24 Jul 2012

Fiji in talks with Britain over impact of defence force cuts

6:24 pm on 24 July 2012

The Fiji interim government says its High Commissioner to Britain, Solo Mara, is liaising with British authorities over Fiji nationals likely to be made redundant in cuts to the army.

Hundreds of Fijians are already listed for redundancy.

The Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has told the House of Commons the cuts are expected to come in regiments with high number of soldiers from Commonwealth nations.

It is estimated 70 percent of those made redundant have volunteered for the programme and will be retrained for another six months for resettlement into civilian life.

For those that do not volunteer the programme will be effective after 12 months, with the army saying this is long enough to acquire new marketable skills.