RESPECT AND COMPASSION VS VINDICTIVENESS AND CONTEMPT
Having watched the funeral procession from Suva to Nausori and his arrival home at Vaunuabalavu Airport and knowing the moment for Lai Qarase’s funeral draws to a close and the opportunity to renege on promises fades, allow me to share some further thoughts directed mainly at those responsible for his persecution and ill-treatment.
I am not sure how many took note of the details in the front-page report of the Fiji Times a few days ago headlined – ‘Qarase’s final wish fulfilled’ and in particular the remarks attributed to the Prime Minister Bainimarama who was quoted as saying…
THE PURPOSE DRIVEN DISCRIMINATION CONTINUES– APRIL 2020
Since 2017 I have surveyed the Board Memberships of all Government Entities to determine the gender balance, Chairmanships and Board memberships. I have posted each of the surveys and commented on them.
The reaction from the Government propaganda machinery has been predictable and I have been accused of being racist for producing the survey, while the appointing Ministers responsible for the appointments have…
COVID 19 – GOVERNMENT SUPPORT MEASURES - MEASURE NO 4: MEDICAL COST SUPPORT
Government will reimburse directly to employers (the cost of?) 21 days of COVID-19 leave for employees who test positive and are certified by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services. This will only be applicable to those with less than $30,000 annual income.
Fijians employed in the informal sector and testing positive for COVID-19 as certified by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, will receive Government assistance of $1,000.
Employers who continue to pay their employees under self- quarantine due to a directive from the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, are eligible for a 300 percent tax deduction.
Employees will also be required to take paid family care leave. Anyone not compensated during the 14 day self- quarantine period will be paid $100 by Government. This will only be applicable to those with less than $30,000 annual income.
MY OPINION
The total medical costs, including loss of income for all COVID-19 cases, must be paid for by the Government of Fiji. Discriminating between the people involved on the basis of whether they are employed in the formal or informal sectors, or on their level of remuneration, is again in breach of Sec 26 of the Constitution and cannot stand.
GOVERNMENT’S COVID19 ECONOMIC SUPPORT MEASURES - MEASURE NO 2: WORKERS’ ASSISTANCE
When I submitted my proposals to the government for the COVID-19 Recovery Budget, the FNPF’s well established Unemployment Allowance fund of $2,000 was already in place so I decided to incorporate it into my suggestions on how we might provide for all those who are and will be unemployed.
Which is why I was surprised to hear the Minister announce a $1,000 provision for workers in the tourism & hospitality Industry through FNPF when the existing amount available was $2,000. I could not understand why the government would think a support package that was 50% less than what was already available would be seen as attractive?
FNPF SLASHES MEMBERS UNEMPLOYMENT ALLOWANCE B Y HALF BECAUSE OF “PROCESSING’
The FIJI NATIONAL PROVIDENT FUND (FNPF) cut by half their Unemployment Allowance to their members desperate for financial relief. This was a heartless act by the FNPF to service its own needs not those of its members who are right now suffering and facing hardship and despair.
But the more I think about what happened, the more I sense that something just does not add up.
WHEN STUPIDITY REIGNS
Today I read through the requirements of the FNPF for COVID-19 assistance and shook my head in disbelief at the level of ‘stupidity’ on display. First, they stop manually submitted applications to comply with health officials ‘instructions’ about distancing…
THE BILLION Dollar COVID-19 RESCUE PACKAGE – ANALYzING THE MEASURES
To keep my usually long posts ‘short’ I decided to comment on each of Governments COVID -19 measures separately. So today its about the First Measure which relates to the reductions in FNPF deductions from Employers & Employees. This morning I was circulated an opinion piece by Peter Hartcher, Political and International Editor for the Sydney Morning Herald. Who wrote: -
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April 2020
- 1 Apr 2020 THE BILLION Dollar COVID-19 RESCUE PACKAGE – ANALYzING THE MEASURES 1 Apr 2020
- 2 Apr 2020 WHEN STUPIDITY REIGNS 2 Apr 2020
- 4 Apr 2020 FNPF SLASHES MEMBERS UNEMPLOYMENT ALLOWANCE B Y HALF BECAUSE OF “PROCESSING’ 4 Apr 2020
- 5 Apr 2020 GOVERNMENT’S COVID19 ECONOMIC SUPPORT MEASURES - MEASURE NO 2: WORKERS’ ASSISTANCE 5 Apr 2020
- 6 Apr 2020 GOVERNMENT’S COVID19 ECONOMIC SUPPORT MEASURES - MEASURE: 3 LOCK-DOWN ASSISTANCE 6 Apr 2020
- 6 Apr 2020 COVID 19 – GOVERNMENT SUPPORT MEASURES - MEASURE NO 4: MEDICAL COST SUPPORT 6 Apr 2020
- 10 Apr 2020 MY DECISION TO CONTINUE WITH MY RESPONSE TO THE COVID-19 BUDGET MEAURES 10 Apr 2020
- 11 Apr 2020 GOVERNMENT’S FUNDING PRIORITIES WITH COVID19- THE DEVIL IS STILL IN THE DETAILS 11 Apr 2020
- 12 Apr 2020 THE PURPOSE DRIVEN DISCRIMINATION CONTINUES– APRIL 2020 12 Apr 2020
- 13 Apr 2020 REMEMBERING OUR DAD TODAY APRIL 13TH HIS BIRTHDAY 13 Apr 2020
- 16 Apr 2020 REMEMBERING JONE KOROITAMANA 16 Apr 2020
- 22 Apr 2020 REST IN PEACE RATU FINAU 22 Apr 2020
- 24 Apr 2020 THANK YOU - VINA DU – DHANYAVAAD - FAIAK SE ’EA – XIEXIE LAISENIA QARASE 24 Apr 2020
- 29 Apr 2020 RESPECT AND COMPASSION VS VINDICTIVENESS AND CONTEMPT 29 Apr 2020
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May 2020
- 10 May 2020 REMEMBERING MY MOTHER THIS MOTHER’S DAY 10 May 2020