Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has expressed the need to reevaluate the 2013 Constitution. He made this statement during his address at the National Federation Party Annual Convention held in Sigatoka yesterday.
Rabuka critiqued the 2013 Constitution for containing outdated restrictions on human rights. He acknowledged that as a coalition government, they could benefit from the existing clauses that grant them disproportionate advantages and total authority. However, he emphasized that this would be unfair, unrealistic, and undemocratic.
He highlighted the importance of national truth and reconciliation as essential for healing and moving forward, advocating for the conclusion of the troubled history of political strife and the culture of fear and distrust in Fiji. Rabuka noted that the nation has long internalized the pain and trauma from its political conflicts and has overlooked the generational burdens created by these events.
Supporting the call for a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, NFP Leader and Deputy Prime Minister Prof. Biman Prasad remarked that it is crucial to openly discuss the traumatic experiences the country has endured in the past. He underscored the significance of learning from these experiences to build a better future.
The Prime Minister reiterated his personal commitment to the establishment of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission as part of the effort to create a just and equitable constitution.