Independent commission will decide what to change in the constitution: A-G

Government has not decided what parts of the Constitution it wants amended, with an independent commission to determine necessary changes based solely on public submissions, Acting Attorney-General Siromi Turaga says.

Responding to Fiji Labour Party’s Ben Padarath in yesterday's Dialogue Fiji forum, Mr Turaga said the Constitution Review Commission would gather public views before making any recommendations.

“What I said is there will be a constitution review commission. Very soon the Prime Minister is going to announce the members. They will be independent,” Mr Turaga said.

“Once they collate the views, as we have discussed, the process we have discussed, only then we’ll identify what needs to be amended.”

Mr Padarath had pressed the Government to reveal what amendments it intended to pursue.

“We’ve spoken at length about participation, how people participate in constitutional amendments. Yet the country doesn't know what you want to amend in this constitution,” Mr Padarath said.

Mr Turaga said the commission’s terms of reference were being finalised and would be announced by the Prime Minister.

“That process will come later. Very soon, could be end of this month or next month, the Prime Minister is to announce the members of the constitutional review,” he said.

He stressed the importance of independence in the review process.

“Right now the most important thing is we’re going to have a referendum bill because we have a referendum provision in the constitution, yet the previous government did not provide a law,” Mr Turaga said.

The Referendum Bill will be tabled in Parliament in December.

Mr Turaga said amending the Constitution was a commitment in the coalition government’s common manifesto.

“The constitution that we have was made by only a handful of people. And that’s why the party in government, the common manifesto is to amend the constitution,” he said.