Forgiveness is the way forward-Rabuka |
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| Publish date/time: 14/10/2012 [13:07]
Forgiveness is the way forward and should be included in the new constitution. |
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Tag Archives: constitution
FNPF pensioners look for some security for their savings……. and ask for their dignity to be respected.
FNPF pensioners want full protection of their rights |
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| Publish date/time: 14/10/2012 [13:03]
The Fiji National Provident Fund pensioners have requested that the constitutional Bill of Rights include full protection for the rights and interests of pensioners. |
More on the FLP submission
FLP questions judiciary’s independence
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October 12, 2012 03:51
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Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry today questioned the independence and authority of Fiji’s judiciary system. In his party’s final submission to the Constitutional Commission, Chaudhry said the independence and authority of the judiciary have been “seriously compromised by the promulgation of the Administration of Justice Decrees 9 and 10 of 2009”. He submitted that these decrees should be repealed. “Judges and magistrates are now appointed by the President on the advice of the Judicial Services Commission following consultation with the Prime Minister and the Attorney General,” Chaudhry said. He said even magistrates cannot be appointed unless the Judicial Services Commission consults with the Prime Minister and the Attorney General. “The authority of the courts has been circumscribed to exclude from its jurisdiction any application or matter challenging any decision or action of the regime – its ministers and officials etc – retrospective to 5th December 2006 and all actions pending in the courts in such matters were discontinued under the decrees,” Chaudhry said. He said the allegation of interference with and the manipulation of the judiciary by the Attorney General as alleged in a petition dated July 12, 2012 to the PM by the former president of the Fiji Court of Appeal, Justice William Marshall, has shaken the confidence of the people in the judiciary. “We are not saying that the allegations are true but the truth of the matter can only be established after an independent investigation,” Chaudhry added. He also added that the legislature should also require judges and magistrates to deliver their judgments/ decisions within six months of the date in which the hearings concluded. “There have been cases where judgments remained undelivered for very long periods (years in fact) thus delaying and denying justice to the parties,” he added. By Indrani Krishna |
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FLP Submission
GCC should be retained-FLP |
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| Publish date/time: 12/10/2012 [17:14]
Fiji Labour Party Leader Mahendra Chaudhry has said that the Constitution should provide the circumstances under which the military forces may be deployed either in Fiji or abroad must receive the approval of parliament.
Chaudhry has said that the Constitution should also explicitly provide for both the ministerial control of the military forces as well as its command.
He said the Constitution should state that a military force may only be raised or maintained in Fiji under the authority of an Act of Parliament.
He said the Great Council of Chiefs should be retained.
Chaudhry said they propose that the GCC be retained in its role as an advisory body to the government on issues relating to the well being of the indigenous Fijians.
The Council may act on matters referred to it by the Minister responsible or it may take up such issues on its own initiative.
He has proposed to the Constitution Commission that there is no need to write a new constitution.
He said problem is not constitution but lack of respect for the constitution and the rule of law in Fiji.
He adds the 1997 constitution should be retained as the base document.
Chaudhry has proposed that the full term of the House of Representatives should be reduced from five years to four years from the date of its first meeting after a general election.
He said polling must commence no later than 21 days after the last day of the receipt of nominations.
He said the timeline for by election on should be amended to read three years and six months.
Chaudhry said they are proposing that the 71 members remain in the House of Representatives including 26 seats reserved for various communities that make up Fiji to be shared as twelve seats for Indigenous Fijians, ten for Indo Fijians, one for Rotumans and three seats for General Electors.
He said there should be 45 open seats to be filled by voting in 15 three member heterogeneous constituencies is by members of the various ethnic communities residing in Fiji.
They are proposing that the Upper House of the Senate should be constituted of 35 members of which 30 would be nominated by the leaders of political parties based on the proportion of primary votes obtained by their parties.
The remaining five of whom atleast one should be a Rotuman, to be appointed by the President to represent minority communities or groups which would otherwise be under represented or not represented in parliament.
