17 Jul 2006

FLP vice president wants party rule probe

1:02 pm on 17 July 2006

The Fiji Labour Party vice president and cabinet minister, Krishna Datt, who is facing disciplinary action, has called for an independent committee to look into allegations of breach of party rules.

The Labour Party president has ordered disciplinary action against Mr Datt, fellow cabinet minister Poseci Bune, MPs Felix Anthony and Agni Deo Singh, and former senator Dr Atu Emberson-Bain for questioning Mahendra Chaudhry's senate nominations.

The Fiji Times quotes Mr Datt as saying it is not fair for Mr Chaudhry to be part of the decision making process in the party's national council when he is the complainant in the dispute.

Mr Datt says all he wants is a fair hearing by independent people who are not necessarily linked to the party.

He says the mechanics of the whole process has to be right and the disciplinary decision making in the national council can't all be by Mr Chaudhry's people.