"The FTUC is disappointed and remains unconvinced at the excuses given to the people of Fiji by the President, Ratu Epeli Nailaikau and the Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama on the Constitution Review Process. The Prime Minister is on record giving his assurance to the people of Fiji and the International Community that the Constitution Review Process will be inclusive, transparent and any report must reflect the will of the people. The people have spoken and the report reflects exactly the will of the people, except for the immunity issue. The outcome is clearly not palatable to the Regime. The President’s excuses on some issues such as the People’s Assembly are contradictions of huge proportion. He has stated that unelected people should not be in a position to make decisions that affect all the people while conveniently forgetting that neither he nor the current government are elected and have no mandate of the people. He has omitted to tell the people that the Constituent Assembly that he is to refer the Draft Constitution for debate and adoption will also be unelected. The Civil Society plays a critical role in nation building particularly in the current circumstances that we find ourselves. His reference to the endurance of the Australian Constitution over a hundred years with only eight amendments is totally irrelevant. Australia is a democracy and does not have a coup culture like Fiji. They amend their Constitution in a civil and Democratic fashion without a need to thrash the entire Constitution and overthrow an elected Government. Fiji's Constitution has been thrashed by the Military every time we have had a coup. The Constitution in each case was not the weakness but the military's respect for it and failure to uphold it in every instance.
The rejection of an interim government prior to elections is another indication of the regime’s unwillingness to cede power and have free and fair elections. The President cannot be serious when he tells the nation that we have no honest senior civil servants in Fiji and therefore we cannot have an interim government. The people deserve better from the President of Fiji, precisely the reason why
people and organisations overwhelmingly told the Ghai Commission that the President ought to be
elected and held accountable for his actions.
The President’s claim that 60% of Fiji's population approved the People’s Charter is untrue. The Charter
was never put to a referendum and people were not allowed to freely, without intimidation air their
views on the Charter nor was there any public debate on the issue. The principles of good governance,
accountability and transparency have not been embraced by the regime nor practiced over the last six
years. This gives no credence to the President’s claim to instill these principles in future governments.
The Prime Minister has simply told the Nation that the regime dislikes key parts of the Ghai Report and
will re-draft the report to reflect the regimes view. The redrafted report will be put to the Constituent
Assembly. This is a retrograde step and a breach of the undertaking given to the people and the
International Community to ensure the process of Constitution making is transparent and that the will
of the people will be respected. The purpose of Decrees 57 and 58 states:
“The purpose of this Decree is to adopt a Constitution for Fiji that-
(a) Results from full, inclusive and fair participation of all Fijians;
(b) Meets the needs of Fiji and the aspirations of its people;
(c) Unites the people of Fiji
(d) Includes provisions appropriately designed to achieve, among others-
(i) True democracy; and
(ii) Respect for, and protection and promotion of human rights and….”
We clearly understand that no one can create a truly democratic society through undemocratic means.
This now explains why the copies of the Ghai report were confiscated and not distributed to the public.
The FTUC calls upon the Regime to honor its commitment to respect the will and aspirations of the
people. It is time that the Regime allows a free and open debate on the Ghai report. No doubt there
may be areas of concern that people may have and the report acknowledges this. The people of Fiji have
the capacity to create a just society without force."
The rejection of an interim government prior to elections is another indication of the regime’s unwillingness to cede power and have free and fair elections. The President cannot be serious when he tells the nation that we have no honest senior civil servants in Fiji and therefore we cannot have an interim government. The people deserve better from the President of Fiji, precisely the reason why
people and organisations overwhelmingly told the Ghai Commission that the President ought to be
elected and held accountable for his actions.
The President’s claim that 60% of Fiji's population approved the People’s Charter is untrue. The Charter
was never put to a referendum and people were not allowed to freely, without intimidation air their
views on the Charter nor was there any public debate on the issue. The principles of good governance,
accountability and transparency have not been embraced by the regime nor practiced over the last six
years. This gives no credence to the President’s claim to instill these principles in future governments.
The Prime Minister has simply told the Nation that the regime dislikes key parts of the Ghai Report and
will re-draft the report to reflect the regimes view. The redrafted report will be put to the Constituent
Assembly. This is a retrograde step and a breach of the undertaking given to the people and the
International Community to ensure the process of Constitution making is transparent and that the will
of the people will be respected. The purpose of Decrees 57 and 58 states:
“The purpose of this Decree is to adopt a Constitution for Fiji that-
(a) Results from full, inclusive and fair participation of all Fijians;
(b) Meets the needs of Fiji and the aspirations of its people;
(c) Unites the people of Fiji
(d) Includes provisions appropriately designed to achieve, among others-
(i) True democracy; and
(ii) Respect for, and protection and promotion of human rights and….”
We clearly understand that no one can create a truly democratic society through undemocratic means.
This now explains why the copies of the Ghai report were confiscated and not distributed to the public.
The FTUC calls upon the Regime to honor its commitment to respect the will and aspirations of the
people. It is time that the Regime allows a free and open debate on the Ghai report. No doubt there
may be areas of concern that people may have and the report acknowledges this. The people of Fiji have
the capacity to create a just society without force."
