22 Aug 2008

Chamber wants Fiji to stay in Forum

12:41 pm on 22 August 2008

Fiji's Chamber of Commerce is to urge the interim regime to take steps to avoid being thrown out of the Pacific Islands Forum.

The Forum has warned suspension could ensue if Fiji does not move to democracy.

Fiji's economy is already shaky, shrinking 6.6% in 2007, according to the Fiji Reserve Bank.

Chamber president Swani Majaraj says economic conditions are already difficult and could get worse.

He says the new warning from the Forum brings additional worries to his members, including a huge EU restructuring fund being withheld and obstacles persisting for Fijian migrant labour.

But he says the power to do something about this rests with the interim Government, not ordinary people.