25 Apr 2013

Fiji youth petition opposes regime draft constitution

12:35 pm on 25 April 2013

A petition has been launched on behalf of Fiji's young people, rejecting the regime's draft constitution.

The group, Fiji Youth for Democracy, says the young people of Fiji want the People's Draft Constitution, by the Ghai Commission, to be reinstated..

It says young people, which will make up about 47 percent of Fiji's voting population by 2014, declare a rejection of the 2013 Government Draft Constitution.

In a news release, the group says the confidence of youth in the current constitutional process has diminished because the government has deviated from its own decrees.

It says Fiji's youth participated and actively contributed to the Ghai Commission consultations, and the government's recent action to discard the People's Draft demonstrates that the input of youth is not valued.

It says the government's 2013 constitution making process is not inclusive or representative of young people and Fiji's future.

The regime says it will accept submission to its draft until Tuesday.