Fiji Labour Party leader Mahendra Chaudhry has today said that he supports the idea of every citizen in the country to be called a Fijian, however, he said the rights of each citizen should also be equal.
Chaudhry said over the years he has seen discrimination in certain areas which needs to be changed first.
Chaudhry also questioned why race based scholarships are continuing if everyone is called Fijian.
For many years, scholarships have been given out in two categories, one for only Itaukei and Rotuman applicants under the Itaukei Affairs scholarships and the other only for Indians and the minority community under the Multi Ethnic Affairs scholarships.
The Multi Ethnic Affairs scholarships are now under the Public Service Commission scholarship umbrella and the scholarships are being given out based on merit.
The government confirmed in May this year that it will continue to give Itaukei scholarships.
Permanent Secretary of the Prime Minister’s Office Colonel Pio Tikoduadua said all the scholarships will not be merged.
The People’s Charter Council had earlier recommended that all scholarships should be merged and there should be no more race based scholarships.
It said that scholarships should be given to students based on merit not on race.
Meanwhile, the Social Democratic and Liberal Party has backed a statement by Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu and Ro Teimumu Kepa, saying the party still believes that the name Fijian is only for indigenous Fijians.
Although the 2013 Constitution states that all citizens of Fiji should be known as Fijians, senior SODELPA official Doctor Tupeni Baba maintained that the party does not recognize the constitution and does not recognize Fijian as the common name for all the citizens of the country.
Doctor Baba said there was no referendum on the common name to be Fijian.
Story by: Vijay Narayan
Feature
I support the common name but bring in equal rights - Chaudhry
