11 Jul 2006

Fiji PM, Opposition leader and FLP leader to meet on Cabinet ground rules

6:16 pm on 11 July 2006

Fiji's prime minister, opposition leader Mick Beddoes and the Labour Party leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, are scheduled to meet tomorrow to try and draw up ground rules on how the multi-party cabinet should function.

Two earlier meetings were cancelled because Mr Chaudhry said he was busy.

Laisenia Qarase has told Radio Legend this will the first of a series of meetings to ensure that each party agrees to its responsibilities in the cabinet and in parliament.

Mr Qarase says he hopes this will be a new beginning with him, Mr Chaudhry and Mr Beddoes paving a way that would be best for the people of the country.

He says he has already proposed a set of ground rules and it is a matter of the three of them sitting down for a frank discussion on those and moving on from there.

Mr Chaudhry says he is studying the draft prepared by the prime minister but will also take his own proposals to tomorrow's meeting.