Asia-Pacific

Fiji Elections could be delayed further: PM

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-07-13 17:02

SUVA -- Fiji could hold elections after 2014, without support from Australia and New Zealand counterparts, said Fiji's Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama.

Bainimarama told Fiji media organizations on Tuesday that Australia and NZ constantly interfered and meddled with Fiji's affairs and relationship with other countries and their move could hinder efforts towards the 2014 elections.

"I'm all of a sudden thinking we might not really be ready come 2014 for elections if we don't get any assistance from Australia and New Zealand.

If we move to 2014 and we're not ready because of constant interfering - we are not going to give up government to a political party that is not prepared," Bainimarama said on Tuesday.

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He added that they were seriously thinking about the date of elections, and the interference by these people.

"We will continue the path that we are on as we need reforms. That's going to happen whether Australia likes it or not - they don't live in Fiji so they don't know what's happening in Fiji. We are going to come out with the reforms. With the MSG we will continue to invite the rest of the Pacific island leaders to come and meet with us on Thursday and Friday but the MSG proper is not going to happen."

Bainimarama also said there might be no MSG meeting until 2014, and people could thank Vanuatu Prime Minister Edward Natapei and Australia for that.

He says Fiji will not be part of Natapei's agenda nor does it want to be part of a compromised MSG.

Bainimarama says the chairmanship issue being raised by Natapei to defer the Forum was a petty one done to suit Australia's purpose.

In a statement the government of Fiji says it is disappointed with Natapei's call to defer the Summit so late in their preparation and without exhausting all the political options and avenues available to him to resolve the so-called "impasse within the grouping over the Chairmanship of the MSG".

"To our knowledge only Vanuatu has an issue with Fiji hosting the MSG Summit with both the Prime Ministers of PNG and the Solomon Islands writing to the Chair last week seeking his understanding and support for Fiji to host and chair the MSG Summit."

"And that understanding was based on the Melanesian custom of deferring to your host when entering his/her village or bure," a statement from the state signed by Ministry of Foreign Affairs permanent secretary Solo Mara late Monday night.