines and facing the need for adjustment to a quickly changed environment. Although he was committed to democracy, he knew a balance had to be struck between its principles and other crucially important factors such as communal ethos of the Fijians.

Leadership was about reconciling, competing aspirations, ideals and traditions inherent in an ethnically and culturally diverse society such as ours. At the same time, he never lost sight of where he wanted to take the country. To him, race was a fact of life. That is what I believe too. He thought it was foolish to try to brush racial differences aside. It was wiser to accept that differences existed and then work to moderate that divisive influences.

Ratu Sir Kamisese always said that multiracial co-operation and tolerance could never be taken for granted, they must be constantly encouraged and nurtured. His dream was a Fiji where people of different races, opinions and cultures can live and work together for the good of all; can differ without rancour, govern without violence and accept responsibility as reasonable people intent on serving the best interests of all. These ideals must guide us all.

Ratu Sir Kamisese was an outstanding chief for Lau and held the province together through his leadership and the respect the people had for him and the traditional positions he held.

Ratu Sir Kamisese was wise and caring, brimming with ideas and constantly concerned about the special problems of life in a remote and scattered region. He was way ahead of most people in his thinking about the development of our Province.

He entered into commercial ventures, which he honestly thought were good for Lau. Some worked, some did not. But his motives were always for the best.

The pine plantation in Lakeba was one of his most successful ventures. Ratu Sir Kamisese was so enthusiastic; he was out there planting trees himself. The returns from that venture are being reaped today.

He knew how to share, socialise and relax with his people. His famous temper would sometimes flare too.

I experienced his displeasure once at a Provincial Council meeting in Moala. With the late James Makasiale, I was to make a presentation about the Yatu Lau Company, the provincial investment arm. Unfortunately, our boat did not arrive on time because of bad weather. When it was my turn to speak, I proposed that copra producers should pay a levy to be used as equity in the company. There was a very bad reaction from the Tui Nayau.

First of all, he barked at us for being late and suggested we might have been off fishing somewhere. He then said something to this effect: "Who are you to tell me what to do with my copra money? I decide what to do with my own money". No one dared say anything. There was complete silence. That was the end of my idea for raising capital.

When I got back to Suva, I felt I had been unfairly treated, so I resigned as a Director of the company. Ratu Sir Kamisese was the Chairman. I felt a bit uncomfortable afterwards about protesting like this. Even though I held Ratu Sir Kamisese in high esteem as my chief, I felt I was justified in what I had done. The incident faded and was never mentioned again.

Ratu Sir Kamisese remained extremely committed to the Yatu Lau Company and its mission of advancing the economic progress of the Province. It was not long before I was again actively involved with the company and later I rejoined the Board.

The Tui Nayau was a skilful Chairman. There was an illustration of this at a Provincial Council meeting in Tubou. I suppose it was about financial accountability. The accounts were being presented. Item 12 referred to general expenses and item 13 was miscellaneous expenses.

A Moala delegate, a Ratu Draunidalo, undoubtedly, related to the Minister for Works, picked up on this. The expenditure, he said, was either general or miscellaneous. It could not be both! Which was it? Had a mistake been made?

The Tui Nayau had also noticed the anomaly. He asked the Roko to reply. This official had to think quickly. He then resorted to a play on words to cover up the mistake.

This was just a bit of clever verbal juggling but the Tui Nayau was not fooled. To save the Roko from further embarrassment, he adjourned the meeting for morning tea and when the meeting resumed, he moved the agenda forward.

Later in my career, when I was Secretary to the Public Service, I sometimes had to brief Ratu Sir Kamisese on such things as appointments and reshuffling of posts. Those meetings always went well.

Ratu Sir Kamisese had detailed knowledge of many civil servants and their capabilities. He did not try to instruct us or interfere with our decisions but he might make a suggestion or two and we would often take our cue from this. Of course, all of us in the Civil Service were conscious of the discipline Ratu Sir Kamisese brought to his work. I have tried to emulate that in discharging my own duties. We can all be inspired as well by his commitment to the institution of the family. He captured this expressively in a speech in 1994 to conclude celebrations for the International Year of the Family. He spoke of his conviction that loving, principled and supportive families are a nation's guarantee for success and survival and a formidable insurance against undesirable and destructive forms of existence and governance. Let us then follow what Ratu Sir Kamisese preached and re‑dedicate ourselves to strengthening family life.

I was reminded again last week about Ratu Sir Kamisese's famous wit. The Chairman at a Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting urged delegates to keep their speeches short and brief. The Tui Nayau was the first to respond. He drew himself up to his full six feet five inches and told the gathering; "Mr. Chairman, I cannot be short, but I can be brief!" The meeting broke up in laughter.

