Nothing is wrong with the 1997 Constitution but improvements should be considered.
Calls for restoration of 1997 constitution
07:46 Today
Taken from/By: FBC News
Report by: Vosita Kotoiwasawasa
Strong submissions have been made to the Constitutional Commission at its public hearings.
A good amount of the submissions at the Lami Catholic Hall yesterday called for the return of the 1997 constitution.
One such submission was from Sepesa Niumataiwalu who says nothing is wrong with the 1997 Constitution but improvements should be considered.
“I think the 1997 constitution should be reinstated but with amendments to certain clauses”
Tevita Tabalailai made a call for iTaukei to be adopted as the official language of Fiji.
“The i-Taukei language is to become the national language. It should be taught from the primary level right to university level so that everybody that wish to be a citizen of Fiji must make an effort to understand.”
Meanwhile –another citizen – Nikotimo Naulumatua touched on an issue that’s being debated around the world…should Fiji legalize same sex marriages?
“In my belief – it is not right to have same sex marriages. I wonder where that law came from?”
The Commission will be in Navua tomorrow to conduct public hearings in the area.
The 1997 Constitution should NOT have been abrogated in the first place. The people of Fiji had no say in that arbitrary decision to trash that constitution. Tell me something.Did that constitution have a provision for its amendment as and when required? Well? So why was it trashed? It was done – arbitrarily – for one purpose : to serve the agenda of the military junta. This new public constitutional consultation and the writing of a new constitution is a false need foisted on the people of Fiji by the junta and its cronies.
Why is the constitution commission visiting only Fijian villages?
The majority of people attending consultations in the urban centers are Fijians, and the majority of people making submissions are Fijians.
Some are even attending and speaking at every session – the Fijian nationalists at least have organised themselves to bombard the Commission.
And then the Commission’s program is at Fijian village halls, Methodist Church Halls – are they not making an effort to encourage Indo-Fijians to make submissions??
The program takes them to Lau, Kadavu, Lomaiviti, Vanua Levu, all over Viti Levu, and most of it is at Fijian villages – why not Indian farming communities??
Are you serious??
Who are the staff of the commission – is it just the SFCCO office with Kisoko? Shouldn’t it be independent from the thieves in government? How many soldiers working for the commission and passing on submissions like the one with SDL on it to Graham Davis?
The programme of the Constitution Commission looks like the same programme followed by Kisoko Cagituivei and the Charter propaganda team the last four years – are only Fijians living in Fiji?
Why not visit Indian and farming communities and less village halls and methodist church halls?
Date Area Venue
3 August Suva Civic Centre
4 August Suva Nasinu Town Council Chambers – all day
6 August Suva Salvation Army
7 August SUVA Parliament complex
8 August Lami
Sawani
Waidina Catholic Hall
Sawani Community Hall
Nabukaluka Community Hall
9 August SUVA COMMISSION WORK
10 August Navua
Korovisilou Namosi Provincial Council Hall
Ratu Latianara School
11 August Nausori Nausori Catholic Church
13 August Nausori
Tailevu Nausori Catholic Church
Tailevu College Hall
13 August Tailevu Nayavu Community Hall
Natovi –st vincentian
14 August
15 August SUVA
FNU Nasinu Campus event
Parliament complex
16-17 August Suva
Tacirua /Tamavua (health Centre)
Nadera/ Valelevu catholic hall
17 August Rewa Lomainikoro Village Building
20-21 August Nadi
20 August Evening 6-9
FNU Namaka campus Nadi Civic Centre
Sabeto- Namaka Methodist Hall
Nawaka-Korovuto Secondary
Vaturu – Namaka Methodist
22-23 August Yasawa Nacula Community Hall
Naviti- Malevu Community Hall
Yasawa I rara-yasawa community hall
Malolo – Solevu Community Hall
24-25 August Lautoka
24 August evening Lautoka Town Council chambers and Girmit centre
Vitogo-Matuwalu Village Hall
Nailaga- Talaya Muslim School Hall
University LTC
27-29 August Ba
BA FNU – afternoon
28 – August early evening. Ba town
Bulu – Varavu Muslim School
Magodro- Bukuya Community Hall
Nalotawa – Moto sanatan School
30-31 August Vatukoula/Tavua Tavua – Tavualevu Village Hall
Vatukoula Methodist hall
Nadarivatu – community hall
SEPTEMBER
1-4 Sept Rakiraki/Ra Rakiraki – village Hall
Rakiraki – community Hall
Saivou – Nanukuloa Comm hall
Nakorotubu- Tobu Community hall
Nailuva – Burenitu Community hall
Raviravi/Tokaimalo – Draunivi village hall
5 Sept Wainibuka Nayavu Community Hall
6 Sept Wainimala Lutu Village Hall
