Adi Sivia Qoro, consultant and president of Unity Fiji, has called for a comprehensive and sincere review of the 2013 Constitution. Her concerns center around the way the Constitution was established, highlighting that the original draft produced by Yash Ghai’s Constitution Commission was disregarded by the previous government, which instead pushed through its own version that became law in September 2013.
Adi Sivia argues that this process was flawed from the outset, lacking genuine input from the people of Fiji. She asserts that the brief consultation period failed to capture the public’s real opinions, raising doubts about the Constitution’s alignment with the true interests of the citizens.
She also addressed the detrimental effects of Fiji’s past coups, which have significantly harmed the country’s democracy, social fabric, and economy. She cautioned that these historical events have set back the nation, and a flawed constitution cannot remediate the damage done.
“Such circumstances raise questions about the credibility of our democracy, the negative social impacts currently evident, and the economic wellbeing of our people,” she stated. “More than anything, it has set the country back by many years in terms of development.”
Regarding the amendments to the Constitution, she noted that the amendment provisions make the Fijian Constitution one of the most challenging in the world to amend. “This has significant implications for the democratic rights of our people and their involvement in the creation of their own Constitution. It is crucial for citizens to engage in open discussions on this matter to find a path forward,” Adi Sivia emphasized.