10 Aug 2009

Fatiaki move to Vanuatu a big loss for Fiji, says Law Society

7:58 pm on 10 August 2009

The Fiji Law Society says the new appointment of Fiji's former Chief Justice as the Supreme Court Judge in Vanuatu is a big loss to Fiji.

Last week Daniel Fatiaki was sworn in as Vanuatu's Supreme Court Judge for two years.

A month after the 2006 Fiji coup, the interim regime suspended Mr Fatiaki, who eventually resigned as Fiji's Chief Justice in December last year, after he received a payout from the interim government following an investigation into his alleged involvement with the 2000 coup.

The President of the Fiji Law Society, Dorsami Naidu says the society and judiciary are proud of Mr Fatiaki for becoming a supreme court judge.

"Best of luck to him because you know there's definitely going to be certainty of tenure for him there and no political interference. It's sad for Fiji that we've lost the talents of a judge of his calibre but Vanuatu people and the judiciary there would be able to use his talents and I think it's a great thing for the Vanuatu judiciary."

Dorsami Naidu of the Fiji Law Society.