Radio Free never accepts money from corporations, governments or billionaires – keeping the focus on supporting independent media for people, not profits. Since 2010, Radio Free has supported the work of thousands of independent journalists, learn more about how your donation helps improve journalism for everyone.

Make a monthly donation of any amount to support independent media.





Aiyaz ‘trying to mislead the people’ over use of term Fijian, says AG

By Meri Radinibaravi in Suva Fiji’s Constitution does not require everything related to the government to be called Fijian, says Attorney-General Siromi Turaga. Speaking during a media conference, he said there was no right or wrong way to describe a title or name a government. He said FijiFirst party general secretary Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum was trying

By Meri Radinibaravi in Suva

Fiji’s Constitution does not require everything related to the government to be called Fijian, says Attorney-General Siromi Turaga.

Speaking during a media conference, he said there was no right or wrong way to describe a title or name a government.

He said FijiFirst party general secretary Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum was trying to mislead the people when he said that the Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka had not called everybody a Fijian.

“On the term of Fijian as common name, again Mr Sayed-Khaiyum is playing with half-truths to mislead the people when it comes to his petty complaints that the Ministry of Information Facebook page is now called Fiji Government,” Turaga said.

“We are the Republic of Fiji not the republic of Fijians constitutionally, Fiji is home to all Fijians.

“In China, the official government website is the State Council of the People’s Republic of China.

“In Australia and Britain it is the Australian government and the British government. He said the Constitution never said that when someone spoke they must call every citizen Fijian.

“Frankly, there is nothing grammatically incorrect about that and the fact is, no law was broken by the renaming.

“A Constitution does not say everything related to the government must be called Fijian, neither does it require all officials to call citizens Fijian when they speak.

“It is the prerogative of government and the transition from FFP (government) to the coalition government, a decision has been made to call the government page Fiji Government.”

Turaga said the 2013 Constitution also enshrined freedom of speech.

Meri Radinibaravi is a Fiji Times reporter. Republished with permission.


This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.


Print Share Comment Cite Upload Translate Updates

Leave a Reply

APA

APR editor | Radio Free (2023-01-26T01:06:16+00:00) Aiyaz ‘trying to mislead the people’ over use of term Fijian, says AG. Retrieved from https://www.radiofree.org/2023/01/26/aiyaz-trying-to-mislead-the-people-over-use-of-term-fijian-says-ag/

MLA
" » Aiyaz ‘trying to mislead the people’ over use of term Fijian, says AG." APR editor | Radio Free - Thursday January 26, 2023, https://www.radiofree.org/2023/01/26/aiyaz-trying-to-mislead-the-people-over-use-of-term-fijian-says-ag/
HARVARD
APR editor | Radio Free Thursday January 26, 2023 » Aiyaz ‘trying to mislead the people’ over use of term Fijian, says AG., viewed ,<https://www.radiofree.org/2023/01/26/aiyaz-trying-to-mislead-the-people-over-use-of-term-fijian-says-ag/>
VANCOUVER
APR editor | Radio Free - » Aiyaz ‘trying to mislead the people’ over use of term Fijian, says AG. [Internet]. [Accessed ]. Available from: https://www.radiofree.org/2023/01/26/aiyaz-trying-to-mislead-the-people-over-use-of-term-fijian-says-ag/
CHICAGO
" » Aiyaz ‘trying to mislead the people’ over use of term Fijian, says AG." APR editor | Radio Free - Accessed . https://www.radiofree.org/2023/01/26/aiyaz-trying-to-mislead-the-people-over-use-of-term-fijian-says-ag/
IEEE
" » Aiyaz ‘trying to mislead the people’ over use of term Fijian, says AG." APR editor | Radio Free [Online]. Available: https://www.radiofree.org/2023/01/26/aiyaz-trying-to-mislead-the-people-over-use-of-term-fijian-says-ag/. [Accessed: ]
rf:citation
» Aiyaz ‘trying to mislead the people’ over use of term Fijian, says AG | APR editor | Radio Free | https://www.radiofree.org/2023/01/26/aiyaz-trying-to-mislead-the-people-over-use-of-term-fijian-says-ag/ |

Please log in to upload a file.



There are no updates yet.
Click the Upload button above to add an update.

You must be logged in to translate posts. Please log in or register.