Analysis Personalised - Leweni

The interim government said it has become apparent that Australia and NZ, perhaps at the instigation of their missions in Suva like the United States Embassy, have personalised their analysis on Fiji.

Acting Deputy Secretary for Information, Major Neumi Leweni said the treatment of the State of Fiji and the continuous remarks of the Australian and NZ governments is indicative of the fact, that these two governments are condescending, hold neo-colonialist views and fail to recognise that Fiji is a sovereign state.

He said these two countries fail to recognise that the interim government is making genuine efforts to find and put in place long term solutions to a number of fundamental structural and institutional problems.

The interim administration said the fact that the Fiji-Forum Joint Work Group, which is monitoring Fiji's progress towards democratic elections, is condemning the engagement of military personnel in civil service posts and other government related bodies is ironical.

Major Leweni said it is the travel bans imposed by Australia and NZ which are preventing many qualified, skilled and willing non-military individuals who want to contribute to rebuild Fiji.

Meanwhile, Fiji's interim government is seriously questioning whether there is any merit in Fiji continuing to engage with the Forum-Fiji Joint Working Group.

Bainimarama through the Interim AG, informed the Forum Working Group that the position of the group was similar to NZ and Australia's position.

Bainimarama said while the interim government is participating in the Forum Group on a genuine basis, the Group's position was insincere, hypocritical and unconstructive in moving Fiji forward.

The interim government said a recent example is the imposition of the travel ban of Robyn Storck who is the new Chairman of Fijian Holdings Limited. It also said that Australia and NZ continue to apply bans on civil servants and even those participating in the Forum Group, for example, the Prime Minister's Permanent Secretary, Parmesh Chand has been placed on a travel ban.

Meanwhile, the National Alliance Party said the Interim Government should continue with its dialogue with the Forum-Fiji Joint Working Group.

General Secretary, Joe Gucake said dialogue should continue so as to find common ground.