14 Apr 2004

New talanoa talks between Fiji's two main parties

8:33 am on 14 April 2004

Talanoa talks, aimed at reaching a consensus between the two main political parties in Fiji, resume today.

The ruling SDL party of Prime Minister, Laisenia Qarase, and Mahendra Chaudhry's Labour Party have had talanoa talks on key issues since July 2002.

An official in Mr Qarase's office says this time they will discuss the planned restructure of the country's ailing sugar industry and land issues.

Last month, Labour came out in opposition to the government's proposed new land lease legislation to be tabled in the next session of parliament.

The Government is proposing the Native Lands Trust bill which will remove indigenous-owned land from the ambit of the Agricultural Landlord and Tenant Act, or ALTA.