Make submissions ‘without fear’

August 17, 2012 | Filed under: Fiji News | Posted by: newsroom
By MAIKA BOLATIKI

The people of Fiji are being urged to express their views to the Constitution Committee “without fear”.

The chairman of the Constitution Commission, Professor Yash Ghai, said people were free to make their views known to the Commission on any issue they felt should be catered for in the new Constitution.

“We encourage the people to make their views known without any fear,” Professor Ghai told the Fiji Sun yesterday.

“This is the very essence of having the public consultations – to give the people of Fiji an opportunity to take part in the process and speak their minds freely.”  The Commission, he said would like to encourage people of all ethnic groups to come out and participate in the process.

When asked about his assessment on the submissions made Professor Ghai said the submissions received so far covered a wide range of issues from land issues, human rights, role of the chiefs, electoral system, affirmative action programmes, women’s rights, rights of the children and bread and butter issues.

The Commission had started work in Viti Levu, mainly in the Central Division. According to the timetable, submissions started on July 2 and will end on September 30.

Professor Ghai also told the Fiji Sun that they remain committed to their December deadline and would only seek an extension “If there is a need”.

“This is an opportunity for them to come forward and tell us what they would like to see in the new Constitution,” Professor Ghai said.