Criticising 2013 Constitution a Waste of Valuable Time and Energy

Politicians should be discussing more pressing matters.

The economy, bread and butter issues – those are matters we should be talking about. But some of our politicians like SODELPA MP Ro Filipe Tuisawau, are still carrying on about their dislike of the 2013 Constitution.

It is not so much about the content of the Constitution, but how it was put together.

These politicians are living in a time warp and they have missed the boat.

Fijians today are living a dream.

A little over 50 years ago, some of our progenitors could only dream about this Constitution. Some of the pioneers of the oldest political party in Fiji, the National Federation Party, like the late A D Patel and Siddiq Koya were talking about doing away with an electoral system based on race. They advocated for oneperson one vote as we have it today. A common name was part of that dream.

It is encouraging to note that the dissenting voice in the NFP over the way the 2013 Constitution was written is becoming inaudible.

It is a sign that the substance of the document is becoming generally accepted. The only vocal opposition seems to be coming from the conservative rightwing faction of SODELPA of which Ro Filipe represents.

Opposing the Constitution

In essence, the Constitution embraces universal values of equality – equal rights, common national identity, no discrimination on the basis of ethnicity, gender, culture, religion and socio-economic status.

MPs who are vehemently opposed to the Constitution, should declare whether they uphold the principles of equality enshrined in the Constitution. If they do then what are they complaining about? If they don’t, then they should not be in Parliament.

They were elected to Parliament under the electoral system outlined in the Constitution. If they were genuine in their opposition to the Constitution they would have nothing to do with it, let alone contest the General Election. But they did. That’s hypocrisy.

While criticisms and differences of opinion are part and parcel of the democratic process, there comes a time when you have to draw a line in the sand and say this is where you stand, not sitting on the fence.

The voters gave an emphatic tick for the FijiFirst Government in its landslide victory in 2014.

But it lost five seats in the 2018 election, not necessarily because of the Constitution but of other issues.

What people would like to hear and know today is how they can overcome their predicament. In the face of the COVID-19 economic hardship because of the loss of jobs, how can they continue to provide for their families’ basic necessities.

That’s what they like to know – not the irrelevant and boring talk about the Constitution.