Extensive discussions on the opening day of the Great Council of Chiefs meeting centered on the challenges of amending laws affecting iTaukei communities, many of which are in place through the 2013 Constitution.
Great Council of Chiefs Chair Ratu Viliame Seruvakula said the council members were informed that the process of revising these laws was complex and would be gradual, and that they would need to work within the current laws until amendments are made. This led to growing calls from council members for a review of the 2013 Constitution.
Ratu Viliame said that while there is a strong desire for change, the reality of making amendments is more challenging than many had anticipated.
“The Solicitor General explained to the members of the Council that removing these laws is not that simple,” he said. “They are a work in progress and there are subcommittees looking into those. To try and think of changing those laws overnight, it’s not going to happen realistically, so what we’ve discussed is to try and do as much as we can from the laws that we have and we can, because we still can make use of the resources we have with the laws in place.”
The meeting also outlined the ongoing review of 33 laws that impact the iTaukei community, 16 of which have already been updated. Among the laws that remain under review are the village by-laws. The Solicitor General’s Office, along with the GCC’s subcommittee on Law and Governance, is leading efforts to gather input from provinces across Fiji, focusing on drafting laws that better reflect the needs of the community.
A recurring theme throughout the discussions was the challenge posed by the 2013 Constitution.
“He (the Solicitor General) keeps referring back to the 2013 Constitution,” Rau Viliame said. “Everywhere you look, it ties back to the 2013 Constitution.”
Ratu Viliame added that several members of the council have raised concerns about the need to review the Constitution.
“It’s obvious that we need to review it if we are to move forward in most areas,” he said. “It needs to be reviewed.”
The meeting continues today, with further discussions on how to navigate the existing legal framework while addressing the growing demand for change.
