As we mark 26 years today since the coup led by George Speight which resulted in the overthrow of Mahendra Chaudhry’s Labour Coalition Government after just a year in office, Chaudhry says the May 14th coup and the May 19th coup would never be erased from his memory.
While speaking on a special fijivillage Straight Talk With Vijay Narayan, the former Prime Minister says he thinks we have not overcome some of the challenges from the past as we still have the racial divide and there are some people who still do not want a multi-racial government.
Chaudhry says the recent constitution review submissions also convince him that there are still people out there who do not want all citizens to be equal, and this is a fear amongst the Indo Fijian community that the citizenship rights that they enjoy through equal citizenry, secular state and equal opportunities, is at risk.
The FLP Leader says he has met George Speight during one of his morning walks, after he came out of prison.
Chaudhry also says he did not meet former Army Commander, Voreqe Bainimarama before the 2006 coup.
He maintains that he only went in to serve the interim government as Finance Minister led by Bainimarama in January 2007 after he was approached by the then President Ratu Josefa Iloilo.
When asked on his comments on people saying that after being a victim of 2 coups and eventually going in to support the interim government after the 2006 coup, Chaudhry says he knew at the time that you cannot set the clock back.
Chaudhry says he had some differences with Bainimarama on the Fiji Water water resource tax issue, and he left after Bainimarama said that those planning to contest the elections must resign at least 6 months before the due date.
He says Bainimarama later reneged and did not have elections in 2009.
Chaudhry says the Fiji Labour Party then became a critic of the Bainimarama government.
When asked on whether he made a mistake when he joined the Bainimarama led interim government in 2007, Chaudhry says in hindsight maybe but he trusted the people who were there but he knows better now.
The former Prime Minister says we still do not have real democracy in Fiji.
Chaudhry says even today, he as an Indo Fijian feels marginalised, and if you go on the streets and ask the people, many of the ordinary Fijians are not happy.
He says we have a lot of talk but people are not sincere about it.
While speaking on the truth and reconciliation process, Chaudhry says there is no restorative justice in the legislation.
He says he is still here fighting as he believes we still have not got it right.
Chaudhry says there is a lot of poverty and corruption, thousands of people are leaving the country, and a lot has to be done in every sector including health, education and infrastructure to name a few.
You can watch the special fijivillage Straight Talk interview on our facebook, TikTok and YouTube account, fijivillage at 8pm tonight.
