15 Feb 2012

Fiji constitution consultation to start this month

6:51 pm on 15 February 2012

Fiji's interim prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, says consultation on a new constitution will start within two weeks.

Commodore Bainimarama made the announcement in an address to Fiji diplomats.

He says this is according to the plan set out in the government's roadmap to democracy.

Last week, the information ministry said he would provide details about the timeframe and methodology of the consultation process in the fourth week of February.

It also said he would then announce the composition of the Constitutional Commission.

Three years ago, his regime abolished the 1997 constitution and sacked the judiciary after the court of appeal ruled that his post-coup interim government was illegal.