17 Nov 2009

Fiji interim Government says new dialogue will be wide ranging but exclude politicians

4:54 pm on 17 November 2009

The Permanent Secretary in Fiji's Prime Minister's Office says the latest dialogue to be announced in Fiji is aimed at building on the issues raised by the People's Charter.

Lieutenant Colonel Pio Tikoduadua says individuals and community leaders have been invited to submit an application to attend but no specific topics or a timetable have been arranged:

"The Forum really has no agenda, the discussions are expected to be wide ranging and inclusive and we've not really set ourselves a boundary in terms of what we are ging to talk about but we saying there is a lot of things that have come up through the charter, constitutional reform, electoral reform, reform of our traditional institutions, reform of the public service, issues to do with the economy so it's really anything and everything that is to do with Fiji and how to move forward from today given what we already have."

Lieutenant Colonel Tikoduadua has confirmed that political parties will not be involved in this forum, saying it is for the people of Fiji, and civil society.

But he says the interim government is not closing any doors and wants to encourage discussion consistent with the principles of the People's Charter.