30 Apr 2013

Fiji youth group petitions for return of 2012 draft constitution

3:28 pm on 30 April 2013

A Fiji group says young people are not being engaged in the government's constitutional process.

The group, Fiji Youth for Democracy, collected 165 signatures on a petition calling for the reinstatement of the Ghai Commission's 2012 People's Draft Constitution.

The petition was presented to the Prime Minister's office today.

A member of the group, Mereoni Chung, says the process lacks genuine transparency and inclusiveness.

"We feel that young people are not getting balanced information, and are [not] engaged in a safe way for them to raise their concerns, so yes, with the government consultations going ahead across the country, we as young concerned citizens ourselves feel that there is a gap for young people that needs to be addressed."

Mereoni Chung says the group will continue to collect signatures until a constitution is adopted.