Fiji in political crisis as former prime minister demands cabinet seats

Fiji was yesterday plunged into a new political crisis only hours after Mr Laisenia Qarase took office as prime minister, when…

Fiji was yesterday plunged into a new political crisis only hours after Mr Laisenia Qarase took office as prime minister, when his rival demanded his constitutional right to nearly half the seats in cabinet.

Mr Qarase, who served as caretaker prime minister after the army imposed martial law following the coup in May, 2000, earlier said a government involving ousted prime minister, Mr Mahendhra Chaudhry, would be unworkable.

Mr Chaudhry, who has also said he could put together a government, replied that Mr Qarase might have to go back to President Josefa Iloilo, who swore him in as prime minister after week-long elections, and resign.

Mr Chaudhry, the Pacific nation's first Indian prime minister, who was overthrown in Mr George Speight's coup on May 19th last year, said a multi-party coalition could be made to work "if there is a genuine commitment to make it work". No party has emerged with a clear majority in the 71-seat parliament with Mr Qarase's nationalist Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) becoming the largest single party with 31 seats.

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Mr Chaudhry's Fiji Labour Party (FLP) took 27 seats, Mr Speight's Conservative Alliance Matanitu Vanua (MV) nationalist group got six, and New Labour two.

The United General Party and the National Federation Party got one seat each, and two independents were elected with one seat left vacant due to be decided at a by-election on September 19th, following a candidate's death.

Mr Qarase said after his swearing-in that Mr Speight's alliance wanted to join the government and he had secured the support of two independents.

But under Fiji's unusual constitution, originally intended to ensure all races have a voice in the government, any party getting 10 per cent or more of the vote is entitled to a proportion of the 20 seats in cabinet.

Mr Chaudhry said he wants 47 per cent of them, and angrily denied he was being politically obstructive. "The . . . constitution provides for a multi-party cabinet and it has set a threshold at 10 per cent and any party reaching that threshold is entitled to be in government," he argued.

Mr Qarase may have to go back to the president and say he cannot form a government and get the president to select somebody else. Otherwise, he said, parliament, could be dissolved and new elections called. Mr Chaudhry did not say which option he preferred.