Suva, January 9
Fiji's coup leader, Commodore Frank Bainimarama who assumed power last month, has appointed Mahendra Chaudhry as the new interim finance minister.

Commodore Bainimarama has appointed half of the interim team to help him govern the Pacific island nation after more than a month of rule by military decree since the December 6 coup.

Chaudhry, who was the first ethnic Indian to become prime minister after his Labour Party won an election in 1999, was overthrown the following May by an armed group of indigenous Fijian nationalists led by businessman George Speight.

Chaudhry has taken over his new charge Tuesday, according to a report in the FijiLive newspaper. He will also be responsible for the national planning, sugar reform and public enterprises portfolios. — IANS