'Give the PM More Time'

There is merit in giving the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, time to read through the Commission of Inquiry (COI) report into the appointment of Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC), commissioner, Barbara Malimali.

Counsel assisting the COI Janet Mason said there's a lot to consider given the seriousness of the report.

"There's a lot to work through. And I think that the time that he's taken is reasonable. It is fair," Ms Mason said.

"It is an important report. It has some quite serious consequences, and it is better for people to take the time to make good decisions about what they want to do, what the Prime Minister wants to do, then to rush into everything."

Ms Mason said because of the criminal investigations that occurred alongside the inquiry, the report contained those sorts of implications that needed time to process.

"It is probably better for the Prime Minister to have that time to get the legal advice that he needs and to make his decisions," she said.

"It may be well that, that part of the delay is because he's getting advice from an external private sector."

Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry said the Prime Minister should release the report no later than this weekend.

"While there may be some merit that the Prime Minister may need time, any further delay would only increase speculation," Mr Chaudhry said.

"It is known that there are serious allegations made in that report involving ministers and high ranking individuals," he said.

The Prime Minister received the final COI report on Wednesday last week. A draft copy of the report was in his possession prior to that.

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