Labour Party ministers in Fiji's multi-party cabinet face dismissal if they vote against the 2007 budget in parliament later this month.
The prime minister, Laisenia Qarase, delivered the warning on Radio Legend this morning after the Labour Party caucus decided that all its MPs including ministers would have to vote against the budget because it was anti-poor.
Mr Qarase says the cabinet had approved the budget and every minister has to vote for it on the principle of collective responsibility.
He says because of their party's directive the Labour ministers are in a very difficult situation and he hopes they can sort it out with their party leader.
Mr Qarase says the nine Labour ministers will have to think very carefully because if they vote against the budget, that would be sufficient grounds for their dismissal.
He says it would be wrong to have them in the cabinet after that.
