Policymakers have been urged to carefully consider the lessons of the past, particularly the limitations of past constitutional reforms.

Speaking at the Attorney General’s Conference, Executive Director of Dialogue Fiji Nilesh Lal shared insights into Fiji’s turbulent history of constitutional reforms and the current government’s push for constitutional changes.

Lal says that Fiji has experienced five major political power shifts since its independence, resulting in four different constitutions.

Lal highlighted that these shifts, from 1997 to 2022, have seen each constitution attempt to address the socio-political issues of the time.

However, he emphasizes that constitutions in Fiji have often been viewed as instruments to consolidate political power rather than enduring frameworks for national stability.

Turning to electoral systems, Lal praises the proportional representation system established in the 2013 constitution, calling it the most equitable and globally accepted approach.

Lal says the so-called “coat-tail effect,” where less popular candidates enter Parliament based on the votes of popular candidates, is not inherently negative.

“Now, in the open list proportional system that we have, that is the voter gets to choose who is going to be the MP or the candidates that would get into parliament by virtue of their individual tallies. So the coat tail effect is not a bad thing. Every electoral system has a trade off. If you compare, I’m not saying that the proportional representation system is perfect. It obviously has some flaws.”

He adds that constitutional reform in Fiji is not just about changing the document, but about building a system that reflects the will and needs of the people, ensuring genuine democratic governance.

The AG’s conference will end tomorrow.