I recount now a story about something Ratu Sir Kamisese said when he was with the Malaysian leader, Tun Sambanthan, who was visiting Fiji. I think this happened in 1967. Tun Sambanthan had been invited to the country to spread the Malaysian message of multi‑racialism and to suggest it should be good for Fiji.

Ratu Sir Kamisese and Tun had spent a wet and muddy day in the Nadi area visiting schools and settlements. At the end of the afternoon, they went back to their hotel to prepare for a dinner to be hosted by the then Leader of the Opposition, Mr. A.D. Patel. According to Mr. Rodney Acraman, Ratu Sir Kamisese's secretary at the time, Tun Sambanthan came to Ratu Sir Kamisese's room to meet him before they went off to the dinner. Ratu Sir Kamisese asked a surprised Tun Sambanthan if he would tender his apologies. He asked him to tell Mr. Patel that he was having trouble with his back because he had been bending over backwards to try to accommodate A.D. He did not go to the dinner because of that back problem.

Honourable Members will see on the Order Paper that I shall be moving a motion on the reform of the sugar industry. This House should acknowledge and appreciate what Ratu Sir Kamisese did for the industry. It would not have survived without his crucial involvement in the price negotiations with the European Union. It was from this that our farmers received high prices for their sugar. There is another sugar episode, which I do not think has ever been disclosed. The Government had concluded an agreement for New Zealand to buy some of our sugar at a price above the market price. This netted the country about $10 million in extra earnings. The New Zealand Government sent Ratu Sir Kamisese a cheque for $10 million and asked him to decide how to use the money for national development or the sugar industry. They left the decision to him and the money went to the industry.

Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, Government and the honourable Members of the Fiji Labour Party are bringing to this august House a bi‑partisan consensus on the organisation of the sugar industry and resolution of the land issue. This joint approach is through our Talanoa forum. This was made possible through the active support and participation of the East‑West Centre and its Pacific Islands Development Programme. It was Ratu Sir Kamisese who was instrumental in its establishment. The Talanoa discussions are another example of what Ratu Sir Kamisese named The Pacific Way ‑ a way of discussing issues, drawing on the island traditions of consensus. They are very much in accordance with the principles of Ratu Sir Kamisese. These are reasoned dialogue, mutual respect and understanding, tolerance and goodwill. Sometimes, strong words are said in this House and positions are argued with emotion. That has always been the case.

Ratu Sir Kamisese himself did not hesitate to speak with passion, force and strength when the occasion demanded. This was the political process at work, but in Ratu Sir Kamisese's view, it should always be tampered with courtesy and dignity. It should never prevent us from exercising leadership that takes us beyond the purely partisan into the realm of the national interest. That is what we must continue to do with sugar and land. If we are genuine in our tributes to Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara and if we truly wish to honour his memory in a manner which would have pleased him, let us show an unflagging joint determination to a common cause, solving our sugar and land problems in the best interest of our citizens and communities.

Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, I am humbled to be moving this motion. I commend it to the House with all my heart and with the great hope that Fiji will reach the destination Ratu Sir Kamisese had set for the people and the country he loved with a passion. I finish with these words from the great chief, and I quote:

"We are urged to commit ourselves anew to living in harmony and unity, promoting social justice and economic and social advancement of all communities, respecting their rights and interests and strengthening our institutions of Government."

HON. M.M. BEDDOES.‑ Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, I rise to make my contribution to the motion before the House and I support the honourable Prime Minister in expressing my deep regret at the passing of the Right Honourable Ratu Sir Kamisese, Turaga na Tui Nayau, Sau ni Vanua Ko Lau, Turaga Tui Lau, former Chief Minister, Prime Minister and President of Fiji, Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Knight Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Member of Her Majesty's Privy Council, Grand Master of the Order of the National Lion of Senegal, Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Chancellor of the Order of Fiji, Companion of the Order of Fiji, Knight of the Most Venerable Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Knight Grand Cross of the Plain Order, father of the modern day Fiji, mentor, friend, entertainer and composer, statesman and the last guardian of all the people's of Fiji.

Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, as was alluded to by the honourable Prime Minister, over the past week we have all witnessed the countless expressions of grief for our beloved leader and the experience each of them had with Ratu Mara. I, for one, had discovered a depth to this great man that although I understood was there, perhaps never really appreciated. The daily write‑ups in all three print media with pages of different accounts of different people from all walks of life is quite phenomenal. He was truly a remarkable human being, equal in stature to any other great leader of this world.

