Issue No: 949; 17 July 2001

All political parties in Fiji have called on Qarase to resign and make way for a neutral caretaker government to take Fiji through the elections. Qarase used state resources to form his own political party, and has been using taxpayers money to campaign. He has also been buying votes through the distribution of cash and materials.

Today's Daily Post quotes Qarase as saying:
"Why should I resign when there is a need for a group of people to run the country until after the election and that's the case in any democratic country and I see absolutely no reason why I should resign. The country requires a group of people to look after the affairs and the day to day running of the country and with the election just around the corner it would be unwise to leave as critical decisions have to be made till the day the results of the election is known and then what the citizens of Fiji have decided will go ahead".

Qarase also stated: "we will be back in power after the election and continue form where we left before the election".