(G) Fiji Leaders Agree on PPDF Agenda

Fiji Live 13 March 2009. Full text.

The Democratic Experience in Fiji, Parliamentary Reform, Electoral Reform, General Election and the People’s Charter will be the agenda of the upcoming President’s Political Dialogue Forum (PDDF), it has been confirmed.Political leaders today agreed to this after their meeting at the parliamentary complex in Suva.

The meeting which ended late this afternoon agreed that while the input of the Commonwealth and UN was appreciated, Fiji must decide its own future.

It was agreed that there will be 23 representatives from the registered political parties, including the Government and membership will be as follows: Government 3, Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) 2, Fiji Labour Party (FLP) 2, New National Democratic Party (NDP) 1, Justice and Freedom party (JFP) 1, National Alliance Party of Fiji (NAPF) 1, National Federation Party (NFP) 1, United Peoples Party (UPP) 1, Soqosoqo ni Vakavulewa ni Taukei (SVT) 1, National Vanua Tako Lavo Party (NVTLP) 1, Coalition of Independent Nationals Party (COIN) 1, Social Liberal Multicultural Party (SLM) 1, Party of National Unity (PANU) 1, Party of the Truth (POTT) 1, General Voters Party (GVP) 1, Fiji Peoples Party (FPP) 1, Green Party of Fiji 1, Conservative Alliance/Matanitu Vanua Party (CAMV) 1 and the Fiji 1st Party 1.

It was also agreed that 15 NGOs should be represented in the PPDF process and the modality of their participation and interaction with the political parties shall be decided in the next political meeting on April 3, 2009.The next meeting will discuss the UN/Commonwealth proposals on the Chair and Team of Mediators for the PPDF, modalities for decision-making and participation of NGOs/Civil Society organizations.It was further agreed that the PPDF can be convened after all outstanding matters are ironed out and after feedback is received from the UN/Commonwealth on their preparedness to host the PPDF.