10 Mar 2003

Fiji's PM says he wants to remain in politics to protect indigenous rights

11:22 am on 10 March 2003

Fiji's Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase, says he wants to remain in politics to ensure that the rights of indigenous Fijians are well secured.

Mr Qarase has told the Fiji Sun newspaper that the country's long term stability will depend to a large extent on how succesfully the aspiration of the indigenous are accommodated.

He says while he is pro indigenous, he still wants Fiji to develop into a country that all its communites will support and love to live in.

He says Fijian should be made the national language because it is the language of the indigenous.

Mr Qarase says if all the people of the country speak Fijian, it will go a long way towards creating a sense of belonging and unity and enable people to focus on common goals.