14 Jun 2011

Fiji's Bainimarama says he's listening to Lau concerns

2:54 pm on 14 June 2011

Fiji's interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama has told people in the Lau group he's listening to their concerns.

The regime says the Lau visit is part of a series of sessions with communities and villages around the country in order to keep communication links with the people open.

Commodore Frank Bainimarama has inspected a local hospital and a rural fisheries centre along with schools and a police station.

The regime leader says he wants civil servants in rural areas to lift their level of service and show more commitment and passion.

Lau is the home province of Colonel Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara who has spoken out against the regime after fleeing from Fiji last month.

The regime says during the visit the Commodore accepted an apology for recent destabilising events from the chiefly clan associated with Colonel Mara.

Earlier this month, two men from the chiefly village of Tubou on the island of Lakeba were accused of forging a petition calling on the regime leader not to visit the island during his tour of the Lau group.