18 Jun 2003

Fiji's opposition leader says amendments to the constitution might be needed

4:51 pm on 18 June 2003

There's a call in Fiji for amendments to be made to the constitution if the government is required to include the Labour party in cabinet.

The opposition leader, Mick Beddoes, says if the Supreme court does support the multi-party clause in the constitution and rules in favour of the Labour party, that will leave only two people on opposition benches.

Mr Beddoes says the other 69 MPs will be in a grand coalition.

"This is the dilemma, that this situation has caused. The constitution requires a multi-party cabinet, but our parliamentary set up is one that is set up for a government and an opposition. Both of these two are at odds and what needs to happen if they're all in the one camp, then there needs to be an agreement, on how to make amendments to the constitution, to make it more effective and more viable in terms of a way to work."

Mr Beddoes has called on the cabinet to resign en masse if the ruling goes Labour's way so that the prime minister can pick the best MPs out of the three parties which will be represented in government.