20 Sep 2006

Fiji opposition leader still working part-time

9:26 am on 20 September 2006

Fiji's opposition leader, Mick Beddoes, is still performing the functions of his office on a part-time basis several months after taking up the responsibility.

Fiji TV reports that this is because Mr Beddoes still has to divest himself of his business interests as required by the constitution.

He says he is already giving up his business interests which could take up to the end of the year.

But Mr Beddoes also says that any likelihood of his taking up the office full-time depends on the success of the multi-party cabinet arrangements and the resolution of internal differences within the Fiji Labour Party.

This is because if Labour pulls out of the multi-party cabinet, its leader Mahendra Chaudhry would be entitled to become opposition leader and Mr Beddoes could find himself as a backbench MP.

Mr Beddoes says if all goes according to plan, he could take up the office full-time by January next year.