Prime Minister announced that his country will not hold elections this year.

Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama announced on 19 January 2009 that his country will not hold elections this year. Leaders of the Pacific Islands Forum, who are scheduled to meet in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, next week, had hoped that the ruling military government of Fiji would hold elections by March 2009 as originally planned. The announcement has placed significant pressure on the upcoming Pacific Islands Forum meeting to sanction Fiji's military leaders and force them to schedule an election date for 2009. Forum leaders have indicated that the body will consider suspending Fiji's membership. Bainimarama has told reporters that he may not attend the meeting in Port Moresby, as the recovery effort from last week's severe flooding in Fiji is still ongoing.