Tabuya Questions Opposition’s Defense of 2013 Constitution

Member of Parliament Lynda Tabuya has criticized the Opposition for defending the 2013 Constitution, which she says was created under an unelected military dictatorship.

Ms. Tabuya questioned why Opposition members, including Leader of Opposition Inia Seruiratu, were supporting a document formulated by what she described as “two architects who have since bolted.”

“Let’s put this constitution in context. Eight years of unelected rule that led up to the first general elections in 2014. The suppression of democratic freedoms, and yet the Opposition, I heard the Leader of Opposition justifying, saying that Fiji is different. Fiji is different,” she said.

She dismissed the argument that Fiji’s history of coups made it unique, emphasizing that democratic principles of legitimacy, inclusiveness, and effectiveness still applied.

“Doesn’t make Fiji any different,” she said.

Ms. Tabuya challenged whether Mr. Seruiratu was defending democracy or “defending a document that came out of a dictatorship, an unelected military dictatorship in 2013.”

She further claimed that the Opposition’s resistance to proposed constitutional amendments stemmed from a reluctance to engage in consultation.

“If we are to look at the Opposition’s whole rhetoric or their strategy in terms of opposing this amendment, it continues to show what they are used to, and that is really just a fear of consultation,” she said.

“Fear of consultation exposes a very undemocratic mindset. This is the change that this government has brought in. You can speak freely. You can now talk. We can now consult.”