‘Return to the 1997 Constitution’, Bulicokocoko urges

Sireli Bulicokocoko has called for Fiji to abandon its 2013 Constitution and return to the 1997 Constitution, arguing that the current framework has deepened racial divisions and lacks democratic legitimacy.

Speaking at the Constitution Amendment Bill public consultation at the Girmit Centre in Lautoka last Saturday, Mr Bulicokocoko said Fiji could not address its underlying problems without confronting what he believed was the root cause — the current constitutional framework.

He called for the 2013 Constitution to be scrapped and replaced with the 1997 Constitution, which he believes provides a stronger foundation for multiracial harmony.

“For me, the 2013 Constitution, as you all know, was an undemocratic document. It didn't represent the voice of the people here in Fiji. It was forced onto us and signed into a legal document, and now we are following it,” he said.

“My recommendation today is that we need to throw this Constitution out of the window.”

Mr Bulicokocoko said the manner in which the 2013 Constitution was introduced, along with its impact on relations between communities, made it necessary to reconsider Fiji’s constitutional direction.

He argued that the document had contributed to divisions between the iTaukei and Indo-Fijian communities, saying discussions about national unity would remain incomplete if the underlying constitutional issues were ignored.

He maintained that the debate focused too heavily on the symptoms of Fiji’s problems rather than their causes.

Mr Bulicokocoko said a return to the 1997 Constitution would better support Fiji’s multiracial character.

His concerns extended beyond the Constitution to the electoral system governing parliamentary representation.

He criticised the current system, arguing that candidates could enter Parliament with relatively few votes and questioning whether electoral outcomes adequately reflected the will of the people.

He called for a return to constituency-based representation, saying every constituency should have proper representation in Parliament.

He said voters should have a clearer and more direct say in choosing who represents their communities.

Mr Bulicokocoko also acknowledged the positive impact of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, saying his observations had convinced him that reconciliation could work despite scepticism among some members of the public.

However, he maintained that reconciliation alone would not resolve Fiji’s deeper problems unless the constitutional and electoral issues he raised were also addressed.

For Mr Bulicokocoko, achieving lasting national unity begins with scrapping the 2013 Constitution and reconsidering the 1997 Constitution.