The Constitution Review Commission (CRC) has publicly clarified its mandate after a surge of requests from Fijians seeking access to its Terms of Reference (TOR), setting out the specific issues the panel will examine as it prepares to canvass the nation. Chairman Sevuloni Valenitabua described the uptick in interest as "encouraging" and said the TOR are intended to underpin an "open and inclusive process" that gives every Fijian the opportunity to be heard.
The TOR, Valenitabua said, establish a nationwide consultation program to gather views on the Constitution’s effectiveness, relevance and implementation, and to test whether the existing framework reflects the values and aspirations of all communities. The commission will solicit input through public consultations, workshops and written submissions, and has called on individuals, civil society groups and communities to take an active role in the process.
Key topics flagged in the TOR include governance, protection of fundamental rights and freedoms, accountability, and the "most appropriate system of government" for Fiji. The commission will specifically examine parliamentary composition and electoral arrangements — signalling that structural questions about representation and how leaders are chosen are on the table for national debate.
The TOR also commit the CRC to consider group rights in line with international human rights standards, with explicit attention to the rights and interests of indigenous iTaukei and Rotuman communities. The commission said it will look closely at matters such as land ownership, fishing rights and equitable benefit-sharing from natural resources — issues long central to discussions on customary land tenure and resource use in Fiji.
Another high-profile item the commission will review is the role of the Great Council of Chiefs. While Valenitabua did not outline any predetermined outcomes, including the council in the TOR indicates the CRC intends to assess the institution’s place within any proposed constitutional arrangements and its relationship to broader governance and cultural protections.
By clarifying the mandate now, the CRC aims to manage public expectations and provide a clear framework for submissions and consultations. Valenitabua emphasised the TOR are intended to set the foundation for deliberations rather than predetermine recommendations, underlining that the commission’s remit is to listen to Fijians and to consider the full range of views presented during its outreach.
The CRC’s move comes amid heightened public interest in constitutional matters, and the commission has stressed accessibility: consultations, workshops and options for written submissions will be used to reach different constituencies across the country. The clarification of the TOR is the latest development in the review process and establishes the parameters for what the commission will examine as it begins its public engagement.
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