Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka at the Commonwealth Law Ministers' Meeting [Photo: Fiji Government]
The rule of law is not an abstract principle confined to constitutions or courtrooms; it is the foundation upon which citizens place their trust in democratic systems.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka highlighted this while officially opening the Commonwealth Law Ministers’ Meeting (CLMM) at the Crowne Plaza, Wailoaloa Beach in Nadi.
He says the rule of law is what safeguards every community’s right to live in safety, health, and dignity.
His remarks followed the iVeiqaraqaravi vakavanua, the traditional welcome ceremony, during which Rabuka highlighted the significance of such customs, saying they are deeply woven into the identity of the people of the land.
Addressing senior officials from the 56-member Commonwealth network, Rabuka emphasised the importance of the Commonwealth Law Ministers’ Meeting in paving the way for dependable justice, strong institutions, and laws that serve not only those who understand them best, but those who rely on them the most.
He described the theme for this year’s meeting, ‘Anchoring Justice in a Changing Tide: Strengthening the Rule of Law for a Resilient Future’, as fitting for the present times.
He says the changing tide is not just a metaphor, as across our Commonwealth we see the accelerating pressures of climate change, the profound disruptions of digital transformation, and the emergence of new and complex risks that test the tenets of our legal systems to their limits.
He adds that to anchor justice is to ensure that amid these shifts, the rule of law remains firmly grounded in fairness, guided by principle, and upheld by institutions that protect rights, safeguard the vulnerable, and make space for mercy.
Commonwealth Secretary-General Shirley Botchwey says Fiji, as host, through its traditional welcome ceremony, reminded participants that leadership is not only about institutions and laws, but about culture, community, and care.
She says they are gathering at a time when many people around the world feel the ground beneath them is shifting, and they see uncertainty in politics, volatility in economies, and threats to the environment that sustains them.
She stresses that when the rule of law weakens, people feel it first.
Botchwey says when laws are applied unevenly, trust erodes; when accountability fades, inequality grows; and when justice is delayed or denied, democracy itself is weakened.
She says Pacific communities have long understood resilience as something rooted in stewardship; of land, of ocean, of tradition, and of one another.
She adds that law, at its best, does the same: it provides the framework through which societies manage conflict, protect the vulnerable, and pass on something stronger to the next generation.
The Commonwealth Law Ministers’ Meeting is being held at the Sheraton Resort and will continue until Thursday, with discussions set to focus on a range of topical issues and challenges facing legal systems across member states.
Fiji is being led at the meeting by Acting Attorney-General and Minister for Justice, Siromi Turaga and his team.
