The Social Empowerment and Education Programme needs to adopt a much more broader, progressive, and forward looking outlook in the way it views issues surrounding it as opposed to one that was locked in the past.
Fiji Law Reform Commission Director, Raijeli Lebaivalu Tuivaga stated this while responding to a statement by SEEP earlier this week calling on the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights to explore all possible methods to simplify and promote awareness of the Code of Conduct Bill, the Access to Information Bill, and the Accountability and Transparency Commission Bill.
SEEP had asked on why the government waited over 2 years to initiate these essential legal reforms.
While responding to the statement, Tuivaga says in any democracy, good things take time.
Tuivaga asks what is two years compared to the last 16 years where a prominent organization like SEEP, would have never been consulted on any Bill whilst it was conceived, shaped and brought before Parliament.
She says in those same two years, this same Government introduced critical pieces of legislation that impact on good governance and social change.
The Director says specific instances include the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Act 2024, passed last December 2024, which now that it is well established, starts its work in restoration, healing, reconciliation and moving Fiji forward.
She says the Code of Conduct Bill 2025 - passed way back in 2018 but never saw the light of day, for seven years until this year 2025, Government took it off the shelf, dusted it and brought it back to life.
Tuivaga says this trio pack also includes the Access of Information Bill 2025 and the Accountability and Transparency Commission Bill 2025.
She says on Government not adopting a people centred approach; why is SEEP not partnering with Parliament to conduct this very same awareness and translation through its strong community networks.
The Director says April 2025 is seeing for the very first time in almost two decades a review of arbitrary, regressive legislation in the form of our current Electoral Laws, affecting every citizen voter of this country, a golden opportunity to examine the provided translated prompts to frame a solid submission.
She says in the same month, Government, in a very progressive move, has also initiated the review of the Education Act 1966, an antiquated piece of legislation to revamp/update our education system so it is modern and on par with modern education systems whilst being rooted in our Fiji context
Tuivaga says the Online Safety Commission Act 2018, as pointed out by the Commissioner Filipe Batiwale is another undergoing a review, addressing gaps to ensure that the new Act will enable the Online Safety Commission to be able to fully utilize its powers so that it is effective and able to assist and protect citizens like from online harm abuse - particularly where children are concerned.
She is urging SEEP – to not be short sighted but rather, pause, think, and consider how SEEP can be part of the solution and less of the problem.
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