Academic and one of the architects of the 1997 Constitution said that the undertaking given by the Interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama to hold elections in 2009 comes as a surprise.
In an interview with Village News, Professor Brij Lal said, while it is a welcomed move, it is a surprise in view of Bainimarama's repeated assertion that Fiji, and not the international community, will dictate when elections will be held and, further, that Laisenia Qarase and his team will not be allowed to return to contest elections. He said this is a retraction.
Lal adds that the outcome of the Forum meeting is encouraging, he said that commitments have been made and undertakings given.
Lal said that now the ball is squarely in Fiji's court and he adds that if the interim administration honours its part of the bargain than surely the international community will respond favourably and this is a glimmer of hope for Fiji.
Meanwhile, speaking to our news Director Vijay Narayan at the end of the Pacific Islands Leaders Forum in Tonga yesterday, Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama stressed that his actions on December 5th last year was never about wanting to be in power.
Our News Director, Vijay Narayan filed this report from Tonga.
Vijay Narayan: “Bainimarama says he has told the Pacific Islands Leaders Forum that the events of December last year were not a grab for power”.
Commodore Bainimarama: “Australia and New Zealand want us to be concrete on the roadmap. I don’t know how concrete they want us to be. We have given them all the signs that we want to head towards 2009 elections. But I get the impression they think I have evil intentions and that I want to stay around for the next 10 years. I can’t figure out why else would they would not come along with us. I told them that if we started off with the notion that what I did on the 5th of December was not a grab for power. It was not for oil or mahogany. It was to get our nation out of the mess we were getting into and to save the nation and its people. If we start off with that notion, then there would be no debate. I guess to them, as soon as the military takes over the government, there is evil intentions. And they can’t get that out of them. So they fight you all the way even though you come up with all the right answers”.
Vijay Narayan: “Bainimarama believes that following the formulation of the People’s Charter, the parties that have race based policies will be removed”.
Commodore Bainimarama: “The Charter will make sure that there is no racial discrimination again ever. That will be taken care of by the Charter. So anybody with Qarase’s policies who comes in, the Charter will automatically remove them. So there you go”.
Vijay Narayan: “Bainimarama has already made a commitment to the Pacific Islands Forum that the next elections will be held in March 2009. He has also told Village News that a referendum could be held after the formulation of the People’s Charter to ensure that he gets the views of all the people in the country. Bainimarama is currently attending some bilateral meetings as we continue with the post forum dialogue here in Nuku’alofa, Tonga. He is expected to speak to us soon after his meetings”.
