Politics of Fiji Main article Constitution of Fiji Main article - Preamble Chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 ::9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Executive government President - Vice-President Prime Minister - Cabinet Leader of the Opposition Legislative government Parliament Senate House of Representatives Speaker Judicial government Main article High Court Court of Appeals Supreme Court Chief Justice Other political institutions Great Council of Chiefs Chairman, G.C.C. Local government Political parties Historical institutions Governor Governor-General Chief Minister Legislative Council File links The following pages link to this file: Foreign relations of Fiji Fiji Suva Freedom House Atu Ratu-mai-mbula Samulayo Burotu Degei Murimuria Cibaciba and Drakulu Dakuwanga Lewalevu Lingadua Nabangatai Ndauthina Ndengei Ngendi Ngurai Tui Delai Gau Vitu OFC Nations Cup List of national flags Fijian language 1995... Constitutional Structure See main article: Constitution of Fiji and linked articles. ... Background The Constitution of the Republic of the Fiji Islands dates from 1997. ... This article is a commentary on the Preamble to the Fijian constitution. ... Chapter 1: The State. ... Chapter 2: Compact. ... Chapter 3: Citizenship. ... Chapter 4: Bill of Rights. ... Chapter 5: Social Justice. ... Chapter 6: The Parliament. ... Chapter 7: Executive Government. ... Chapter 8 Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga) Chapter 8: Executive Government. ... Chapter 9 Judiciary Section 117 Judicial power (1) The judicial power of the State vests in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court and in such other courts as are created by law. ... Chapter 10 State Services Section 140 Recruitment and promotion policy The recruitment of persons to a state service, the promotion of persons within a state service and the management of a state service must be based on the following principles: (a) government policies should be carried out effectively and efficiently... Chapter 11 Accountability Part 1 Code of Conduct Section 156 Code of Conduct (1) This section applies to the President, Vice-President, Ministers, members of Parliament, holders of offices established by or continued in existence under this Constitution, members of commissions, Secretaries of departments, the Secretary to the Cabinet and... Chapter 12 Revenue and Expenditure Section 175 Raising of revenue The raising by the Government of revenue or moneys, whether through the imposition of taxation or otherwise, must be authorised by or under an Act. ... Chapter 13 Group Rights Section 185 Alteration of certain Acts (1) A bill alters any of the following Acts, namely: (a) Fijian Affairs Act; (b) Fijian Development Fund Act; (c) Native Lands Act; (d) Native Land Trust Act; (e) Rotuman Act; (f) Rotuman Lands Act; (g) Banaban Lands Act; or... Chapter 14 Emergency Powers Section 187 Emergency powers (1) The Parliament may make a law conferring power on the President, acting an the advice of the Cabinet, to proclaim a state of emergency in Fiji, or in a part of Fiji, in such circumstances as the law prescribes. ... Chapter 15 Amendment of Constitution Section 190 Alteration of Constitution This Constitution maybe altered in the way set out in this Chapter and may not be altered in any other way. ... Chapter 16 Commencement, Interpretation and Repeals Section 193 Short title and commencement (1) This Act maybe cited as the Constitution Amendment Act 1997. ... [Chapter 17] Schedule Oaths and Affirmations [Part 1] A. Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance Oath: I, A.B., do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to Republic of the Fiji Islands, according to law. ... Fiji became a republic in 1987, when Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom formally abdicated as Queen of Fiji, following two military coups led by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka. ... The Fijian vice-presidency is a mostly ceremonial office. ... Fiji received its independence in 1970. ... Fiji has the Westminster system - executive authority is vested nominally in a President, but exercised in practice by a Cabinet of Ministers, presided over by the Prime Minister. ... The post of Leader of the Opposition is a political office common in countries that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. ... Fijis Parliament is bicameral. ... The Senate of Fiji is the upper chamber of Parliament. ... Overview The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fijis Parliament. ... The Speaker is the presiding officer of the Fijian House of Representatives. ... The High Court of Fiji is independent of the legislative and executive branches of the acting government. ... The Chief Justice is Fijis highest judicial officer. ... The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands. ... The Great Council of Chiefs The Great Council of Chiefs (Bose Levu Vakaturaga in Fijian) is a formal assembly of Fijis senior hereditary chiefs, along with some representatives of the national government and provincial councils, who may or may not be hereditary chiefs themselves. ... Fiji is divided administratively into four divisions, which are further subdivided into fourteen provinces. ... A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues with the aim to participate in power, usually by participating in elections. ... Fiji was a British Crown Colony from 1874 to 1970, and an independent dominion in the British Commonwealth from 1970 to 1987. ... Fiji became a British Crown Colony in 1874, and an independent dominion in the British Commonwealth in 1970; the British Monarch (Queen Elizabeth II remained the Head of State until 1987, when she formally abdicated following two military coups). ... Fijis British colonial rulers established the office of Chief Minister in October 1967, along with the Cabinet system of government. ... The Fijian Legislative Council was the colonial precursor to the present-day Parliament, which came into existence when Fiji became independent on 10 October 1970. ... Electoral system Main article Open constituencies Communal constituencies National constituencies // Historical overview Fijis electoral system is the result of complex negotiations, compromises, and experiments conducted over the years leading up to and following independence from British colonial rule in 1970. ... Open constituencies represent one of several electoral models employed in the past and present in the Fijian electoral system. ... Communal constituencies have been the most durable feature of the Fijian electoral system. ... National constituencies are a former feature of the Fijian electoral system. ... Elections in Fiji Main article 1966 - 1972 March 1977 - September 1977 1982 - 1987 - 1992 1994 - 1999 - 2001 2006 Foreign affairs Foreign relations of Fiji Elections in Fiji gives information on election and election results in Fiji. ... The general election to the Fijian Legislative Council in 1966 was the last to be held before independence from the United Kingdom was granted in 1970. ... Politics of Fiji Categories: Stub | Elections in Fiji | Fiji-related stubs ... Fijis election for the House of Representatives held in March 1977 was the second since independence from the United Kingdom in 1970. ... A general election to Fijis House of Representatives was held in September 1977, to resolve the impasse of an earlier election that had been held in March. ... Politics of Fiji Categories: Stub | Elections in Fiji | Fiji-related stubs ... The general election of April 1987 was Fijis fifth since the country had gained its independence from the United Kingdom seventeen years earlier. ... A general election was held to restore Fiji to democracy in 1992. ... Fiji held a general election in 1994, three years earlier than scheduled. ... The general election to the Fijian House of Representatives, held in May 1999, was historic. ... The Constitution of Fiji was restored by a Supreme Court decision, following the failure of the Fiji coup of 2000. ... Fiji maintains an independent, but generally pro-Western, foreign policy. ...

