Judging Others

FILIPE Tuisawau (FT 5/1) has singled out two Fiji citizens and public figures, Colonel Mohammed Aziz and Aiyaz Saiyad-Khaiyum, as neither elected leaders nor paramount chiefs who have their own people or vanua like the Tui Cakau or Roko Tui Dreketi supposedly have.

Both would not pretend to be chiefs as it is common knowledge they are not but it does not follow by pure logic that they do not have any credibility nor legitimacy.

In a civilised society, leaders are there by birth or are made or created based on their performance and achievements.

One thing the two gentlemen have in common is that they are citizens of Fiji and both persons have some accomplishment as qualified and experienced lawyers.

Both are followers of the religion of Islam which places high on the list of priority that it is the duty of humankind to obey God.

If the two believe that they have got to where they are and doing whatever they are doing today because they see it as their duty and act of obedience, then who am I to claim that they do not have credibility?

It is not for us to judge others on the basis of their ethnicity, race or religion.

It would be a breach of the Constitution to make such a judgement.

Finally, if such slander and insult are to be expected coming from chiefs who are prospective members of the august body, the Great Council of Chiefs, then I suggest we should not resurrect the GCC.

Public funds could be better spent elsewhere.

REV. Akuila D Yabaki 
Suva