Jailed Fiji minister resigns

A Fijian cabinet member jailed this week over his involvement in the 2000 coup attempt has resigned, Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase said today.

He said Lands and Mineral Resources Minister Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu's resignation was effective from last Monday, the day he was convicted and sentenced on the Fijian island of Vanua Levu.

The prime minister flew to the island yesterday to visit Lalabalavu.

The minister was jailed for eight months along with a government senator and two high chiefs for illegal assembly during a mutiny at a Vanua Levu army barracks at the time of the 2000 crisis.

Qarase said he was grateful to Lalabalavu for volunteering his resignation.

"Ratu Naiqama was very particular that the law must be respected and he would like everyone to remain calm," he said in a statement.

Qarase had been under pressure from two former prime ministers to immediately dismiss the minister once he was convicted.

Lalabalavu belongs to a governing coalition party which is led by the brother of coup leader George Speight.

Speight, who is serving a life sentence for treason, held members of an elected government hostage for nearly two months in 2000 before the army intervened.

- AAP