GCC says public free to accept or reject its constitutional proposals

Great Council of Chiefs chairman Ratu Viliame Seruvakula says the GCC is not forcing people to support their recommendations to the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC).  

Ratu Viliame informed this masthead that the GCC was mindful that people would be interested to know what they had recommended, following public scrutiny over some of their recommendations.  

The GCC’s submission CRC included:  

• GCC as appointing authority for the President and Vice-President; 
• Reserving the terms Fijian for iTaukei people; 
• Repealing secular state provision;  
• Deleting gender and sexual orientation from Section 26(3); and  
• Amending children’s right to allow parental and teacher discretion in punishment.  

“We the GCC do not want to be seen to coerce members of the public into following our recommendations we want them to raise their concerns or support in a democratic manner,” Ratu Viliame said.  

“The GCC wants the process to be transparent as to be expected when putting together a Constitution.”  

GCC was the first to make its submission on April 1 as part of the nationwide consultation review on the 2013 Constitution.    

CRC acknowledged the council’s submission, saying it will be examined along other submissions from across Fiji.  

The commission encourages individuals, communities, and organisations to participate in the review process.