[Source: Fiji Government / Facebook]
The Great Council of Chiefs is expected to convene sooner than the agreed 12-month window in the coalition government’s agreement.
This has been confirmed by Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka.
Rabuka did not confirm the date of the first meeting.
“First of all, the assembling of the chiefs. At the moment, it may only involve an amendment to the Act where we bring back the Great Council of Chiefs and put it under existing legislation or an existing Act … which is the iTaukei Affairs Act. To include the provision for the establishment and function of the GCC.”
Rabuka says they have started drafting the provisions to be brought into the House.
He says the Minister for iTaukei Affairs, Ifereimi Vasu, will initially be the chair of the GCC as it has to be independent like it was before.
The Prime Minister says they are also working on rebuilding the GCC complex.