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Constitution work begins in nine months

WORK on Fiji's fourth constitution will begin in September next year, according to the Prime Minister's office.

The PM's permanent secretary, Colonel Pio Tikoduadua, said consultations with various stakeholders for the drafting of the new constitution would begin in the next nine months.

"The government under the Strategic Framework for Change and inspired by the People's Charter for Change Peace and Progress desires that we as people of equal birth and equal rights do it right this time round so that in 40 years our children will hail and not curse our legacy," he said at a public lecture series organised by the Citizens Constitutional Forum.

And the government will see to it that reforms follow through within the next five years, he said while quoting an earlier speech by the Prime Minister.

"Fiji, in 2014 will have a new constitution," Col Tikoduadua said.

He said the new constitution, under which the 2014 national elections would be held, would also have vernacular versions, and it would derive its impetus from the recommendations under the People's Charter.

The new constitution, he said, must include provisions that:

* entrench common and equal citizenry,

* must not have ethnic-based voting;

* allow the voting age to be 18;

* must have systems that hold elected governments accountable with more checks and balances.

Colonel Tikoduadua said consultations would be extensive and not confined to political parties.

He said civil societies, including non government organisations and citizens of the country, would be included in consultations, and that discussions would go beyond the size of the new parliament, the term of office of a government and systems of checks and balances.