Include all races in Provincial and Tikina Councils - Bole

The Lau Provincial Council said all citizens of the country should be called Fijian and the country’s name to be replaced by its true and authentic name “Viti”.

While making the submission to the Constitution Commission today, the chairman of the Provincial Council Filipe Bole said objection to the use of the word “Fijian” should gradually fade if the country’s name is changed to Viti.

The council strongly recommends that this change is adopted henceforth and the common name “Fijian” to remain for all citizens.

The Lau Provincial Council is also calling for the membership of the Tikina and Provincial Councils to be open to all races.

Bole said the business of the two councils covers matters that apply to all the people that live within the boundaries of the tikina and province irrespective of race.

He said the inclusion of other ethnic groups as members of these councils would no doubt improve their effectiveness and make their business more open to public scrutiny and accountability.

Bole said the Lau Provincial Council also wants the implementation of the one person, one vote, one value system.

He said representation in parliament should be on the basis of merit and not ethnicity.

He said strict enforcement of constitutional provisions for protection of life, property and ownership should dispel fear against arbitrary loss and deprivation.

The Lau Provincial Council requests the Constitution Commission to consider their proposal that there should be a constitutional directive that future governments rank rural development high in its priorities.

Bole said the new constitution should provide for Fiji to remain a secular state, protection for the rights and freedom of the people and the lowering of the voting age to 18 years.


Story by: Vijay Narayan