Despite the SDL party’s denial that it had nothing to do with a submission presented at Suva Civic Centre on the first day of constitution consultations, video footage of the submission is now on the youtube website showing a SDL party official who is based at their headquarters making the submission.
Fijivillage was present during the presentation of the submission and it has been recorded that the submission was made by the SDL.
Here is the recorded confirmation.
SDL president Solomoni Naivalu was also present in the room during the presentation of the submission.
In the SDL submission to the Constitution Commission, the party wants Fiji to be declared a Christian state, Christianity to be the state religion and Fijian to be the national language of the state.
They also proposed that the country’s name should be changed.
“Fiji to be a Christian state. The name to be Christian Democratic Republic of the Fiji Islands or Christian Republic of the Fiji Islands.”
SDL said they also want the name “Fijian” to be reserved for the indigenous Fijians and all citizens to be called “Fiji Islanders”.
SDL also proposed that there should be no provisions for dual citizenship as they said that a person cannot serve two masters.
The SDL submission said the party wants the term “sexual orientation” to be removed from the Bill of Rights of the 1997 constitution.
In that section it states that a person must not be unfairly discriminated against, directly or indirectly, on the ground of his or her sexual orientation.
They propose that parliament and senate should be retained, some communal seats to be retained and the balance to be won under the one man one vote system.
On the appointment of the country’s President and Vice President, SDL has suggested that they should still be appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs.
The SDL has released a statement saying it is not their submission and they will make their presentation in September or October.
According to a statement released by Mesake Koroi, Party president Naivalu said he was only present during the consultations to observe how Professor Yash Ghai conducts the public submissions.
SDL also said that it is a multiracial party.
However the party said it is motivated by the ideals and principles of Christianity but at the same time is not oblivious to the religious beliefs of other ethnic communities in Fiji.
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