New Zealand has decided to ease sanctions and increase aid to Fiji after the Pacific Island nation's military regime adopted a new constitution on Sept 6 and said it would hold election. The constitution, signed by President Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, establishes a 50-member parliament, election every four years and grants each citizen a vote.

New Zealand Foreign Affairs Minister Murray McCully welcomed the new constitution and Fiji's progress towards holding democratic elections. McCully said on Thursday that, New Zealand has decided to end travel bans on sports teams and those peripherally connected to the 2006 coup. However, travel bans for key regime leaders will remain in place, McCully said.

A military regime has been in power in Fiji since 2006 when Commodore Frank Bainimarama, the incumbent Prime Minister, seized power in coup. Fiji has seen four coups since gaining independence from Britain in 1970.

New Zealand has also reinstated 10 postgraduate scholarships for Fijian students. The country will also be increasing financial aid and election assistance to Fiji to help the country in its transition towards democracy. The island country traditionally shares close relations with New Zealand and Australia. Both nations have a large expatriate community from Fiji. Diplomatic relations between the countries were restored only last year. Meanwhile, Fijian leader Bainimarama has been all praise of the new constitution, its 4th in 43 years.

"On any fair reading, it safeguards the rights of every Fijian and finally lays the basis for the development of a modern, progressive and enlightened state," Bainimarama was quoted as saying.

Bainimarama has promised to hold elections next year, which he plans to contest.

However, many observers fear the constitution will curtail certain freedoms and is self-serving to the military regime. Provisions in it allow leaders to suspend certain freedoms for reasons of threats to public safety, general order and morality. Critics say such provisions effectively give leaders immunity and are bound to be abused.