7 Jun 2006

Fiji Labour Party cabinet member not about to stop speaking his mind

3:11 pm on 7 June 2006

One of the Labour party MPs who have been included in Fiji's cabinet under the constitution's multi-party cabinet provisions says he won't stop speaking out against government policies.

Lekh Ram Vyashnoi, who has been given the Energy and Mineral portfolios in the new cabinet, says that the arrangement is working well at this early stage.

Mr Vyashnoi, who has been an outspoken critic of the government in the past, says he and eight other Labour party members are in cabinet to fulfill the requirements of the constitution and the responsibility of their portfolios...

"But that, in no way, stops us speaking our mind, and I would like to maintain it, as I have done so far. And yes, we are there with our policies and if it opposing the views of the government, then so be it. And we stand firm as Labour members, 31 Labour members in the house."

Labour Party MP, and cabinet member, Lekh Ram Vyashnoi.