Commonwealth Issues Ultimatum
The CMAG has decided not to fully suspend Fiji, as wanted by NZ, but has voted (all decisions have to be unanimous) to fully suspend Fiji if it does not announce an election date by September 1 for an October 2010 election.
CMAG has also called for the Government to reactivate the President's Dialogue Forum process, facilitated by the Commonwealth and the United Nations.In their statement, they also added that the dialogue must be independent, inclusive, time bound and without any predetermined outcome and should also lead to credible elections in October 2010. Based on Fiji Village.
Comment
The new deadline is technically possible but it leaves the Government too little time to bring about the social, infrastructural, judicial and electoral reforms it seeks before holding elections. In effect, Fiji has been given four weeks to decide. It is doubtful a rushed election will bring any permanent benefits to Fiji, although there is good reason to advance the Dialogue Forum process. I doubt Fiji will comply with the CMAG requirement.
However, a positive gesture from Australia and NZ, that could well help Fiji's internal situation, would be for Australia and NZ to relax their stance on Fiji's exclusion from next week's PACER meeting in Cairns. But this also seems unlikely. They still seem to think, despite all evidence to the contrary, that their stick-and-no-carrot approach will result in early elections.
See earlier (31 July) comments in "PINA To Stay in Fiji; Commonwealth Suspension Not Yet."
(+) Earlier: Commonwealth and McCully's Idea of Balance
NZ Foreign Minister Murray McCully said he will be trying to present a balanced view of the interests of the region at tonight’s Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting on Fiji, noting "there not been positive movement; the abrogation of the Constitution, and suspension of the judiciary was a backward step" Apparently nothing else has happened in Fiji or the region? The Commonwealth usually seeks guidance from the Pacific Islands Forum leadership on Pacific matters. One hopes he'll not forget to mention that seven Pacific Island countries want ongoing dialogue with Fiji, and are clearly uncomfortable with Fiji's suspension from the PI Forum. -- Based on RNZ report.
Methodist Update
The church has cancelled this year's conference but choir competitions and fund raising will go on at divisional levels, and the standing committee will be expanded to deal with business normally conducted at the annual conference. The church also said it would support government's efforts to take the country forward. Ministers on bail (for breaking Government conditions for holding earlier meetings) were not at the meeting.
(o+) Methodist Church: Bainimarama Asks Peacemakers or Voice of Dissent?
Fiji’s Methodist Church and the military council have agreed to continue dialogue after their “positive” meeting on Tuesday. PM Bainimarama said “they have to meet first [and then] we need to work together to move the nation forward. We are indeed in very challenging moments in our history as a young sovereign nation and I beseech the leaders of the Methodist Church to reassess their roles in these trying times."
He asked “Should the church take on the role of peacemakers and the voice of unity for nation building or should they be the voice of dissent?" Government and the security forces believe the Church should refrain from politics. “We all have our individual roles to play - religion to engage in spiritual development and the Government to manage the State’s affairs.” -- Based on Fiji Live.
President Served for Nine Years
Ratu Josefa Iloiolo (88) was appointed in December 2000 by the Great Council of Chiefs and has served since then except for a brief period from December 5, 2006 to January 4, 2007 when Commodore Bainimarama held presidential powers. He is entitled to a full pension for the nine years he served as President. Ratu Josefa went on leave from yesterday and will then retire. More.
Fiji Holdings Ltd
BP has repaid the indigenous business company Fiji Holdings the $25 million deposit on its now abandoned purchase of BP (SW Pacific). This leaves FHL with no debt but questions are still being asked about the management of the company, mainly because details of a recent Government audit have not been made public.
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Wonders will never cease...
What most commentators fail to note in relation to a deadline for elections is that more than two and a half years have already passed since the coup. How long does it take to make preparations? Another year will make it three and a half years. And remember that, despite reports that the 2009 date eventually agreed to by Commodore Bainimarama, apparently he eventually wanted to aim for 2010. So, on that basis, October 2010 should be plenty of time wouldn't you think?
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