Fiji Labour Party leader can destroy govt

Saturday, 24 June 2006, 4:35 pm
Press Release: Radio New Zealand International

Fiji Labour Party leader can destroy multi-party govt - warns vice president

Fiji’s vice president has warned that Mahendra Chaudhry can destroy the country’s new multi-party government.

Fiji TV reports that Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi says only two things can derail the multi-party government - one is the government’s stance on controversial issues and the second is the attitude of Mr Chaudhry.

Ratu Joni says in his control of the Fiji Labour Party and in his standing as the leader of the Indo-Fijian community, Mr Chaudhry is in a strategic position to destroy the multi-party government.

He says this can be done by way of an ultimatum by the Labour Party to its members in parliament who are in cabinet.

Alternatively, it can be a gradual erosion of cabinet cohesion by a series of sustained attacks on the government.

Ratu Joni says the failure of the multi-party cabinet concept will bring hardship to all the people of the country.

The vice president says the stakes are high and failure has to be the last option.

© Scoop Media

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