Fiji sanctions lifted

The Dom Post reports:

New Zealand is lifting travel sanctions against Fiji, Foreign Minister Murray McCully has confirmed.

In a statement, McCully said the progress Fiji was making towards holding free and fair elections deserved recognition from the Pacific region and international communtiy.

“There are now more than 500,000 people registered to vote in the September elections, electoral commissioners have been appointed and importantly Commodore Bainimarama has stepped down as the head of the Military.

The Fijian elections are three days before the NZ ones.

It is almost inevitable Bainimarama will be elected Prime Minister. What will be interesting is how he copes without military powers and an actual opposition. For me, it is the second election that will be the interesting one.