SUVA, Fiji (8 Dec 2001) -- The failed businessman who led last year's coup in Fiji has been dismissed from parliament. George Speight was elected as an MP earlier this year, but has been held on a prison island awaiting trial for treason and has been unable to attend parliamentary sittings. The speaker of Fiji's House of Representatives, Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, told Mr Speight it was not in Fiji's interests to allow the former rebel leader to continue as a member of parliament while awaiting trial. Under Fiji's constitution any member of parliament who misses two consecutive sessions can be expelled. However, Mr Speight's ejection from parliament will now be followed by a by-election in the Tailevu North seat. And there is nothing in the constitution that can stop him standing again. Mass demo Mr Speight won the seat comfortably in the general election in September and would be expected to win again. His colleagues in the hardline nationalist Conservative Alliance, which is one of the most powerful minor parties in the parliament, say they will organise a mass demonstration in the capital, Suva, to protest at his expulsion. | | Racist rebel George Speight on trial for treason Mr Speight has been in jail for more than a year, along with a dozen of his advisers. He was arrested shortly after releasing his remaining hostages in July last year after a 56 day siege inside the parliament compound in Suva. During the uprising, the Fijian Government's first ethnic Indian Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, was deposed. The rebels claimed their actions were carried out to defend indigenous rights. Diplomatic sources in Fiji say the situation across the country has been calm since the election. But a constitutional challenge to the government of Laisenia Qarase is scheduled to start in February - just a few days before George Speight's long-awaited trial for treason. |