I realise that I am, perhaps, not the best person to speak about such a great man, but as Opposition Leader, it falls to me to be one of the respondents to this motion and I do so with deep humility and the greatest respect for the family of the Turaga na Tui Nayau, Sau ni Vanua Ko Lau, Turaga Tui Lau and for the people of Lau.

The late President, Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, was a keen fisherman and he loved to fish the waters of his beautiful Lauan islands. This favourite pastime of his led him to develop vital knowledge of the area and he understood well the weather patterns, the currents and the wind direction. This local knowledge of our late President proved crucial when the vessel, the M.V. Lakeba floundered, following the hurricane that swept across the Lau Group. Acting against all official advice, Ratu Mara flew in a light aircraft into the area of sea, which the official search parties had ruled out. Ratu Mara knew that this is where the currents would take any likely survivors.

A Cabinet colleague and long time supporter and friend, the then honourable Ted Beddoes, was on that flight with Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara and he recalls the relief and joy that Ratu Mara felt when he spotted many of the survivors clinging onto the floating wreckage. Ratu Mara was to later record this incident in his memoirs as one of the most satisfying in his career.

Reading through the many tributes to our beloved leaders, I was moved by a couple of recorded statements. In an account of Ratu Mara's achievements on his 80th birthday, a friend and the late Sir Len Usher, quoted from Ratu Mara's personal introduction to a book of his collected speeches, and I quote:

"The more power and authority we are given, the more need for us to remain humble, to be ready to admit our shortcomings, to be ready to learn and to be tolerant to others, to know and believe this is not always easy to achieve..."

This is certainly something of our great leader that we, the elected representatives of our people, would do well to consider in our deliberations and conduct.

Another account I was moved by was when a stalemate surfaced in Brussels during the talks with the European Union and the ACP countries, and his decision as chief negotiator of the Lome Convention to go to London to talk to the European Union Chairman of Agricultural Ministers, who, at that time, happened to be the United Kingdom Minister for Agriculture. The West Indies delegate was not enthusiastic about it, saying to Ratu Mara, and I quote:

"I come from the Pacific where the tallest coconut tree bends the lowest in a hurricane, and I see that there are parallels in our situation."

There is little doubt that Ratu Mara had a purpose-driven life, he was not a passive spectator or an observer. This perhaps, explains the speed with which he re-engaged in Government as Head of the Interim Government after the Rabuka coups of 1987, in spite of the advice not to do so and the criticisms levelled at him for doing so.

Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, preparing my contribution today was an unusually difficult task for me. It was difficult because I wanted my contribution to be worthy of this great man, and I was trying to be meaningful and to have some purpose. Everytime I started writing, I would get bogged down and the words, notes and thoughts that I had, just never came together and for some strange reason my thought kept going back to Easter and the Easter weekend, the floods and the devastation that I was trying to write a speech about Ratu Mara, and not the floods. But then it donned on me that perhaps, there was a parallel in the situation.

Just 10 days before the untimely passing of our beloved leader, our Easter weekend was disrupted by flash floods that caused widespread damage and suffering, as well as loss of life. In spite of his condition, Ratu Mara toured the affected areas to see for himself what had happened to his people. But more importantly, I thought was the significance of the celebration during that weekend which was Easter, being of course the sacrifice that Christ made for the sins of His people; how they betrayed Him, had Him crucified and then later celebrated the resurrection. Some of us have seen the newly released movie called The Passion of the Christ which details and totally deals with the hours of Christ and the barbaric way in which His very own people treated Him before being put to death on the cross. So, too in our case, Sir, Ratu Mara spent his entire life serving us. He showed us the way; he not only taught us how we could work together for our collective benefit, but he proved it could work by his example and he gave us the best years on our post-Independence history.

In spite of all the good that he did, he was betrayed by the Judases among his closest protectors during the traumatic days that followed his initial betrayal, and before the sun would set on his life's career of service to his people, like Peter who denied Jesus Christ before the third cock had crowed. Those of us who called ourselves his disciples denied him more by what we did not say and do than by what we did. The stress and humiliation displaced on him caused his health to deteriorate further and ultimately, his death.

The outpouring of grief and the endless tributes and praise about his life are almost like a celebration of his life; a resurrection, if you will, of the people's memory and account of his great contribution to the well-being of all his people. It is ironic, Sir, that it will be on the third day in May, Mr. Acting Speaker, that he will finally be laid to rest to begin his journey back to the Kingdom of God from which he came.

Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, there can be little doubt that a great many people feel strongly about the events leading to the unceremonious removal of the late President. I hope (as do many others) that the whole truth behind his removal will soon be revealed and those responsible brought to account for their unjust treatment of our great leader and their disservice to his people. Of course, as a politician, the late Ratu Mara would have no doubt expected some disappointments in his life and would have had to eventually deal with these situations, made adjustments and moved on as I am certain, he was trying to do when he suffered the stroke. We too, as his people, must absorb the trauma of our recent past and move forward stronger and all the wiser from the lessons we have learnt but more determined to avoid a repeat of them in future.

Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, we cannot do much about the errors of our recent past, other than bring those involved to account for their sins against the people. But we can do something about our future by taking the necessary steps commencing today to ensure we avoid a repeat of that past.

The late Tui Nayau left us many examples of how successful his brand of politics was both domestically and internationally, and we, as current elected leaders of the people would do well to try and emulate his ways and teachings and his examples.

Many of us in this room today, Sir, have echoed sentiments that praise his work, his vision, his commitment and his life, but are these just hollow words of praise or are we sincere and heartfelt as I suspect we are? If we truly mean every word we speak, then we need to take all the positive energy that the many accounts of his life has generated over this past week and the natural unity of our once divided nation in grieving for this great leader, and we need to convert it into something more meaningful and lasting so that as he did in his life, let us use his untimely death as the catalyst for uniting his people once more.

There can be no greater honour or tribute that we, as a people, can bestow upon him than to emulate his teachings and examples so as to unite his people one more time and we need to act now and take advantage of the momentum of unity that his death has created for us and I repeat an earlier quote of the late Tui Nayau for this purpose. As I do so, I direct it specifically and with respect to the honourable Prime Minister, the honourable leader of the Fiji Labour Party, the honourable leader of the Conservative Alliance Party, the honourable leader of the New Labour Unity Party and other leaders of our people of Fiji. I quote:

"The more power and authority we are given the more need for us to remain humble, to be ready to admit our shortcomings, to be ready to learn to be tolerant of others, to know and believe this is not always easy to achieve but also to remember that humility does not mean softness or indecision."

In terms of who said who should made the first move to propel the unity the Turaga's passing has generated, I would again like to use his own words to the West Indies delegation to the Lome Convention negotiations to answer that and I quote:

Ratu Mara replied; "I come from the Pacific where the tallest coconut tree bents the lowest in a hurricane and they are parallel in our situation."

Bending from our hardened positions will not break our back in the height of our stormy seas and it does not imply softness or indecision but is a prerequisite to greater good for all of our people.

Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, in conclusion, I want to place before honourable Members of this House, the honourable Prime Minister and Members of his Cabinet our humble request regarding Ro Lady Lala Mara and her life after this is all over.

I realise that in expressing my views about this during an interview, it could perhaps be viewed by my detractors as a points scoring measure at this sad time in our history. I want to assure the honourable Prime Minister and his Cabinet and all Members of this House, there was no such intent on my part.

My own record of service for the late Tui Nayau should be proof enough to all who doubt me that it was and is a legitimate concern I have for the welfare of the First Lady. But nevertheless, I want to apologise to the honourable Prime Minister if any suggestion has in fact, been viewed in such light.

It was my intention then as it is my intention now to ask the honourable Prime Minister, as Leader of Government, to present to this House at an appropriate time, an appropriate amendment to the President's Pension Act No. 15 of 1994 so as to facilitate the transfer to Ro Lady Lala Mara all benefits enjoyed by her and the late Tui Nayau. It was also my intention to call on all honourable Members in this House to unanimously support such a motion in honour of our great leader recently departed.

As for its timing, I regret that waiting for the right time cost me the opportunity to meet with and speak to the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara before his death and I will never again wait for the right moment. I will instead, as I have done now, do it as I think of it.

Ro Lady Lala Mara deserves such recognition from the State and people in her own right for the dedication, support and sacrifice she and her children made so as to allow their father and husband the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, Turaga Tui Nayau, Sau Ni Vanua ko Lau, Turaga Tui Lau, former Chief Minister, Prime Minister and President, father of modern Fiji, mentor, friend, entertainer and composer, statesman and last guardian of all the people of Fiji so he could perform all the wonderful things he did so that his people could have a life of peace, progress and prosperity.

HON. M.P. CHAUDHRY.- Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, I rise to support the motion before this House moved by the honourable Prime Minister.

Sir, it is a humbling experience to rise to pay tribute to Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. He was an enigma to many of us and I cannot say that I fully understood the man or his actions but transcending all this undeniable fact that he was a visionary leader, a great regional statesman, and a man of his times.

Sir, even his date of birth is somewhat questionable. It is officially registered as 13th May 1920, but his actual birth was on 6th May 1920. There can be no doubt that he was born to lead. At the time of his birth, Sir, as the first born of the chiefly family, he was carried in the arms of the womenfolk for 10 days without being allowed to touch ground.

