HUMAN Rights Commissioner Chantelle Khan believes the Government should take a multi-party approach in amending laws that include outdated colonial policies.
Her comment comes in response to the Prime Minister’s observations at the Fiji Media Association town hall event in Tavua last month where he said amending Fiji’s outdated mining laws, rooted in the nation’s colonial past, would be a complex and time-consuming process requiring extensive national consultation.
“But the impetus is on the Government to make sure to continue engaging with the process of reviewing these laws,” she said.
“They’re very archaic laws. They need to be changed. And I think it’s time for the Government to stop saying it’s going to take a long time.
“Get on with it. Get on with the business of changing the laws. It’s actually two things we would like to remind the Government and the first one is a multi-party approach.”
Ms Khan said this was important because it was the Government’s job to change the laws, especially the Mining Act.
“They’re duty-bearers, and it’s their responsibility to make sure the laws align with international laws.
“The second thing is that this Government understands that you’re not in power forever.
“That’s why we are advocating for a multi-party process, for them to work on it together with all the different political parties.
“So when the next Government gets into power, they own the process and want to continue instead of shelving it.
“They were part of the discussion in previous years, so they will continue when they come into power.”
