sense that our approach are quite gentle

by nature. We believe in being as peace ful as we can and that we should respect our political rivals. We feel that we can differ with dignity. This is what I will continue to do. • If you became Prime Minister of Fiji, what would you like done?

The idea of prime ministership is so remote from my list of priorities. There are more pressing issues that we need to work towards as a party. The idea of achieving office or the idea of even thinking about that is far from my mind at this time.

I want to be seen more as a servant who is willing to serve. I don’t want to be seen as having dreams of high office and I don’t want to place too much emphasis on achieving status and all that. That is the biggest challenge that I face. • What are your priorities?

To fill the vacuum that most of our people feel in the party about the death of my husband. It is important to re mind our people that we must not be overwhelmed by the loss and that we must carry on. I feel that I can contri bute something to bring back confidence to our people. • Is your appointment a boost for women in Fiji?

Yes, I think so. But I am not the first.

A lot of other women have made big contributions in government and the pri vate sector. Women have achieved very important positions and this will enhance the aspirations Fiji women can have.

This shows that they, too, can rise to the occasion if demanded of them. • Would you like to work with the interim government?

That is the only thing we can do, realistically there is no other way. We have to face reality. The interim govern ment is running the government. We have proved in the last two-and-a-half years that the Coalition Party cannot set up a government in exile. If it was possi ble I would have done it, but since we have not been able to I think it is reason able to co-operate as much as we can.

The ways and means of doing that will only be clearer after I have had full dis cussions with party members. • Is your strong customary base an advan tage?

There are both advantages and dis advantage. One of the disadvantages is that I can be seen by fellow Fijians as some kind of a traitor. But I want to dwell on the advantages rather than on that element of disadvantage I want to show that being Fijian is irrelevant when it comes to national leadership. What is important is to have an individual who has the strength and character to speak

out and to offer a helping hand, one who is sincere about reconciliation. It is not important if you are a Fijian or an Indian leader.

As far as my links with the chiefly system is concerned, I feel there is an advantage there that I can at least speak to some that my people are traditionally related to and I think they will listen and that will make the struggle easier. It would have been more difficult if I didn’t have that link with the chiefly system. • Will you accept the draft constitution which gives indigenous Fijians a numerical advantage in parliament?

I am a great believer in the thought that no group of people has an inborn right to think itself superior to other so cial groups. I abhor any form of discri mination and I will continue to oppose the draft constitution although I am sensitive to what Fijians say about pro

tecting their indigenous rights. I appreci

ate their fears and I will go to great lengths to protect Fijian rights because I am a Fijian myself.

But we should not overdo it and turn around and tell other racial groups that because they belong to one particular ra cial group they should have less say in parliament. I don’t think that’s right. It’s wrong from a Christian viewpoint and it’s wrong from a Fijian viewpoint. Fi jians always show grace and are always nice to people whom we think do not belong to our community as such. • What killed your husband?

He had cancer. It was an incurable form of cancer. • Did it have anything to do with the stress suffered after the coup?

I was told by some doctors that it was very much stress-related. • What are your memories?

There is a lot of sadness in it. It’s been one of the most difficult times of my life, being with him in the last few weeks when he was in hospital. It’s been very hard for me personally because I know that as a person he was a very strong man, although he was very gentle. To see him physically fading out was some thing that hurt me deeply and some thing I will not forget for the rest of my life.

There are some good memories of being together in the last few weeks, last few months when he continued to sug gest things that have to be said in press statements, he continued to joke with his friends. He did not want his friends and supporters to show pity on him. Those are the qualities that I want to remember him by. Although he was undergoing a lot of stress and experiencing a lot of pain he never showed it.

• Did you consider the possibility that peo ple might not accept having a woman as leader?

Yes, I thought about that and I am not totally blind to the reality that some of our locals might not like a woman as head of a political party. It depends on me, on how I conduct myself. It can be done. If you focus on the opportunity to serve then you will be able to convince the people that it doesn’t really matter whether it’s a man or woman who leads. • Are you prepared for the dirty game of politics?

I believe that politics does not have to be dirty, does not have to be rough. I believe that it can be graceful and digni fied, and that you can still say things with conviction, sincerity. Generally speaking, you win more respect from people if you say and do things with grace and dignity. This way, in the end, you end up being a better person and a

better politician.

• Would you lead the Coalition into gener al elections or would you encourage boycott?

That is something that I want to re serve comment on until after consulta tion with the party. It has to be a party decision. It’s too important an issue for me to say something on right away. • Would you join the interim administra tion?

That is for the party management board to decide. • Were you ever double-minded about leading the Coalition?

Yes, certainly, because I have never seen myself as someone being fully equipped for this high office. I still think that the party has other people who are more capable and more experienced than I am. But perhaps the time is not right for them to take on this role. I think the time is right for me to be given the opportunity but I don’t think I am the best in the party. • How much has the country grown since the coup?

I cannot speak for the government, I only know about the civil service because I worked there. We have really per formed very well as a civil service and although there has been a lot of migra tion experienced in various fields, in teaching, in medicine and technical and other professional areas, there were other civil servants who were left behind and they really performed well. Credit must go to how the civil service has been managed and credit must go to the senior civil servants who helped maintain efficiency and productivity in the civil service since 1987. D