With the draft Charter consultations now underway around the country, the Fiji Law Society President said the current electoral system is democratic and the work on the draft People's Charter is outside the constitution.
Isireli Fa said the Law Society totally disapproves the current Charter Process.
“I think the Law Society take the position of great concern that this process is being implemented. The Law Society’s position is based on the 1997 constitutional Fiji which is the supreme Law of Fiji and the constitution clearly set out the procedure their ring is someone which is to amend onto the constitution. Unfortunately this process that’s now taking place is outside the constitution and the Fiji Law Society looks upon it as great concern and disapproval”.
Fa also stresses that the current electoral system is democratic and the NCBBF and the interim government should stop trying to put through a new system through an unconstitutional process.
“What has to be considered – the current electro system is in fact democratic because this is what happens, every citizen of Fiji has to vote, you vote communally, for your communal representative, and you vote for any other party, any other person of another race in an open constituency. So I can’t see why anyone is saying that they are not voting or their vote are not counted when in fact everybody in Fiji has to vote”.
Meanwhile Interim Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said these views expressed by Fa are the views of only some executives of the Law Society.
He said the Fiji Law Society and others should just wait for the people to have a say on the proposed changes.
Sayed-Khaiyum is also concerned about Isireli Fa's comments that the current electoral system is democratic.