7 Sept Monasavu
Vunidawa Naqelewai Hall
Veitalacagi Provincial hall
7or 8 Sept Lomaivuna Methodist Church Hall
10 Sept Sept Namosi Navunikabi Village Hall
NamosiKoro Village Hall
11-13 Sept Sigatoka Navola Community Hall
Sigatoka Village Community Hall
Lomaiwai Village
Kavanagasau Public School
VatumaliGovt Station
NAVOSA – (need space)
14-15 Sept Kadavu Namuana Village Hall
Lawaki- Kavala Village Hall
Nabukelevu – ira
17-19 Sept Levuka – Moturiki
Lomaiviti group Levuka town hall
Peceli Hall
Koro Island – Namacu
Gau /Batiki/Nairai –Navukailagi – QaraniComm Hall
20-22 Sept Rotuma Ahau Government Station
24-26 Sept
Lau Vanubalavu – Lomaloma community hall
Lakeba – Tubou Community hall
Moala – Naroi community hall
27-28 Sept Labasa
27 Sept afternoon-evening FNU Labasa Civic Centre
Udu-Nukusa Community Hall
VisoqoVilage Hall
28 Sept Macuata Seaqaqa – Natadrave Forestry Hall
29-2Oct Sept
Sunday off Bua Lekutu Secondary School
Nakawakawa Village Hall
Naulumatua House – Nabouwalu – Naulumatua House
Kubulau – Namalata Village Hall
OCTOBER
3 -4Oct Sept Savusavu Savusavu Market or Yaroi Village Hall
Navatu – Nasinu Village Hall
Buca Village Hall
Rabi Island- Nuku Hall
5 -6 Oct Taveuni Somosomo Hall
Catholic Training centre
8-10 Oct Suva
USP 9TH Oct panel And submissions.
Civic Centre
Parliament
MGM secondary school
Any legal order should satisfy a standard of reason; irrationality in legal rules and procedures always appears as a deficiency in need of correction. The legal order should also satisfy a standard of will; law should be a product of popular consent.
Law that appears to make no contact with popular will, either past or present, is as problematic as law without reason.
Ghai and the thugs with guns he is working for need to listen to the people. It is not up to colonial bigots and facists to decide the future of Fiji. Look at some of the white trash attacking Fijians (and Samoans) and their culture and religion. Look who is running the compromised and corrupted judicial system? Look who is lying through her teeth at MINFO? Look at the racist and bigotted comments (increasingly hysterical) coming from the two pro human rights abusing junta blogs – bigotted trash. Enough is enough of these facist fools. Time for the military and the people of Fiji to wake up to what is being imposed on them by foreigners and interlopers?
People are expecting too much of constitutions.
If the citizens of a country are committed to democratic government and are fair-minded, the country can do well with a poor or mediocre constitution. But if the citizens of a country are not committed to democratic government and are not fair-minded, the country will not do well even if it has the best possible constitution.
One of the problems with the 1997 Constitution is that it is too detailed. A constitution is supposed to be a framework for government and specify such things as how people are qualified to be voters, how they should be represented, and how the legislative, executive, and judicial branches should function. It should also specify basic rights, such as free speech, freedom of the press, etc. However, it should not contain myriads of details. Rather, the details, such as speed limits, proper age for marriage, etc. etc., should be determined by laws enacted by the government. The 1997 Constitution contains far too many details, details which should be specified by laws enacted by the government rather than being in the Constitution.
But we are writting a new constitution here.Lets do away with the old one
The new one me lai cara ga ni dei Voreqe.
@ FRE
I agree.
But the problem of commitement to democracy is not a “citizen” problem.the citizens have always been okay with the constitution. THE PROBLEM IN FIJI IS ROGUE LEADERSHIP.
@FRE
I wholeheartedly agree with you and you have as the saying goes ‘hit the nail on the head’.
As for Kite Flyers comment it has one major flaw and that is that the Leadership have ALSO been citizens of Fiji.
You can spend as much time and effort as you want producing constitutions, laws and whatever and will never achieve a full consensus of agreement of all citizens.
It all comes down to respect and whilst Fiji has a high percentage of those who show no respect to there fellow citizens progress for all will be slowed.
1997 constitution is perfect document.
problem is selfish army commanders and ministers.
we will rewrite constitution every time we have coup circus in fiji.
fiji biggest problems is the army -why not rewrite army laws.
I think that those who have made the call to have the i-Taukei language as the national language are patriotic people…but have failed to consider the benefit of having a national language that will link us to the rest of the world… therefore it’s an absurd call…