Page 14 - IB April 24

Cover Cover

Speight’s forces hold government members hostage at the Parliamentary complex in Suva. A masked gunman waves to journalists to duck in cross-fire.
Photo: Supplied (IPI Global Journalist) / Brian Cassey, Associated Press Photo: Supplied (IPI Global Journalist) / Joe Yaya, USP Journalism

to normalise my release papers. That government did not little education, the best opportunity for these people, and
release me. I stayed in prison for another 10 years. To be only real hope, is in the land. Most of these at-risk people are
bitter is to allow those who hurt you to live rent free in your [indigenous] Fijians. Although all native land are held by the
mind. They have moved on, probably still rejoicing in that we mataqali, each family has a patch which is the ‘kanakana’.
have suffered that long. I have forgiven them, so move on I We will equip them and settle them in their villages. We will
must. Time is not on my side. I have set myself a timeline and liaise with the family and the village. Apart from farming,
a to-do list for the next five years. these young men and women will be taught basic life skills,
social skills, savings, budgeting. When we settle them in the
What are some of those things? villages and communities, we will also use the opportunity to
Since I came out, I have been busy laying the groundwork create the awareness that crime does not pay, that there is a
for a community rehabilitation project for ex-offenders, better life than crime and prison, and that prison is a waste of
released prisoners, street kids and at-risk people in the law- a potentially productive life.

If anything, I am among the reasons Fiji is in this current state
of distrust and toxic political environment. If I can assist in
bringing the nation together, it would be part of my atonement
for my errors.

and-order space. We are in the process of securing a piece Are you comfortable with talking about how exactly you got
of land, around 100 acres to set up a rehabilitation farm. involved with Speight?
A half-way house of a sort. You can’t have it in the city. It The bulk of it will come out in the book that I’m working
would be like having the cat to watch over the fish. There on, but it was not planned. It was something that happened
is too much temptation. These are vulnerable people who on the day.
will just relapse. They’re put in an environment where they
are shielded from the lures of the world and be guided to You said when they saw you, they roped you in?
be productive and contributing members of society. It will Yes. But there were communications with me the night
be for a period of up to six months; in exceptional cases, 12 prior. I basically said, ‘piss off’.
months where they will learn living off the land. With largely

14 Islands Business, April 2024