Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka [Source: Parliament of the Republic of Fiji / Facebook ]

Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says there will still be sufficient time to conduct both the General Election and a referendum, despite deferring the third reading of the Constitution Amendment Bill.

His comments follow Parliament’s approval of a motion to defer the Special Committee’s report to a later date.

Rabuka says while overall public response has been encouraging, turnout in some urban centers during public consultations fell short of expectations.

He adds that the decision also considers the heavy workload on the Parliament Secretariat, which processes and compiles daily submission notes.

Rabuka says that concerns raised by both staff and committee members highlighted the need for extra time to thoroughly consider public feedback.

He says he wrote to the Speaker requesting an extension to allow the Special Committee to receive further written and oral submissions.

“We will advertise for written submissions to come in, and those that wish to make oral submissions, that will also be advertised and for the time and place for them to come and make those oral submissions.”

Rabuka confirms the compiled report will now be tabled on November 30th.

“The last day of this month, that’s the Monday, we come back with a fuller report and a written-up report and amendment to the Constitution as composed of the various reports received so far, and those that will come up between the end of this sitting in Parliament this week, and the beginning of writing to be presented to Parliament, the representatives of the people of Fiji for debate on the last day of this month, and the first four days of December.”

Rabuka stresses that the proposed timeline will still allow sufficient time to complete all preparatory work for both the referendum and the General Election.

He emphasizes that the entire process will remain well within the constitutional and legal timeframes required to elect Fiji’s next Parliament.