President Jioji Konrote has today stressed that the constitution lays out a blueprint for how good and decent people can live together and Fijians are good and decent people.
While speaking during the Constitution Day celebration at Churchill Park in Lautoka, Konrote also highlighted that the constitution is very clear and courageous and it demands clarity and courage of all of us.
He adds that it demands courage because sometimes it takes courage to do what we know is right and what the law demands, because we might have to put our own interests or our own point of view aside.
Konrote says that the country has seen development for every Fijian and the West has certainly seen its share with networks of roads and infrastructure that rival what many would find in the developed world.
He says that the development and commitment to every Fijian is what is demanded by our Constitution.
Konrote also stressed that every day the constitution shapes our lives, it serves as a guide for those who serve us all and every day, it makes Fiji a better place to call home.
The President says that this Constitution was written by people from all over Fiji, who attended sessions to discuss the draft and who made suggestions in person and by letters and email.
He says that different institutions representing different sectors made their voices heard and so did ordinary Fijians, speaking for themselves.
Konrote says that many people can see the ideas that they put forward in this Constitution, and they should be proud as it is truly a Constitution of the people.
The Constitution Celebrations also included, Aliha Anshira Nisha of Xavier College, Deepsha Lal from Penang Sangam High School the winner and first runner up of the Constitution Essay Competition.
Nisha’s essay focused on the importance of eradicating discrimination while Lal’s essay focued on Youths, the Ambassadors of Equal Citizenry.
Konrote commended the students for their hard work as it shows that young people are preparing themselves to be contributing citizens of a representative democracy.
Meanwhile, next Year’s Constitution Day Celebrations will be held in Labasa.
