‘DYNAMIC DUO’ READY FOR 2018
PM Bainimarama reaffirms A-G will be by his side as his ‘right hand’ in continuing their economic policy of leaving no Fijian behind
No Fijian will be excluded from our progress by ethnicity, provincialism, economic status or religion, says Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama.
He said he would not allow it to happen.
“We never will,” was Mr Bainimarama’s clear message to Parliament yesterday. He reaffirmed that he would head into the 2018 general election with the Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, who Mr Bainimarama labelled as “his right hand” at his side. Others have called them “the dynamic duo.”
Mr Bainimarama said they were “united by our passion, patriotism and belief in Fiji’s potential.
“As I announced when praising the bold vision of our latest national Budget, I will lead
FijiFirst into the elections next year and my right hand, our Honourable Attorney-General and Minister for Economy, will be by my side,” he said. Giving a snapshot of the country’s progress in the past 10 years, Mr Bainimarama said it was through loyalty to Team Fiji and the urge to keep the country united, that contributed to it.
He went on to mention something which will no doubt be a highlight as the country heads to election – the unprecedented economic growth over the past decade and the teamwork that has existed between Mr Bainimarama and Mr Sayed-Khaiyum.
“We are going to keep us united, as one nation and one people. And we are going to prevent Fiji from taking a single step backwards into the past.
“We will adhere to the noble principles set out by His Excellency when opening this session, and we are going to adhere to the same mantra that has guided us to this day: teamwork. Because every Fijian knows, just as a rugby team can’t win without a strong leader and team players, neither can a government succeed, and FijiFirst is a proven team with a winning record. We have true patriots in our line-up. We have put in the hard yards to build the Fiji we know today. And we have a clear and consistent game plan to take us into the future.”
Mr Bainimarama also highlighted the inability of the Opposition to work as a team, hinting at the many issues that had plagued the Opposition from leaked emails to questions over use of funds.
“We’re nothing like the rabble across from us – they aren’t a team at all. They’ve proven they can’t govern themselves, yet alone govern a country. That is why they failed back in 2014 and that is why they will fail again in the next election. No teamwork, no vision and no chance at bringing our people the future they deserve.”
Mr Bainimarama said his vision of Fiji went beyond merely winning the next elections.
“That plan, that vision, is to keep transforming our beloved Fiji from a developing country into a modern nation state and to guarantee the prosperity and security of our children, grandchildren and generations of Fijians to come. And on that journey, we are taking every Fijian with us.”