Fiji interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama admitted that elections will not be held in March next year, Fiji Radio reported on Friday.
He told local radio that the election time line is unachievable, because much-needed electoral reforms cannot be implemented in time.
In an interview with Radio Fiji, Commodore Bainimarama said, "there will be no elections next year."
Earlier this week Commodore Bainimarama and his government officials met with Pacific Islands foreign ministerial contact group and held talks on Fiji's progress toward democracy.
Bainimarama said the initial plan by Cabinet was to have elections in 2010 but even though there were no plans for electoral reform then.
He added that promises made because "the Pacific Islands Forum chairman and Tongan Prime Minister Feleti Sevele informed him that the international community would be flexible if more time was needed by Fiji".
He said that Fiji's commitment was altered by Sevele to the Forum Leaders meeting in Tonga last year.
Bainimarama had earlier given a pledge to hold elections in March, 2009 to the Pacific Forum.
Fiji's interim Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaium said the government did not intend to mislead the international community.
He said the people of Fiji are a lot more concerned about rising food prices than they are about an election.
Source:Xinhua
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