Government proposes Sept 22 special sitting to table CRC report

Government has proposed a one-day special sitting of Parliament on September 22 to table the Constitutional Review Commission report, which will become public once it is tabled.

Minister for Information Lynda Tabuya confirmed the proposed date on Friday but said it was awaiting confirmation from the Speaker’s office.

"We have suggested the 22nd of September," she said.

"We are waiting to hear back from the Speaker's office on that."

Ms Tabuya said the date was likely because Speaker Filimone Jitoko was expected to return to Fiji on September 21.

Mr Jitoko is currently overseas attending a Pacific parliamentary assembly in Tahiti.

Ms Tabuya said the special sitting would be solely for the tabling of the CRC report.

"As soon as it's tabled in Parliament, it's available publicly," she said.

Acting Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica separately confirmed discussions were under way, but said Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka should make the formal announcement.

"There's discussions going in terms of tabling in Parliament," Mr Kamikamica said.

"Once the Honourable Prime Minister makes the announcement, we'll go from there."

Mr Kamikamica confirmed the proposed special sitting would run for one day.

"It'll be just one day to table the report," he said.

Mr Rabuka is in Australia and was expected to return this weekend.

Parliament’s regular sitting begins on September 28.

The Constitutional Amendment Bill is expected to have its first and second readings that week before going to a bipartisan special committee.

Ms Tabuya said the Bill was expected to return to Parliament in November.