Fiji's Sodelpa party says it hopes 'good sense' prevails when the issue of changing the national flag comes before a parliamentary standing committee expected to meet soon.
A party member Pita Waqavonovono says a petition with 1,900 signatories was tabled in parliament and referred to the Standing Committee on Justice, Law and Human Rights.
The petition is calling for a referendum on the flag, which would allow the people to have their say.
But Mr Waqavonovono says it appears the Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama wants to go ahead with changing the flag, regardless of what the standing committee has to say.
"He's basically saying that he's going to change the flag anyway, even though there's a parliamentary committee that is yet to meet on the flag. It would be a great insult to everyone that signed the petition for anybody to join that [flag] committee and for anyone to actually disregard the voice of the people that signed the petition."
Pita Waqavonovono says in setting up a separate flag committee, the government is in breach of parliamentary standing orders.
Photo: AFP
