Seruiratu says Constitution Under Blatant Attack by PM Rabuka

Leader of the Opposition, Inia Seruiratu says the 2013 Constitution is now under blatant, direct attack by the Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, who swore an oath to protect it.

Mr Seruiratu was referring to the appointment of Filimoni Vosarogo, whose appointment to become Attorney-General has been a matter of heated debate recently.

Fiji Law Society president Wylie Clarke also threatened to take the appointment to court if the government did not withdraw it because it breached Section 96(2) (b) of the 2013 Constitution.

“The appointment of Mr Vosarogo as Attorney-General is unconstitutional and illegal. As a lawyer, Mr Vosarogo knows this and still accepts the appointment. I find that utterly shameful,” Mr Seruiratu said yesterday.

“The SODELPA general secretary has stated that what the Prime Minister is doing is wrong. But SODELPA will still go along with his decision because they are part of the Coalition Government.

“The Prime Minister knows that this is wrong, and he still does it. Mr Vosarogo knows this is wrong, and he still accepts the appointment. SODELPA knows this is wrong, and they still go along with it.”

He said that knowing that something was wrong and still doing it was not the way to run a country.

“It is setting a dangerous precedent. I do not accept this, and I condemn this in the strongest possible terms,” Mr Seruiratu said.

“A weakening of the Constitution will ultimately lead to the shattering of the social and economic fabric of this country. It will lead to the ruin of our people in the long term. Mark my word on this.”

Story by: inoke.rabonu@fijisun.com.fj