Exclusive: Jim Sanday, Chair of the National Defence and Security Review Tells

James Sanday walked away from Fiji's military service in 1987, to uphold his Oath of Allegiance to the Queen.

"I walked away from the Army after the coup of 1987 because I did not want to be involved in the coup," he said from Australia on Friday.

"When I joined in 1968, I swore an Oath of Allegiance to the Queen.

"I chose to honour that oath which I still do to this day as an Australian citizen."

Mr Sanday and Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka joined the Army on the same day in January 1968.

"We were army buddies," he said.

"In 1987, he went one way, and I went another.

"He has since apologised and is remorseful.

"As Christians, we should accept that, and move on.

"There is no rift between us.

"I will always consider him a friend, and I treasure our time together in the Army.

"I still respect him as a person and as a friend."

Mr Sanday moved to Australia after the coup in 1987 to link up with his paternal 'kaivalagi' side.

"Australian Sanday's, my 'kaivalagi' grandfather's people, are in the Hawkesbury River area, west of Sydney," he said.

"My wife and I became fruit pickers on my uncle's citrus farm.

"I am very proud of that - I show it on my CV."

Mr Sanday was born on his grand father's property at Vukawa, near Nadelei, in the interior of Tavua.

His mother, Elena, was from Burerua, Tailevu.

Mr Sanday joined the Australian Commonwealth Government in 1994 as a public servant, and retired in 2017.

"The Minister for Home Affairs, Pio Tikoduadua, asked me to come help Fiji once again," he said.

"I remembered the Fijian song we used to sing in the Army, 'Rogo mai na kaci ni noqu Matanitu'.

"I said a short prayer and asked God to help me decide.

"I decided to serve the people of Fiji once more."

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