Parliamentary vote delayed Military opposition to the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill

prime minister qarase announced on 18 january tabling of legislation final parliamentary approval being postponed until further notice, pending consultations.

this move followed extraordinary week had seen unusual troop , naval deployments, rumours of possible coup, , dismissal of acting land force commander lieutenant colonel jone baledrokadroka alleged insubordination, culminating in meeting @ government house (the official residence of president between prime minister , commodore bainimarama under auspices of vice-president ratu joni madraiwiwi on 16 january. in statement issued after meeting, madraiwiwi said prime minister had agreed consider grievances of military , consult them possible changes legislation. not clarified further @ time, on 18th, prime minister went further , said process of consulting take long time, , no longer guaranteed legislation passed in time 2006 parliamentary election. same true of other controversial bills opposed military, including legislation defining indigenous fishing rights , establishing separate indigenous court system, qarase said.

jioji kotobalavu, chief executive officer of prime minister s department, said bill being revised, , military briefed when revision had been completed.