Fijian Prime Minister Hon. Laisenia Qarase

In the year 2001, after a time of national crisis, the Honourable Laisenia Qarase led a new party into the Fiji national election.   It was called the (SDL) Party, and it won a convincing win over the Labour Party. 

During that election campaign, Mr. Qarase took a strong, public stand for his Christian faith, and identified himself as one in need of God's grace and mercy, as documented on Let the Sea Resound video documentary.  One of the most important portfolios that was established, and which the Prime Minister himself led, was the Department of Reconciliation and Unity. 

This government has taken on the mammoth task of nation-building by seeking to heal the ancient wounds of prejudice and misunderstanding between ethnic Fijians and Indo Fijians.

With this background, there were national elections that were held again this past May to renew this mandate for a healing and reconciliation process that the government was pursuing in co-operation with the Assembly of Christian Churches in Fiji (ACCF) which was birthed out of a desperate plea by the President of Fiji to call the churches of Fiji to unite in prayer for the nation.

Since that date of May 18, 2006, when the election results were announced, here is a sequence of other statements that I have compiled that were either made by or about the re-elected Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase.

Fiji is a nation where God is glorified on the floor of Parliament, where the national government has declared a year of forgiveness and reconciliation, even forming a new government department focused on reconciliation. A nation where proposed legislation is presented to the church in Fiji for prayerful consideration BEFORE laws are passed ensuring that the law of the land is representing a Biblical value system. Where government officials travel to other nations not in their official capacity but as “missionaries” carrying the torch of revival and sharing what God has done in their land. Fiji is a nation where God is glorified in Parliament. Ascenaca shared with us at the Global Summit that she had been in Parliment that very morning where 3 speakers (including the Prime Minister) took the floor and ALL THEY DID WAS GLORIFY GOD! This is a national government that has declared a year of forgiveness and reconciliation and a year of prayer. A nation where proposed legislation is presented to the church in Fiji for prayerful consideration BEFORE laws are passed ensuring that the law of the land is representing a Biblical value system.

Click above for a video report from Adi Asenaca Caucau, Minister of State, Housing, children and the poor

Thursday, May 18, 2006

On the same date as the election results were announced, I received this e-mail from Savenaca Nakauyaca, to together with his father Vuniani, who leads the Healing the Land Team in Fiji.  He wrote:

 "General Election Update!

"Well our general election is over, and praise the Lord that He has answered our prayers by giving Mr. Laisenia Qarase another 5 year term.  This man is a God-fearing leader and just minutes after his party (the SDL) was declared the winner, he had a conference with the media from all over the world, and he told them that God gave him victory, and that God gave a mandate in the last 5 years, and he is going to fulfill it!  That mandate is to see the nation of Fiji healed and reconciliation take place in every sphere of society.

Friday, June 16, 2006

On this day, at the opening of the new Parliament after the election, Prime Minister Qarase set both the tone and the direction of the Government of Fiji with its new mandate.  The challenge of the new government is to rise above the partisanship and party politics of the past to form a multi-party cabinet as the present Constitution requires.

This means that the government party (the SDL) and the opposition party (the Fiji Labour Party) will need to work together for the good of the country as never before, as both parties will have members in the Cabinet.

The Fiji Times of Sunday, June 18, 2006, also carried the full text of Prime Minister Qarase's speech to the Fiji Parliament on June 16.  The parts of that speech that relate to the forming of a new multi-party Cabinet to require a more conciliatory tone among leaders and an adherence to a strong code of ethics was quoted in the two articles just referred to.  Other even more pointed and revealing parts of the text of his speech, in addition to those just given, are now quoted below:

 

Time for Change

"Mr. Speaker, Sir, the Bible tells us that there is a time for everything.  This is our season of change.  We are called to change the way we conduct our politics, and how we deal with national issues.  We are called to cooperation and positive engagement, rather than confrontation and ill-will.

"It is time now to move away from the hard-edged and provocative language and actions which have so often marked this House...

"I have informed all the Ministers that the SDL manifesto will be the base document for Government's policies and programme activities.  However, we have also conducted a comparative analysis of the SDL and FLP manifestos.  We have found that in most areas there was a convergence of views and strategies.

"Mr. Speaker, Sir, as in any Cabinet anywhere, there will be differences between Ministers.  I am confident that if the will to succeed is there, we will, as reasonable people, overcome our differences and do great things for Fiji.

"I assure Members of the House that as the Chair of Cabinet, I will maintain the tradition of decision-making by consensus.  Already we have set up various sub-Committees of Cabinet to facilitate a united approach in forming policies.

