Shocked Vidiri fears for Fiji economy

By TONY WALL and NAOMI LARKIN

We flew into Nadi Airport last night on a half-empty plane with indigenous and Indian Fijians, tourists and media.

Many of those booked on the Air New Zealand flight from Auckland had cancelled their seats after a warning against travel from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

But among those who braved the journey was former All Black and Auckland Blues Super 12 winger Joeli Vidiri.

Nadi Airport was quiet when the flight arrived about 10.30 pm. There was no sign of the trouble raging in Suva, a two-hour drive away, although taxi drivers were reluctant to take travellers to the capital.

Vidiri was escorting his grandparents, who have spent the past five months in New Zealand. He said he heard about the coup when he arrived at Auckland Airport and was shocked.

He was a schoolboy at the time of the 1987 coups and said their effects were "not too bad" as they were military-led.

"This [yesterday's coup] seems to be some guy trying to make a hero of himself."

He was concerned that a civilian coup could be more dangerous as "they don't know what they're doing."

Vidiri was worried about the effects on Fiji's economy, which was in a rebuilding phase. He said the Chaudhry Government was running the country well and had carried out its election promises.

Fiji Indian Sundeep Singh, aged 24, was returning to Fiji after eight months in South Korea training as a shipbuilder.

He hoped to take a taxi to Suva to see his sister and her family and was concerned for their safety.

The phones were still down but he understood from television reports that it was dangerous for Indians. "This is an elected Government. They can't do this."

A 57-year-old Fiji Indian, who did not want to be named, said the coup would have its biggest impact on the economy. "The economy will go down."

Both he and his wife, who flew to Fiji on Thursday after a week visiting family in New Zealand, said they expected yesterday's developments to revive the racism against Indians that followed the 1987 coups.

Grant and Marjorie Anderson, of Auckland, were among the tourists who decided to keep to their holiday plans. They and their children had decided to go ahead with their planned trip as they were going to an island resort a long way from Suva and believed they would be safe.