Litia Cava 
[Photo: Supplied: Fiji Govt]
The return of Fiji’s Senate and the Bose Levu Vakaturaga are among the major changes proposed in a new draft Constitution handed to the President today.
The Constitution Review Commission states it is recommending the reinstatement of the Senate as Parliament’s Upper House and the Bose Levu Vakaturaga as part of a wider overhaul of the 2013 Constitution.
Commission Chairperson Sevuloni Ratumaiyale Valenitabua says the recommendations follow an extensive public review, with the Commission receiving 1,220 submissions from individuals, villages, tikinas, yasanas, government bodies and organisations.
The Commission also recommends reinstating the Public Service Commission to oversee the public service and matters affecting public servants.
It proposes retaining Fijian as the national identity, while allowing for a future consultative process for people to decide what Fiji’s common national identity should be.
The review also examined fundamental rights and freedoms, good governance, the rule of law, the judiciary, indigenous Fijian and Rotuman rights and changes to the electoral system.
The Commission says 3,873 people took part in face-to-face consultations held at 105 venues across the country.
Valenitabua said the draft constitution was completed in just five weeks after consultations ended, with the review report providing the reasoning behind the recommendations.
The documents were formally handed to President Ratu Naiqama Lalabalavu today, bringing the Commission’s work to an end after less than six months.