He proposes that Senate should not have any veto powers or powers that override the authority of the House of Representatives.
The Constitution should require that the House of Representatives and the Senate should sit together as an Electrol College for the purposes of electing as President and Vice President one of the pairs of candidates nominated for those offices.
The election should be by secret ballot under the preferential system. A candidate to be successful must obtain at least 50% plus one of the valid votes cast.
He further proposes that the President’s term of office should be limited to one term of five years and he or she should not be eligible for reappointment.
The Vice President’s term should be similarly limited except that he or she could be nominated for the office of the President on expiry of his or her term as VP.
He said the Constitution should clarify that the President does not have any reserve powers or authority other than that prescribed in the Constitution and that the President must act only on the advice of the Cabinet except where he or she is empowered by law to act on the advice of any other authority or Minister.
The constitution should require that the Prime Minister must establish a multi ethnic Cabinet from among members of the House of Representatives or the Senate.
FLP has suggested that the number of cabinet ministers should not exceed 18 and that Deputy Minister should be limited to six mainly for larger ministries.
Chaudhry said the preferential system of voting known as alternative vote is to be retained. A candidate must secure 50% plus 1 of the total valid votes cast to be elected as a member of the House of Representatives.
Chaudhry said a person’s right to vote and to be registered as a voter should clearly prescribe in the Constitution.
He has proposed that voting age should be lowered to 18.
He stress that residential qualification of two year must be maintained.
In order to enable and encourage the participation of women in politics they propose that should the number of successful women candidates be less than 15, then additional woman be nominated to parliament so that the total number of women members is not than 15.
FLP proposes that ALTA to remain an entrenched legislation, leases under ALTA to be given out for a minimum of 50 years to provide security of tenure and encourage investment in the agricultural sector, rent should be put at 10% of the Unimproved Capital Value but the State should continue to meet the additional 4% as subsidy to growers.
He proposes for a special Constitutional Court be established to expeditiously determine matter arising under the Constitution or involving its interpretation.
He said the current practice of such matters being dealt with through the High Court has its disadvantages, is time consuming and expensive.
Chaudhry said additional women to be nominated to parliament and women should not have less than fifteen seats in the House Of Representatives.
He has recommended that the person to be appointed Attorney General must be a qualified to be appointed a judge of the High Court.
The establishment and functions of the Human Rights Commission should be maintained as provided for in the 1997 Constitution.
However its membership should be enlarged to five members drawn from a good cross section of the society of whom atleast two should be women.
The Constitution should require the establishment of a national minimum wage mechanism to determine minimum wage levels in the various sectors of the economy.
He said to counter the adverse effects the escalating levels of poverty and social hardships the FLP has recommended that the Constitution should protect the poor by requiring the State to follow the principles of natural justice in such circumstances.
Chaudhry said the party has recommended the introduction of a State Pension Scheme to cater for all senior citizens above the age of 65 who are not in receipt of any other pension or other benefits and who are without adequate means of support to provide for their basic necessities of food, clothing and shelter.
Special parliamentary majorities, he recommended sections 191 to 192 in the 1997 constitution be appropriately amended to reflect the changed composition of both houses and requiring the support of 75% of members of both houses to alter act of the constitution.
He has urged the Commission to include a provision of the transnational arrangement to the draft constitution requiring the President to appoint an independent caretaker administration to assume charge of the government until such time as the government elected under the new constitution takes office.
Story by: Ronal Deo
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What to do with the military………..
Withdraw RFMF officers from all current governance structures-FWCC |
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| Publish date/time: 12/10/2012 [17:32]
The Fiji Women’s Crisis Centre has called for the total withdrawal of the Fiji Military Forces from all current governance structures and the reduction in the size of the RFMF. |
Recomendations in the 2004 defence white paper need to be incorporated in to the constitution
UPP Submission…….All funds except salaries and pensions to be frozen in the event of an illegal takeover — only to be reinstated once the democratic government is either reinstated or re-elected.
