Constitution Review Commission hears call to delay marriage until ages 20 and 21

A Sigatoka resident has proposed raising Fiji's legal marriage age, arguing that many young people are not mature enough to make life-changing decisions at 18.

Speaking during the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) public consultation in Sigatoka yesterday, Shalendra Kumar said the minimum age for marriage should be increased to 21 for men and 20 for women.

Mr Kumar, who identified himself as a marriage officer, told commissioners he had seen young people rush into marriage as soon as they reached the legal age.

He said increasing the marriage age could help reduce some of the social issues affecting families, including marital disputes and domestic violence.

“People are too young to decide what is right for them,” he said.

Mr Kumar said allowing young adults more time to mature before entering marriage would lead to stronger family relationships and better decision-making.

Apart from marriage laws, he also called for Fiji's multicultural identity to remain protected, saying all people born in Fiji should continue to be recognised as Fijians regardless of their ethnic background.

He also proposed constitutional guidelines on the salaries and allowances of government ministers and public office holders.

Mr Kumar said Fiji was still a developing nation and leaders should be motivated by public service rather than high salaries.

In response, CRC commissioner Merewalesi Nailatikau said issues such as the legal marriage age were generally matters for national legislation rather than constitutional provisions.

However, she acknowledged the concern and noted that it was the first submission of its kind received by the commission.

Ms Nailatikau said Mr Kumar's views reflected concerns about ensuring people reached a suitable level of maturity before entering marriage.

She also acknowledged growing public concern over the remuneration of leaders, saying similar views had been raised by other contributors during the consultations.

Ms Nailatikau further noted that the Constitution already contains provisions relating to the remuneration of public office holders through national laws, but said many citizens wanted greater fairness and accountability from those serving in public office.