The Fijian Government today legally empowered the Constitutional Commission after Cabinet approved two decrees pertaining to the process of drafting a new constitution.
The Acting Prime Minister and Attorney General Mr Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum announced that part of this decree also sets out that Section 8 of the Public Order Amendment Decree will be amended to allow for full participation of all Fijians in the process.
The decrees that were gazetted are the Fiji Constitutional Process (Constitution Commission) Decree 2012 and Fiji Constitutional Process (Constituent Assembly and Adoption of Constitution) Decree 2012.
“There is no requirement to have permits anymore for permits”.
“From today onwards until the commission hands the draft constitution to the President, anybody can have a meeting without applying for a permit with exceptions- public road, park or sporting arena”, Mr Sayed-Khaiyum announced at a press conference today.
“However, this does not mean that members of the public can breach the peace or plot criminal acts under the guise of this provision”, he said.
This provision essentially allows organisations including political parties to meet culminating in their submission to the Constitutional Commission, which will sit soon.
The decree sets out the functions and powers of the Commission.
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