Pacific

Praise for the work of the late former Fiji Deputy Prime Minister, Adi Kuini Speed

14:35 pm on 4 January 2005

Fiji's opposition leader, Mahendra Chaudhry, has praised the contribution made to the nation's politics by leader the the Fijian Association Party, Adi Kuini Speed, who died over the weekend.

The Navosa high chief and former deputy Prime Minister and Fijian Affairs minister died at her private estate in Suva after a long battle with cancer.

The Fiji Sun newspaper says she will be laid to rest at her chiefly village in Korolevu in two weeks time.

Mr Chaudhry said Adi Kuini has stood up to the two coups of 1987 and 2000 - events which she endured very personally.

He said she still had a lot to offer in terms of nation building.

In his condolence message, Mr Chaudhry said Adi Kuini was never flinching in her opposition to the two coups and the pervasion of racism that accompanied them.

The Fiji Sun says she will be best remembered in political circles for her fight to have a code of conduct for high chiefs.