Adi Sivia Qoro, the consultant and president of Unity Fiji, has emphasized the urgent need for a comprehensive and authentic review of the 2013 Constitution. Her primary concern revolves around the manner in which the Constitution was established, highlighting that the original draft from Yash Ghai’s Constitution Commission was disregarded by the former government. Instead, they imposed their own version, which was enacted as law in September 2013.
Adi Sivia contends that the process was fundamentally flawed, lacking adequate input from the Fijian people. She criticized the limited consultation period, which she believes was insufficient to capture genuine public sentiment, raising doubts about whose interests the constitution truly represents.
Furthermore, she identified the detrimental impact of Fiji’s past coups, which have undermined the nation’s democracy, social structure, and economy. She cautioned that these events have hindered the country’s progress and asserted that a flawed constitution cannot remedy the resulting damage.
“It raises questions regarding the credibility of the nation’s democracy, alongside the adverse social consequences we’re currently witnessing and the economic hardships faced by our citizens,” she stated. “More than anything, it regresses the country by several years in terms of its development.”
Regarding constitutional amendments, she noted that the provisions for amendment render the Fiji Constitution one of the most challenging in the world to alter. “Many have pointed this out! This significantly impacts the democratic rights of the citizens and their involvement in crafting their own Constitution. This should now be the focus of public discourse as we seek a way forward,” Adi Sivia concluded.