A former senior Fiji military officer now in Australia, Jone Baledrokadroka, has praised the selection of Mosese Tikoitoga as the new head of the Fiji military.
Brigadier-General Tikoitoga assumed the role on Wednesday as Commodore Frank Bainimarama stepped away from a post he has held since 1999.
The Prime minister's move is to allow him to establish a political party to contest the elections scheduled for September.
Mr Baledrokadroka, a former Fiji land forces commander, who moved to Australia after being implicated in an alleged plot to kill Mr Bainimarama, has worked along Brigadier Tikoitoga and rates him.
He says he is the best candidate for the job, as an infantry man commanding a mostly infantry force and with international training.
"His mentality I think is firmly embedded in the apoliticalness of the military and I hope he brings that sort of training to bear on the future of Fiji's politics."
