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Issue No: 577; 13 March 2001
The Qarase regime has continued to hold office despite the Fiji Court of Appeal declaring it illegal. Last week a statement from the regime stated that the Acting President had asked the regime to continue to hold office. The President's Office has not confirmed this, but the Great Council of Chiefs, which appoints the President, did not invite Laisenia Qarase to its meeting as the Prime Minister. The Chiefs meet today to appoint a substantive President. In its last meeting, the Chiefs had appointed Ratu Josefa Iloilo as an "Interim President". The Court declared that Ratu Josefa is only an Acting President from 15 December 2000. Under law, this acting position lapses on 15 March. Meanwhile, the regime's Commerce as well as Public Enterprise ministers have lashed out at a company owned by business tycoon Hari Punja for pressurising the state into giving it licenses. Today's Fiji Times quotes Punja as saying: "The talks for off-loading the cargo seem to be going around in circles and we cannot to anything but pay up". Punja's company, Flour Mills of Fiji Ltd, imported 2,400 tonnes of rice from Australia without an import license. Regime's Commerce Minister Tomasi Vuetilovoni reportedly informed the Public Enterprise Minister Hector Hatch that this was the second time the company was trying to "get away with this type of tactics". Hatch is reported to have said that he was following procedures and that no rice could be landed without the licence. Hari Punja is a leading businessman in Fiji of ethnic Indian
origin. Punja has been close to most governments in power. His overtures towards
the People's Coalition Government were not as successful. The People's Coalition
Government had introduced policies which were transparent and were creating an
even playing field in the country. This irritated Punja who took all
opportunities to condemn the government. |
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People's Coalition Government - Fiji Islands |
