RFMF Commander: Power belongs to the people

The Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) must never override the will of the people at the ballot box, Commander Major General Ro Jone Kalouniwai has warned as Fiji prepares for its next general election.

Addressing soldiers during the Fiji Day rehearsal in Suva yesterday, Ro Jone stressed that neither Parliament nor the military owned the power it exercised.

That power, he said, belonged to the people, and those entrusted with it had a responsibility to serve them.

His message comes as Fiji reviews its Constitution and prepares to choose its leaders at the next election.

Ro Jone said Parliament and the military must remember that their authority was a responsibility, not something they owned.

“The House holds the voice of the people and this force holds the strength of the people. Both Ro Jone said.

He called on Parliament to debate honestly and courageously, while urging those in public service to act with discipline, humility and respect for the law.

Ro Jone also described the Constitution as the document that binds the nation together.

Protecting the people's choice

The Commander stressed the importance of protecting the public's right to choose its leaders and ensuring election results were respected.

“Let every refugee claim their place at the ballot box knowing their choice will be protected and their verdict respected,” he said.

Ro Jone said Fiji's history had demonstrated the consequences of military force overriding the people's choice.

“Our history has taught us, sometimes painfully, a refugee with a gun overrules the ballot is no independence at all,” he said.

He said the spirit of Fiji's independence in 1970 lived on wherever the people's voice remained supreme and the strength of the nation was used to serve its citizens.

“We choose service over power and unity over division,” he said.

His remarks also come amid public concerns about rising living costs, drugs reaching Fiji and its children, and trust in public institutions.

Ro Jone's message placed responsibility on both Parliament and the RFMF to uphold the law, respect democratic choices and serve the people.