Ratu Mara, election loser, names Fiji’s new Cabinet

Press, 9 April 1977, Page 8

Ratu Mara, election loser, names Fiji’s new Cabinet

International t

, NZPA-Reuter Su\ a Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, whose National Alliance Party was defeated in a General Election, has been reappointed Prime Minister of Fiji, touching off a protest from the National Federation Party, which won the election.

i A statement from Governi ment House, broadcast by ■Fiji Radio, said that the Fijian Governor-General (Ratu Sir George Cakobau) reappointed Ratu Mara because neither political party had received a clear mandate in the election and because Ratu Mara was ‘‘the person best able to command the support of the] majority of members of Par- ! liament.” The Alliance Party, which] has ruled Fiji for the last I ten years, won 24 of the 52; seats in Parliament in the election which ended on Monday, the Federation! Party captured 26, one short! of a working majority. The remaining two seats, were won by the Fiji Nationalist Party and an independent, Ratu Osea Gavidi, | who agreed to side with the Federation.

-| Mr Siddiq Koya, leader of tithe Federation Party, was; ■ visibly angry when he left: i Government House, where ) he was informed of Ratu. - Mara’s reappointment 45! ’ minutes before he arrived to: ■! see the Governor-General, j Mr Koya had expected to be; ! i sworn in as Fiji’s first | •! Prime Minister of Indian] ■; descent. In a statement, the Feder-! i ation Party protested against 11the action, saying. ‘‘We have! la written constitution, and it] f is a pity that the con-' :, stitutional processes were ’ cnot allowed to take their odue course.” Federation Party sources! isaid that Mr Koya” probably I :,lost his chance to become 'Prime Minister because of al ■lheated meeting of Federation] ! Parliamentarians before he I went to Government House, i ' The sources said that!

roughly half of the Feder- . iation Party Parliamentarians/ jwanted Mr Koya to step', 'down as party head, and ai, dispute had also developed , lover Cabinet portfolios to be ('allocated in his Government. !, ! The sources said that Ratu 11 iCakobau had been informed u lof the row, and of Mr i I Koya’s failure to command ; ; [complete support in his] party although he was re-|l elected party leader at theft meeting. I i Shortly after his reap-1 £ pointment, Ratu Mara named J a new 12-member Cabinet. He said that he would try ft to govern with a minority]’ Government when Parlia- e ment convened in twolp weeks. But if he failed, he|t would call another General I ’ Election. I.