Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama said announcements on the constitution consultations will be made when everything is ready, and he has dismissed claims by Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry that this is a bluff.
Commodore Bainimarama said Chaudhry should just wait for the government's next step as preparations are underway for the constitution making process and the 2014 elections.
Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry has told Radio NZ yesterday morning that the constitution process announcement is a bluff as it was promised that the announcement would be made in February.
He also said that promises are not being honoured.
Fijivillage contacted Commodore Bainimarama and he made it clear that work is underway on the consultation process but people should realize that some parts of the country have been severely affected by the recent floods.
In the exclusive interview with Fijivillage, Commodore Bainimarama said that he wants to ensure that Fiji’s next constitution is not a racist document.
Commodore Bainimarama said getting a new constitution and electoral system will take time but everything will be ready before the 2014 elections.
He said that he does not want the system followed in the past where politicians were contesting the elections based on racial lines.
The Prime Minister questioned Chaudhry what constructive steps have been taken in the past to get rid of the old system.
Chaudhry said this afternoon that he is now looking forward to the promised announcement on the consultations next week.
However, he said changes are only required in the electoral provisions.
Chaudhry said he had opposed the communal based voting system.
We asked Chaudhry why he continued to contest the elections under the system over the past years.
He said he could not do much.
Meanwhile, the Citizens Constitutional Forum has welcomed the move by the Prime Minister to announce the public consultations for the formulation of the new Fijian constitution next week.
Story by: Vijay Narayan
