Fiji Finance Minister denies being sacked

Fiji's interim Finance minister, Mahendra Chaudhry had blamed reports he is to be sacked on his enemies overseas and in Fiji. Yesterday in Fiji there was speculation Mr Chaudhry was being forced out of his interim portfolio. Those reports were quickly denied by interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama. Today, Mr Chaudhry told radio audiences in Fiji, that he and the Commodore have a great relationship. But as Pacific Correspondent Campbell Cooney reports this hasn't ended speculation a deal has been done allowing Mr Chaudhry to resign at the end of August.

Presenter: Campbell Cooney
Speaker: Fiji's interim Finance Minister Mahendra Chaudhry on Legend FM in Suva

COONEY: Yesterday Fiji's interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, was on Legend FM telling the island nation his Finance Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry wasn't being sacked.

Today, Mr Chaudhry did the same, telling listeners just how close he and the commodore are.

CHAUDHRY: Well our relations are excellent. We are candid with each other and we have respect for each other.

COONEY: Yesterday, Fiji's media went into a frenzy over speculation the nation's powerful military council had told Commodore Bainimarama they wanted Mr Chaudhry sacked from his interim portfolio. The reason as reported was that it was unhappy with Mr Chaudhry's decisions to increase taxation on both the bottled water industry and on bus operators, decisions which led to strikes and walk offs, generating ill will amongst the public towards the interim government.

Both issues were only resolved when the taxes were removed during negotiations conducted with interim attorney-general, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, meetings which Mr Chaudhry was excluded from.

His absence from the latest negotiations with the water industry, combined with the day of meetings involving the commodore, the military council and other key ministers generated the dismissal talk, quickly followed by the denials.

Mr Chaudhry's blamed that talk on his critics overseas and his political enemies at home.

CHAUDHRY: You know our detractors will always try and portray a different picture, because these are the ones who have been making this country right for many years, without contributing to it.

COONEY: As the only Indo-Fijian prime minister removed from office in a coup himself, Mahendra Chaudhry is one of the most prominent people in his community. That support apparently extends overseas.

After reports speculating about his future in the interim government began appearing, Radio Australia was contacted by a member of the ex-patriot Indo-Fijian community in Sydney, Australia, wanting to voice that community's support for Mr Chaudhry, who the caller described as the only person with the skills to rebuild Fiji's economy.

But the denials about his sacking have not ended the speculation. A deal has been done which will allow him to resign at the end of August.