To help facilitate and encourage public discussions on the civic education on the Constitutional Consultations (“Civic Education”) and recognising the important role that Non Governmental Organisations (“NGO”) and Civil Society Groups, including Faith Based Organisations play in this process, the Police—under the ambit of the Public Order Act—will now allow all NGOs and Civil Societies, including Faith Based Organisations to hold public meetings with a one-off permit.
The process will work in the following manner: NGO’s and Civil Society Groups, including Faith Based Organisations, will need to apply to the Commissioner of Police and seek a one-off permit to have Civic Education meetings for the purposes of generating public debate and consultations in the lead up to the Constitutional Consultations. Once they have applied and obtained a permit, they will subsequently only need to inform the Commissioner of Police at least 48 hours before they intend to meet of the place and time of the meeting.
Any such meeting or organisation that breaches the provisions and intentions of the Public Order Act by — prejudicing peace, compromising public safety and good order, engaging in racial or religious vilification, or undermining or sabotaging the economy or financial integrity of Fiji—will be immediately stopped from holding the meetings and any subsequent meetings.
This one-off permit will not apply to political parties or unions who will have to continue to apply each time they wish to hold any meeting.