Kreetika Kumar 
The government of national unity is only formed when there is a common external enemy.
Academic director of parliamentary law at the University of Tasmania, Richard Herr, says Fiji is facing an internal crisis which does not require national unity to resolve.
This follows after Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka signaled the possibility of forming a government of national unity.
Rabuka said that there is a strong potential for such a government, citing upcoming issues like constitutional changes and national reconciliation that would require widespread cooperation.
However Herr says that the government of national unity it is viable for Fiji.
“There’s a Government, there’s an opposition and it’s the role of the opposition to help keep the Government honest. If you have a Government of National Unity, they’re formed and only have been formed when there is a common external enemy. The crisis internally in Fiji is an internal crisis, it’s not an external one, and it’s not one that requires national unity to resolve.”
Herr believes that there is divisions in both within the coalition Government and Fiji First whereby they have to deal with strong divisions, on policy and personalities.
He also believes that the dispute over a pay raise for members of parliament might threaten the three-party coalition led by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka and his People’s Alliance party.
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