Fiji

Forum Secretary General deeply concerned and disappointed over Fiji
(13 April 2009)

The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, has expressed his deep concern and disappointment at recent developments in Fiji since the Fiji Court of Appeal ruling on 9 April 2009.

UN Chief deplores ditching of Fiji's Constitution, calls for legitimate government
(UN News Centre - 10 April 2009)

United Nation Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed dismay on Friday at the decision to scrap Fiji's Constitution and the clear attempt by the country's unelected executive to prolong rule by setting a new five-year time frame for parliamentary election.

Forum 'deeply concerned' with Fiji
(Solomon Star - 14 April 2009)

The Secretary General of the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, Tuiloma Neroni Slade, has expressed his deep concern and disappointment at recent developments in Fiji since the Fiji Court of Appeal ruling on 9 April 2009. "By clarifying the legal and constitution situation, the Court of Appeal had afforded Fiji the way forward by reasserting the rule of law and affirming the spirit of democracy," Mr Slate said yesterday. "The Constitution is a document of the people, working for the people of Fiji". The Forum Secretary General said that rights and freedoms safeguarded under constitutions underpin principles of democracy, justice, transparency and accountability. 

Decide your own future
(Fiji Times Online - 7 March 2009)

University of the South Pacific's Professor Graham Hassall told the Fiji Times that Fiji was a republic and the people must decide for themselves rather than leave it to the leaders to dictate their terms to the people. "Fiji is in a leadership crisis and we need the young generation to lead us, especially in addressing issues of human existence regardless of race and class," the senior lecturer said.

Narsey urges civil society to action
(Fiji Times Online - 10 December 2008)

University of the South Pacific academic Professor Wadan Narsey says it is important that civil society groups in Fiji demand an Auditor-General's report. Speaking at a Transparency International Anti-Corruption day seminar, he focused on three areas that Transparency International would find pertinent in relation to greater transparency and accountability - the use of taxpayers' funds, corporate responsibility for good governance and the USP's accountability to the tax-payers of the region. The issues included the regularising of military overspending, corporate interests and military, and governance of USP and good governance advisers.

Unionist urges regime to listen
(Fiji Times Online - 6 March 2009)

A Fijian trade unionist has called on the interim Government to listen to the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group which has set an election deadline for Fiji. Mr Singh said the interim Government could not continue regardless of the declining economy and suffering of the people who were finding it difficult to provide for the needs of their families. "An election will pave the way for EU aid for sugar and will bring back certainty in our system of governance that investors want to create and secure jobs."