Fiji Labour Party Questions GCC Chair on Constitution Review

The Fiji Labour Party (FLP) has questioned Great Council of Chiefs (GCC) Chair Ratu Viliame Seruvakula’s remarks on constitutional changes (Fiji Times, March 15), asking how many more coups and constitutions it will take for the chiefs to accept that the iTaukei community is not an endangered group requiring special constitutional protections.

In a statement, the FLP said that the iTaukei people’s interests—culture, custom, language, tradition, land, and economic resources—have been safeguarded under every constitution since independence.

FLP added that the iTaukei community is the wealthiest in terms of resources and also dominates the civil service, disciplined forces, and government, making comparisons to Australia’s Aboriginal population or New Zealand’s Māori inaccurate.

“If the chiefs believe the iTaukei are falling behind other communities, then the issue may lie in leadership rather than constitutional provisions,” the FLP stated.

FLP urged the GCC to focus on strengthening leadership and promoting better race relations to earn the confidence of all citizens in Fiji’s multi-racial, multi-cultural society.

The party emphasized that the GCC must support a national agenda for Fiji’s orderly development.