Fiji's Interim Prime Minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama has spelled out in an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald that he hopes to sweep away the entire structure of race based voting that has ruled Fiji since independence in 1970.

Bainimarama said countries are urging him to return to democracy but he does not know if they understand how unfair the system has been over the last 20 or 30 years.

The Interim PM said Fijians live in a democracy with a mentality that belongs to the Fijian chiefly system. Bainimarama said the chiefs and the church talatalas decide for the Fijians who to vote for. Bainimarama said this happens mainly to Fijians living in the rural areas and the provincial chiefly councils dictate to the people who to vote for.

Bainimarama said the common roll is the way to go as it takes away the race card. He hopes the panel he co-chairs with Archbishop Petero Mataca to draw up a People's Charter will back this and they will do away with the communal seats altogether.

Although Bainimarama said he is aware that any constitutional change will need to be passed in parliament, he has stressed that parliament is not going to sit, and he is certain about that, so that is not an option. He said there is talk of a referendum and changes may be done after a referendum.

Bainimarama said the precise way to make the changes will be worked out by the legal people.

Interim Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum is not specific ahead of the charter, but said a referendum can carry great weight. He notes that Fiji's first constitution in 1970 was negotiated with London by a handful of leaders and then simply promulgated. Sayed-Khaiyum said Sitiveni Rabuka's 1990 constitution, from which the present one is derived by amendment, was shoved down people's throats at midnight.