13 Aug 2007

Former Fiji coup leader Rabuka says paying taxes means accepting regime change

1:11 pm on 13 August 2007

The former Fiji prime minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, says one of the ways to determine whether the interim administration is legal or not is to see whether citizens are doing what it asks them do.

Speaking on Fiji TV's Close-Up programme last night, Mr Rabuka said in this respect one of the easiest questions to ask is whether people should be paying their taxes.

He said most people don't ask this question and allow their taxes to be deducted at source.

Mr Rabuka said by allowing their taxes to be deducted, one could ask whether people have allowed themselves to go along with the government, whether it is legal or not.

Mr Rabuka, who lost his life membership of the Great Council of Chiefs when all the members were sacked in April, said he had accepted the decision.

But he added that the government must move along and review the Great Council because it cannot stand still and the minister for Fijian affairs has the powers to do so.

Mr Rabuka also said he would be willing to go back into the Great Council of Chiefs and if asked to be its chairman again, he would say, "Ay, Ay, Commodore. I'm available."