In Fiji, the leader of the United People's Party, Mick Beddoes, has reaffirmed that the UPP pulled out of its coalition with the Fiji Labour Party a week ago.
Mr Beddoes clarification comes after a statement by the solicitor general, Nainendra Nand, that Mr Beddoes could not take up the position of opposition leader because his party was still in coalition with Labour and was therefore part of the multi-party government.
Speaking at the Fiji Law Society's annual conference, Mr Nand was quoted as saying the UPP would have to "unleash itself" from its coalition with Labour in order for Mr Beddoes to qualify to be opposition leader.
But Mr Beddoes has stressed that as soon as the prime minister extended an invitation to Labour to join the government, Mr Qarase made it clear that he did not want the UPP's inclusion into a multi-party cabinet.
Mr Beddoes says the UPP did not want their inclusion to be a hindrance in the formation of a multi-party cabinet and party executives met immediately and decided to pull out of the coalition.
Mr Beddoes says the solicitor general should have updated himself on the status of the coalition before making his statement.
