Tui Nayau Ratu Tevita Uluilakeba Mara has thrown his support behind the Great Council of Chiefs’ constitutional consultation, saying the views gathered from 278 chiefs across Fiji should not be dismissed.
He said the chiefs represented all 14 provinces and about 504,609 iTaukei, in a process Ratu Tevita described as a deliberate and culturally grounded exercise in representation.
“I give my full and unequivocal support to the Great Council of Chiefs and its chairman, Ratu Viliame Seruvakula, for the consultation they led on behalf of the iTaukei in the constitutional review,” he said.
Ratu Tevita said the council’s role was rooted in the traditional responsibility of chiefs to deliberate on matters affecting their communities.
“The Great Council of Chiefs is not a partisan body.
“It is the living embodiment of our ancestral covenant, carrying the weight of generations and the sacred duty of stewardship over iTaukei identity, land and custom.”
He acknowledged that the Constitution Review Commission’s report did not incorporate all of the GCC’s submissions, but commended Ratu Viliame for accepting the outcome.
With Parliament set to debate the commission’s report this week, Ratu Tevita urged MPs on both sides of the House to approach the process constructively.
He said scrutiny of Government was a hallmark of a healthy democracy and that concerns about the inclusivity of the consultation deserved a fair hearing.
However, he said criticism should be accompanied by constructive alternatives and should not erode confidence in national institutions.
“As Parliament begins its debate on the commission’s report this week, I urge every elected member, in Government and in Opposition alike, to approach it with the gravity and generosity of spirit this moment demands.
“I stand with my people and in standing with my people, I stand for all of Fiji.”
