There appears to be a lack of consensus among the three constituent parties to the present Peoples Coalition Government on the appointment of the President of the Republic of Fiji.
President His Excellency Ratu Wiliame Katonivere is coming to the end of his first three-year term, and the question which has arisen is whether he should be appointed for a second term, or whether a new appointment should be made.
Two previous Presidents, Ratu Epeli Nailaqtikau and Major-General (ret’d) Jioji Konrote, were appointed to two full three-year terms.
Criteria for appointment
Section 83-(1) of the 2013 Constitution sets out the criteria for appointment as President.
These are as follows:
- He or she has had a distinguished career in any aspect of Fiji’s national or international life, whether in the public or private sector.
- He or she holds only a Fijian citizenship.
- He or she is not a member of, or holds any office in, any political party.
- He or she is not a candidate for election to any other office in the State.
- And he or she has not, at any time during the preceding six years, been convicted of any offence under any law.
Key points to note are that appointment as President of the Republic of Fiji is open to all citizens of Fiji and to both men and women who qualify under the stipulated criteria. And further, a precedent has been set in that the two previous Presidents were allowed to serve two full three-year terms.
Act of statesmanship needed
What is required to facilitate agreement on this issue is for the Prime Minister, Hon Sitiveni Rabuka, and the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Inia Seruiratu, to come together and engage in a talanoa to consult and agree on the guiding principles to be applied in applying the selection criteria under section 83-(1) of the 2013 Constitution. Together, they can also hold discussions with the chairperson of the Great Council Chiefs.
I would respectfully recommend that they consider the following guidelines:
- Follow the precedent already established that an appointee as President should be allowed to serve two full terms unless an incumbent is incapacitated on health or medical grounds.
- For new appointments, follow the guidelines in the Constitution. Consideration should be open to all citizens of Fiji, based on merit.
- The principle of appointing the Heads of the four iTaukei Confederacies, by rotation, should be reserved for the position of Chairperson of the Great Council of Chiefs, based on the inalienable right of the iTaukei to administer their own affairs according to their customs and tradition.
JIOJI KOTOBALAVU is a former long-serving Permanent Secretary in the Civil Service. The views he expresses are his own and this newspaper is not responsible
