Govt is engaged on changing the law so women can use their name of preference - PM

Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka says your government is engaged on changing the Electoral Registration of Voters Amendment Act so women can use their name of preference.

While delivering a national address on the government’s 100 days in office, Rabuka says many women were angered and confused when they were required to revert to their birth certificate names to register as voters.

He says legal action was also taken by one group.

Details on when this law will be changed have not been announced.

Rabuka also highlighted that they campaigned hard against the oppressive Media Industry Development Act, which curtailed media freedom, and had promised that they would scrap it.

A Bill to repeal the Media Act will be debated in parliament on Thursday.

The Prime Minister says they have also taken action as well to repeal the controversial i-Taukei Land Trust Amendment Bill, known as Bill 17.

He says this was enacted with undue haste without consultation with the landowners.

Rabuka says at least 12 other pieces of legislation impacting the i-Taukei will be reviewed in the 2022-2023 Parliament session.

He says this is in line with their commitment to review and repeal i-Taukei related laws that marginalise their rights.

The Prime Minister further says a shadow was cast over Fiji’s history when the Great Council of Chiefs was closed down.

He says for the indigenous people, the GCC is a symbol of their identity and culture.

Rabuka says they regard it as the traditional apex of the vanua.

He says they decided that it must be restored, and its new life begins on May 24th and 25th on the chiefly island of Bau.

The Prime Minister adds that the outcome document of the Inaugural iTaukei Resource Owners Forum is ready to be submitted to the National Economic Summit and Cabinet. Cabinet has also endorsed Fiji’s support for the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Another achievement highlighted includes the allowing of Dr Padma Lal, widow of the famed historian and academic, Professor Brij Lal, to return to Fiji.

Rabuka says she had been prevented by the last Government from bringing home the ashes of her late husband, for his last rites at his birthplace of Tabia near Labasa.

He says with her family and the nation, she finally got to say the last farewell to Professor Lal.

Rabuka says they have also approved the use of our vernacular languages in parliament to more fully reflect the multi-racial nature of Fiji.

He also says in January, the Government acted quickly to put together a $50 million Back-to-School support package to help parents and guardians buy school items for their children.

The assistance went to more than 220,000 students who shared a total payout out of $44.4 million.

Rabuka says as pledged, they maintained social pensions and other forms of support and benefits for the poor and needy, including bus fare subsidies, care and protection of children and single parents.

He says at March 5th, there were 96,966 recipients under social protection programmes.

The Prime Minister says the penalties and persecution directed at the University of the South Pacific by the Government were a major concern. He says they were particularly focused on the welfare of many thousands of Fijian students, and those from neighbouring countries, whose education was under threat.

Rabuka says they have made urgent arrangements to pay $10 million to support the USP’s operations for the remainder of the financial year.

More payments will be made to meet the Fiji government’s total arrears.

They also lifted the immigration ban on the USP Vice Chancellor Professor Pal Ahluwalia so that he could resume his duties at the Laucala Campus.