History of Fiji Timeline Discovery The rise and fall of Cakobau Colonial Fiji Fiji since 1970 Main article Constitutional crisis of 1977 Coups of 1987 Coup of 2000 Main article Timeline - Mutinies Aftermath - Investigations Trials - Military unrest Reconciliation Commission Main article Supporters - Opponents Qualified positions Military opposition Military-church relations Foreign reaction The timeline below shows a thumbnail sketch of Fijian history, from ancient times to the present day. ... Categories: Pages needing attention | Stub | Fiji-related stubs | History of Fiji | Politics of Fiji ... Fiji Coups of 1987 refers to the 1987 overthrow of the government of Fiji by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka, then third in command of the Royal Fiji Military Forces. ... Timeline (2000) May: 19, 20, 26, 27, 29, 30. ... Following the quashing of George Speights civilian coup détat in 2000, the Military handed power over to a civilian administration led by the banker, Laisenia Qarase, who won the parliamentary election held to restore democracy in September 2001. ... Commodore Frank Bainimarama, Commander of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces, has been a vociferous and uncompromising critic of the governments proposal to establish a Reconciliation and Unity Commission, with the power to grant compensation to victims of the 2000 coup, and amnesty to perpetrators of it. ...

The Constitution of Fiji, which had been abrogated by the Interim Military Government of Commodore Frank Bainimarama (who organized a counter-coup to neutralize the civilian coup d'état instigated by George Speight in May 2000), was reinstated by the High Court on 15 November that year. This ruling was upheld by the Court of Appeal on 1 March 2001. Since then, a police investigation has begun (though it has proceeded too slowly for the satisfaction of some critics), and a number of high-profile trials have taken place, resulting in the conviction and imprisonment of some members of the present government, which came to power in the wake of the coup. Background The Constitution of the Republic of the Fiji Islands dates from 1997. ... The military rank of Commodore is used in some navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a Captain, but is less than that of a flag officer. ... Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, popularly known as Frank Bainimarama, (born 27 April 1954), is the Commander of the Fijian military, who served as Head of the Interim Military Government from 29 May to 13 July 2000, when he handed power over to the newly-appointed President Ratu Josefa Iloilo. ... A coup détat (pronounced /ku de ta/), or simply a coup, is the sudden overthrow of a government, usually done by a small group that just replaces the top power figures. ... George Speight George Speight, occasionally known as Ilikimi Naitini (born 1957), was the principal instigator of the Fiji coup of 2000, in which he kidnapped thirty-six government officials and held them from May 19, 2000 to July 13, 2000. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... The High Court of Fiji is independent of the legislative and executive branches of the acting government. ... November 15 is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 46 days remaining. ... March 1 is the 60th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (61st in leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ...

It was announced on 2 May 2005 that 2499 people had been implicated to date in offence related to the coup. 11 out of 24 alleged plotters had been tried, along with 6 executors of the coup. Of 21 alleged financial supporters, none had been dealth with, an investigations were still in progress. On 21 September, Home Affairs Minister Josefa Vosanibola announced that 556 people had been tried either thorough the justice system or by court martial. He rejected a call from Labour MP Ganesh Chand to name them, however, saying that many were either serving or had served their sentences, and that to name them would breach their privacy. 120 soldiers had been tried - 56 for their roles in the coup, 28 for the Sukanaivalu mutiny, and 38 for the Suva mutiny on 2 November 2000. He said that there were currently 208 cases pending before the Director of Public Prosecutions. The charges ranged from unlawful assembly and public order breaches to murder, sedition, and treason; apart from a few who were acquitted for lack of evidence, most had been convicted, Vosanibola said. May 2 is the 122nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (123rd in leap years). ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... September 21 is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years). ... Josefa Vosanibola Josefa Bole Vosanibola is a Fijian politician, who has served as Minister for Home Affairs since 16 December 2004, when he was appointed by Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase to succeed Joketani Cokanasiga. ... This article needs to be wikified. ... The Fiji Labour Party is a political party in Fiji. ... Overview The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fijis Parliament. ... Suva (population 141,000) is the capital of Fiji. ... November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... Unlawful assembly is a legal term to describe a group of people with the mutual intent of deliberate disturbance of the peace. ... Sedition refers to a legal designation of non-overt conduct that is deemed by a legal authority as being acts of treason, and hence deserving of legal punishment. ... In law, treason is the crime of disloyalty to ones nation. ...

Police investigation

• See main article: Investigations since the Fiji coup of 2000

A number of separate, but overlapping, investigations have been conducted by the police into various aspects of the 2000 coup. Some of these investigations are ongoing. These investigations include the organization and financing of the coup, and the identity of the perpetrators. Some have alleged that George Speight was only a front-man for a shadowy group of politicians and businessmen; former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka is reported to be one of those under investigation. This article is about the year 2000. ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... George Speight George Speight, occasionally known as Ilikimi Naitini (born 1957), was the principal instigator of the Fiji coup of 2000, in which he kidnapped thirty-six government officials and held them from May 19, 2000 to July 13, 2000. ... Fiji received its independence in 1970. ... Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, OBE, (born September 13, 1948) is best known as the instigator of two military coups that shook Fiji in 1987. ...

Other cases being investigated include the removal of Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara from the Presidency and the installation of an Interim Military Government by the Military Commander, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, and an alleged plot to remove the subsequently appointed President, Ratu Josefa Iloilo. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara (May 6, 1920 – April 18, 2004) is considered the founding father of the modern nation of Fiji. ... Fiji became a republic in 1987, when Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom formally abdicated as Queen of Fiji, following two military coups led by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka. ... The military rank of Commodore is used in some navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a Captain, but is less than that of a flag officer. ... Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, popularly known as Frank Bainimarama, (born 27 April 1954), is the Commander of the Fijian military, who served as Head of the Interim Military Government from 29 May to 13 July 2000, when he handed power over to the newly-appointed President Ratu Josefa Iloilo. ... Ratu Josefa Iloilo Uluivuda (born December 29, 1920) is the President of Fiji. ...

