Heads Of Missions of Australia, New Zealand Given 24 Hours To Leave Fiji Post

November 4, 2009 6:01 a.m. EST

Suva, Fiji (AHN) - The Heads of Missions of Australia and New Zealand based in Fiji have been given 24 hours to leave the country.

This follows reports of travel bans placed on members of Fiji's judiciary and Government.

In a press conference Tuesday, Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama also confirmed that Fiji's High Commissioner to Australia is being recalled immediately.

The decision comes after the PM met with the Chief Justice Anthony Gates in Suva late yesterday afternoon expressing concern over the actions of the governments of the two neighbouring countries.

Justice Gates in a statement on November 1 expressed disappointment at the manner in which Family Court judge Anjala Wati's urgent medical visa was rejected by the New Zealand High Commission in Suva.

The Commission reportedly rejected her visa after stating that she had accepted an appointment with the Fiji Government.

According to Gates, the NZ High Commission 'changed its tune' after the matter was highlighted.

Following this the Australian Government reportedly rejected transit visas for new Sri Lankan judges recruited by the Fiji Government.

The judges, as a result traveled to Fiji via Korea.

In expressing concern, Gates maintained Fiji must have a judiciary.

"And it is not for Australia and New Zealand to tell us we cannot have one, or to tell us who we are to appoint.

"No international convention allows for such a supervisory role to a neighbouring state," he said.

Echoing these sentiments, PM Bainimarama told journalists in Suva that when the Rudd and Key Governments of Australia and NZ respectively, came into power, " believed that we would encounter enlightened thinking and policies based on friendship and understanding".

"Unfortunately, it has not happened."

"Instead all we have had is their heads of missions refusing to engage with government and engaging only with those Fijians who have a political interest in holding Fiji back," Bainimarama said.

He said his focus is to deal with "ills of the past to create a better future".

His focus he added, meant that he was upfront and honest in his engagements.

"That is why I cannot understand why Australia and New Zealand are engaged in a dishonest and untruthful strategy to undermine our judiciary, our independent institutions and our economy.

"I can accept their ban on me and my senior officers given the personalization of matters. But why punish those individuals both Fijians and non-Fijians who join the Judiciary?," he said.