Fiji lifts Public Emergency Regulation -

Cmdr. Bainimarama has approved the RFMF's Military Council's decision not to extend the Public Emergency Regulation - which was reimposed on September 6 in light of comments by ousted PM Laisenia Qarase which were interpreted as potentially destabilising for the country.

This in itself is a baby step towards returning to democracy, as it just returns the situation to where it was prior to the 6th of September. However, the interim government has made other important steps as well:

* The Census Bureau is in the final stages of preparing for the Census that is expected to undertaken in late 2007/early 2008.

* Reducing public expenditure through small austerity measures, and working through the Fiji Islands Commission Against Corruption - has removed public officials who long have been working for their own benefit.

* The establishment of a Council for Better Relations in Fiji - in lieu of an elected parliament - has improved consultation - but will cannot and should not serve analagous to an elected parliament.

Now the interim government should move to remove some of the more draconian restrictions that remain in Fiji - including the suspension of the Great Council of Chiefs, and encourage criticism of government ministries being seen not deliver the mandate of the President Ratu Josefa Illolio.

Whether Commodore Bainimarama likes it or not, the interim government (hopefully sooner rather than later) will have a successor democratic government - and that the reasons for removing the Qarase government will come under scrutiny. It is important for the interim PM to reestablish the international communities trust, by for example, pledging in private not to reinstitute the PER.

With regard to the court case proceeding against the dismissal of the Qarase government, Bainimarama will not lose or gain supporters domestically if he moves to abrogate the constitute the constitution if either defeat in the court case or the mandate of the interim government is under threat - it remains a small step further provided it is brief - and results in the reinstitution of a very similiar constitution promulgated by Sitiveni Rabuka in 1997.

If the stay of the interim government remains short, i.e. within 3 or 4 months of the date set by the EU (March 2009), and his leadership delivers an end the divisive racial politics promulgated by his predecessor, history is likely to look back kindly on his administration.