OUSTED Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase yesterday told the High Court he did not invite military intervention from foreign island countries but inquired about the possibility of military assistance.
At about midday yesterday, Mr Qarase took the stand 13 months after he was removed from office and said he was not aware of a document prepared by the Home Affairs Ministry for the Forum Islands Ministers' meeting in Australia which supported "third party intervention, even military assistance".
Under cross-examination by Queen's Counsel Gerard McCoy, Mr Qarase said he did not know of the document prepared by the ministry because the situation in Fiji "was fluid" and he was moving around a lot in the days leading up to the 2006 coup.
Reading out parts of the Home Affairs brief, Mr McCoy said the paper highlighted how "Fiji was now in a position to consider foreign intervention".
This followed months of ongoing conflict between Mr Qarase and the head of the RFMF, Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, which came to a head three weeks before the coup took place, Mr McCoy said.
Mr Qarase said while offers of assistance from forum countries were numerous, they was not specific, prompting his queries. He likened the type of assistance he had in mind to situations in the Solomons and East Timor where Australian and New Zealand armies were called in.
While refuting suggestions his government was dysfunctional at that time, and admitting that he should have seen the material before it was tabled at the Forum foreign ministers meeting, Mr Qarase's responses led to party supporters filling the room with jeering and laughter when at one point he told Mr McCoy: "If you listen carefully to the audio, I never invited military intervention".
The audio in question was a recording played back to the court of a radio interview Mr Qarase had with BBC News, where he said he had made inquiries about military assistance.
When shown a script of a conversation between former Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer and a Phillip Clarke over Mr Qarase's alleged call for military intervention, Mr Qarase said he could not comment as the discussion was between two people. He denied asking Mr Downer on three occasions for military intervention on the eve of the 2006 coup. He said at around that time he was in the interior of Viti Levu and did not return until late.
Mr Qarase maintained he was still the constitutional Prime Minister since May 18, 2006 even if he was not physically in office. His comments followed questions from Mr McCoy over Mr Qarase's refusal to resign from office and qualify for a pension. Mr McCoy said 21 members of the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party who were in Mr Qarase's Cabinet had received pensions. Mr Qarase was the exception, he said.
Mr McCoy said Mr Qarase contradicted himself because in a hand-written letter to the secretary of Cabinet three days after being removed from office, he signed off as former prime minister.
Mr Qarase's letter showed he opted for an annual gratuity of $67,000, and $1,542 a fortnight. This did not include $30,000 a year to meet expenses in accordance with the Prime Minister's Pension Act. In his defence, Mr Qarase said he made enquiries about his entitlement which he said was his right but was later told he had to resign first.
"The ink was hardly dry when you put your hand up for money from the new Government," Mr McCoy said. Mr Qarase repeated he was still prime minister and knew later he was entitled to his pension on the condition that he resigned from office.
When asked who informed him that he did not qualify for a pension, Mr Qarase quickly replied: "I told myself because I never resigned".
The case continues today with deposed Home Affairs Minister Josefa Vosanibola taking the stand.