Party calls for equal status for 3 languages
Tevita Vuibau Thursday, October 11, 2012
THE United Peoples Party has made a submission for the Hindi, Fijian and English languages to have equal status as the languages of the Fiji Islands.
It recommended the three main languages be taught in schools and thereby remove the remaining elements of mistrust because of a basic lack of understanding.
This was one of the many points made by the UPP in its written submission to the Constitution Commission.
In the submission the party also called for any members of the judiciary assisting illegal governments in future to be found guilty of treason.
The UPP also called for all funds except salaries and pensions to be frozen in the event of an illegal takeover — only to be reinstated once the democratic government is either reinstated or re-elected.
“All banks holding government funds will be prohibited from dispensing any monies other then salaries and wages so long as the elected members of parliament and government are denied their right to govern,” the UPP said.
The party also voiced its support for the use of the name ‘Fijian’ to be reserved for the iTaukei community and while all other citizens of Fiji be known as ‘Fiji Islanders’.
“We further submit that the issue of a common name is a matter that can only be properly discussed and debated in an all inclusive process to be conducted by our soon to be re-established democratically elected parliament,” the UPP said.
The party submitted its support for dual citizenship but said there needed to be regulations in place to ensure there was no abuse of the privilege.
Last Chance for written submissions…….
Wednesday final day for written submissions
http://www.fijivillage.com/?mod=story&id=0810129c477acd82119edacaff5db1
People have two more days to make written submissions to the constitution commission.
According to the commission, this Wednesday is the last to day to receive any written submissions.
The commission is requesting people to send in their submissions by post, email or drop it off at their office at the parliamentary complex.
Meanwhile the commission will be in Savusavu today and will tour Taveuni tomorrow before returning to the Central division on Wednesday.
Next Monday, the commission will go to Lau and Rotuma.
Story by: Kushboo Singh
No Immunity, caretaker administration and an assembly representative of all parts of society. PS… CCF is due in court tomorrow regarding the contempt of court charge brought against it in July.
CCF calls for legal coherence in drawing up new Fiji constitution
Posted at 03:25 on 04 October, 2012 UTC
The Citizens Constitutional Forum in Fiji has made its submission to the constitutional commission, calling for legal coherence between the 1997 constitution and the process of forming the new one.
Its chief executive, the Reverend Akuila Yabaki, says giving the coup perpetrators immunity did nothing in the past to avoid further coups and won’t avoid future ones either.
He says a caretaker administration needs to be put in place by the constituent assembly in the lead up to the 2014 elections, with the assembly representative of all parts of society.
He says that would ensure that the interim Government has some distance from the finalisation of the new constitution without the power to pick and choose what it likes.
“When you’ve got that, it’s almost like a raw Parliament, you’ve got a sense of authority there. People are being represented there. You can’t have a Government that, having gone through the process says alright, thank you very much, we’re going to decide what we’re going to do. No, that’s not the way. It’s not the intention of the whole process.”
The Reverend Akuila Yabaki says the CCF is due in court tomorrow regarding the contempt of court charge brought against it in July.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand
CMAG Final Statement on Fiji.
Fiji told to address issues of human rights and rule of law: CMAG
FLP WEBSITE
The Commonwealth has welcomed Fiji’s progress on constitutional talks but expressed concern at remaining restrictions on human rights and the rule of law.
The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) met in New York on 28 September and called on the interim administration to address the remaining restrictions on human rights and the rule of law “in order to create the environment necessary for credible constitutional consultations and elections”.
The Commonwealth reaffirmed its readiness to assist Fiji in “appropriate ways” and encouraged further high level interaction between the Commonwealth and Fiji.
Ministers emphasised the importance of “a constitutional process which is fully independent, inclusive and without pre-determined outcomes”.
CMAG’s concluding statement on Fiji follows in full:
Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group Concluding Statement
28 September 2012
New York, 28 September 2012
1. The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG) held its Thirty-Eighth Meeting in New York on 28 September 2012.
