4 Aug 2008

Reconstituted Fiji GCC set to be reconvened

11:14 am on 4 August 2008

Fiji's Great Council of Chiefs can be convened as soon as the interim Prime Minister sees it fit according to the chairman of the taskforce overseeing the review.

Ratu Josateki Nawalowalo says the taskforce gave the Commodore the names of those they have enlisted and a full report of its work four weeks ago.

He says they have nominations from four provinces plus the remainder of the council to come from the Minister of Fijian Affairs.

Ratu Josateki says the taskforce is confident it can get support from other provinces.

He has told the Fiji Times he has the names of chiefs from the 10 other provinces who opposed the review, but he would not reveal their names.

The GCC was suspended after its members refused the military commander Commodore Frank Bainimarama's wish to recognise him as head of state following the 2006 military coup.

Commodore Bainimarama purported to be president for a month but then let Ratu Josefa Iloilo be president again while taking over as interim prime minister.