March 29, 2013

Parliament to appoint President

17:30 Today

Under the draft constitution, the President of Fiji will no longer be the Commander in Chief.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama made this clear today, at a talk back show on GoldFM.

The draft constitution stipulates the President will be elected by parliament after nominations by the Prime Minister and Leader of Opposition.

“In Fiji over the past many years the president has never had the executive authority… it has always remained with the Prime Minister and I think someone in the abrogated constitutions transferred the term in American sense into and called the president the commander in chief.”

Bainimarama also touched on the role the president under the draft constitution.

“He is a ceremonial head of the government of Fiji and of course he assents the bill and if he does not assent the bill it becomes law… but he has got his responsibilities as well.”

The Prime Minister further explained, there’s no reason for Fiji to have a vice president, as in the absence of the President – the chief justice does his work.

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