Constitutional rights remain promises without funding, CRC told

Constitutional rights will remain empty promises unless they are backed by government funding and action, a Sigatoka resident told the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) yesterday.

Adish Naidu said there should be a direct link between the Constitution and the national budget to ensure rights guaranteed to citizens are actually delivered.

Making his submission during a public consultation, Mr Naidu questioned provisions in the 2013 Constitution that guarantee rights and services but qualify them with the phrase "subject to available resources".

He said the provision allowed governments to avoid accountability when basic services and development projects were not delivered.

Mr Naidu said rights such as access to housing, water, electricity and other essential services should be supported by adequate budget allocations.

“If something is promised in the Constitution, there should be funding set aside to make it happen,” he said.

Mr Naidu argued that people wanted practical results rather than repeated promises and consultations.

He said government development plans should be reflected in the national budget and implemented within clear timeframes.

Mr Naidu also raised concerns about what he described as an increasing number of laws while many citizens continued to wait for solutions to everyday problems.

“People want immediate answers. They want to see improvements in their lives,” he said.

On the issue of secularism, Mr Naidu supported retaining Fiji as a secular state.

He said religion played an important role in promoting discipline and good values but should not determine how the country is governed.

CRC commissioner Merewalesi Nailatikau thanked Mr Naidu for his submission and said the commission welcomed views from all members of the public.

Ms Nailatikau said the commission had been receiving a wide range of submissions from people across the country, reflecting different experiences, concerns and aspirations for Fiji’s future.

She said every submission was important and would help the commission better understand what Fijians wanted to see in the nation’s supreme law.

Ms Nailatikau encouraged members of the public to continue participating in the consultations and share their views on constitutional issues affecting their communities.

The consultation continues today in Nadi.