National Council for Building a Better Fiji
Encyclopedia
The National Council for Building a Better Fiji (NCBBF) is an organisation established in 2007 by the government of Fiji
. Its task is to prepare the People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress
proposed by interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, who came to power in a military coup
in December 2006.
The Council is intended to be "broadly representative of Fiji society (including leaders and representatives from the civil society including NGOs, the private sector, religious and community organisations, employers/workers and youth organisations, and the political parties)". It is co-chaired by Commodore Bainimarama and by Archbishop Petero Mataca
, head of the Catholic Church in Fiji.
Officially, the NCBBF's work on the Charter is overseen by an independent monitoring group, which reports directly to President Ratu Josefa Iloilo. The monitoring group is chaired by Sela Molisa
, a member of the Parliament of Vanuatu
. Reverend Amy Chambers
is also a member of the monitoring group. The NCBBF itself is composed of three task teams:
On 5 August 2008, the NCBBF announced that it had endorsed a draft Charter document, which was to be released shortly thereafter. Fijilive reported that the NCBBF planned to "gauge the views of the people on the draft Charter via a public awareness campaign over the next six weeks". Meetings would be held in public venues, the Charter would be advertised in the media, and there would be "consultations by public relations teams at grassroots level in all the villages and settlements throughout the country".
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
. Its task is to prepare the People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress
People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress
The People's Charter for Change, Peace and Progress is a proposed legal document which would complement the Constitution of the Republic of the Fiji Islands. It would establish compulsory guidelines for any government policy in Fiji over the coming years...
proposed by interim Prime Minister Commodore Voreqe Bainimarama, who came to power in a military coup
2006 Fijian coup d'état
The Fijian coup d'état of December 2006 occurred as a continuation of the pressure which had been building since the military unrest of the 2000 Fijian coup d'état and 2005-2006 Fijian political crisis....
in December 2006.
The Council is intended to be "broadly representative of Fiji society (including leaders and representatives from the civil society including NGOs, the private sector, religious and community organisations, employers/workers and youth organisations, and the political parties)". It is co-chaired by Commodore Bainimarama and by Archbishop Petero Mataca
Petero Mataca
Petero Mataca is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Suva, Fiji. After his education at St. John's College, Cawaci, he was ordained as a priest on 20 December 1959...
, head of the Catholic Church in Fiji.
Officially, the NCBBF's work on the Charter is overseen by an independent monitoring group, which reports directly to President Ratu Josefa Iloilo. The monitoring group is chaired by Sela Molisa
Sela Molisa
Sela Molisa is a ni-Vanuatu politician. He is currently a member of the Parliament of Vanuatu, and was briefly Minister for Trade in Serge Vohor's Cabinet from April to May 2011...
, a member of the Parliament of Vanuatu
Parliament of Vanuatu
The Parliament is the unicameral legislative body of the Republic of Vanuatu.It was established by chapter 4 of the 1980 Constitution, upon Vanuatu's independence from France and the United Kingdom....
. Reverend Amy Chambers
Amy Chambers
Amy Chambers is an Anglican priest in Fiji, and the Principal of St John the Baptist Theological College in Suva.Born as Amy Fong Toy to a farming family of Chinese descent in Labasa on the northern island of Vanua Levu, she was educated at Labasa Secondary School. She taught for one year at St...
is also a member of the monitoring group. The NCBBF itself is composed of three task teams:
- one (co-chaired by RatuRatuRatu is a title used by Fijians of chiefly rank. An equivalent title, Adi is used by females of chiefly rank.-Etymology:Ra is a prefix in many titles and Tu is simply "chief"...
Josefa Serulagilagi and Attorney GeneralAttorney-General (Fiji)Fiji's chief governmental legal officer is the Attorney General. According to the Constitution of Fiji, the Attorney-General is required to be a qualified lawyer and sits in the Cabinet. The office of the Attorney-General is the oldest surviving executive office in Fiji, having been established...
Aiyaz Sayed-KhaiyumAiyaz Sayed-KhaiyumAiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum Fiji's Attorney-General, Minister for Justice, Anti-Corruption, Public Enterprises, Industry, Investment, Tourism and Communications...
) tasked with focusing on good governanceGood governanceGood governance is an indeterminate term used in development literature to describe how public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources in order to guarantee the realization of human rights. Governance describes "the process of decision-making and the process by which...
, - another (co-chaired by Ratu Josateki NawalowaloJosateki NawalowaloRatu Josateki Tuivanuavou Nacagilevu Nawalowalo, commonly known as Ratu Jo Nawalowalo, was a Fijian chief, businessman, and the Chairman of the Kadavu Provincial Council...
and Finance Minister Mahendra ChaudhryMahendra ChaudhryMahendra Pal Chaudhry is a Fijian politician and the leader of the Fiji Labour Party...
) on economic growth, and - the third (co-chaired by Lorrine Tevi and Health Minister Dr. Jiko LuveniJiko LuveniJiko Luveni is a Fijian dentist who is better known for her work to combat AIDS.Luveni was educated at Lautoka Fijian School and then at Nabua Secondary School in Suva, before enrolling in Adi Cakobau School in Sawani. She graduated in dentistry from the Fiji School of Medicine in 1967, the first...
) on "social cultural identity and nation building."
On 5 August 2008, the NCBBF announced that it had endorsed a draft Charter document, which was to be released shortly thereafter. Fijilive reported that the NCBBF planned to "gauge the views of the people on the draft Charter via a public awareness campaign over the next six weeks". Meetings would be held in public venues, the Charter would be advertised in the media, and there would be "consultations by public relations teams at grassroots level in all the villages and settlements throughout the country".
External links
- Website of the National Council for Building a Better Fiji
- "National Council for Building a Better Fiji (NCBBF) - Interview with Parmesh Chand", Fiji government website, 14 August 2007
- "Archbishop defends work of National Council for Building a Better Fiji", Radio Australia, 17 April 2008. Interview with Archbishop Petero MatacaPetero MatacaPetero Mataca is the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Suva, Fiji. After his education at St. John's College, Cawaci, he was ordained as a priest on 20 December 1959...
.