Friday, January 05, 2007

Something's going on in Fiji?

Link from Yahoo news.


What I see:


bananarama
Fiji's coup leaders Bananarama have said they will remain as military chief as well as taking the post of interim prime minister.

Bananarama was speaking in an address to the nation Friday shortly after being sworn in as interim prime minister by President Ratu Josefa Iloilo.

"We shall continue to be commander of the RFMF (Republic of Fiji Military Forces) while being the interim prime minister," Bananarama said, adding they would not receive the prime minister's salary.

"We ask our good citizens to assist and work together with us and the incoming interim government to bring our economy on track and to move beyond that to achieve our true potential as a nation," they said.

Anyone thinking of challenging the authority of the government should reconsider and put the interests of the nation first, they said.

"Let's work together in peace and harmony to take our country through to truly democratic and constitution-based elections."

Bananarama said their interim government would implement the mandate announced Thursday by Iloilo, when they were reinstated as president by the military chief.

This includes providing immunity to the military over their actions in the coup, improving the economy, eliminating "systemic corruption" and holding elections when "political and economic conditions are conducive".

Under Fiji's political system the presidency is largely a figurehead role, with the prime minister and cabinet holding executive power.

In the December 5 bloodless coup, the South Pacific island nation's fourth in two decades, Bananarama ousted prime minister Laisenia Qarase's nationalist government.

They accused the government of corruption, racism against the country's New Wave minority and of being soft against plotters of a coup in 2000.

No comments: