Fix justice before Constitution, says Usamate

Opposition MP Jone Usamate says restoring confidence in Fiji's justice system should take priority over any move to amend the Constitution.

Mr Usamate questioned the Government's push for constitutional reform, arguing that serious issues within the country's justice system needed to be addressed first.

"For too long, the people of Fiji have been told to trust the process," he said.

"We are told to trust the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, to trust the judiciary and to trust the watchdogs. But when the very institutions built to protect us decide that holding the powerful to account is 'too embarrassing', the process isn't working."

Mr Usamate claimed recent developments pointed to what he described as a deeper problem within Fiji's justice system, alleging there was a pattern of investigations being shelved because of fear of conflict rather than a lack of evidence.

He said this had created the perception that the law was not being applied equally.

"There is a lot of noise right now about changing our Constitution," he said.

"I have one question for you to ask the people pushing this agenda: Who does this change actually serve?"

Mr Usamate said constitutional reform should not take precedence over rebuilding public trust in the institutions responsible for upholding the rule of law.

"The foundation of our justice system is showing clear signs of collapse. You don't fix a crumbling house by painting the roof. You start by identifying and remedying the rot in the foundation."

He said Fiji needed a justice system that treated everyone equally, regardless of position or political connections.

"We have a legal system that, in practice, acts like a sword for some and a shield for others. If you're connected, you're safe. If you're a target, you're in trouble. That isn't justice; that's just power."

Mr Usamate also called for an independent judiciary, an Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions that operated with integrity and oversight bodies free from political influence.

"We are not just debating papers here. We are fighting for the future of our country," he said.