30 Jan 2012

Samoa PM stands by his comments about the unlikelihood of Fiji elections in 2014

1:20 pm on 30 January 2012

The Prime Minister of Samoa stands by his claim that there is no chance a general election will go ahead in Fiji in 2014.

A public relations firm hired by the regime, Qorvis, has complained to Radio New Zealand International about its reporting of Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi's comments, saying the story was false and slanderous.

Fiji's interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, reneged on a 2007 promise to hold elections in 2009, but has said since that elections will go ahead in 2014.

Tuilaepa says Commodore Bainimarama has taken no credible action to give the international community assurance that an election will take place.

"Instead he has recruited army people to occupy the administration's ministries, he has again put in orders which restricted further freedom of expression, and he has done nothing to prepare the nation for general elections."

Prime Minister Tuilaepa says Qorvis' criticisms of his comments should be put into context.