The Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) has formally asked that the 1874 Deed of Cession be recognised in Fiji’s supreme law, lodging a submission with the Constitution Review Commission (CRC) on Wednesday, April 1, 2026. The document, part of the wide-ranging public consultation on the 2013 Constitution, also calls for stronger constitutional protections for iTaukei proprietary rights over land and resources and for formal recognition of customary laws and traditional practices.
In a statement, the CRC confirmed receipt of the GCC’s proposal and said the document will be examined alongside submissions from institutions, organisations and members of the public across the country. The Commission was appointed by the President to conduct a comprehensive review of the 2013 Constitution and opened the process by inviting written submissions from national institutions, associations, and public, private and civil society organisations.
The GCC’s filing goes beyond symbolic recognition, according to the CRC summary, recommending a series of amendments that would bolster legal safeguards for iTaukei ownership and control of land and natural resources. The council has also flagged broader governance concerns and suggested a review of several existing sections of the 2013 Constitution, though the CRC did not provide full text of the submission when acknowledging it.
Nationwide public consultations are expected to begin shortly, the Commission said, with the intent of hearing directly from communities and stakeholders before finalising its recommendations. The CRC has urged all individuals, communities and organisations to take part in the review process, signalling that in-person outreach and public hearings will form a major part of its workplan in the coming months.
The timing gives the CRC a tight window: the Commission is due to deliver its final report to the President by August 31, 2026. That timetable means submissions and consultations received now will feed into a report with potential constitutional amendment proposals or recommendations for further action by government.
Recognition of the 1874 Deed of Cession and the formal entrenchment of customary law in the Constitution are politically and legally significant proposals. If adopted, such changes could reshape the legal framework governing land tenure, resource rights and the relationship between customary authorities and state institutions. The CRC’s handling of the GCC’s submission — and how it balances competing views from other stakeholders across the country — will be central to whether any of the council’s proposals progress into constitutional reform.
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