Some of the recommendations arising from the 2013 Constitution review are the reinstatement of the Great Council of Chiefs; the reinstatement of the Senate as the Upper House of Parliament; the reinstatement of the Public Service Commission to oversee the Public Service and personal matters of public servants; the continued use of “Fijian” as the national identity with a caveat that a consultative process is to be utilised so that people of Fiji can decide what their common or national identity should be, among other things.
This has been highlighted by the Chairman of the Constitution Review Commission, Sevuloni Valenitabua as the commission handed over it's report and the Draft Constitution Bill to President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu.
Valenitabua says from the recommendations, the Commissioners wrote a Draft Constitution.
He says the Draft Constitution, which is an amendment, is a recommended Constitution to take Fiji forward.
The Chairman says the draft is forward-looking, recognises our nation’s multiracialism; it aspires to streamline State services; and it aspires to encourage peaceful living of all ethnic groups within Fiji, among other things.
The original Commissioners were: Professor Dr. Unaisi Nabobo-Baba (Vice Chancellor, Fiji National University [FNU]), Professor Dr. Neelesh Gounder (Economist, Lecturer at the University of the South Pacific), Dr. John Fatiaki (Private Medical Practitioner, Suva), Conway Beg (Architect, Suva), Merewalesi Nailatikau (Consultant, Suva), Ami Kholi (Barrister and Solicitor, Private Practitioner, Labasa) and Sevuloni Valenitabua (Barrister and Solicitor, Private Practitioner, Nausori) as Chairperson.
Commissioner Professor Dr. Unaiasi Nabobo-Baba, who was initially one of the seven Commissioners, resigned on 5th May 2026 due to her busy work commitments as the Vice Chancellor of the FNU.
Dr. Salanieta Bakalevu was appointed to replace Professor Dr.Nabobo-Baba as the seventh Commissioner.
The Commission was assisted by three professionals and experts from Australia and New Zealand.
They were Professor Anthony Regan (a Constitutional Lawyer from the Australian National University), Dr. Kathrene Le Roy (the Deputy Head of the Queensland Legislative Drafting Office – Legal Drafter) and Fiona Leonard (former Head of the New Zealand Drafting Office in Wellington – Legal Drafter).
1,220 submissions were received, through oral, virtual and online means.
These submissions were from Government Ministries, statutory bodies, non-government organisations, individuals, Villages, Tikina and Yasana; comprising 832 individual and 388 joint submissions.
The CRC’s face-to-face consultative sessions were attended by 3,873 people.
