29 Dec 2006

Fiji military commander looking to set up interim government by end of January 2007

5:07 pm on 29 December 2006

Fiji's military commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama is currently creating a new leadership which could be in place by the end of January.

The country's last government was dismissed during the coup led by the Commodore last month.

Over 400 applications were received from those wanting to be part of the new regime, but these have now been narrowed down to 31.

However, our Fiji correspondent Matai Akauola says the Commander is not revealing much at the moment.

"He's quite satisified with the current arrangement where the CEO's of the various ministries are running the ministries, the government machinery at the moment so he's quite happy with the current arrangement."

Meanwhile, Fiji's Great Council of Chiefs says it is now subject to desolation after the military decided to suspend all GCC meetings unless it gave the clearance.

Fijilive.com reports Council chairman, Ratu Ovini Bokini saying that the military's decision was not well received by the GCC members adding who were shocked when the military made the announcement this week to ban them from holding further meetings.

Ratu Ovini says he thought the GCC were making progress with the military but this has hit the group right below the belt.

He says the longer the military prolonged the situation from being resolved, the more the pressure on the GCC to take the country forward.

Ratu Ovini has pleaded with the military to engage in more talks with the GCC.