Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama has stressed that the findings and recommendations emanating from issues and the discussion paper prepared by the National Council for Building a Better Fiji (NCBBF) Working Group on the role of Fiji's security forces in national development is at the moment only for purposes of discussion.
Commodore Bainimarama said there is no official position taken yet, either by the RFMF or the interim government or the NCBBF on those findings.
Bainimarama said the subject of the size and role of the military always attracts the most attention and interest from critics, experts as well as ordinary members of the public. He said he is closely following the views expressed as it is important to have wide ranging discussions on this important subject, however, he clarified that the focus on the size of the military is only one of the many options highlighted in the Issues Discussion Paper.
As such, Bainimarama requested that commentators do not get preoccupied on this issue as there are many other equally important matters raised in the IDP regarding the role of the security forces in national development.
Meanwhile, chair of the working group looking at the role of fiji's security forces, Citizen's Constitutional Forum executive director Reverend Akuila Yabaki said discussions revolve around the role of the military as a watchdog of government and the role it can play in national development.
"There has to be some firm commitment, strengthening of the institution of the state, governance systems to ensure that there’s accountability, transparency and openness. And that will help the military perform its role in relation to providing national security. It’s almost nonsense to say that we don’t need a military at this stage in Fiji’s development. We still need a military but perhaps a changed role." Rev. Akuila Yabaki.
