Transcript
VIJAY NAIDU: They are quite comprehensive and parts of the bylaws are seen as being draconian and controlling, particularly with respect to women and young people.
KORO VAKA'UTA: For a couple of years now, or at least a couple of years, there has been talk about addressing some more restrictive parts of the bylaws, particularly to women in terms of what they can wear, their hairstyles and things like that, are you seeing slowly but surely, those sorts of issues being addressed?
VN: The thing is that what is happening is that these bylaws have been cut and pasted from earlier bylaws and they continue to have some of the undertones and kind of regulatory principles that harke back to a history of keeping indigenous Fijians in their villages and a system of separate development and therefore unequal development for indigenous Fijians. And it has privileged men, in particularly those holding traditional authority and those in the Fijian administration. As we seek to modernise and democratise society, these village bylaws actually sit a bit uncomfortably with our Bill of Rights and the 2013 Republic of Fiji Constitution. Now with respect to dress code and youth behaviour etc, many of those controlling aspects remain. In the consultations regarding these bylaws, there has been very little of the voices of women and youth heard because in terms of the village and provincial councils, the women and youth are perhaps to be seen but not to be heard.
KV: It can be a challenge can't it to balance culture and the modernisation?
VN: Absolutely. This is the point. On the one hand those newer traditional villages have somewhat changed but have been preserved. The traditional authority structure is somewhat eroded but still there and the customs of respect that characterises indigenous culture here, they have survived modernisation. And there are some very good aspects of traditional social systems and the cultures that we have, which includes, reciprocity, sharing, caring, respect for the elderly, respect for those in authority, avoiding conflict where possible, social harmony. So these things are all very good. Where we do have a problem is when they are used for controlling particular segments of the population and privileging some others."
Vijay Naidu says it could take up to four months of consultations and work to finish with a satisfactory result.
