Unity Fiji leader Savenaca Narube has accused Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka of using the extension of consultations on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill to secure parliamentary support for the controversial legislation, claiming the move is driven by his political survival.
Mr Narube said the additional time was not intended to give ordinary Fijians a meaningful opportunity to have their voices heard but to allow Mr Rabuka to work on coalition partners and other MPs to secure the numbers needed to pass the Bill.
“The extension of time for so-called consultations on the Amendment Bill is a smokescreen,” Mr Narube said.
“The extension is clearly not sufficient to achieve what many of us are calling for, which is to take the amendments down to the people. So, what is the agenda?”
Mr Narube said the Prime Minister would use every available means, including what he described as “threats and carrots”, to bring coalition partners and MPs into line.
He said the question he had raised at a Nasinu town hall meeting about the Government’s underlying agenda remained unanswered.
“The ulterior agenda in my view is a personal one — the political survival of the PM.
“What amazes me is that he is prepared to sacrifice the future of our children to protect his survival,” said Mr Narube, a former Governor of the Reserve Bank of Fiji.
His comments come after Parliament extended the deadline for written submissions on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill No. 32 of 2026 to 4pm on Saturday, November 14.
Mr Narube questioned whether the extension would genuinely allow for wider public consultation, arguing that the proposed amendments needed to be taken directly to communities across the country.
He urged government coalition partners to stand by their principles and called on all MPs, including those on the Government benches, to put the interests of the people first.
“I also plead with other MPs, including those in government, to put the interest of the people first and vote against the Bill,” he said.
Mr Narube also predicted that if Mr Rabuka realised he did not have sufficient parliamentary support, he would withdraw the legislation and present the decision as a response to public concerns.
“I predict that once the PM realises that he does not have the numbers in Parliament, he will withdraw the Bill, citing that he has listened to the people,” he said.
Mr Narube said he deplored what he described as the politics surrounding the constitutional amendment process and called for the public interest to take precedence.
“It is time we clean this out and put the will of the people first,” he said.
