Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka believes the Government currently has the numbers required to secure the two-third parliamentary support needed for proposed constitutional changes.
While responding to fijivillage News on whether he is confident in securing two-thirds support for a bill to amend the Constitution, Rabuka said, “At the moment, yes.”
When asked on the proposed constitutional amendment that would limit a Prime Minister to two terms, and would rule him out from serving as Prime Minister after the next elections, Rabuka says the Bill will be debated and voted on again.
Rabuka also clarified that the recommendations made by the Constitution Review Commission Report are not the final proposed amendments that will go before Parliament.
He says a Cabinet sub-committee has been deliberating on the CRC’s proposed amendments over the past two weeks and making changes.
The Prime Minister says those changes will be the ones that make their way to Parliament.
However, when questioned on whether there would be enough time to prepare for and hold the next general elections under a new Constitution if the proposed changes come into effect by December 24th, Rabuka, says if the Constitution is changed, transition provisions will determine which Constitution or electoral law the election will be held under.
When asked why the constitutional changes were being pursued now rather than during the Government’s first or second year in office, Rabuka says an attempt was made in the second year but it was defeated in Parliament.
He says the matter was then referred to the Supreme Court and the process has continued.
Rabuka also rejected suggestions that the constitutional review process is being rushed.
He says he and the leadership of the National Federation Party have been talking about changing the Constitution since after 2013.
