Interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, has told the UN General assembly that there has been steady progress made in a number of areas pertaining to the upholding of the Constitution, the investigation into alleged abuses of humans rights, maintaining the independence of the judiciary and preparatory work for the return of Fiji to parliamentary democracy.
In his 22 minute speech this morning at the New York General Assembly to 156 world leaders, Bainimarama sought their assistance in rebuilding Fiji and urged Australia and New Zealand to support and not a close their doors on Fiji by imposing travel bans against members of his interim Government.
Bainimarama also told the world leaders in his opening address that the fact still remains that he did remove an elected government but for genuine reasons.
Commodore Frank Bainimarama also revealed that during the last 4 years he tried his best with the Laisenia Qarase elected government to reverse its course of action that was taking the country down the path of discretion.
Bainimarama said the elected government was characterized by the politicization of the prison services and the criminal justice system with convicted coup perpetrators and sympathizers discharged from prison and appointed government ministers and official.
He added that there was an increase in corruption and fiscal mismanagement and as a result Fiji's overall situation by late 2006 had deteriorated sharply and with utmost of reluctance that the military under his leadership removed the government
Bainimarama firmly believes coup culture can be removed if policies that promote racial supremacy and further the interests of only a select few should be removed.
The Republic of Fiji military Forces under the current constitution is charged with the security and the defense as well as the well being of the nation.
These are the words of interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama to the United Nations General Assembly with regards to events following the military takeover in December.
Speaking to the 62nd General Assembly Bainimarama also said that the RFMF under his command could not let any unacceptable situation unfold without first seeking to find a solution to the threats.
Interim Prime Minister also told the UN general assembly that his regime is looking at necessary legal changes in the area of electoral reform to ensure true equality at the polls
He said at present, all citizens have the right to vote for two candidates, one for a national seat of any ethnicity and another from a communal race based seat which he believes has kept the two major races in the country apart.
Bainimarama said although democracy in the form of electing a government was introduced in Fiji at the time of independence, researchers and analysts have suggested that Fijians live in a democracy with a mentality that belongs to the chiefly system.
Commodore Bainimarama urged international countries which are demanding Fiji to immediately return to democracy to understand first how distorted and unfair the election system in Fiji is both legally and culturally.
Meanwhile, acting Prime Minister Ratu Epeli Nailatikau said that all the procedure at the UN General Assembly is that all heads of states presentation to the General Assembly should be formal, however if one country disagrees with the statement, they will ask to take the floor on the point of order after the presentation.
Bainimarama says Fiji’s making steady progress
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