As he grew up, however, this man of chiefly rank, destined to become the Tui Nayau and later the first Prime Minister of Fiji, had his two feet firmly planted on the ground. Within his person, he blended the finest traditions of Fijian aristocracy with the best values of liberal western philosophy.

In his memoirs The Pacific Way, he recalled being shipped off to Levuka at the age of six, to stay with a Mrs. Vollmer who was a strict disciplinarian. For little Mara used to a cosseted and specially privileged existence in Lakeba, his two years with Mrs. Vollmer were a levelling experience, a culture shock as he puts it. It says and I quote:

"I was given such tasks as fetching the milk, lighting the fire and cooking the porridge. Nor did she hesitate to use her stick."

He recalled how she used to give him six pence on Sundays for the collection plate at the Methodist Church. Of this money he used to furtively spend three pence on buying roti and curry from an Indian shop close by. For this exercise, he used to receive the stick, whenever he was caught. The experience served him in good stead for he gives the credit to Mrs. Vollmer and her stick for his penchant for cleanliness, tidiness and good organisation thereafter.

Sir, the other major levelling experience was his medical training and his western education. His interest in medicine was triggered early in life and at the age of 17, he enrolled at the Central Medical School and found it intensely interesting as he puts it. Of his time there, he said, and I quote:

"Here too I came to dissection and to the practical acquisition of the most valuable knowledge that under the skin all people are the same. Chiefs were no different from the others. This reinforced the lessons that had begun with the stick and would be continued at the university in New Zealand, where you were taken for your achievements, sporting or otherwise, and not for any social position. The result in later life was that when I came to ask people for their votes I found this a perfectly natural way of proceeding and felt no great gap between myself and the electorate."

Sir, we all know that Ratu Sir Kamisese was specifically groomed to assume the mantle of leadership by his mentor and as he says, idol, Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna. It shows the mark of the man that he was prepared to sacrifice, albeit reluctantly, his own interest in medicine to take up studies in economics and public administration at Oxford so that he could serve his country through a public career which would groom him for the mantle of leadership he was to don later.

Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, in the past week, much has been said about the life and achievements of this remarkable son of Fiji. It is, therefore, impossible to speak about him without being somewhat repetitive.

No tribute to Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, Sir, would be complete without mention of the immense contribution he made to the development of Fiji since Independence in 1970. He is, undoubtedly, the father of the nation, the man who moulded and shaped this nation in line with his own vision before and after Independence. I know that he was not solely responsible for the creation of the 1970 Constitution, but it was in line with the spirit and principles of this charter that Ratu Sir Kamisese set the foundations of the young nation entrusted in his care.

True to the dogma of the three-legged stool, he set out on a path of multi-racialism which in the formative years of our nation saw Fiji take great strides towards racial integration, co-operation and harmony. Such a policy earned him the respect and confidence of all communities and it was against this backdrop of national oneness that he guided Fiji to a decade or more of unprecedented growth.

During his time, Fiji made great strides in social, economic and infrastructure development in the first decade and a half following independence. Sir, it is not by chance that Fiji registered a growth rate of six per cent in the 1970's, while investment levels peaked at a record of 30 per cent. These were years of great expansion and economic boom. All major sectors of our economy experienced marked growth; tourism, sugar, forestry, fisheries and mining, to mention a few. This economic growth was backed by rapid development in infrastructure. To mention some, the Mara era saw the cutting and sealing of the Suva/Nadi Highway, the construction of the Lautoka Hospital, the state of the art facilities to cater for the people of the West, the construction of the Monasavu Hydro Electricity Dam to stabilise the cost of electricity, the Vaturu Dam to provide adequate supplies of clean water to residents of Nadi and Lautoka, the construction of the National Stadium in Suva, numerous other amenities took shape which paved the way for greater agricultural and industrial growth. The most phenomenal of this was the expansion of tourism in the Nadi Bay area and along the Coral Coast following the sealing of the Suva/Nadi Highway. The Hyatt Regency (now the Warwick), the Fijian Resort, Hideaway, Paradise Point, Naviti Resort, the much expanded Mocambo, the Tanoa Hotel and the Sheraton. All these big four or five star resorts, Sir, took shape in the late 1970's and early 1980's.

It is not surprising that hardly any major resorts have been constructed following 1987 with the exception of the Outrigger Reef Resort and some development in the Denarau in the past few years. Fiji has not been able to provide the same degree of political stability, law and order and investor confidence that prevailed in the Mara era.

