Dia dan anggota kabinetnya dijadikan sandera di parlemen oleh Speight dan para pendukungnya selama lebih dari tujuh pekan sebelum pihak militer mengangkat warga pribumi Fiji, bankir Laisenia Qarase sebagai perdana menteri.
He and members of his cabinet were held hostage at parliament by Speight and his supporters for more than seven weeks before the military installed indigenous Fijian banker Laisenia Qarase as prime minister.