Litia Cava 
[Photo: FILE]
Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica has accused former Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama and former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum of introducing the 2013 Constitution to preserve their hold on political power.
Kamikamica made the allegation while defending the Coalition Government’s proposed constitutional amendments.
He rejected the argument that the 2013 Constitution was designed primarily to make democratic processes more efficient through a single-chamber Parliament.
He claimed the 2013 Constitution was specifically intended to allow Bainimarama and Sayed-Khaiyum to govern with unfettered power.
The DPM argued that this concentration of authority was among the reasons the Coalition wanted constitutional change.
Kamikamica also defended the proposed reintroduction of the Senate, saying it existed under the 1997 Constitution and was not an entirely new arrangement.
He indicated that the proposed representation of the Great Council of Chiefs, the Bose Levu Vakaturaga and other members could be rebalanced to achieve a more equal distribution.
However, Opposition MP Premila Kumar challenged the Deputy Prime Minister’s criticism, pointing out that the Coalition Government had itself taken office under the 2013 Constitution.