Similar growth took place in the development of our natural resources under his vision and guidance. Sugar took on a new dimension under the Mara Government; to Ratu Mara goes the credit for bringing price stability to the industry under the Sugar Protocol Agreement of the Lome Convention with the entry of Britain into the European Market. Not only did the Agreement give Fiji a guaranteed price, this price was at least two and a half to three times higher than the world market price for sugar.

It saw a boom in the sugar industry with the expansion of cane cultivation and sugar production. While Ratu Mara had not initiated the legislation which led to ALTA in 1976, he did give it his unreserved support as Member for Natural Resources in 1966. To Mara also goes the credit of successfully negotiating the nationalisation of the sugar industry from the South Pacific Sugar Mills Limited in 1973 and the restructure of the industry that followed in 1985.

The Alliance Party under his leadership had made the key recommendation on a 65:35 sugar proceeds sharing formula which was adopted by Lord Denning in 1970 and finally paved the way for a just and equitable Master Award for cane farmers.

At the same time, Ratu Mara took steps to ensure greater participation of Fijian landowners in both agricultural and national development. The Seaqaqa Scheme set up in Vanua Levu to encourage Fijians to take up cane farming was his handiwork.

The Mara Government's Development Programmes placed equal emphasis on agriculture, laying the framework for an expansion in rice cultivation with the development of the Navua, Nausori and Dreketi Irrigation Rice Schemes. He encouraged the growth of agro-based industries with the development of the Sigatoka Valley Project which led to notable expansion in the cultivation of fruits and vegetables.

My own first contact with this inspiring personality was in my capacity as General Secretary of the Fiji Public Service Association, since as Prime Minister, the Public Service came under his portfolio. Our clashes were of national magnitude and once Ratu Mara even threatened to use the army to break a strike at Nadi Airport. But the years of confrontation in the early 1980's were preceded by a golden period of co-operation in the 1970's that saw the establishment of the Tripartite Forum in adherence to the liberal doctrine that trade unions were social partners in development. As Prime Minister, Ratu Mara had a close rapport with trade unionists then and was always open to suggestions from us. On our recommendation, he proceeded with the setting up of ATS under the joint partnership of employers, government and the workers. The Economic Development Board which was a precursor to the present Fiji Trade and Investment Bureau followed later.

Those of us who came in close contact with him, grew to respect his sense of integrity and commitment to principles. I recall the crisis over the Nicol and Hurst Award in 1983 for a 10 per cent general increase in Civil Service pays. Some members of his Cabinet opposed the increase but Ratu Mara insisted Government had given a commitment to abide by the findings of the report and it must uphold this commitment. He managed to push the decision through Cabinet but Charles Walker who was Finance Minister at the time resigned in protest.

I remember Ratu Mara called me personally to relay the news that it had been approved by Cabinet and added ruefully; "But I lost my Finance Minister in the process". I said; "I am sorry to hear that, Sir", to which he retorted, "Do not worry, we will find a replacement soon". That, Mr. Acting Speaker, was the mettle of the man we are mourning today. He commanded respect because he was a man of honour.

I came much closer to Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara in the past few years when I took office as Prime Minister. He was a tower of strength to me, guiding me through that testing period of my life. I had weekly meetings with him every Wednesday morning when I would brief him on what was happening and he would give me advice or encouragement.

Sir, Ratu Mara had been very impressed with the People's Coalition Manifesto of 1999 and told me I would have his total support, as long as I kept to it. That shows the depth of his feelings, Sir, for the ordinary people of Fiji. His commitment to social justice had not diminished with age. He was very much concerned about the living standards of his people of all races - access to housing, water, eletricity, roads, employment, conditions of work and pay and access to decent food at affordable prices.

I must mention at this stage, Sir, that the exploding levels of poverty we see in Fiji today were unheard of in the days of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. I realised in those 12 months, when I worked so closely with him, that we shared a deep commitment to social justice and that we had a similar vision for our nation and its people.

It was his commitment to multi-racialism, Sir, that prompted him, in 1981, to propose a Government of National Unity for Fiji. In his Book, The Pacific Way, he refers to it as a dream he had pursued. He realised that under Fiji's racially-based system of politics, all the races were not adequately represented at Cabinet level. He had come to realise that, and I quote:

"Representation at Cabinet level was pivotal for both policy-making and public presentation."

Unfortunately, this gesture towards a policy of inclusiveness was not accepted by the Opposition at the time and Fiji missed a golden opportunity to move away from racial politics.

Mr. Acting Speaker, in my contribution to the Mara Trust Foundation last year, I had said that Ratu Mara leaves behind him a formidable legacy of nation-building that would be difficult for any successor to emulate. I reiterate that today.

