The Citizens Constitutional Forum is yet to confirm whether it will withdraw it's booklet on the 2013 constitution which contains misleading information on a number of sections in the constitution.
When contacted by Fijivillage, we were told that CCF's Chief Executive Officer, Reverend Akuila Yabaki is having a staff meeting and will contact us later.
Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has called on the CCF to withdraw it's booklet, as he said some of the contents of the booklet is misleading and incorrect.
The Attorney General said the CCF is taking around this booklet throughout Fiji at the grassroots level and it may even be translated into the vernacular language.
Sayed-Khaiyum said there are several inaccurate details in the booklet which includes misinformation that the Prime Minister and the Attorney General have control over the Judicial Services Commission.
Sayed-Khaiyum said the CCF booklet is also claiming that people will get broad immunity under the constitution.
He stressed that the constitution is clear that immunity is not provided for various offences under the Crimes Decree.
He said there are a lot of factual inaccuracies in the booklet and there are deliberate omissions and additions.
The Attorney General said other inaccurate details in the booklet include the information that a cabinet is a body of advisors to the President.
Sayed-Khaiyum said everyone knows that the cabinet consists of the Prime Minister and the number of ministers is determined by the Prime Minister.
He said the booklet also said that there is no limitation to the number of ministers the Prime Minister can appoint.
Sayed-Khaiyum said there has been no limitation set for cabinet in the past.
He said in 2006, Fiji had 36 ministers in the so called multi party cabinet.
Another issue raised in the CCF booklet is the section relating to the compulsory acquisition of land which has been in place since the colonial period.
Sayed-Khaiyum questions why the new section is not included where the land taken through compulsory acquisition will be returned to the landowners if it is no longer required.
The number of booklets already distributed by CCF is not known at this stage.
It is not known when the CCF started distributing the booklets.
Story by: Vijay Narayan
Feature
CCF yet to confirm if it will withdraw its booklet
