Pacific

Fiji police rank and file accept change in leadership

16:59 pm on 7 December 2006

The Fiji police have accepted the change in the leadership after the acting commander, Moses Driver, was removed by the military.

This comes as the military council keeps culling the ranks of the public service of those who object to the overthrow of the government.

Walter Zweifel reports from Suva.

"Moses Driver left the police force as officers at the Police Tactical Response Unit in Nasinu traditionally accepted the new acting commissioner, Lt Col Jimi Koroi, who was appointed last night. This comes as the military has sacked among others the police commissioner, Andrew Hughes, the solicitor-general Nanendra Nand and the chairman of the Public Service Commission, Stuart Huggett. The finance ministry chief, Paula Uluinaceva, was not in in office when soldiers entered the ministry building searching for him. Staff turn-out at the prime minister's office was low today as its chief executive, Jioji Kotobalavu, has been sacked and removed."