19 Dec 2008

Fiji row over Charter support figures

4:26 pm on 19 December 2008

There is a row in Fiji between the military commander and the Methodist church over the level of support for interim regime's so-called People's Charter.

The document was drawn up as the interim regime's roadmap and submitted to the public for endorsement.

According to the website Fijivillage, the Methodist Church General Secretary, the Reverend Tuikilakila Waqairatu, has described the regime's claim of 92 percent backing of the Charter as a lie.

But Commodore Frank Bainimarama says he does not care about those comments, adding that the charter process is now complete.

The Methodist leaders say that 80 percent of church members oppose the Charter.

They say they will compile a report this week before they arrange for a visit to the President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo

But Commodore Bainimarama says the President will be too busy to see the Methodist Church executives.