Bavadra initiative to resolve crisis
NZPA-AAP ' ’ Suva The ousted Fijian Prime Minister, Dr Timoci Bavadra, yesterday proposed joint talks with his predecessor, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, and the Governor-General, Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, to try to solve the nation’s political crisis. Dr Bavadra issued a statement after an hour’s private talk with Ratu Ganilau at Government House in Suva.
During the talk, Ratu Ganilau gave Dr Bavadra a copy of his detailed plan for Fiji to return to democracy, involving an appointed Parliament approving constitutional changes, followed by fresh elections. Dr Bavadra said the plan would be discussed tomorrow at. a meeting of his coalition members at
Ba. A coalition team would meet Ratu Ganilau in Lautoka on Monday to give him their views. Dr Bavadra said that for an effective dialogue on the crisis, he and Ratu Mara, should hold discussions in the presence of £ Ratu to bring matters to a 1? “political resolution.” He had raised a number of issues with Ratu. • Ganilau, including what he called the harassment, threatening, and intimidation of people in Fiji’s northern and western divisions, where most of • its main export crop, sugar, is grown. Indian growers have refused to harvest the sugar crops in protest against the ousting of Dr Bavadfa’s Government. Replying to Ratu Ganilau’s request that he help get the harvest moving, .
Dr Bavadra said that ? would only be possible if the military and certain civil servants involved in harassment began to “take a lower profile” iii cane areas. Dr Bavadra emphasised that his. Government had beiph’t elected; on Ja multi-; racial platfdhn, ’'and lie J intended to ensure that Fiji’s future constitution treated all races fairly. Equitable representation needed to be re-< fleeted in proposals to the constitutional review committee, he said. ti ! Dr Bavadra has been invited to nominate four members to the 16-mem-ber committee, along with four nominated by Ratu Mara, four by Ratu Ganilau and four by the Great Council of Chiefs. The aim of the review is to guarantee Fijian control of Parliament,
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Press, 27 June 1987, Page 8
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338Bavadra initiative to resolve crisis Press, 27 June 1987, Page 8
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