10 Aug 2006

Fiji Labour Party wants advice on two key bills

3:16 pm on 10 August 2006

The Fiji Labour Party will now seek expert advice on the controversial Qoliqoli and Indigenous Land Claims Tribunal Bills before deciding on its next course of action.

Radio Legend says the FLP leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, revealed this after a two-hour caucus meeting this morning.

Mr Chaudhry says Labour is concerned about the consequences of these Bills and people have been calling their MPs expressing their worries about the nature of the two Bills.

He says parliament's sector committees will be deliberating on the two bills from next week and they will await feedback.

Mr Chaudhry says the contentious Bills should have been discussed in inter-party talks before they were tabled in parliament.

He says Labour has a problem with these two Bill and whether they will be able to support them or not only time will tell.

Mr Chaudhry says the party caucus has agreed to participate in consultations on the Bills until expert advice has been obtained.

Mr Chaudhry has also revised his earlier statements, now saying that the introduction of the two Bills poses no threat to the future of the multi-party cabinet arrangements.