2. The Meeting was attended by Hon Sato Kilman, Prime Minister of Vanuatu; Senator the Hon Bob Carr, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia; Hon Dr Dipu Moni, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh; Hon John Baird, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Canada; Hon AJ Nicholson, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica; Hon Bernard K Membe, Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Tanzania; Hon Winston Dookeran, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Communications of Trinidad and Tobago; and H E Andrew Bangali, Ambassador of Sierre Leone to Ethiopia and the African Union.
3. CMAG Ministers unanimously elected Hon Dr Dipu Moni, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, as the new Chair of CMAG.
Fiji
4. CMAG reiterated its commitment to supporting and encouraging Fiji’s reinstatement as a full member of the Commonwealth family, through the restoration of civilian constitutional democracy.
5. Ministers welcomed continued progress in Fiji, including completion of the first phase of voter registration and commencement of the constitutional consultation process. Ministers welcomed the broad-based national dialogue on Fiji’s future taking place through that process, and commended the Constitutional Commission on its work to date.
6. Ministers emphasised the importance of a constitutional process which is fully independent, inclusive and without pre-determined outcomes.
7. Ministers expressed concern about remaining restrictions on human rights and the rule of law, and urged the Government of Fiji to address these, in order to create the environment necessary for credible constitutional consultations and elections.
8. Ministers reaffirmed the Commonwealth’s readiness to provide assistance to Fiji in appropriate ways and encouraged further high-level interaction between the Commonwealth and Fiji.
9. Ministers noted the decisions of leaders of the Pacific in relation to Fiji at a number of recent meetings, and reiterated the Commonwealth’s commitment to working in consultation and co-operation with regional and international partners.
Power should come “from the people to the people”.
Flawed in the 1990/1997 Fiji Constitution
Ulaiasi Dauvunau
Waiyavi, Lautoka.
Firstly and foremost – I would like to thank God in using Rt. Frank Bainimarama (PM) as an instrument into this gigantic REFORMATION of our Fiji Constitution. Below are few of the many things that I have been opposed to – within the two flawed Fiji constitutions (1990/1997).
- Eradicate from the Fiji Constitution all elements of RACIST. Let me give you just few of them – (1). There shouldn’t be a ministry called Ministry of iTaukei Affairs. All iTaukei affairs budget should be managed by its own fund, and not Government fund – full stop. (2). Great Council of Chief should be removed. All the presidents that were chosen by the GCC – in fact are “President of the iTaukei” and shouldn’t be called President of Fiji. Why? Because only iTaukei choose him. Fiji consists of a mixed ethnic group – so all the policies entails in the COMING CONSTITUTION should be illuminated from this perspective. There shouldn’t be any favoritism to any ethnic group like the iTaukei as clearly spelled out in the two flawed constitutions (1990/1997).
- As a Christian, I strongly uphold all citizen of Fiji (all ethnic groups) should be called FIJIAN. As a Christian, we should teach and practices all Christ’s selfless character – His precious Blood was shed selflessly for the whole world 2000 years ago. Christ radically removed all the legalistic/selfish teachings and beliefs that create differences between Jews and Gentiles (iTaukei from the rest of ethnic groups).
- As an Adventist Christian, I am strongly AGAINST the idea “that Fiji should become a Christian state”. God’s people are composed not only from Christian category or belief. No, not at all. Any church or political party that advocate the flawed or evil idea (Fiji should be a Christian state) should be stopped immediately. Any true theologian can foreseen the disaster that it will bring.
- The idea of believing that the iTaukei chiefs have power – should be eradicated once and for all from our coming constitution. Power should come “from the people to the people”. The chiefs or any type of leader’s duty is to make sure that all the plans/policies that have been agreed “from his people” are done. To me, this is real democratic power, and it is a good theology.
- The reprogramming of all Government policies at every level (top to bottom) needs a lot of time. This includes the screening of all churches, and organizations fundamental beliefs and policies. Should the election in 2014 postponed for another two years – let it be! (SELFLESS/equal rights policies to be tuned at every aspect of our living are our way out and not election).
