11 Oct 2006

Fiji prison okays inmate's correspondence with Qarase

6:55 pm on 11 October 2006

Fiji prison authorities say a provincial paramount chief jailed for life has every right to correspond with anyone including the prime minister.

Radio Legend quotes the commissioner of prisons, Aisea Taoka, say every prisoner is given that liberty even though Ratu Inoke Takiveikata has been convicted of inciting the November 2000 army mutiny.

The comment followed allegations by the military that Ratu Inoke has been given special privileges to write to Laisenia Qarase.

The military spokesman, Major Neumi Leweni, said no one should be given special treatment.

Ratu Inoke wrote to Laisenia Qarase last Friday asking him not to remove the minister of state for youth and sport, Rajesh Singh, over disciplinary issues.

Ratu Inoke, who was a former government senator and vice president of the ruling SDL party, told the prime minister that removing Mr Singh would be a formula for catastrophe.

Two months ago he wrote to Mr Qarase urging him to give the licence to operate Fiji's second mobile phone network to the NLTB's partner, Pacific Connex, and not the West Indies based DIGICEL