1 Nov 2002

Fiji Labour Party to decide next week if it will challenge the 2003 budget in court

11:37 am on 1 November 2002

The Fiji Labour Party says it will decide next week whether to challenge the government's 2003 budget in court.

The budget is due to be handed down in parliament next Friday

The Labour leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, has told the Daily Post that the 2003 budget would be illegal because the government delivering it is unconstitutional.

Mr Chaudhry says if the courts have so far declared the government illegal, then the ruling stays unless it is overturned by the Supreme Court.

He says the party will decide next week what legal options are open to it to challenge the budget.

Mr Chaudhry says any ordinary person who feels the document is illegal could take the matter to court.

But the prime minister, Laiseni Qarase, says there has never been a court decision that his government is illegal.

Only the Supreme Court will make that decision he says, NOT Mr Chaudhry.