"If the multi-party Cabinet is to succeed, each one of us in this House must be prepared to make it work.  Its establishment creates a new situation which requires changes in attitudes and motivation.  We must alter the manner in which we address the House and how we present our arguments.  We have to adapt and adjust, and concentrate on a common vision for the future of Fiji...

"Now we must get on with the job of further rebuilding Fiji, through the Multi-Party platform provided in the Constitution.

Personal Transformation

"Mr. Speaker, Sir, the period since the elections has been a time of change for me.  I have been helped in this by the faith that has sustained me throughout my life.  Christian love through Jesus Christ is the source of my transformation.  "I depend on Him to guide me in what is right before God and in my relationship with others, in my family, at work and in society as a whole.

"John Wesley, the founder of Methodism, developed a concept of 'Christian perfection.'  I try, in my imperfect way, to emulate this.  My understanding of what John Wesley taught is that if your heart is filled with the total love that comes from Christ, there is no room for negative and destructive emotions.

"This doctrine was not so much to do with sinlessness, but with personal growth.  It is about the attitude that should guide us in our relationship with others, according to the commandment of loving your neighbour.  "I will just add that I am far from perfect in my faith.  I often stumble and fall.  But I will never stop striving to serve God in the best way I can, to honour Him and to serve the purpose for which He has called me.

"I know in my heart that what has transpired since the Elections is part of God's plan for Fiji.  He has given me a part to play in this, and I cannot refuse Him.

"The Constitution's multi-party requirements, against which I have so often expressed reservation, are now offered to us as the way to our national salvation.  It has given us the means to establish a multi-ethnic Government comprising elected leaders of all our communities.

"My Christian beliefs tell me that for this great journey of multi-ethnic togetherness to succeed, our individual and collective human effort is not enough.  We must place our trust in the Almighty and seek His blessing and support.

Coming Together in Unity

"Mr. Speaker, Sir, the President has reminded us of how crucially important it is for our future for us to combine in unity.  He showed we could do this in our celebrations earlier this week of the Rugby sevens victory.  The significance of this victory is that it is team effort that brings success.

"The message for the country is that for us to accomplish new heights of progress, we must reach out to one another with the same kind of team commitment displayed by Serevi and his boys.  It is this spirit of mutual support which underlines our efforts to promote national reconciliation.

"Mr. Speaker, Sir, I strongly support the programme of Government outlined in His Excellency's speech.  It provides a very sound foundation for the governance of Fiji, through the multi-party Cabinet and the support of all members of this Honourable House."

The same issue of The Fiji Times (on Sunday, June 18, 2006), contained a public statement made by the chairperson of the National Council of Reconciliation and Unity, Dr. Akanisi K. Tabualevu. 

"A month ago around this time, our nation was fully engaged with the electoral process giving every eligible voter the opportunity to choose a new government.  It was a period characterized by anxiety, disappointments, joys and uncertainties.  It was not easy to predict the outcome of the generation election.

"Many of our people were praying for the best outcome.  Our prayers and wishes have been answered.  The shared leadership we have now is a future that is truly greater than our past.  The rest is now behind us.

"As a nation, we made significant advancement when the two major political leaders, Hon. Laisenia Qarase and Hon. Mahend Chaudhry agreed to work together through a Multi-Party Cabinet.  We applaud the support expressed by members of both partiers who are now serving in Cabinet.  In doing so, they have put the interest of the nation above party politics, paving the way to effectively remove the barriers that have hindered past efforts to unite our different ethnic groups and faith communities.

"The agreement became the symbol of political cooperation to begin the process of consolidating multi-ethnic trust in the governance of our nation.  This cooperation has the capacity and meaning to dissuade any potentially destructive agenda that tries to derail the process of our achieving national unity and positive race relations in Fiji.

"The National Council of Reconciliation and Unity is appealing to all our leaders to make this concept work to its ultimate best.  There is sufficient goodwill around to make the concept work.  The saying goes: 'Let's make hay while there is sunshine.'  While we have the opportunity and the support needed, let's work together for the good of our nation.

"I also take this opportunity to remind us that 2006 was declared by Cabinet early this year as the National Year of Friendship.  It is a time to reach out to communities other than our own and make friends.  Building friendship is about closing the barriers and gulfs that divide us.

"We have seen enough of the root causes of division that have kept us apart.  It is high time we witnessed those things that unite us.  I wish to call on every citizen, religious organizations, political parties, ethnic groups and the business community to rally behind our leaders in this trying time.  It is our prayer that the Multi-Party Cabinet will gain momentum and evolve into a foundation that will cement our shared future."