Constitution chair clarifies so-called leaked report

07:42 Yesterday (December 14, 2012)

The Chairman of Fiji’s Constitution Commission, Professor Yash Ghai says people shouldn’t regard preliminary proposals for the constitution as final.

In a statement, Ghai says it’s inaccurate to claim that a document with the preliminary proposals is a “leak”.

Australian and New Zealand media have reported the so-called leaked document.

Ghai clarified that the document was circulated for a meeting with leading local experts and public servants on some preliminary proposals for the constitution.

He added the purpose of the meeting was to get feedback on the proposals as well as listen, more generally, to their views.

According to Ghai in advance of the meeting all participants were emailed a memorandum with the title, Fiji’s Constitution: A Consultation Document, and hard copies were provided at the meeting.

Ghai said while the document was meant for consultation they didn’t expect participants to circulate it and it wasn’t necessarily meant to be confidential.

He adds the document wasn’t categorized as so.

The Commission is now completing its work, including the Draft Constitution and the Explanatory Report.

The final recommendations will be those which the Commission will hand over to the President on 20 December.