I am an iTaukei from the Island of Vanuavatu in Lau. I am also an Adventist Christian believes; to radically eradicate COUP culture in Fiji, we need to completely cut the COURSE (Selfish/legalistic policies). Thank you!
Noone with dual citizenship allowed to be an MP?
Constitution submission in Fiji calls for MPs to choose President, smaller Parliament
Posted at 05:22 on 24 September, 2012 UTC
The President of Fiji should be appointed by Parliament.
That is the call the National Advisory Council to the People’s Charter for Change, Peace and Progress has made in its submission to the Constitution Commission.
The Fiji Times reports that the council is also proposing that the President should only be appointed for a five year term which could be extended for one further term.
The chair of the Council, Josefa Seruilagilagi, says the Prime Minister and the Leader of Opposition should nominate two names each to be put to parliament where MPs should vote as individuals through secret ballots.
The submission also says the President need to have Fiji citizenship and have had a distinguished career in the public service.
The Council also calls for a smaller Parliament, cutting the number of MPs from 71 to 54.
It says Fiji is a small country and costs have to be considered.
And it says MPs must be Fiji citizens and those with dual citizenship need to renounce their non-Fijian link before being sworn in.
News Content © Radio New Zealand International PO Box 123, Wellington, New Zealand
FTA believes 18 year olds too immature and their votes can be bought……….
18 year olds are still not old enough to choose a suitable leader for themselves.
In their submission to the Constitution Commission the Fijian Teachers Association has highlighted this stating that all those under the ages of 21 should not be allowed to cast their votes in 2014 elections.
FTA President, Mere Moci said they as teachers saw this as a very important point as they deal with 18 year olds everyday in schools and they know that these youths are not ready for such big decisions yet.
Moci said FTA believes that youth are vulnerable to being tempted by material things in life and largely by money which can be used as an advantage by vote buyers during elections.
Meanwhile, new NGO for youth “Aspire network” Founder and Executive Director, Kaajal Kumar said youth have many capabilities and should be given the right to participate in decision making processes.
In response, Moci said they maintain that no matter what others have to say FTA believes all those under 21 years of age are still minors and can be easily moved by peer pressure.
Story by: Khusboo Singh and Sofaia Koroitanoa
© 2012 FijiVillage.com | All rights reserved
Kudos to the Fiji Sun for publishing the following letter to the Editor…….
Caretaker government
Rajendra Chaudhry Suva
Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama is no one to tell the people of this country on a caretaker government. Bainimarama’s mentality is best summed up in his own words when he says: ‘My government will not listen to anyone who wants to tell us how to govern the nation.’ For the constitutional and electoral process to have any credibility it must be independent. Professor Yash Ghai has raised his concerns as have other persons both locally and internationally on this very subject and Mr Ghai is a regime appointee and for him to make his concerns, on the independence of the constitutional process, public is worrying to say the least. A caretaker government will ensure a smooth transition to elections and a new Parliament. Bainimarama is and will be an impediment to this process as he is only concerned about his own self-interest.
PER to be reinstated?……….Not Likely!
By JYOTI PRATIBHA The National Federation Party (NFP) yesterday raised concerns that the Public Emergency Regulations could be reintroduced once the Constitution Commission finishes the consultation process. Senior Government officials contacted yesterday for a response did not wish to comment immediately on the NFP claims. But there has been no indication of any reintroduction of […]
We see this as an act of manipulation designed to corrupt the electoral process.
Now you can vote even if you don’t live here…
Fiji Labour Party questions the regime’s motive behind the surreptitious removal of the minimum residential qualification for registration as a voter.
The Electoral (Registration of Voters) Decree No. 54 simply states that a person who has reached the age of 18 years and is a citizen of Fiji has the right to be registered as a voter.
