Police Pass Buck On Maintaining Law In Fiji

Police Pass Buck On Maintaining Law In Fiji

Issue No: 383 16 January 2001

The police department says that it is not responsible for enforcing decisions of courts in Fiji.

In a report in today's media, Police Commissioner Isikia Savua stated that the President "is the final authority on what to do with the outcome of the Appeal's Court ruling".

Savua is quoted in today's Fiji Times as saying:

"We are specifically responsible for the maintenance of law and order. The assessment will be on the implications of the outcome - either way. We will look into the direct implications on law and order and security of the nation. Only when the full legal process is exhausted can we know where we stand - and that could be a long way yet".

The fact that the Police Commissioner says that it is the President and not the police department which is responsible for enforcing law and order, and court decisions, is clear indication that the police department under Savua will not enforce the law in Fiji.

It is getting clearer that the anti-democracy forces are surrounding the Interim President, who has been ill for some time now, with their supporters so that they can influence him to ignore the courts' decisions. Already his former Permanent Secretary has stated that the President does not accept the court decision on the legality of the 1997 Constitution. The regime has also appointed Col. Jeremaia Waqanisau to be the Permanent Secretary in the President's Office. Waqanisau, an unsuccessful contender for the post of the Military Commander, is close to Sitiveni Rabuka.

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