As we sit on the deadline date today given by the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group, it is clear that the Fiji government will not issue an amended election timetable to prevent the country's suspension from the Commonwealth.
Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has already said in an interview with Fijivillage that the roadmap to democracy with elections in 2014 is already set, and nothing will change that.
Bainimarama, who earlier sent an invitation to the Commonwealth Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma for the Commonwealth officials to visit Fiji and talk to the government about the situation on the ground, said Fiji wants to remain in the Commonwealth.
He hopes that good sense will prevail following the recent announcement that Commonwealth Special Envoy Sir Paul Reeves will visit Fiji next week.
Bainimarama also hopes that the Commonwealth group comes forward and assists Fiji in formulating a non-race based electoral system and help in achieving true and sustainable democracy.
Sir Paul Reeves is expected to be in the country from next Wednesday to Friday.
However, Commonwealth Secretariat spokesperson Eduardo del Buey stated that Secretary General Kamalesh Sharma wrote to Bainimarama last Monday, informing him that CMAG's requirements have not been met.
Although he confirmed in his letter that Sir Paul Reeves will visit Fiji, the Commonwealth said the CMAG statement requires the Fiji government to commit itself in writing to reactivating the President's Political Dialogue Forum in a manner which is independent, inclusive, time-bound and has no predetermined outcome.
It also requires the government to commit to have elections by October 2010.
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PM undeterred despite looming suspension
