.gif)
A political scientist says ousted Fiji Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase is taking the wrong approach in engaging Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.
University of the South Pacific-based Dr Steven Ratuva said Qarase is putting forward his demands in his request to meet with Bainimarama who has responded by angrily cutting off communication.
“Anger and vindictiveness started to re-emerge. This is hardly how we should deal with this delicate matter,” said Dr Ratuva on the attempt to have the two leaders talking and plotting the way forward for
Bainimarama has since snubbed Qarase and his party that won 80 per cent of indigenous Fijian votes in the 2006 election.
“The life of the entire country is in their hands and they should be more mature and tactically systematic in their approach. Anger, vindictiveness and vengeance does not get us anywhere,” said Dr Ratuva.
Dr Ratuva said there is “no other way out of this” but for the two men to engage in dialogue.
“I'm not sure who provides political advice for the two gentlemen-both have not been following the right approach.
“What they should do is remove political conditions and demands, leave their political baggage aside and start talking as individuals and Fijians at a very personalized level around a kava bowl.
“They need to build up a sense of trust, goodwill and understanding as a first step. Second, they should agree on what to discuss next time-preferably how they can work together to move the country forward.
“Once a political link is forged, the third session should start exploring their own difficulties and their own demands can be thrown in bit by bit…and so forth. It should be a systematic, step by step process from socio-psychological engagement to full scale political dialogue.”
Qarase has said that he hopes Bainimarama will have a change of heart and agree to meet him.
