Fijians rushed through constitutional submissions: Chand

Fijians who have travelled from villages, settlements, farms and towns to have their say on proposed constitutional changes are being hurried through their submissions, National Federation Party (NFP) president Parmod Chand has claimed.

Mr Chand criticised the limited time given to members of the public during consultations on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill No. 32 of 2026, saying people were being denied a fair opportunity to express their concerns.

He raised the issue during his submission to the Special Parliamentary Committee at the Labasa Civic Centre on Saturday.

“If there is one thing that demonstrates just how rushed and farcical this entire process has become, it is the fact that the people themselves are being hurried through their submissions.”

Mr Chand said people had taken time away from their work, businesses and families to participate in consultations on legislation that would shape Fiji's future.

However, he claimed some submitters had barely begun explaining their concerns before being reminded of their speaking limits.

Others, he said, were expected to condense years of experience, historical grievances and concerns about their future into a few minutes.

“We are supposedly consulting the people about the supreme law of their country, yet we cannot even afford them sufficient time to speak.”

Mr Chand argued that the Constitution was not ordinary legislation because it would determine citizens' rights, institutional powers, land security and the foundations of Fiji's democracy for generations.

Consultation timetable questioned

Mr Chand also questioned the timeframe allocated for the parliamentary committee to complete its work.

He said the public had initially been given just 13 days to make submissions on the Government's Bill.

According to his submission, the committee had 20 days to complete its work, including consultations, preliminary processes and preparation of its report.

He said two days had been earmarked for writing the report and another day for finalising it.

Mr Chand argued that Section 160 of the 2013 Constitution did not require the committee to complete its report within 30 days.

He said the provision requiring at least 30 days between the Bill's second and third readings did not mean the third reading had to take place immediately after that period.

He questioned why the process was being conducted under such a tight timetable.

Mr Chand also criticised what he described as the Government's failure to publish or broadcast the Bill's provisions in English, Vosa Vakaviti and Hindi.

He argued that making the proposed changes available in those languages was necessary to help Fijians understand the legislation and prepare meaningful submissions.

NFP demands extension

The NFP Management Board has resolved that public consultations should be extended until at least mid-December.

Mr Chand said the party's continued participation in and support for the constitutional reform process depended on a meaningful extension and substantive changes to the Bill.

He maintained that the party supported constitutional reform but opposed rushing through changes without adequate public participation.

Mr Chand also argued that consultations conducted earlier by the Constitution Review Commission should not be treated as consultations on the Government's Bill.

He said those earlier hearings had sought public views on what Fijians wanted in a Constitution, while the Bill now before Parliament differed significantly from the commission's recommendations.

Concerns over proposed changes

Mr Chand said the NFP had identified 18 fundamental constitutional principles that required careful examination.

These included protecting landowners and tenants, strengthening independent constitutional offices, ensuring access to justice and safeguarding fundamental rights.

The party wants a 56-member House of Representatives elected through a mixed-member proportional electoral system and a Senate reflecting Fiji's diversity.

It also opposes constitutional immunity for those responsible for political upheavals and provisions allowing the physical chastisement of children.

The NFP opposes establishing Christianity as a founding constitutional value of the State but supports appropriate recognition of Christianity and other faiths in the Preamble.

Mr Chand said such matters deserved thorough public discussion rather than consideration within a compressed timetable.

Warning against repeating history

Mr Chand compared the current process with the development of the 1997 Constitution, which followed extended consultations and parliamentary negotiations.

He said the NFP had consistently opposed the 2013 Constitution because it was imposed without public consent.

He warned that rushing its replacement could repeat the same disregard for meaningful public participation.

Mr Chand said there was no national emergency requiring Parliament to rush the proposed constitutional changes.

“There is absolutely no national emergency requiring us to rush this Constitution through Parliament. The next general election can proceed under the existing constitutional arrangements. Constitutional reform can continue with the proper involvement of the people.”

He urged the committee to recommend extending consultations until mid-December, even if the process continued beyond the next general election.

“The Constitution belongs to the people of Fiji. Parliament does not own it. The Government does not own it. And no political timetable should be allowed to dictate how much time the people are permitted to spend discussing it.”

Mr Chand warned that the committee risked producing a Constitution without giving Fijians sufficient opportunity to influence its contents.

“We must stop rushing.

We must start listening.

And we must take the people of Fiji seriously.”