Sir, as we mourn the passing away of a great leader, stateman and patriach of Fiji, in paying homage to this eminent leader, the least we can do is to abide by his vision for Fiji - a democratic nation, founder of the principles of multi-racialism, social justice, equity and equal opportunity.

In conclusion, Sir, may I quote a few lines from his Book. The quote is taken from his speech at the end of the London Constitutional Conference in 1970, where the final agreement had been reached out for Fiji to become independent. Ratu Mara said, and I quote:

"As I said the day I left Fiji, the happy future of Fiji depends much more on all those who we left behind, than on those of us here in London. We may lay out the Blueprint, but it is for everyone in Fiji to help us build the house, to build it strong and to build it to last. I am confident we can do it."

What greater tribute, Sir, can we pay this great leader today than to build that strong nation and fulfil his vision for Fiji.

I offer my deepest condolences, Sir, to Adi Lady Lala Mara, the Mara family and the people of Lau. May he rest in peace.

HON. RATU N.T. LALABALAVU.- Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, I also rise in support of the motion before the House.

Sir, to stand here today and pay tribute to a high chief of many talents, whose contribution to this land transcends almost every fabric of the development of our nation is certainly no easy task. A politician and a high chief in his own right, statesman and family man, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, revered and respected, was indeed, primus inter pares or in other words, the first amongst equals. Sir, now that he has moved on, let us mere mortals, attempt to emulate him by adopting the good things that he has done and achieved for the nation.

Eloquent speakers before me have uttered very profound and moving tributes and eulogies during the last few days and others will continue to do so in the days and weeks ahead on this unique and great statesman and high chief. As for me, Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, I will only dwell on a few salient points, which, in my humble view, ought to be mentioned, lest we forget.

Fijian Education: Sir, to elaborate on this would only be an academic exercise. The breadth and depth of his contribution towards this can only be measured, fathomed and understood by the innumerable professional Fijians now scattered here and abroad.

Land: Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, no one in this House, might I be bold to suggest, can deny the fact that he did indeed, go out of his way to assist, find an equitable and acceptable formula to resolve the land issue towards a parametre that would be satisfactory to both the landlord and tenant, in terms of agricultural leases.

Though more is still required to be done on this, at least we are grateful to this great chief for having the foresight and determination, will and vision to begin that journey, despite some passionate degree of opposition from many quarters.

Relationships with Pacific Neighbours: Sir, one only has to be reminded of the catch phrase: "Unity in Diversity" to appreciate Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara's mission of uniting the Pacific people and forging its leadership towards a unified front, for the betterment of all Pacific island states. The birth of the South Pacific Forum, now the Forum Secretariat, is one of the many examples of his legacy.

Multi-racialism and Fijian Nationalism: No doubt, Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, to this day, depending on the view from which window frame you are looking from, this is still shrouded with controversy. If this were not so, we would not have experienced, amongst other things, the upheavals of 1987 and recently, that of 2000.

It is appreciated and acknowledged, without rancour, that the former President was ahead of his time, when he propagated and articulated, both in words and indeed, the principle of multi-racialism and peaceful co-existence in a multi-racial society. Some of his compatriots and political colleagues, at the earlier stages of Fiji's Independence, might not have agreed with his vision on this issue. He carried on resolutely because he firmly believed that Fiji's socio-economic and political survival is dependent on mutual tolerance and respect towards each other, particularly for the two major races in this country.

Sadly though, may I add, that in spite of that passionate belief, his vision, with the greatest of respect to the former President, tended to be overwhelmed by forces beyond his control. That is, the rise and rebirth of Fijian nationalism from the Fijian Nationalist Party, the Western United Front and the Taukei Movement, culminating in the upheavals of 1987 and 2000. Notwithstanding that, Sir, he continued to serve the nation tirelessly and faithfully in his capacity as Prime Minister and President respectively, until he was unceremoniously removed from office in 2000 by those very people whom he would have entrusted his life to, to protect him.

Of course, like him, many felt that unpalatable taste of bitterness at his betrayal by those who were in the higher echelon of the Military and the Police Forces, who isolated him and ousted him when he was at his most vulnerable position, and alone, there at Suva harbour in the confine of a Fiji Naval boat. Sir, to err is only human, but to be betrayed is evil.

Grooming of successors: Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, as much as we would like to elevate and revere a chief to the level of perfection, we must not lose sight of the reality that, as humans, we are also susceptible to the imperfections of human weaknesses and inadequacies. Hence the importance of separating the chief from the myth and the legend. Sir, I do not doubt for a moment that Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara did perform his obligations and duty to the best of his ability, but as I had mentioned before, to err is only human. However, because of that, when digesting his achievements with the benefit of hindsight, I believe, Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, that had he groomed some young chiefs, both from the East and the West, to take over the mantle of Fijian leadership from him and other three particular chiefs who have gone on before him - Ratu Sir Edward Cakobau, Ratu Sir George Cakobau and Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau - the disunity and distrust that appears inherent amongst the Fijians of today would not have been there at all.

