The Fiji Labour Party cautiously welcomes the decision to lift the PER later this week to allow for political consultations on the new constitution.
As an obnoxious and repressive set of measures, the Public Emergency Regulations should never have happened.
However, the Party believes that simply lifting the PER is not enough. To be fully effective, it should be accompanied by the following:
• the restoration of full media freedom
• restoration of the Judiciary’s independence and the restrictions on its jurisprudence lifted
• Government accounts together with Auditor General’s reports must be published
• There must be absolute accountability and transparency in the affairs of the nation
• Ministerial salaries must be made public
• All abuses under the PER must be investigated and those found guilty, punished
Ed. Note: "Full" media freedom yes but only with a responsibility that was frequently lacking in the past. Indeed, trial by media (Fiji Times) was a major factor that toppled the FLP-led government in 2000. How is the judiciary not independent? Judges on more than one occasion have refused to be pressured by Government. Accountability, transparency yes, starting by asking Mahendra Chaudhry to explain how Indian donations finished up in his personal Australian bank account.
Labour welcomes Commonwealth statement on PER
FLP welcomes the Commonwealth statement on the lifting of the PER and its offer to assist Fiji return to democratically elected government without further delay.
In a statement issued 2 January 2012, Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma, welcomed the announcement by the Fiji authorities to lift emergency laws in Fiji and to begin national consultations on a new constitution by February.
Describing it as “a positive step that was long overdue”, Mr Sharma said the CMAG – the custodian of Commonwealth values and principles – had repeatedly urged the authorities in Fiji to lift the PER and respect the human rights of all its people.
He hoped that the national consultations expected to begin in February 2012 “will be fully inclusive and time bound and that they will lead to a genuine national consensus on the constitution, clearing the way for credible elections and the return of a democratically elected government without further delay”.
“The Commonwealth remains ready to engage as a partner and to extend assistance as appropriate towards these ends,” he said.
Ed. Note: "Without further delay"? Elections will be held in 2014 following constitutional (2012) and electoral (2013) reforms. The Commnwealth and the FLP should accept this timetable. Democracy is not justg about holding elections, and much work remains to be done before 2014.
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