Election Will Be Under New System

The interim Prime Minister has informed the Forum Ministerial Contact Group that work is underway to see that the country has General Election under a new Electoral system which is non-racist and truly democratic.

However, Commodore Frank Bainimarama stressed that elections will not be held in March next year as he said earlier because the interim government will not and cannot hold elections under the current electoral system.

Bainimarama told the leaders group that he is seriously concerned with the delays in convening the proposed President's Political Dialogue Forum and have held meetings with Fiji's political parties after which further developments have been seen.

Bainimarama said the date for general elections depends on the progress made at the Political Dialogue Forum which needs to start as early as possible.

The interim Prime Minister also urged that the travel sanction policy be reviewed and lifted by Australia and New Zealand.

He also lashed out at the stance taken by the Australian and New Zealand governments during the 2006 coup which he said is completely different when compared to the steps taken in the 1987 and 2000 coups.

Bainimarama said the Fiji Missions of both these governments do not engage with the interim government at all and it is hypocrisy as the same treatment is not given to other powerful countries which do not have elected governments.

He called on the Forum Leaders to use their influence to assist Fiji in moving forward and finding solutions to the problems and has appealed to the Foreign Ministers of Australia and New Zealand to at least re-engage with the interim government in order to get the fuller picture.