Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama said while Fijian is not specifically stated as a non-negotiable principle, common and equal citizenry (a non-negotiable principle) means that all citizens are common in their legal status in relation to the state and thereby have a common name.
It is an accepted legal basis for all modern states.
Although the Prime Minister has stressed that all citizens now have “Fijian” as the common name, Constitution Commission chairman Professor Yash Ghai said the issue of common name is not a non-negotiable.
Professor Ghai said the decision on common name will be made by the commission.
Professor Ghai said everyone’s views will be taken into account before the commission decides on the issue of common name.
The commission is having a public seminar on religion and state at USP’s Marine Studies Lecture Theatre from 6 to 8 tonight.
The speakers will include representatives from the Methodist Church, Catholic Church, Seventh Day Adventist Church, LDS, Pacific Regional Seminary, Shree Sanatan Dharm Pratinidhi Sabha, Fiji Muslim League and Pacific Theological College.
Story by: Vijay Narayan
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