By Ryan L. Maness
Senior Desk Officer, Oceania

SUVA, Fiji — Ousted Fiji Prime Minister Lasenia Qarase has confirmed that he and the SDL party will be discussing the tax evasion allegations against Interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry.  Qarase said that while he was pleased that the FICAC proved that any case could be investigated, he still wanted to a full, complete investigation of the matter.  The matter seemed to have been swept under the rug, Qarase said.

Chaundhry responded by calling on Qarase to stop making personal attacks against him and to join Fiji’s way forward by lending his support to the People’s Charter.  He also said that if the SDL party supports the People’s Charter then there will no further talk of excluding the SDL party from the next election.

Fijivillage also reports that ousted Opposition Leader Mick Beddoes said that Chaundhry has referred to Qarase as a part of the problem in Fiji.  This despite the fact that, according to Beddoes, there is no evidence that Qarase has done anything wrong.

For more information, please see:
Fiji Village — Where Is The Evidence? — 04 June 2008

Fiji Village — SDL to ‘Discuss’ Chaundhry Tax Evasion — 03 June 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Fiji’s ousted Prime Minister says his party wants Chaundhry brought to justice — 02 June 2008

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SUVA, Fiji — Rewa chief Ro Filipe, of the Rewa Provincial Council, said that he has rejected pressure from the interim government to accept the People’s Charter and the GCC task team report.  Interim PM Bainimarama said that the interim government would sack Provincial Council members who did not express their support of the charter.  Bainimarama also said that Ro Filipe could be the first one to go.

Despite this, the Rewa chief said that his position was researched and discussed before the decision was taken and that pressure from the government would not change that stance.

As of this writing, there are no reports of Ro Filipe has been sacked.

For more information, please see:
Fiji Broadcasting Corporation Limited — Sacking won’t change stance: Rewa Chief — 03 June 2008

Radio New Zealand International — Rewa Provincial Council in Fiji will not change its stance on Charter — 03 June 2008

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PORT VILA, Vanuatu — Following the Melanesian Spearhead Group Leaders Summit, Fiji’s interim Prime Minister agreed to conduct an interview with the Fiji Times.  During that interview, Bainimarama reemphasized his desire to hold elections, but that Fiji’s way forward required unanimous support of the People’s Charter.  If groups, specifically SDL party, obstruct the process then they will be barred from contesting the election.  When the Fiji Times interviewer asked if abrogating the constitution was an option for effectuating this end, Bainimarama replied, “Yes, that’s one way. To abrogate the Constitution is no big deal if we have to find a way forward for Fiji.”

During the interview, Bainimarama also defended the coup of 2006 and the military government.  He insisted that the military’s acted for the best intentions of the people of Fiji, but  because the military was responsible for the coup observers assume that they are “power grabbers.”  “Because we’re the military and the military all over the world, as soon as you overturn the elected government, you’re seen as being out to grab power.”

He also said that the purpose of the 2006 coup was to change how Fiji was governed and now that the government is in power the ousted PM Qarase and the SDL party need to come to terms with Fiji’s new direction.  “The charter is the only way forward,” Bainimarama said.   “So if we want to have elections, the way forward for us is to have elections without the SDL. The military can find 50 ways to get rid of them.

For more information, please see:
Radio New Zealand International — Fiji regime leader says removing constitution no big deal — 02 May 2008

Fiji Times — Charter, the way out for Fiji — 02 May 2008