A landmark Bill establishing a legislative framework for the Bose Levu Vakaturaga will be debated in Parliament today, despite Opposition concerns that MPs have not been given enough time to scrutinise its provisions.
The Bose Levu Vakaturaga Bill 2026 was fast-tracked after Parliament approved a Government motion to bypass committee consideration and debate the legislation in a single sitting.
Minister for iTaukei Affairs Ifereimi Vasu said the Bill was important to iTaukei governance, customary institutions, culture and heritage, and should be considered during the current parliamentary term.
Opposition MP Jone Usamate acknowledged the significance of the Bose Levu Vakaturaga, saying its role extended beyond iTaukei communities and had implications for Fiji as a whole.
However, he questioned the decision to rush what he described as a historic and substantial piece of legislation through Parliament without committee scrutiny.
He argued MPs should have been given more time to examine the Bill and identify any provisions that might require changes.
Mr Vasu said the legislation would support iTaukei governance and was linked to Fiji’s existing constitutional framework.
The approved motion requires the Bill to be debated and voted today, with one hour allocated for debate and the minister given the right of reply.
