POWERING INTO THE NAME: Fiji Pensioners reveal more on true ownership of Fiji First Party stolen by Bainimarama and his clique!

Girmit Centree: Refuge from Speight of Violence in 2000

GONE up in flames! Muaniweni victims survey their homes

"The revocation of the 1997 Constitution was not made within the doctrine of necessity and such revocation was unconstitutional and of no effect. The 1997 Constitution is the supreme and extant law of Fiji today." Justice Anthony Gates in Chandrika Prasad v. Att-Gen of Fiji [2000] 2 FLR 89; Prasad v. Republic of Fiji & Another [2001]. Justice Gates (left) and Shaista Shameem (right); Shameem had filed the case on behalf of Chandrika Prasad via the Fiji Human Rights Commission. Justice Gates in 2000: "The matter was first called before the court on 14th July 2000. I indicated to Dr. Shameem, who first appeared for the Applicant to assist him, and to Mr. Udit for the Respondents that there was a need for the affidavit material to provide evidence of the acceptance or non-acceptance of the military takeover and of the consequent government. Time was allowed for the Applicant and the Respondents, to place such evidence before the court. The Applicant availed himself of this opportunity by filing 2 further affidavits. The Respondents, elected not to do so."

---

JIKO LUVENI FIRST TO HITCH RIDE ON BAINIMARAMA'S POLITICAL  ROAD SHOW

Current Minister for Women, Social Welfare and Poverty Alleviation, Dr Jiko Luveni, will join Mr Bainimarama as he travels around the country on a bus to seek support, ahead of the country's September 17 election.

Dr Luveni told Pacific Beat she has been visiting the remote Lau Group of Islands in Fiji's east and has received a positive response from constituents.

"They have much more positively and freely made positive statements about this country, about this government and are aware that they have actually benefited from the development programs the government is actually doing," she said.

Other parties have been required to register for the election, but Fiji First is yet to do so.

Dr Luveni says this is because the interim government still has policy goals it needs to achieve.

"We still need to complete this and we really would like to complete all the work that we have been doing," she said.

The elections will be the first in Fiji since Mr Bainimarama led a military coup to seize power in December 2006.

Opponents have criticised the Fiji First campaign, claiming it is being funded by the public purse.

Critics say it is also inappropriate for Mr Bainimarama to use the country's emblem on the side of his bus.

Audio: Fiji's minister for women Dr Jiko Luveni speaks to Pacific Beat (ABC News)

---