26 Oct 2007

Chiefs in Fiji will have to apply to be on GCC

10:20 am on 26 October 2007

Traditional chiefs who want be members of Fiji's new-look Great Council of Chiefs will have to apply for a position.

They will also have to have a clean police record.

The Daily Post reports that this has been revealed by the interim minister for Fijian affairs, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, who commissioned a review of the Great Council of Chiefs after the body was suspended in April.

Ratu Epeli says the review report will be presented to the cabinet next week and he is confident it will be approved.

He says following cabinet approval they will start receiving applications from chiefs who want to be members.

Full details of the report have not been disclosed but it is understood to contain stringent requirements which chiefs must meet before they can be members of the Great Council.

The review was carried out a 6-member team comprising of prominent chiefs headed by Ratu Tu'akitau Cokanauto who held consultations in all 14 indigenous provinces.