The chair of the Great Council of Chiefs, Ratu Viliame Seruvakula, has addressed concerns surrounding the release of George Speight and Shane Stevens, emphasizing their desire to restart their lives. He reassured those skeptical about their freedom, stating that there is no reason for the public to worry.
Ratu Viliame acknowledged the fears that Speight’s release could lead to unrest but insisted on the importance of promoting unity and moving forward as a society. He stated, “These two are coming out; they want to restart their lives,” and urged everyone to support the reconciliation process. He highlighted that the release of Speight, Stevens, and others previously released is part of this effort.
He recognized that concerns about Speight’s release were voiced by the public soon after the Coalition Government took office. Ratu Viliame recalled the strong stance of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF), agreeing with them that the timing of the release was problematic, as it occurred while Frank Bainimarama still held influence. He stated that the last thing the military needed at the time was to deal with further disruptions.