Fiji’s People’s Alliance Deputy Party Leader Manoa Kamikamica says Minister for Economy and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum should stick to issues and not resort to name-calling, likening his comments to a chronic childhood bully who panics when confronted.
Mr. Kamikamica said the governing party is known for name-calling and “pathetic retorts” that the People’s Alliance party will not be drawn into, challenging Mr. Sayed-Khaiyum to the table to “talk about issues.”
“The responses by the Minister of Economy yesterday can be likened to a childhood bully who is panicking when someone talks the truth to him directly. He is finding out after 16 years of picking on others, it’s not much fun when the shoe is on the other foot,” Mr. Kamikamica said. “This is the fundamental difference between the People’s Alliance and FijiFirst Government. We are laser-focused on issues and calling out the truth to power.”
Mr Kamikamica was responding to comments reportedly made by the AG in a news piece this week in which he described him as showing a “lack of shallowness, a particular lack of incapacity.” He also suggested that Mr. Kamikamica was picking on him because of his academic record or ethnicity.
‘’The suggestion…is absolute nonsense. Like I said in the Lami Rally last Saturday, “Fiji should hold the Minister of Economy and Attorney General responsible for all of Fiji’s woes because everyone knows that the Attorney General runs this country. If he does not approve, then it is a NO-GO. If you do not believe me, talk to one of their former ministers.
‘’Trying to pull the ethnicity card is even beneath the Minister for Economy and I urge him to apologise to the people of Fiji and withdraw his comments. And if he can’t handle the truth, it’s time to resign from his job.”
Mr Kamikamica also reiterated calls to the AG and Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama, inviting them to a debate soon after the Peoples Alliance releases its manifesto.
‘’Finally, I repeat my calls from yesterday. I suggest that as soon as we, The People’s Alliance present our Manifesto; that he Prime Minister Bainimarama debates with our Party Leader on the future of Fiji. I also invite the Minister of Economy to make sure he also attends the debate on Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan on the 30th of this month to discuss the economy with the other political parties. I will be there. Fiji can then decide who should rule for the next four years.”
The party is scheduled to release its manifesto tomorrow morning at Namoli Village in Lautoka.
