Transcript
Biman Prasad: We had already said in parliament that the suspension meted out to Ratu Isoa and Tupou Draunidalo was unreasonable and uncalled for. I am sure the opposition will raise the issue again when we sit in February, next year. We expect the government, which has the majority in parliament, to take heed of the recommendations by the IPU. However, we all know that this government has been an extremist government, an unreasonable government in the sense that it has not been tolerant with respect to all the three cases that were brought before the privileges committee and then into parliament. But we do hope that given the recommendations of the IPU and given the we Fiji is part of IPU and we attend all the meetings and pretend that we adhere to the principles and norms and practices, then we should see the suspensions lifted in the February sitting.
Ben Robinson Drawbridge: If the government decides not to lift the suspensions would you like to see further action from the IPU?
BP: The IPU should take further action and I would go to the extent of saying that if the government doesn't take heed of the recommendations by the IPU and it doesn't support lifting of the suspensions, then Fiji really doesn't have a right to be a member of the IPU.
BRD: The IPU has raised further concerns about how outspoken opposition MPs are treated in Fiji, so do you think it's fair to say they have some concern about democracy in your country?
BP: As we have always articulated, our democracy is really a facade if you look at the number of indicators. First, if you look at the short parliamentary sittings. The last time we were able to ask questions in parliament was in May or June and the next sitting where we will be able to ask questions will be in February, so obviously making a mockery of parliamentary sittings. Then there are cases where the government has used its majority in parliament to change the standing orders, we've had three changes to the standing orders. And there are many other examples where draconian decrees, such as the political parties decree, the media decree, the elections decree, all these decrees are draconian decrees and as long as the decrees are in place we cannot call ourselves a genuine democracy.
BRD: Do you think this climate in the Fiji parliament will discourage other opposition MPs from speaking out?
BP: The suspensions, as I said, were unwarranted and unreasonable and it's a warning to other members of parliament that government can use its numbers to mete out unreasonable punishment like suspension for the rest of the term. So obviously it would have had a killing affect on other members of the opposition.
