3 Jan 2018

Fiji's Bainimarama ready for elections

1:38 pm on 3 January 2018

Fiji's Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama says he remains ready to lead the country as it enters election year.

The Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama at Government House in Auckland

The Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama at Government House in Auckland Photo: Alex Perrottet / RNZ

In his new year message to the country he urged people to vote on election day.

It will be the second election since Mr Bainimarama won a landslide victory at the polls in 2014, the first since he seized power in a coup in 2006.

While the election date is yet to be announced, Mr Bainimarama asked people to focus on real issues and rise above personal attacks and pettiness.

"As always, I stand ready to take Fiji into the future. I stand ready to keep Fiji atop the world, a leading nation among nations. And I stand ready to bring even greater opportunity and prosperity into the lives of every Fijian," he said.

Mr Bainimarama also said 2017 was a landmark year for Fiji which showed that a small-island nation could provide mature and responsible leadership on climate action and protecting oceans.