The Muanikau Accord is not a solution to the present impasse said the
Executive Director of the Citizens Constitutional Forum Reverend
Akuila Yabaki.
He said it will not bring about the lifting of trade bans and sanctions
that have been or will be imposed on Fiji by the Commonwealth
countries, the European Community and other nations. Instead
Reverend Yabaki is suggesting to Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama
that members of parliament who are outside parliament be appointed as
the Interim Military council.
He said it is obvious that the military negotiating team and George
Speight's people have not been able to agree on the composition of
cabinet and the person to be appointed as president. "An interim
government picked from all political par- ties that have been members
of parliament will be in a stronger position to ask for the lifting of the
bans and there fore speed up the movement in normalisation of the
situation."
Reverend Yabaki said negotiations with George Speight should be
abandoned because the Muanikau Accord will never bring about
economic recovery. "The country cannot afford to have these on 0ff
negotiations drag on any longer because people are continuing to lose
their jobs as businesses retreat or close down.
"The Public Sector employees have been asked to accept a 20 percent
pay cut and more drastic pay cuts are being imposed in the private
sector. So we are going through a self inflicted spiral of economic
depression that must be arrested," he said.
Reverend Yabaki said the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group and
the International Confederation of Trade Unions delegation have made
it quite clear to the military council and government officials that only a
quick return to a constitutional government will be acceptable to the international
community.
"Both CMAG and ICFI U have rejected the military councils' idea of a two
year time span for Fiji to return to
parliamentary democracy," he said.
Fiji's Daily Post
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