Suva: Fiji President Josefa Iloilo on Friday swore in the country’s new government in a ceremony held under tight security.

A similar ceremony a week ago was aborted when coup plotter George Speight threatened civil war.

Earlier on Friday, in a move signaling a major defeat for coup leader George Speight, Laisenia Qarase was named to continue as Fiji’s interim prime minister.

Qarase, will head an interim unelected government for three years until general elections can be held.

Speight supporters, whose names featured in a line up announced a week earlier, have been dropped from the new ministry.

Speight had been demanding that diplomat Samanunu Cakobau be made prime minister.