21 Aug 2013

Fiji parties boycott regime's constitution briefing

6:21 pm on 21 August 2013

Fiji's main political grouping says it will boycott tomorrow's briefing about the new constitution by the attorney-general, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.

The United Front for a Democratic Fiji says those who were invited are staying away because the process lacks credibility, claiming that the briefing will be nothing more than a lecture by Mr Sayed-Khaiyum.

The new constitution has been drawn up by the regime after it threw out last year's draft by the Constitution Commission.

The UFDF says the regime's constitution will never be representative of the views and aspirations of the people of Fiji and its planned imposition on the people will never be accepted.

The leaders of the UFDF are to meet this week to complete their own roadmap to democracy.

The regime says there will be two weeks of discussions about the translations of the document before it is assented by the president.