Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica says he believes the six-month process to review Fiji’s Constitution has been adequate, while the Government prepares for the next stage of the process.
Kamikamica says Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has been on record saying the next general election will be held within the constitutional period.
He says Cabinet is meeting today, after which there could be announcements on what needs to be done.
Kamikamica says the current Constitution is an evolution of Fiji’s previous constitutional documents, including the 1970 and 1990 Constitutions, the 1997 Constitution, the Yash Ghai report and the 2013 Constitution.
He says Fiji now needs to allow a new process to begin.
Insert: Kamikamica on due process 22nd Sept
He says the Government now has the numbers in Parliament to move the process forward, while recognising that a new process needs to be followed.
According to Kamikamica, there will be about 30 days of consultation with the people of Fiji before the process moves forward.
On the possibility of a referendum being a challenge, Kamikamica says he believes it should be a fairly straightforward process, but this will be determined by the Electoral Commission.
He adds that Fiji should be excited because this will be the first time the people of Fiji will vote on the Constitution.