OPPOSITION Leader Inia Seruiratu has warned that Fiji’s proposed new Constitution must not become a political document serving the interests of the Government of the day, cautioning against concentrating significant constitutional power in unelected institutions.
Speaking during the second reading debate on the Constitution (Amendment) Bill 2026 yesterday, Mr Seruiratu said Parliament was making a decision that would affect generations of Fijians.
“This is not an ordinary piece of legislation before this House,” he said.
“We are considering a Bill that proposes to repeal every provision of the 2013 Constitution, with the exception of Chapter 10, and replace those provisions with an entirely new constitutional framework.”
Mr Seruiratu said constitutional legitimacy could not be measured simply by consultations or submissions, stressing that Fijians must regard the Constitution as their own.
“A Constitution cannot simply be written for the people and presented to them as a finished product.”
He raised particular concern over the proposed 23-member appointed Senate and the powers it could exercise alongside the elected House of Representatives.
“The important question is the extent of the constitutional authority exercised by that chamber,” he said, pointing to the need for safeguards, accountability and a clear relationship between the appointed Senate and elected representatives.
“We must be particularly cautious about creating constitutional arrangements where unelected institutions can exercise significant influence over the way an elected Government or Parliament functions without sufficient democratic safeguards.”
Mr Seruiratu said the Constitution must control power, not merely distribute it.
“Constitutions must be written around institutions rather than personalities.
“None of us owns Fiji, no political party owns Fiji and no Government owns the Constitution.”