This is a marked departure from provisions in the 1997 Constitution and previous Electoral Acts. Section 55 (1) (c) of the Constitution states clearly that a person applying for registration as a voter must “have been resident in Fiji for 2 years immediately before their application for registration (unless their absence from Fiji … is for a reason prescribed by Parliament…”
The exception is in the case of persons who are abroad in the service of the State, for study, on medical grounds or on a temporary holiday. The reasons are specified in the 1998 Electoral Act .
“Why has the 2-year residential qualification been dropped? asked FLP Leader Mahendra Chaudhry.
“The right to vote must originate from a person’s residency and citizenship of a country,” Mr Chaudhry said.
He said the removal of residency qualifications will have serious repercussions for our elections. It can potentially undermine the credibility and integrity of our electoral rolls.
No reasons have been advanced by the regime and we are not aware of any other country in our region that does not have a minimal residential qualification to register as a voter.
We see this as an act of manipulation designed to corrupt the electoral process. The FLP has from the very beginning maintained that it should be kept independent of the regime.
The Constitution Commission has also asserted that the electoral and constitutional process be kept independent of the regime to give it due credibility, independence and integrity.
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By Maika Bolatiki Some electronic voter registration (EVR) clerks will leave Fiji to register Fijian voters living overseas. This was confirmed to the Fiji Sun by Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama. “We will send an EVR team overseas for the registration of Fijian voters living there,” the Prime Minister said. The Prime Minister said this […]
Party member Attar Singh claims they’ve encouraged people to take part in the electronic voter registration process.
NFP questions constituent assembly’s selection criteria
07:02 Today
Taken from/By: FBC News Report by: Christopher Chand
The National Federation Party wants major political parties to be included in the Constituent Assembly.
The party met in Lautoka yesterday to hear their members’ views before making their official submission to the Constitution Commission next month.
The NFP is the oldest political party in the country and they believe the core of the 1997 constitution should be maintained.
Party leader Raman Pratap Singh says one of the most important components heading into the 2014 elections is the electoral system.
“A provision of the electoral system should enable us to get the proportional number of seats in our favor. So the leadership is of that view.”
Party member Attar Singh claims they’ve encouraged people to take part in the electronic voter registration process.
“Let me assure you that the NFP is not that party. We have not at anytime asked or encouraged any of our supporters and friends not to register. Because we want to make sure that a large number of people are registered.”
Yesterday’s meeting has helped the NFP decide what kind of submissions they will be making to the commission next month.
Security Forces and Immunity……an except from the Constitution Submission by Prof Vijay Naidu
The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) and the Fiji Police Force together with their various intelligent gathering entities and the Fiji Prisons and Correctional Service constitute the country’s security forces. While our soldiers have earned considerable international respect and standing, they have also executed coup detats that have negatively affected Fiji’s image as a peaceful country, further divided Fiji’s people, compelled up to 20% of its citizens to emigrate over the last 25 years, and seriously undermined economic and social development. The lives of Fiji’s young people have been blighted by the coups as unemployment, inequality and poverty have increased significantly. There should be an exit strategy for the perpetrators of the last coup so that the country can move forward but would not a blanket immunity (some heinous crimes have been committed by security personnel) encourage future military coups?
The country is unanimous in saying ‘never again to military coups’, and the Prime Minister himself has set out to end the ‘coup culture’. The 2006 coup is supposed to end all coups! However, the million dollar question, is how? Does not automatic assurance of immunity encourage further coups? What do we do to ensure, once and for all that there be no coups? This is a difficult question but one that we really need to give our considerable collective thought.
Serious consideration also needs to be given to the ethnic composition of our security forces, they are not representative of the demographic and gender composition of the country. Ethnic armies in multi-ethnic societies are generally not conducive to peace and stability. Another critical question that arises is does Fiji need a military force, given that we do not have enemies, and it is costly to maintain a standing army.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) the scale of military expenditure in this country is high when compared to our larger neighbours. In 2008 our military expenditure was 1.5% of GDP, compared to PNG’s 0.4%, New Zealand’s 1% and Indonesia’s 1.1%. While UN peace keeping and employment have been major reasons for a rather large standing army, it is never been clear the extent to which the country benefits financially from peace keeping engagements with the UN.
