Unity Fiji warns rushed Constitution risks repeating past mistakes

Unity Fiji warned that rushing Fiji’s proposed constitutional changes could undermine public confidence in the new Constitution, saying the country risks repeating the legitimacy problems it associates with the 2013 Constitution.

In its submission to the Special Committee considering the Constitution (Amendment) Bill, Unity Fiji member Naomi Matanitobua Raikaci said the proposed changes were too significant to be treated as minor amendments and required wider public consultation.

“A Constitution adopted in a rush will carry the same doubts about its legitimacy as the 2013 Constitution,” she told the committee.

Ms Raikaci said the Bill would reshape the country’s political system, including changes to the preamble, electoral system, Senate and immunity provisions.

She argued that consultations conducted by the Constitutional Review Commission and the parliamentary committee had reached less than two per cent of the population.

“A person who does not understand a document should not be asked to sign it, whether to say yes or no,” she said.

Two-tier referendum

Unity Fiji is proposing a two-tier referendum process, with voters first answering no more than five broad questions on General Election day. A full referendum on the revised Constitution would then follow after further grassroots consultations in 2027.

Ms Raikaci said holding the full referendum alongside the General Election could confuse voters and turn the constitutional vote into a contest between political parties and personalities.

She said the party was not opposed to constitutional reform, but wanted people to have enough time and information to understand and own the final document.

The party supports having a senate but the members must be elected on merit. They also suggested the cost of the senate could be funded from cutting back government wastages.