As thousands of copies of the draft People's Charter are currently being distributed to the people of Fiji, the Interim Prime Minister has reiterated that there will be no elections if there is no People's Charter.
However Commodore Frank Bainimarama says this does not mean that the charter will be forced on the people of the country.
He says they will still focus on consensus and the collective will of the people.
“I have said publicly in the past that if there is no peoples charter, there will be no elections. I wish to reiterate this to you tonight but this does not necessary mean the same thing as saying that I will elaborate and take the peoples charter to the people of Fiji. These are two different issues. And yet my appointment has confusion on this. The Draft peoples charter is not my document. It is a document drafted by a consultant and a representative group through a transparent process with extensive full consultation with the people of Fiji right across the country. It will not be and cannot be a Bainimarama charter or the RFMF Charter or the charter of the interim government”.
Bainimarama also stresses that there will be no breach of the constitution but it will depend on the collective will of the people if changes need to be made for the good of Fiji.
Much has been talked about the 1997 constitution in the sanctity of the provisions of that document. Some people have already told me to tell you that I will breach the constitution. They know me better than I know myself it appears. They have climbed roof tops to tell me legitimately that we must follow the constitution under the authority. I understand that. I also understand that the constitution should be a living and breathing document which could be modified or changed if there is an emerging consensus to do so. It is not casting stone".