The police force has been seriously undermined by periodic military take overs. We really do need a professional police force that employs personnel on merit, and promotes them on meritorious performance.
Prof Ghai said they were probably not going to get the constitution that was truly Fiji focused.
Prof Ghai: Constitutions have become ambitious
Nanise Loanakadavu Saturday, September 15, 2012
CONSTITUTIONS have become very ambitious — a lot of problems are presented to the people for resolution through the constitution.
Constitution Commission chairman Prof Yash Ghai made the statement early this week at public discussions at the University of the South Pacific.
“It has become extremely important to build substantial consensus to improve the values of the constitution and I don’t see this happening very much in Fiji,” Prof Ghai said.
“I don’t see any group or groups taking responsibility for building a kind of consensus and the constitution, however good it is, and I promise you we will give you the best we can, may not have much validity in society unless there is substantial consensus behind the values and the institutions,” he added.
Prof Ghai said the academic community played a critical role in providing the best resolution and consensus might emerge.
He hoped they would help the commission and help the country in not only addressing social issues but also emphasising national values.
Prof Ghai said unless they were focused on the national good, they were probably not going to get the constitution that was truly Fiji focused.
Ro Teimumu and the nine chiefs from Rewa say just as amnesty was denied to the perpetrators of the 2000 coup, so should it be denied to the perpetrators of the 2006 coup and any persons planning similar activities at any time in the future.
Rewa submission asks for 1997 constitution to be reinstated
The head of the Burebasaga confederacy and paramount chief of Rewa, Ro Teimumu Kepa today asked for the 1997 constitution to be reinstated as part of her submission to the Constitution Commission.
Ro Teimumu presented the submission signed by her, Na Tui Noco, Ratu Isoa Damudamu, Na i Liuliu ni Sau Turaga, Ro Dona Takalaiyale, Ratu Luke Vuidreketi, Na Tui Toga, Ratu Meli Todua, Saiasi Navulagilagi, Na Tui Suva, Metuisela Mudunavosa, Joave Tukitoga, Ratu Timoci Matanitobua and Ratu Kevueli Tavainavesi.
They say that they speak on behalf of the people of Rewa and the 1997 constitution is the instrument the people of the province believe best protects the interests of the indigenous Fijians as well as protecting the rights of the races that have come to call Fiji home.
Ro Teimumu and the nine chiefs from Rewa say just as amnesty was denied to the perpetrators of the 2000 coup, so should it be denied to the perpetrators of the 2006 coup and any persons planning similar activities at any time in the future.
They say substantive steps should be taken to end, once and for all the coup culture in Fiji.
The chiefs say the staging of coups within the Rewa province has resulted in abject poverty and the denial of opportunities and it has brought about arrogance and the dismissal of rights and privileges.
The Rewa chiefs led by Ro Teimumu also told the commission in Noco today that they wish to reaffirm that Fiji is a country firmly rooted in Christian beliefs, meaning that Fiji emulates and observes Christian teachings.
He said the Christian faith is the hope, the keel and the compass by which Fiji’s ship of state sails.
Ro Teimumu and the chiefs say the entrenched legislations requiring the consent of the senate members nominated by the Great Council of Chiefs must be a requirement before any legislation is passed regarding any issues affecting the rights and resources of the indigenous Fijians.
They also strongly advocate the protection of the indigenous ways of life including all of the previous laws and regulations relating to land rights, fisheries rights, culture, language and all the intellectual property rights the indigenous people of Fiji hold sacred.
The chiefs from Rewa want the House of Representatives and senate in place. They strongly oppose the federal system as implemented in the US where the President is empowered to hand pick the members of the cabinet.
The chiefs say cabinet members must be comprised of the parliamentary members.
Story by: Vijay Narayan
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