What do you think should be the future role, authority and membership of the Council? How should its members be appointed? What should be its relationship with Government, Provincial Councils and other parts of the "old" Fijian administration? What limits would you put on its authority?
Comments
- Make the chiefs apolitical said...
- The GCC should be reconvened when democracy returns but only as an advisory body to parliament on matters pertaining to the vanua. Perhaps it can be given a couple of Senate seats but these senators should not be aligned with any political party. The GCC's active participation in politics has been a disaster, both for it and the vanua. It needs to be totally independent of the political process, especially at a time when hereditary positions of any sort are under intense scrutiny. Even in Britain, the House of Lords is being converted into an elected chamber - a house of review more along with lines of the Australian senate. Our own hereditary chiefs have lost much of their mana in recent years. Why? Because they stopped leading by example and got involved in grubby politics of both the political and religious variety. They're still an important part of indigenous life but should have no constitutional power whatsoever. They should certainly be deprived of the right to appoint Fiji's president, a job that also needs to be open to all citizens from now on. By all means keep the GCC but the chiefs should be like the Queen - largely figureheads with roles that are ceremonial and symbols of the continuity of indigenous custom. They also badly need to regain the respect they once enjoyed with the country as a whole.
- Anonymous said...
- GCC was put togather by the whitemen at that time to be able to administer Fiji, IT WAS NEVER a part of an idegenous set up, not part of our fijian culture. Fiji has 14 provinces with 14 chiefly households, in real fijian terms, there is no paramount chief in Fiji, unlike Tonga who has one Royal household.
I for one would gladly see the removal of GCC and replace it with another body consisting of Taukei ni yavusas with limited powers!
Ranadi
- sara'ssista said...
- why not make the term Ratu an appointed one like in britain. Do away with hereditary titles and make them appointed as ratu's from indian, native and other races as a to demonstrate distinguished service to the nation, not birth.Oh and ban anyone even remotely linked to coups , the military etc as they are now irrevocably tainted. I am thinking of authors , poets, public servants, medico's, sportsman...someone people would aspire to.
