NATIONAL Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad says those using the Bose Levu Vakaturaga’s (Great Council of Chiefs) submission for the word Fijian to be exclusively used for the indigenous community are being divisive.
Prof Prasad said those politicising nationality were deliberately destroying unity when instead they could have made remarks based on rationale.
“People forget that we were being called Fijians by the international community long before it was legislated in the 2013 Constitution and imposed on us,” he said in a statement.
“The late Josefa Levula was already a renowned track athlete, rugby union and rugby league star a few decades before our independence.
“He was famously known as the “Flying Fijian” and the term “Flying Fijians” to describe our national rugby team is derived from this.
“Professional golfer Vijay Singh, who won three golf majors and at one stage became the number one ranked golfer in the world, is known as the ‘Big Fijian’.”
He said there was no debate about why citizens of Fiji were not Fijians by nationality.
“The problem is the manner it was legislated and imposed on us without dialogue.
“After the consultative process for a new constitution was trashed at the end of 2012, the Bainimarama regime imposed the 2013 Constitution.
“Undoubtedly, we will hear all sorts of submissions when the Constitution Review Commission starts conducting public hearings around the country.”
“These must not be used by opportunists to invoke racist emotions or debate that have the potential to fan racial flames.”
