Strong Commitment To Consensus Made

The first round of talks between the Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama and political party leaders ended this afternoon with all parties unanimous agreeing that Fiji must return to parliamentary rule.

The Outcome Document states that while the positions in regard to issues such as electoral reform and timeline for election varied, the participants were also unanimous in their recognition of the need for political dialogue and for developing broad based consensus among key stakeholders.

They have also agreed in reiterating Fiji's request to the Commonwealth Secretariat and the United Nations to urgently convene and jointly facilitate the proposed Presidential Political Dialogue Forum.

The political party leaders and Commodore Bainimarama agreed to adopt a strong commitment to consensus building through genuine dialogue and consultation, commitment to restoring parliamentary governance, inclusiveness, respect for differences, open mindedness, recognition of the independence of the judiciary and the constitutional path and that going forward, the conduct of dialogue, to be through face to face discussions and through meetings as that of Political party leaders and the Presidential political dialogue forum.

While addressing the 23 political party leaders and officials, Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama stressed that the journey they are embarking on today will certainly not be a smooth one, we will stumble and fall if we continue to just look back and remain mired in finger-pointing and in the blame game.

Commodore Bainimarama then laid out two options available to the political parties in taking Fiji forward.

Bainimarama said the first option is to move forward through dialogue, confidence building and by developing a broad based consensus for the change agenda, with a view to ensuring the democratically elected Governments undertake the implementation.

To achieve the first option, Bainimarama said it is imperative that in the President's Political Dialogue Forum, a broad consensus must be reached on changes to the electoral system and also for these to be introduced through legal and constitutional means.

The second option he has given the party leaders is that in the absence of support for the change agenda from the political parties, there will be a delay in the holding of elections under a truly democratic electoral system.

He also reiterated to the political party leaders that have opposed the Interim Government and the Draft Charter initiative, that it is not too late to join the National Council for Building a Better Fiji to move the country forward.

Bainimarama adds the Interim Government is firm in its stance to change the electoral system to one that is fair to everyone and one that ensures sustainable political democracy.

Bainimarama also said we will have a People's Charter but only after the majority of Fiji's people embrace it, adding that it will not be and cannot be the " Bainimarama Charter", or the " Charter of the Interim Government".

Soon after the meeting, Fiji Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry told Fijivillage news that the meeting was very postive and with the steps now being taken, general elections could be held sooner than many people think.