Constitution Bill Has Not Been Passed: Prasad

National Federation Party Leader Professor Biman Prasad has criticised political trolls and commentators who he says are spreading misinformation that the Constitution Bill has already been passed by Parliament.

Prasad clarified that Parliament’s vote was not to give final approval to the proposed constitutional changes, but to send the draft Bill to a Special Parliamentary Committee for further consideration.

He said the 11-member committee includes Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Leader of the Opposition Inia Seruiratu and himself, along with other Government and Opposition members.

The committee will now examine the provisions of the proposed Bill before reporting back to Parliament.

Prasad said there were provisions in the current draft that he would not support, stressing that the committee process was where the proposed changes would now be properly examined and discussed.

He also rejected claims that the proposed changes were against Indo-Fijians or would result in freehold land being taken away, describing such claims as false.

Prasad said the Bill would have to return to Parliament following the committee process and, if it receives the required support, would then proceed to a referendum.

He urged Fijians not to be misled by what he described as “fake news”, stressing that the process of considering the proposed constitutional changes was still underway.