The government has initiated the process to create legislation aimed at amending the 2013 Constitution. This information was confirmed by Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka during an event outside the Centenary Church in Suva yesterday.
The Constitution of Fiji lays out a procedure for its own amendment, which requires that Parliament pass a bill supported by at least three-quarters of the Members of Parliament. “The government is working on introducing a bill to Parliament to kickstart this process,” Mr. Rabuka stated.
When questioned about remarks made by Professor Anthony James Regan of the Australian National University regarding the significant concentration of powers held by the Prime Minister and the Attorney-General under the 2013 Constitution, Mr. Rabuka noted that such powers can only be exercised through Parliament.
He acknowledged that Professor Regan’s comments provided important insights, saying, “I welcome what he said, it was an eye-opener for many, but it is also something most of us have been considering.” He added that he intended to discuss the legitimacy of the promulgation process of the 2013 Constitution, which Regan suggested did not follow the proper procedures.
Mr. Rabuka highlighted that the powers granted to the PM and Attorney-General under the 2013 Constitution are uncommon, noting that the Prime Minister is mentioned 111 times and the Attorney-General 66 times throughout the document.