Kamikamica Hits back at Sayed-Khaiyum on Constitution

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade, Co-operatives, Small and Medium Enterprises, and Communications, Hon. Manoa Kamikamica, has hit back at former Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum’s claims regarding the government’s proposed constitutional amendments, calling them misleading and hypocritical.

In response to questions from Duavata News, Kamikamica refuted allegations that the People’s Coalition Government is attempting to bypass constitutional procedures, insisting that all actions taken so far have been within the legal framework.

He emphasized that the recent debate in Parliament, which reached the second reading stage, was a transparent process that allowed both sides to present their arguments.

“We are pursuing amendments to Sections 159 and 160 of the Constitution based on avenues available under the law. The Honourable Speaker ruled that we could debate the amendments, and that is what we did—no shortcuts,” Kamikamica stated.

He accused Sayed-Khaiyum of hypocrisy, pointing to the imposition of the 2013 Constitution under the former FijiFirst government without a parliamentary vote or referendum.

Kamikamica highlighted the fact that Fiji’s previous constitutions—1970, 1990, and 1997—did not require referendums for amendments, dismissing claims that removing such a requirement would limit public participation.

“The 2013 Constitution was imposed by [former Prime Minister] Bainimarama and Sayed-Khaiyum without any extensive consultation or parliamentary vote. If they were so convinced that their constitution was the best for Fiji, why didn’t they introduce it through a referendum?” he asked.

Regarding accusations that the government has not clearly outlined the proposed changes, Kamikamica responded that the first priority is addressing the high threshold required for constitutional amendments, which legal experts have deemed unrealistic.

He stated that once these barriers are adjusted, a nationwide consultation process would take place.

“The obvious step for any government would be to make the amendment provisions more realistic. Once this is done, substantive changes can be discussed extensively with the people of Fiji,” he explained.

On the issue of electoral reform, Kamikamica criticized the current system as a mechanism designed to entrench FijiFirst’s rule.

He pointed to the fact that the 2013 Constitution shifted the electoral process away from a constituency-based system, making it difficult for independent candidates like Savenaca Narube to secure seats while others with significantly fewer votes gained entry into Parliament.

“So when Sayed-Khaiyum makes these utterances about our motivations, he is judging us by his own ridiculous standards. We will not follow the dark path that they led us on,” Kamikamica said.

He assured that any electoral changes would be thoroughly discussed with the Fijian people, reinforcing the government’s commitment to transparency and public engagement.

Kamikamica concluded by reiterating that the People’s Coalition Government intends to listen to the people through a constitutional review commission, similar to the approach taken in 1997, and that full public consultations would take place once the amendment process is made more practical.

“The previous FijiFirst Government never allowed the people to discuss what they wanted. We will. The People’s Coalition will listen to the people of Fiji and recommend changes accordingly,” he affirmed.

The government is expected to pursue further legal avenues, including seeking Supreme Court advice, as it continues its constitutional reform agenda.