Acting Justice Minister Siromi Turaga has told reporters the Constitution will be changed before the upcoming election, saying the constitutional review was a central reason the current Government came to power and must be delivered to avoid public dissatisfaction.
Asked whether the Government could still fulfil its promise with polls months away, Mr Turaga said: “We have to deliver. If we don’t deliver, the people will be upset. I can assure you it will be delivered.” He framed the changes as essential to the Government’s mandate and signalled a push to complete work on the review ahead of the vote.
Turaga also revealed the Government is preparing amendments to referendum laws and electoral legislation alongside the constitutional review. He did not provide details of the specific legal changes but said those reforms would be undertaken in tandem with the constitutional amendments and would follow formal consultation processes.
The acting minister emphasised public consultations as a prerequisite to any amendments. “This is an opportune time to clarify matters with the people,” he said, describing outreach efforts during which he has been fielding questions from communities, including visits to villages in Bua. Turaga said those local discussions had raised queries and, in some cases, misinformation about the review process.
Turaga stressed the need for the public to engage in the right forums and formats when giving input, urging people to “present their views individually, as members of their village, district, tikina, or province.” He noted that over the past three years he had seen many instances of people raising concerns in inappropriate or informal settings and said past attorney-generals had not taken outreach to the same grassroots level.
The announcement is the latest development in a story that has been a cornerstone of the Government’s platform since it came to office. With the election approaching, Turaga’s assurance that constitutional reform and related electoral changes will be delivered — and that consultations will be held — clarifies the administration’s timetable and highlights the political stakes of the review.
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