Controversial trials and verdicts

• See main article: Trials since the Fiji coup of 2000

A number of prominent participants in the coup have been tried, and some convicted, in 2004 and 2005. Many of those tried have links to the present government, which has come under criticism from some quarters for releasing on parole some of the persons convicted. 2004(MMIV) is a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Parole can have different meanings depending on the context. ...

Reconciliation commission proposed

Prime Minister Qarase announced on 4 May 2005 that the government would establish a "Reconciliation and Unity Commission" empowered to recommend amnesty for persons involved in the coup, provided that their motive had been "political" and that they had not done so with "criminal intent." Opposition Leader Chaudhry condemned the proposed Commission, alleging that it would be a cover for pardoning members of the present government who were implicated in the coup. Chaudhry insisted that one set of rules should apply to everyone, regardless of their position in society, and regardless of their motives for having broken the law. He was supported by National Alliance Party president Ratu Epeli Ganilau and by United Peoples Party leader Mick Beddoes. Ganilau said that the notion that politically motivated crimes could be justified was "insulting to the intelligence of ordinary people," and that it represented a naive and uncaring attitude toward the hurt suffered by many during the 2000 coup. "The intention to bring a closure to investigations and litigation regarding the 2000 coup would be a severe interference of politics into the work of law enforcement in this country," Ganilau said. On 18 May, he added that he saw "nothing reconciliatory about the bill," which he believed to be aimed at legalizing the Muanikau Accord, which had been proposed by George Speight in 2000. "To use the word reconciliation is a gross violation of the rights of everyone in this nation," he said. Beddoes, for his part, called the proposal a recipe for disaster which would licence any would-be political activist who wanted to engage in coups, to do so. He accused the government of kow-towing to its junior coalition partner, the Conservative Alliance, on which it depends for its parliamentary majority, in order to keep them on board until the next parliamentary election, expected for 2006. On 7 May, Adi Koila Nailatikau added her own voice to the opposition to the commission, saying that if her father were alive, he would not approve of interfering with the course of justice, and that unless all perpetrators of the coup were brought to justice, "Fiji cannot put to rest the ghosts of the coup." Yet another opponent of the proposal is Commodore Frank Bainimarama, who has called the bill "Reconciliation bull." May 4 is the 124th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (125th in leap years). ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Reconciliation and Unity Commission is a proposed government body to be set up if the Reconciliation, Tolerance, and Unity Bill, which was introduced into the Fijian Parliament on May 4, 2005, is passed. ... Amnesty (from the Greek amnestia, oblivion) is an act of grace by which the supreme power in a state restores those who may have been guilty of any offence against it to the position of innocent persons. ... The Leader of the Opposition is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest opposition party in a Westminster System of parliamentary government. ... The National Alliance Party of Fiji (NAP) is a Fijian political party. ... Ratu is a title inherited by Fijians of chiefly rank. ... Ratu Epeli Ganilau (born 10 October 1951) is a Fijian soldier and statesman, who served as Chairman of the Bose Levu Vakaturaga (Great Council of Chiefs) from 2001 to 2004. ... The United Peoples Party is a political party in Fiji, whose support base lies chiefly among General Electors - Fiji Islanders who belong to ethnic minorities, such as Europeans, Chinese, Banaban Islanders, as well as multiracial people. ... Mick Beddoes Millis Malcome Beddoes, widely known as Mick Beddoes, is a Fijian politician, who has led the United Peoples Party (formerly the United General Party) since 2001. ... May 18 is the 138th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (139th in leap years). ... This article is about the year 2000. ... A coalition is an alliance between entities, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest. ... The Conservative Alliance (Matanitu Vanua in Fijian) is a nationalistic political party in Fiji. ... 2006 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 7 is the 127th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (128th in leap years). ... Adi Koila Mara Nailatikau Adi Koila Mara Nailatikau is a Fijian lawyer, who has served as a career diplomat and politician. ... The military rank of Commodore is used in some navies for officers whose position exceeds that of a Captain, but is less than that of a flag officer. ... Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, popularly known as Frank Bainimarama, (born 27 April 1954), is the Commander of the Fijian military, who served as Head of the Interim Military Government from 29 May to 13 July 2000, when he handed power over to the newly-appointed President Ratu Josefa Iloilo. ...

