Bainimarama deserves hearing, Turia says
Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia wants to send a delegation to Fiji to meet military Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, saying she believes he has good intentions in proposing electoral reform and deserves a hearing.
She has also criticised the Government's lack of tolerance towards Fiji compared with other undemocratic countries it has trading relationships with - a clear reference to China.
Mrs Turia said on TV One's Q&A yesterday that her party had discussed sending Maori leaders to Fiji, which was suspended from the Pacific Islands Forum on Friday after failing to commit to holding elections this year.
She later told the Herald: "We have felt that there may be a better way forward. I know from people in Fiji who have spoken to me in the last year that [Commodore Bainimarama's] intention was good. So we've got ourselves all locked up in this notion of democracy but we don't expect it of other trading partners."
She had not raised the issue with Prime Minister John Key and said the participation of her co-leader Pita Sharples, the Maori Affairs Minister, in any delegation would depend on Mr Key's approval.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10570166
oh the hypocrisy of the government who will happily deal with Tonga and China but will shun Fiji completely. In the end the ordinary Fijians are the ones who will suffer, and believe me, when you try to survive and feed your family you don't think of revolution and overthrowing the government.
Maori Party co-leader Tariana Turia wants to send a delegation to Fiji to meet military Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, saying she believes he has good intentions in proposing electoral reform and deserves a hearing.
She has also criticised the Government's lack of tolerance towards Fiji compared with other undemocratic countries it has trading relationships with - a clear reference to China.
Mrs Turia said on TV One's Q&A yesterday that her party had discussed sending Maori leaders to Fiji, which was suspended from the Pacific Islands Forum on Friday after failing to commit to holding elections this year.
She later told the Herald: "We have felt that there may be a better way forward. I know from people in Fiji who have spoken to me in the last year that [Commodore Bainimarama's] intention was good. So we've got ourselves all locked up in this notion of democracy but we don't expect it of other trading partners."
She had not raised the issue with Prime Minister John Key and said the participation of her co-leader Pita Sharples, the Maori Affairs Minister, in any delegation would depend on Mr Key's approval.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10570166
oh the hypocrisy of the government who will happily deal with Tonga and China but will shun Fiji completely. In the end the ordinary Fijians are the ones who will suffer, and believe me, when you try to survive and feed your family you don't think of revolution and overthrowing the government.