SUVA (Pacnews) — Fiji’s military leader and interim Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama says the Forum Eminent Persons Group’s mission to Fiji is critical because it paves the way to full engagement with the region and the rest of the world.
“Fiji is prepared to engage with partners bilaterally, regionally and multilaterally in its efforts to fully implement the mandate of the president, Ratu Josefa Iloilo, to take the country forward,” he said
The Commonwealth, the United Nations and the European Union will use the outcome of the EPG mission to determine their future relationship with Fiji, a statement from the prime minister’s office said.
Commodore Bainimarama described the outcome of the meeting with EPG as informative, useful and positive and said discussions included underlying reasons which led to the political transition, the prospects for resolution and the pathway to the restoration of democracy.
“For Fiji’s next general elections to be free and fair there are several important requirements that must be fulfilled, including the holding of a national census, determination of new constituency boundaries, new voter registration system as well as a comprehensive program of voter awareness and education on the electoral system and voting rights,” he said.
Capacity building at the elections office is also needed alongside the aim to have a better system in place for actual voting and counting of votes through the use of electronics and information technology, Bainimarama said.
He said a road map on eradicating corruption, mismanagement and abuse of office was being drawn up to be carried out alongside efforts to restore parliamentary democracy at the earliest.
The EPG mission to Fiji is a result of the Forum foreign ministers meeting in Sydney last month.
The four-member panel of EPG also met with Fiji’s President Ratu Josefa Iloilo.
Headed by the deputy prime minister and foreign affairs minister of Vanuatu, Sato Kilman, the group includes Samoa’s Minister for Natural Resources and Environment Faumuina Luiga, retired Chief Justice of Papua New Guinea Sir Arnold Amet and retired chief of the Australian Defense Force, Peter Cosgrove.
The group will report their findings at the end of the week after meeting with ousted Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase, members of his former government and NGOs.