The Fiji Islands Council of Trade Unions is calling on the government to remove restrictions on the country’s courts and tribunals from hearing any cases against any decree.
General Secretary Attar Singh questioned why the decrees from December 2006 to the next elections cannot be challenged before the courts as stated in the draft constitution.
Singh, who is also a member of the United Front for a Democratic Fiji, said the Attorney General’s comments that the next parliament can decide on the continuation of any decree is not good enough.
Acting Prime Minister and Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum has said that decrees like the Essential National Industries Decree can be removed by the next parliament and it would not really matter what the constitution said about essential industries.
Under sections relating to Freedom of Association and Employment Relations in the draft constitution, it is stated that a law may limit, or may authorize the limitation of these rights for the purposes of regulating essential services and industries, in the overall interests of the Fijian economy and the citizens of Fiji.
FICTU’s Attar Singh said decrees like the Essential National Industries Decree have to go and there should be no limitations of this nature in the next constitution.
Singh said the government should not stop people from challenging any of the decrees in the courts to test their validity and legality.
Story by: Vijay Narayan
Remove restrictions to challenge decrees in court - Attar Singh
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