Constituency Boundaries Commission (Fiji)
Encyclopedia
Fiji
's Constituency Boundaries Commission is a civil service
body constitutionally
charged with determining the boundaries of electoral constituencies for the House of Representatives
.
The Commission is established by Sections 75 through 77 of the Constitution. It has three members. One is chosen by the Prime Minister
and one by the Leader of the Opposition
. The third member is the Chairperson, chosen by the President
, after consulting with both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
The chairperson must possess the qualifications required of a member of the Judiciary. Barred from membership are persons who are or have been in the preceding four years members of either house of Parliament or of a municipal council
, as civil servants. This is to safeguard the political impartiality of the commission.
The current commission was appointed in March 2005 for a term of twelve months. Its membership is as follows:
Malakai Nagia serves as secretary to the commission.
The commission has recommended changes to its functions. The Fiji Live
news service reported on 28 February 2006 that it proposed sitting in the year following a parliamentary election
. It also called for changes allowing for it to be appointed three years before a subsequent election, and for its work to be completed a year before an election.
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
's Constituency Boundaries Commission is a civil service
Civil service
The term civil service has two distinct meanings:* A branch of governmental service in which individuals are employed on the basis of professional merit as proven by competitive examinations....
body constitutionally
Constitution of Fiji
The 1997 Constitution of Fiji was the supreme law of Fiji from its adoption in 1997 until 2009 when President Josefa Iloilo purported to abrogate it. It was also suspended for a period following the 2000 coup d'état led by Commodore Frank Bainimarama....
charged with determining the boundaries of electoral constituencies for the House of Representatives
House of Representatives (Fiji)
The House of Representatives is the lower chamber of Fiji's Parliament. It is the more powerful of the two chambers; it alone has the power to initiate legislation...
.
The Commission is established by Sections 75 through 77 of the Constitution. It has three members. One is chosen by the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Fiji
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Fiji is the head of government of Fiji. The Prime Minister was appointed by the President under the terms of the now-suspended 1997 constitution....
and one by the Leader of the Opposition
Leader of the Opposition (Fiji)
The post of Leader of the Opposition is a political office common in countries that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations. It did not originate in Fiji but has a long tradition; in British constitutional theory, the Leader of the Opposition must pose a formal alternative to the government, ready...
. The third member is the Chairperson, chosen by the President
President of Fiji
The President of the Republic of Fiji is the head of state of Fiji. The President was appointed by the Great Council of Chiefs for a five-year term under the terms of the now-suspended 1997 constitution. The Great Council of Chiefs is constitutionally required to consult the Prime Minister, but...
, after consulting with both the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
The chairperson must possess the qualifications required of a member of the Judiciary. Barred from membership are persons who are or have been in the preceding four years members of either house of Parliament or of a municipal council
Local government of Fiji
Fiji is divided administratively into four divisions, which are further subdivided into fourteen provinces; the self-governing island of Rotuma and its dependencies lie outside any of the four divisions. Each division is headed by a Commissioner, appointed by the Fijian government...
, as civil servants. This is to safeguard the political impartiality of the commission.
The current commission was appointed in March 2005 for a term of twelve months. Its membership is as follows:
- Barrie Sweetman (chairman)
- RatuRatuRatu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, Adi is used by females of chiefly rank.-Etymology:Ra is a prefix in many titles and Tu is simply "chief"...
Epeli Kanaimawi - Rajeshwar Singh
Malakai Nagia serves as secretary to the commission.
The commission has recommended changes to its functions. The Fiji Live
Fiji Live
Fijilive is an online newspaper and business and cultural directory in Fiji. The site is owned by the Future Group of Companies owned by Fiji entrepreneur Yashwant Gaunder....
news service reported on 28 February 2006 that it proposed sitting in the year following a parliamentary election
Elections in Fiji
Fiji has held nine general elections for the House of Representatives since becoming independent of the United Kingdom in 1970; there had been numerous elections under colonial rule, but only one with universal suffrage . In this period, Fiji has had three constitutions, and the voting system has...
. It also called for changes allowing for it to be appointed three years before a subsequent election, and for its work to be completed a year before an election.