Sir, I believe that had he ventured towards grooming young Fijian chiefs to lead, just as the late Turaga na Tui Lau, Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, had done, it would have augured well for the progress and unity of the Fijian people. Now, with the gradual erosion, as it were, of Fijian unity, let us hope that the professional Fijians of today, as well as traditional Fijian leadership would work hand in hand together to emulate the manner and deportment in which Ratu Sir Kamisese and his peers - Ratu Sir Edward, Ratu Sir George and Ratu Sir Penaia - conducted themselves. We, who are here today, owe him that for the sake of unity and reconciliation amongst people of all races here in Fiji.

Betrayal and Bitterness: Sir, history has taught us that great people who had contributed to shaping this world and its civilisation were not immune to being betrayed by those who were perceived to be close to them. Julius Ceasar, Pompeii and Jesus Christ, to name just a few.

Here at home (and still embedded fresh in the memories of many, including that of the great chief whom we here today gather to mourn and honour) was the deceitful act of a few who betrayed him at the Suva Harbour in 2000.

With courage and dignity that epitomised his status and aura, he conceded to their demands, not because it was the right thing to do, but because he felt that his tenure was no longer tenable henceforth. That was indeed so because the confidence that he required from them, in view of the constitutional framework, was no longer there as those who should have stood by him did otherwise. Those who had betrayed the late President are still out there. They know themselves. They know who they are and only time, let us hope, will give them their just reward. Sir, I remember the famous Fijian saying "E sega ni ura me sa tei damu".

Sir, where to from here? We have come to an end of an era. We are now at a new crossroad. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, despite not having achieved all that he had set out to accomplish, has lived and has conquered us all by the high moral ground of his standard of discipline, integrity and perseverance. Hence, I believe, Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, it is for us, the living, the challenge before us is to contribute and shape this land to a level where suspicion, distrust and intolerance are dispelled by the attitude and acts of tolerance, understanding, goodwill and respect for one another. I believe that that would be one of the things that the late President would have liked us to have done and practised.

Before I take my seat, Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, may I conclude that Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, and the stature of the chief, his reputation and contribution will live on longer than most of us. His immortality stems from his tireless contribution as a servant of the people, notwithstanding the fact that he, as a paramount chief in his own right, should be served. His humility to serve and his integrity should be, and must be a lesson to us all.

To the Turaga na Tui Nayau, you have done your best. You have played your part and you are the envy of many. Now, you have gone on ahead of us to that blissful world, where, I hope, we may also be blessed to enter someday after this mortal life has ended.

Turaga na Tui Nayau, on your onward journey, let us find solace in the immortal words of the poet William Wordsworth, who once said, and let me re-phrase and quote:

To the turaga bale na Tui Nayau, Tui Lau and Sau ni Vanua o Lau and great chief, me lai o'munu na vakacegu.

HON. L. QARASE.- Mr. Acting Speaker, Sir, much has been said by so many people outside this august House during the past week in paying tribute to an outstanding chief, national and international leader and statesman. More tributes have just been made by the honourable leaders of political parties in this august House. I am sure their tributes capture the sentiments and thinking of all honourable Members of this House.

Mr. Acting Speaker, I really have nothing else to say except to express my sincere gratitude to the honourable Leader of the Opposition, the honourable leader of the Fiji Labour Party and the honourable leader of the Conservative Alliance Matanitu Vanua for their outstanding tributes and contributions to the motion before the House.

MR. ACTING SPEAKER.- I now call upon all honourable Members to rise for a minute of silence as a mark of respect for the late Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, Turaga na Tui Nayau, Sau ni Vanua ko Lau. He was a chief with deep religious belief, who in a number of his eloquent speeches quoted this Bible verse from the Gospel of St Mathew, Chapter 20:28 - "I did not come to be served but to serve."

This honourable Members is a true picture of his life and I now call for a minute of silence.

Honourable Members, before we proceed with the items on the Order Paper, I will now take a break to allow the Business Committee to meet this morning.

MR. ACTING SPEAKER.- Honourable Members, during tea adjournment, the Business Committee met and agreed that it would be most appropriate for the House to rise immediately after the condolence as a mark of respect for the late and former President, the Right Honourable Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara.

The Business Committee has also agreed that a joint reguregu of both Houses to Government House to pay our respect will be organised for Thursday. A time will be arranged with the Secretary-General and the Ministry of Fijian Affairs.