Expulsion of Ridgeway

On 3 May 2005, the Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, Peter Ridgeway, resigned in protest against political interference in the judicial system, namely the early release of prisoners. On 20 June, he was ordered to leave Fiji and return to his native Australia after Prime Minister Qarase vetoed a two-month extension of his contract. Ridgeway had been responsible for a number of high-profile prosecutions, and opposition politicians thought that his dismissal and expulsion were politically motivated. May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... June 20 is the 171st day of the year (172nd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 194 days remaining. ...

Speaking on ABC Radio Australia, Attorney-General Qoriniasi Bale said that it was the government's prerogative to decide on the employment of foreign workers in the civil service. Ridgeway's contract had been for a fixed term and had already expired. "It was subject to renewal at the option of the employer," Bale said. "It is not at his option or the option of any other person who may support him or whatever else." He denied that there was anything sinister about refusing Ridgeway the requested two-month contract extension to complete cases he had been working on. Qoriniasi Bale, Attorney-General of Fiji Qoriniasi Bale is a Fijian political leader, who has served as his countrys Minister for Justice and Attorney-General since 2000, when he joined what was then the interim government of Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase in the wake of the failed coup d... A civil servant or public servant is a civilian career public sector employee working for a government department or agency. ...

Ridgeway's expulsion was condemned by Opposition Leader Mahendra Chaudhry and by United Peoples Party leader Mick Beddoes, who claimed that the decision motivated by Ridgeway's prosecution of persons close to the government. He said that "two very prominent figures" were among those being pursued by Ridgeway; he did not name them, but one is believed to be former Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka. Beddoes predicted that these cases would "now gather dust." The post of Leader of the Opposition is a political office common in countries that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. ... Mahendra Pal Chaudhry (born 9 February 1942) is the leader of the Fiji Labour Party and currently the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. ... The United Peoples Party is a political party in Fiji, whose support base lies chiefly among General Electors - Fiji Islanders who belong to ethnic minorities, such as Europeans, Chinese, Banaban Islanders, as well as multiracial people. ... Mick Beddoes Millis Malcome Beddoes, widely known as Mick Beddoes, is a Fijian politician, who has led the United Peoples Party (formerly the United General Party) since 2001. ... Sitiveni Ligamamada Rabuka, OBE, (born September 13, 1948) is best known as the instigator of two military coups that shook Fiji in 1987. ...

On 23 June, Police Commissioner Andrew Hughes said he hoped that Ridgeway's expulsion would not affect the investigations and prosecutions underway. The Australian High Commission in Suva also said that it had been in touch with Fiji's Ministry of Foreign Affairs about the matter. It did not give details. Foreign Minister Kaliopate Tavola was "too busy" to comment at the immediately, but later said that he had discussed the affair with Australia's High Commissioner, Jennifer Rawlins. Relations with Australia, he said, would have to go on despite the "unfortunate" circumstances surrounding the dismissal of Ridgeway in what he called "a one-off situation." He did not believe the controversy would tarnish Fiji's image. June 23 is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 191 days remaining. ... A High Commissioner is a person serving in a special executive capacity. ... Suva (population 141,000) is the capital of Fiji. ... The Minister for Foreign Affairs (commonly known as the Foreign Minister) is Fijis Cabinet Minister responsible for international relations and diplomacy. ... Kaliopate Tavola Kaliopate Tavola is a Fijian economist, diplomat, and politician, who has been his countrys Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2000. ... A High Commissioner is a person serving in a special executive capacity. ...

The Military commander, Commodore Bainimarama, reacted angrily to Ridgeway's expulsion, saying on 25 June that it would seriously hinder investigations, which would have to start all over again. Ridgeway himself concurred. "There is nobody in the DPP’s office who has the knowledge of the coup cases that I do," he said. "And the reason for that is obvious: I have had an instrumental role in each and every coup case; I know it backwards. Nobody knows it as well as I do. For somebody to read into those sort of cases would be a six months job." June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ...

Bainimarama further alleged that Ridgeway was "almost closing in on" some major perpetrators of the coup when he was ordered to leave.

