Grey Power Commentary on Poll results showing 66% support for Prime Minister Bainimarama: now no need for Public Emergency Regulations 

Grey Power observed with interest the results of the poll showing 66% support for the Prime Minister of Fiji.

Since the Prime Minister has that level of support now among the population of Fiji it would be timely to remove the Public Emergency Regulations (PER) which places censorship on the media and prohibits public meetings, including social gatherings, without a permit. PER clearly has become superfluous.

Grey Power had noted that articles and news items on the Burness v Fiji National Provident Fund case were not being published by the media in Fiji due to the censorship guidelines set down by the Ministry of Information pursuant to the PER. Of course FNPF did not have the same guidelines imposed on their advertisements which, ad nauseum, have been inflicted on us all without pensioners being allowed any comments in response in order to provide another view.

But with this much level of support for the PM we appeal to him to direct the police and Ministry of Information to remove the PER which censors or has a chilling effect on the media even for news items with public interest content like the FNPF case.

This would also allow an even greater percentage of Fiji’s people to express their support for the PM in a more transparent, independent and enthusiastic way.

Attitude is everything.

Be kinder than necessary,

For everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.

Live simply,

Love generously,

Care deeply,

Speak kindly,

And pray continually.

Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass…

It’s about learning to dance in the rain.

It’s not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells what kind of life you have lived.

Life is too short to wake up with regrets.

fijipensioners Grey Power today launched its Silver Ribbon Campaign in support of the right of FNPF pensioners to receive their full pensions from the FNPF.

In support of our claims to our contracted pensions, our dignity, our self-respect, and our self-reliance, grey-power has initiated a ‘ribbon campaign’ such as those for breast cancer (pink) and HIV/AIDS (red). The majority of pensioners polled have chosen silver-grey. Grey ribbon is not so easy to find, but silver is – and it sparkles and shines just the way we pensioners do!
Silver is appropriate for silver-surfer-grey-power people. All you need is a few metres of silver ribbon and a few safety pins to make yourself, your family and friends this symbol of what grey-power stands for – respect for our many years of contribution to society, our nurturing of the next generation, and our accumulated knowledge and wisdom.
We should wear our ribbons as we go about our business, especially over the coming weekends; on Saturday mornings when we shop, Saturday afternoons when taking part in leisure activities, and Saturday evenings when out for dinner or visiting friends. On Sundays when church-going, playing golf, boating or any of the many other recreational pursuits we silver-surfers enjoy – and hope to be able to enjoy in the future. Whatever we are doing at weekends, we can wear our silver ribbons with pride.
And when we are asked what the ribbon signifies, we can say that during our working years, we looked forward to our two days, or one and a half days, or one day off – and we worked hard, and saved, secure in the knowledge that eventually we would be rewarded with a pension that would enable us to enjoy a permanent weekend of leisure for the rest of our lives. A pension we earned, and to which our employers contributed.
We can explain that our compulsory security contract is now threatened, and that whatever they are told or promised, their pensions too are under threat. That in Fiji, a legally binding contractual agreement is at risk of being negated. And that if one contract can be decreed null and void, then all contracts are in jeopardy.
This is all about ‘going grey’. If you don’t have anything grey to wear to court, go shopping. There are plenty of tops covered in silver ‘bling’ these days – and if you can’t find something you like there is always the fun of an ‘op shop’ treasure hunt. So go-go-go for it silver-surfers – get out there sporting your ribbons in support of the cause! 

A young lady confidently walked around the room while explaining stress management to an elderly audience. With a raised glass of water, and everyone knew she was going to ask the ultimate question, ‘half empty or half full?‘… She fooled them all … “How heavy is this glass of water?”, she inquired with a smile.

Answers called out ranged from 8 oz. to 20 oz.
Continue reading →

CEO Aisake Taito remains ‘firm’ on a lot of things- ‘firm’ on GPH decision as reported in the media on 10^th August, ‘firm’ on cuts to pensioners’ last source of income and livelihood, ‘firm’ on the stand of FNPF Trust, as a trustee with absolute powers to do things without consultations with the beneficiaries; and ‘firm’ on the message he sends out regularly to the pensioners- ‘you are nothing; the Board is everything’.
Continue reading →