Adi Sivia Qoro, a consultant and president of Unity Fiji, has emphasized the urgency for a comprehensive and authentic evaluation of the 2013 Constitution.
Her primary concern revolves around the circumstances surrounding the Constitution’s formation, highlighting that the initial draft by Yash Ghai’s Constitution Commission was ignored by the previous government. Instead, a revised version was expedited through the legislative process and enacted in September 2013.
Adi Sivia argues that this enactment was fundamentally flawed, as it lacked genuine input from the Fijian populace. She criticized the brief consultation period as inadequate for capturing authentic public opinion, raising concerns about whose interests the Constitution actually represents.
Furthermore, she pointed to the detrimental impacts of Fiji’s historical coups on the nation’s democracy, social fabric, and economic stability. She cautioned that these upheavals have hindered the country’s progress, asserting that a defective constitution cannot remedy the damage done.
“The credibility of the nation’s democracy is called into question, along with the adverse social consequences we are currently witnessing, and the economic welfare of our citizens,” she stated. “It significantly hinders the country’s development by many years.”
Regarding constitutional amendments, she noted that the processes outlined within the Constitution render it one of the most challenging to amend globally. “This has profound implications for the democratic rights of the citizens and their engagement in the constitutional process. It’s imperative for the public to discuss this openly and seek a path forward,” Adi Sivia concluded.