Fiji Constitution

Constitution of Fiji is the supreme law of Fiji. The Constitution of the Republic of the Fiji Islands came into effect in 1997. It is the third Constituiton. This was first adopted in 1970 after independence. But was abrogated following two military coups in 1987. In 1990 a second Constitution of Fiji was adopted.

Constitution in Fiji reserve the office of Prime Minister and a built-in for indigenous Fijians in the House of Representatives. But this proved very unpopular with the Indo-Fijian community, who comprised half of the population of the country. So the government agreed to rewrite the Constitution.

Again in 1995 a three-member Constitutional Review Commission was appointed by the President. The commission included Brij Lara, an Indo-Fijian, Tomasi Vakatora, an ethnic Fijian and Sir Paul Reeves, a former Governor General of Zealand. After much consultation 697 recommendations were proposed. Each and every party joined the consultation.

The new Constitution which came into effect in 1997 endorsed most of the recommendations. The Constitution Bill was passed on 3 July 1997 by the House of Representatives. According to this rewritten Constitution the ethnic Fijians were made to give up their majority in the House of Representatives. Their monopoly on the Prime Minister's office also did not remain the same.

However their ownership of most of the lands were assured along with the protection of their rights by institutionalizing the Great Council of Chiefs. The power of electing the President remained with it. 1997 Fiji Constitution was the second National Constituiton which protect discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Fiji Constitution contains all the rights and duties of the people of Fiji.