Discussion and Tutorial Question

Week 11 Tutorial and Discussion

Week 11 Tutorial and Discussion

by Elizabeth Santucci Rokoleba -
Number of replies: 0

HIS 701 POLITICAL HISTORY OF FIJI SINCE INDEPENDENCE

WEEK 11 TUTORIAL QUESTION

Q1. What were the major factors that led to the review of the 1990 Constitution and how it was formulated? [Tutorial Question]

The 1990 Constitution was based on a vision of traditional Fijian society that had never really been accepted throughout the islands of Fiji and which politically excluded half the population. This not only violated Indo-Fijians' rights but undermined the economic prosperity to which indigenous Fijians aspired. The new Constitution is a partial step away from racially biased government. Some reviews that were being portrayed are:

 

  • Constitution was biased since it has focused on the urban dwellers rather than the rural population despite the facts that 33% of the Fijian population lived in the rural areas.
  • Distribution of the parliament seats was unfair.
  • The chiefs also have a strong influence through their control over issues which particularly affect the indigenous Fijian community (especially land), a control granted to them by the British and still in effect.
  • Indigenous Fijian society has itself always been divided along regional lines.
  • The government was only focusing on the indigenous making it look like racial.

 

The philosophy underlying the Fiji Constitution of 1990 was that the interests of indigenous Fijians could be protected only if Fijian leaders were guaranteed political ascendancy, a formula based on the effective political exclusion of the Indo-Fijians. But the removal of the perceived threat of Indo-Fijian dominance exacerbated divisions within the indigenous Fijian community and made the formation of stable Fijian-dominated governments a difficult task. Splits in the Fijian vote reflected the strains in indigenous Fijian society brought about by rapid social and economic change. The constitution was basically to create harmony and racial integration whilst meeting the different interest of the different societies and facilitate the development interest.  Racial discrimination and political instability heightened Fiji's economic problems by limiting foreign investment, continuing the outflow of educated Indo-Fijians and heightening the country's international isolation.

 

 

 

Week 11 Discussion Forum

 

Q2: WHAT ARE THE MAJOR POINTS OF THE 1990 AND THE 1997 CONSTITUTION?

The philosophy underlying the Fiji Constitution of 1990 was that previous arrangements were 'inadequate to give protection to the interests of indigenous Fijians'(18) and that such protection could be afforded only if the indigenous Fijian leaders were guaranteed political ascendancy, the 1990 Constitution was motivated by the desire to exclude permanently any possibility of Indo-Fijian parties forming a government. Political developments since the introduction of the 1990 Constitution could be seen as the consequence of the problems inherent in this formula which have suggested that Fijian ascendancy is both politically and economically unsustainable.

Some main points of the 1990 constitution were:

  • The first problem was that the heavy electoral weighting given to indigenous Fijian voters still did not make the formation of stable Fijian government an easy task.
  • The removal of the perceived common threat of Indo-Fijian dominance had the effect of exacerbating divisions within the indigenous Fijian community.
  • The higher positions in the government were given to the indigenous Fijian only since they have to be the ones who are to lead. For example the prime minister position and the president position were given to the Itaukei only.
  • Lastly the abolishment of any form of racial electoral system.

 

The 1997 Constitution of Fiji was the supreme law of Fiji from its adoption in 1997 until 2009 when President Josefa Iloilo purported to abrogate it. It was also suspended for a period following the 2000 coup d'état led by George Speight.  Therefore some of the main points I this constitution was the:

  • The selection of presidency position is only done by the Great Council of Chiefs.
  • Educational accessibility
  • In July 1997 the Parliament of Fiji passed the Constitution Amendment Act to move Fiji away from the discriminatory Constitution of 1990.
  • It was more racially integrated since the laws have been emendated.