PM's Poll Path
Nanise Loanakadavu in the Fiji SunPrime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama has set the country’s path to a general election in 2014. Commodore Bainimarama, who is also the Minister for Sugar, revealed Fiji’s way forward in his presentation at the 12th Special ACP Ministerial Conference on Sugar at Maputo, Mozambique, earlier this week.
“From early next year to 2013, Fiji will focus on political development issues, including electoral reform and formulation of a new constitution,” the Prime Minister said.
“From 2013- Sept 2014 the preparations for elections will be undertaken by educating the public on the new electoral system and the new constitution.”
He said he sincerely hoped that Fiji’s longstanding trading and development partners would appreciate his Government’s efforts to bring about genuine change to ensure sustainable peace, stability and democracy in our country.
The Prime Minister said that under the current phase of the roadmap, from 2009 to 2012, the Government would actively focus on economic and social developments.
This, he said, included rebuilding Fiji’s dilapidated infrastructure and increasing connectivity between urban and rural areas through building new roads and providing improved communication links.
“This will ensure that essential services reach isolated villages and communities which were long ignored,” Commodore Bainimarama said.
At the same time, he said, the Government is reforming its public sector to modernise it so as to respond effectively to global challenges.
He also updated the forum on the progress being made in the implementation of the Roadmap to Democracy, through a Strategic Framework for Change for a Better Fiji.
“My Government has pressed ahead with the implementation of this wide-ranging reform programme which addresses the country’s fundamental and deep-rooted problems,” Commodore Bainimarama said.
Meanwhile, the sugar ministers from the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states have urged the European Union and the European Commission to ensure that the funds earmarked for Fiji are immediately released to assist the affected farmers and the sugar industry, as a whole, in their adjustment and adaptation process.
At the conclusion of the 12th ACP Ministerial Conference on Sugar this week in Maputo, Mozambique, the conference noted failure in the release of Accompanying Measures Support Programme funds has had significant adverse impact on the Fiji sugar industry’s reform and rehabilitation programme.The European Union had earlier said that it wanted a clear roadmap of Fiji’s return to democracy before considering the release of sugar funds.
7 comments:
Some important questions
1. If they have not acheived their economic goals to 2012 does that delay the rest of the work ?
2. Why are they confident they can do comprehensive dialogue leading to new constitution in such a short time frame ?
3. Why not start the work now ? I can't see any downside ?
The PM repeats these comments in the hope people will believe he has made progress on returning Fiji to democracy. However on his own time table he has delayed any work on returning Fiji to democracy until 2012 at the earliest. I doubt the EU will buy the story. What he needs is to start the work now and do the other things (laws/economy/poverty) at the same time.
Ohh and a good start would be lifting the PER !
And I remember how confident people where that he was going to have a election in 2009 ! I can only judge him on past performance and so far it has been broken promises (or lies) all the way.
Sorry Croz
Not good enough. When you have something concrete come back and perhaps those who will not tolerate the destruction of democracy might reconsider assistance for sugar and removal of other sanctions against this unelected military regime. Until then, dream on.
Restoration of democracy seems to be the obsession of those who ascribe to form and not content. Fiji is better of without Qarase and Chaudhary both were bankrupt in upholding, promoting or defending democratic values. This period, hopefully, becomes a wake up call for future politicians. They hoodwinked the people and the nation, giving the opportunity for the army to intervene.
What makes anyone believe that 2012/2013/2014 will deliver when the economy labouring under the growing impact of inflation cannot deliver? This is the end result of selling out to collateral damage from arbitrary shocks which an economy in freefall cannot sustain.
For heaven's sake, "Read the Runes". Is there no one of sense at the helm? A pinch of humility would not go amiss. If you do not know the form: "ASK"!
A simple rule of thumb for most situations where being out of your depth is unsmart and might prove fatal.
I don't believe there will be an election in 2014. The current government are getting the hang of this life style and anything less is not an option for them. I do agree that the reforms implemented by Bainimarama had been long overdue. Previous governments were in it for themselves. Once in office their main work centered around winning the next election. Basic needs had been ignored and that i believe had been the worst type of human rights violation. I take my hat off to Bainimarama on the policies that he has implemented.
By the same token, I don't subscribe to the Bainimarama school of thought and I absolutely do not sympathies with his cause of action on the economy because the basic needs of the simple man is getting away form them with current inflation rates.
Dan, Felix, Rajeshwar and Attar were there once. Enjoyed the trappings of a luxurious lifestyle and suddenly it was gone.
Prove me wrong and give us an election in 2014.
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