Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka recognized the National Federation Party (NFP) as Fiji’s longest-serving political party during his address at the NFP Annual Convention. He praised the party’s resilience and commitment to the Fijian people over its 61-year history.
Rabuka emphasized the NFP’s significant influence on the nation’s development, tracing its impact from the pre-independence period under A.D. Patel’s leadership at the Constitutional Conference in the UK to its representation in the Legislative Council during the 1960s. He also noted the party’s role in the current Coalition Government that he leads.
He expressed his trust and confidence in the NFP, particularly in its leader, Professor Biman Prasad. Rabuka highlighted that this Coalition Government marks the first time Fiji has been led by a coalition for over a year, acknowledging that like any family, coalitions experience challenges but can be defined by their focus and perseverance.
The Prime Minister recounted his strong connection with the NFP, which deepened through his friendship with the late Party Leader, Mr. Justice Jai Ram Reddy, who passed away in August 2022. Rabuka recalled their collaboration on the 1997 Constitution, which was a significant milestone for Fiji.
He noted that the 1997 Constitution was unanimously enacted in Parliament following Reddy’s impactful speech to the Great Council of Chiefs. This constitution was celebrated internationally as a symbol of endurance, dialogue, and consensus.
Rabuka highlighted the tragic abrogation of this constitution on April 10, 2009, shortly after a court ruling that democracy should be reinstated by that August. He criticized the 2013 Constitution for imposing limitations on human rights compared to its predecessor.
He pointed out that the 1997 Constitution not only protected group rights, including those relevant to indigenous landowners and tenants, but also worked to eliminate political influence over essential independent offices. The Prime Minister also echoed concerns raised by former Chief Justice Anthony Gates in 2018 regarding the 2013 Constitution’s single national constituency, which he claimed restricts citizens’ direct access to their elected representatives.
Rabuka concluded by asserting the necessity of reviewing the 2013 Constitution.