PM says common name will remain

Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama said while Fijian is not specifically stated as a non-negotiable principle, common and equal citizenry (a non-negotiable principle) means that all citizens are common in their legal status in relation to the state and thereby have a common name.

It is an accepted legal basis for all modern states.

Although the Prime Minister has stressed that all citizens now have “Fijian” as the common name, Constitution Commission chairman Professor Yash Ghai said the issue of common name is not a non-negotiable.

Professor Ghai said the decision on common name will be made by the commission.