The leader of Fiji's ousted SDL party says inviting a Commonwealth team to visit Fiji just before a suspension deadline is a hallmark of the interim regime.
In July, the Commonwealth ministerial action group issued a deadline of September the first for Fiji to reactivate the President's Political Dialogue Forum or be fully suspended from the grouping.
A Commonwealth team is likely to visit Fiji in the next week, however the secretariat says the visit will not affect the suspension ultimatum.
The SDL's general secretary, Peceli Kinivuwai, says the Commonwealth has so far been lenient with Fiji, but its time for it to make the country pay for its actions.
"Whenever there is something drastic that is out there on the horizon, they [the interim regime] make their actions portray that they are genuine in trying to do something that will force something good for Fiji. But so far nothing has eventuated. We have not had any signs of going back to elections."
Peceli Kinivuwai.
