Qarase says GCC review unwise
Friday August 17, 2007

The move by Fiji’s interim Government to review the membership of the Great Council of Chiefs is “a very bad one”, says ousted Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase.

Speaking to Fijilive this morning, Qarase said first of all there is nothing wrong with the membership of the GCC.

He said most of the members of the GCC are elected by their respective provincial councils.

“A democratization of the GCC is good but I think what the interim Government wants to do is to remove the freedom of choosing our own representatives.

“They want to nominate the members and I think that is a way backward step instead of taking us forward,” Qarase said.

Meanwhile all chiefs who were members of the council, including the President Ratu Josefa Iloilo and chairman Ratu Ovini Bokini, have been informed that they are no longer members of the chiefly body.

Interim Fijian Affairs minister Ratu Epeli Ganilau said this is part of a review of the GCC and "major changes" are being looked at including the process of selection of members, which will now include a stringent screening process and a background check on all nominees.

Ratu Epeli said they are also looking at the size of the 55-member council with the intention to reduce its membership to make it more efficient.