Seruiratu failed to show up for Constitution Commission appearance

Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filimoni Vosarogo has questioned Opposition Leader Inia Seruiratu’s criticism of public participation in the constitutional review process, saying that Seruiratu himself failed to appear before the Constitution Review Commission despite being allocated an opportunity to do so.

As Leader of the Opposition, Seruiratu is well resourced through Parliament to carry out the functions of his office, including having an official vehicle and driver at his disposal.

“It is most concerning that the Leader of the Opposition, the Honourable Inia Seruiratu, has chosen to lecture the nation on the importance of participation in the constitutional review process, when, according to information available, he was himself allocated an opportunity to appear before the Constitution Review Commission and failed to do so,” Vosarogo said.

He said claims of inadequate transportation, access or resources could not reasonably be advanced when Seruiratu had been specifically afforded an opportunity to appear before the Commission.

Vosarogo said Seruiratu’s subsequent decision to present himself as a champion of public participation was difficult to reconcile with his alleged failure to participate when given the opportunity.

He said Seruiratu also represented thousands of Fijians who voted for the political party under whose banner he entered Parliament and therefore carried a responsibility to ensure their perspectives were represented on matters of national significance.

“Having failed to utilise the opportunity provided, it is regrettable that he now elects to criticise the level of public engagement from the sidelines,” Vosarogo said.

“The public would do well to take careful note of this approach from an individual who seeks to position himself as prepared to lead the country.”

Vosarogo also rejected Seruiratu’s assertion that more than 99 per cent of Fijians did not participate in the constitutional review process, describing the figure as misplaced and misleading.

He said the exercise undertaken by the Commission was a public consultation and not a referendum, and there was never an expectation or requirement for every Fijian to individually appear before the Commission.

Vosarogo further argued that Seruiratu’s calculation did not adequately account for the 388 joint submissions among the 1,220 submissions referenced.

He said submissions made collectively by communities, groups and organisations could represent the views of multiple people, and treating each joint submission as representing only one individual artificially inflated the figure for non-participation.

Vosarogo stressed that the Commission’s report and draft Constitution contained recommendations which had not been adopted by Government, enacted into law or resulted in any alteration of the Constitution.

He said Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka had committed to publicly releasing the relevant documents so Fijians could examine the proposals themselves and participate in the wider national discussion.

Vosarogo noted that Seruiratu himself had indicated that the release of the documents should initiate a broader national conversation.

“That process is already under way. When the constitutional process reaches the stage at which the direct consent of the people is required, that consent will be sought through the appropriate mechanism of a referendum,” Vosarogo said.

“Before seeking to raise public alarm through the use of a sensationalised ‘99 per cent’ figure, the Honourable Seruiratu might first provide an explanation as to why, having been personally afforded the opportunity to participate in the very process he now criticises, he chose not to appear.”

Honourable Seruiratu has not yet responded to our questions.