The third Political Dialogue Forum has just started at the Nasova Police Academy in the last few minutes minus the leaders from the SDL, National Federation Party (NFP), United Peoples Party (UPP) and Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party.
Speaking to Fijivillage before going into the forum this morning, interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama confirmed that the forum will go ahead without the four parties.
This is after the SDL, NFP, UPP and Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo Party had responded to the interim Prime Minister's letter where he had asked for commitments from them by 4pm yesterday.
Bainimarama sought their commitment which include that they commit to electoral reforms which will do away with the communal representation and replace it with proportional representation, based on universally accepted principle of equal suffrage to ensure true parliamentary democracy.
The interim Prime Minister also wanted them to commit that they will not undermine national efforts to meet the economic challenges that have been brought about by the global economic crisis.
They were also asked not to work with partisan media outlets and foreign countries to undermine national initiatives and efforts and for them to commit to expediting the political dialogue process with honesty.
Bainimarama said the responses from the SDL, NFP, UPP and Nationalist Vanua Tako Lavo were unsatisfactory.
When asked whether there is any hope for more dialogue with the four parties, Bainimarama stressed that they will no longer be part of the process.
Former Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase had confirmed to Fijivillage that they received a phone call from the PM's office last night informing them that they would not be allowed to attend the meeting.
Qarase, Rae and Beddoes are expected to have a press conference at the SDL office this hour.
End of the road for 4 parties
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