13 Jun 2006

Fiji Deputy Speaker declared bankrupt

10:05 am on 13 June 2006

A Fiji government MP elected into the House of Representatives only last month, Niko Nawaikula, is set to lose his parliamentary seat.

This follows publication of a notice by the government's official receiver, that the Suva Magistrate's Court has issued a Receiving Order against Mr Nawaikula.

The order means that Mr Nawaikula has been ajudged to be a bankrupt.

Fiji's Constitution says that among other things the place of a member of the House of Representatives becomes vacant if he is an undischarged bankrupt.

Mr Nawaikula was appointed Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives only last week.

The campaign director of the SDL party, Jale Baba, who contested Ba West Open constituency and received 60 votes in the election, was also declared a bankrupt last month.