29 May 2007

No timeline to re-appoint new Fiji GCC, says interim minister

4:06 pm on 29 May 2007

Fiji's interim minister for Fijian Affairs, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, says there is no timeline for reappointing a Great Council of Chiefs, but work is continuing.

He says a committee set up to look into the issues is using previous studies on membership and procedures.

Ratu Epeli says widespread consultation is also needed before decisions are made over what he calls an important and sensitive issue.

But he says measures are being put in place to make decisions, if needed, while there is no functioning GCC:

"It could pose some problem for us if we need to nominate the vice president or even the president, if something untoward were to happen where the GCC would be required to discharge its constitutional duty. But we have all that covered."

Ratu Epeli says the interim administration would like to address the issue as soon as possible, but that could be weeks, months or a year or more.