Fiji's new leader 'quiet, likeable and no autocrat'

By WARREN GAMBLE

The military commander now ruling Fiji is seen as a moderate, low-key "likable guy," rather than a strongman in the mould of former coup leader Sitiveni Rabuka.

Commodore Josaia Voreqe (Frank) Bainimarama has led Fiji's military for 15 months, after a long career in its small Navy and a year in charge of the Army.

His almost-hesitant declaration of martial law on Monday night was not staged, say observers. In a quiet voice, he announced: "All the nation has been saddened by the extent to which the country has fallen during the last week.

"I have therefore, with much reluctance, assumed executive authority."

The acting publisher of the Suva magazine Review, Nalinesh Arun, said the 46-year-old father of six was seen as a "pretty likeable guy."

"He's always been a nice guy. I think he's also a good PR guy - he's been telling his soldiers to be friendly. Now when you go past checkpoints there are no menacing looks."

Commodore Bainimarama also has important chiefly links. He comes from the chiefly family of Kiuva in the village of Bau, about 30km from Suva, where coup leader George Speight also has family connections.

It is not clear how well the two men know each other.

Educated in Suva at the Marist Brothers High School, Commodore Bainimarama joined the Navy in 1975 and trained initially in Britain.

Wellington defence analyst and former Army officer Jim Rolfe recalls attending courses at Waiouru in the 1970s with the young Fijian.

"He was never one of the standout guys, never one of the high flyers, more steady and consistent," Mr Rolfe said yesterday.

"He's not a Rabuka, with any sort of imposing presence. I think he's a constitutionalist, as indeed most of the Fijian military are."

After rising through the naval ranks, Commodore Bainimarama received his first command in 1985 - one of the Fiji Navy's five coastal patrol vessels, which are responsible for fisheries protection, surveillance and coastguard work.

The following year he served with the United Nations observer force in the Sinai Desert.

In 1988, he became commander of the Fijian Navy, which, according to Jane's Fighting Ships, had 280 personnel in 1995.

Commodore Bainimarama was appointed Army chief-of-staff in 1998, and commander of the military forces last year, succeeding Ratu Epeli Ganilau, son of the former President, who left to pursue a political career.

Australian academic and Rabuka biographer John Sharpham said his brief meetings with Commodore Bainimarama showed him to be a "most self-effacing leader."

Speaking in Auckland yesterday, Professor Sharpham said that while there was probably an element within the Army that might support Speight, he hoped that the imposition of martial law would unify the majority of soldiers behind Commodore Bainimarama.


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