MAJORITY of Fijians want the current coat of arms retained in the new flag design.
None of the proposed designs for the new Fiji flag have the coat of arms. A Tebbutt Times Poll conducted this week revealed that 83 per cent of those interviewed wanted the coat of arms retained and this was consistent across all age groups, gender, ethnicity and geographical division.
Eleven per cent wanted the coat of arms removed and 1.9 per cent were not sure.
And the poll also revealed that a majority of Fijians still want Fiji connected to its colonial heritage.
The poll found that 63 per cent of those interviewed want the Union Jack retained.
At least three out of ten people or 31 per cent wanted the Union Jack removed and 5.2 per cent were not sure.
The result comes as Fiji prepares for the end of the public consultation on a new flag design on July 1. The coat of arms of Fiji consists of a shield divided quarterly by the cross of St George and charged with a golden lion at the top, supported by two Fijian warriors, one on each side, and topped with a canoe as the crest.
It was adopted in 1908.
The colours and objects on the coat of arms carry cultural, political, and regional meanings.
The cross of St George — which divides the shield quarterly — and the golden lion at the top represent the United Kingdom, our colonisers. The cocoa pod held in the lion’s paw, along with the sugar cane, coconut palm and bananas occupying three of the four quadrants, represent the country’s natural resources, since these were key agricultural crops in Fiji at that time.
The bottom left quadrant contains a dove that symbolises peace. The crest at the top depicts a takia — a traditional Fijian canoe — while the supporters grasping the shield on both sides are Fijian warriors.