Compensation lawsuit

Forty-nine parliamentarians from the Fiji Labour Party and their People's Coalition partners in the 1999-2000 government have been suing George Speight and co-conspirator Timoci Silatolu for compensation. Former Police Commissioner Isikia Savua, whom the late President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara accused in his last recorded interview of involvement in the coup, is being sued also. The plaintiffs have been ordered by the court to cover the travel expenses of Savua, who is now Fiji's Ambassador to the United Nations in New York. Fijis Parliament is bicameral. ... The Fiji Labour Party is a political party in Fiji. ... 1999 is a common year starting on Friday Anno Domini (or the Current Era), and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... This article is about the year 2000. ... Timoci Silatolu, sometimes known by his chiefly title of Ratu, is a former Fijian politician who is currently serving a life sentence for treason in connection with his role in the coup détat which deposed the government, of which he was a part, in 2000. ... Fiji became a republic in 1987, when Queen Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom formally abdicated as Queen of Fiji, following two military coups led by Lieutenant Colonel Sitiveni Rabuka. ... Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara (May 6, 1920 – April 18, 2004) is considered the founding father of the modern nation of Fiji. ... An ambassador, rarely embassador, is a diplomatic official accredited to a foreign sovereign or government, or to an international organization, to serve as the official representative of his or her own. ... The United Nations, or UN, is an international organization established in 1945. ... State nickname: Empire State Other U.S. States Capital Albany Largest city New York City Governor George Pataki (R) Senators Charles Schumer (D) Hillary Rodham Clinton (D) Official languages None (English is de facto) Area 141,205 km² (27th)  - Land 122,409 km²  - Water 18,795 km² (13. ...

It was announced on 25 July 2005 that the hearing had been postponed to 12 August. July 25 is the 206th day (207th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 159 days remaining. ... 2005(MMV) is a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ...

In addition, former Prime Minister Chaudhry, along with some others who were held as hostages during the coup crisis (including his son Rajendra), are preparing to sue the government for what they way was Military and Police negligence. They allege that the Military and Police knew that a coup was likely, and did nothing about it. "They did not take the necessary steps to insulate the Prime Minister, Government Ministers, Parliamentarians and other staff against the threats," said Rajendra Chaudhry."As a result of their negligence, I had to endure physical torture and psychological trauma and am seeking compensation for these and related matters." On 15 August, Rajendra announced that he was suing for F$500,000, to cover loss of superannuation, medical expenses, and loss of future earnings. He said that his lawsuit was separate from his father's. August 15 is the 227th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (228th in leap years), with 138 days remaining. ... The Fijian dollar is the currency of Fiji. ...

A pre-trial conference for the lawsuit laid by the Fiji Labour Party will be held in the High Court on 9 September. Lawyer Vipul Misha is representing both Mahendra and Rajendra Chaudhry, as well as Dr Ganesh Chand, Giyannendra Prasad, Anand Singh, and the estate of Muthu Sami. A Queens Counsel has been asked to join the team. The Fiji Labour Party is a political party in Fiji. ... The High Court of Fiji is independent of the legislative and executive branches of the acting government. ... September 9 is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years). ... Queens Counsel (postnominal QC), during the reign of a male Sovereign known as Kings Counsel (KC), are barristers or, in Scotland, advocates appointed by Letters patent to be one of Her Majestys Counsel learned in the law. They do not constitute a separate order or degree of...

On 31 August, Justice Gerard Winter decided to adjourn till 30 September the hearing of the lawsuit of former FLP parliamentarians Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi and Gaffar Ahmed, after defence lawyer Akuila Naco asked for more time to prepare his case. August 31 is the 243rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (244th in leap years), with 122 days remaining, as the final day of August. ... September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 92 days remaining. ...

On 15 September, Justice Winter set 14 October for Mahendra Chaudhry's compensation trial to begin. He refused a request from Timoci Silatolu's lawyer for a Military investigation into the 2000 upheaval to be made public, after the Military lawyer claimed Military privilege. September 15 is the 258th day of the year (259th in leap years). ... October 14 is the 287th day of the year (288th in Leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year 2000. ...

See also:

• Fiji coup of 2000 (main article)
• Fiji coup of 2000:Timeline
• Fiji coup of 2000:Mutinies
• Fiji coup of 2000:Aftermath
• Fiji coup of 2000:Investigations
• Fiji coup of 2000:Trials
• Fiji coup of 2000:Subsequent military unrest