(+) Commonwealth "Dropped the Ball" on Fiji

Fiji Live reports that the Commonwealth may work behind the scenes to try to help Fiji restore democracy after going ahead with a possible suspension in September. This is the opinion of the Director of the Royal Commonwealth Society, Dr Danny Sriskandarajah, who also thought the 53-member body has "dropped the ball on Fiji". "The voices of the smaller island nations are drowned in the United Nations, and the Commonwealth becomes a perfect ground to be on par with nations like Australia and Britain where the smaller island nations can have their voices heard," he said.

The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) decided in December 2008 to review its stand on Fiji in September 2009. If it is suspended, technical assistance will continue, but Fiji will be unable to attend any Commonwealth meeting.Sriskandarajah thought that whatever happened, dialogue needs to be maintained.