Mollyn Nakabea 
[Photo: FILE]
The Constitutional Amendment Bill faces a two-thirds majority vote in Parliament on Friday.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says he is confident the Bill will secure the required support.
Rabuka states there is no back-up plan if the Bill fails. Parliament has already suspended Standing Orders to allow the Bill to proceed through its first reading and move to the next stage.
If the Bill passes the second reading, it will be referred to a joint Select Committee for 30 days. The Committee will deliberate on the Bill before it returns to Parliament for the third reading.
“The consultation and the deliberation by the Committee will bring to the process the views of the people, while some in the House or in Parliament will say, you know, we need to take it to the people and get their views. We protect that we are representing the views of the people.”
That is how democracy plays out. We represent them, and we air their views in the Chamber during the debate and also cast their power by our vote on those bills.”
Rabuka explained that the Bill contains changes from the Constitution Review Commission’s recommendations, including provisions on age limits, term limits and qoliqoli ownership.
On immunity, Rabuka says the government has retained the existing provisions in line with the Supreme Court’s directive.
He adds that issues raised by the Commission but left out of the Bill will be debated in Parliament.
The third reading will require another two-thirds majority. If it passes, the Bill will proceed to a public referendum.
