American Ambassador to Fiji Larry Dinger has urged members of the Fiji-US Chamber of Commerce to encourage a return to normal governance, via free and fair elections as soon as possible.

While speaking a the Fiji-US Chamber of Commerce annual meeting last night Dinger noted that potential investors have become reluctant since the events of December 2006 to put their money in Fiji, where rule by decree does not include the normal constitutional checks and balances and thus endangers rule of law principles.

Dinger said the interim government's actions against prominent foreign investors, including Fiji Water have accented concerns about a level playing field for Commerce and since Fiji water has contributed greatly in building Fiji, it is inevitable that recent actions by FIRCA have been noticed internationally.

The US Ambassador noted recent public announcements and activities by the Fiji Embassy in the US and Trade Office in Los Angeles aimed to spur increased bilateral trade and boost IS investment in Fiji.

However, Dinger said these mutually shared aims are noble but will be difficult to accomplish under current circumstances.

Dinger stressed that the members of the Chamber of Commerce must try their utmost to encourage the interim prime minister to fulfill its pledge to hold elections in March 2009. He said with this, Fiji's investment and trade prospects with the United States will be bright.