Cabinet approved Interpretation (Amendment) Bill 2023 and the Electoral (Registration of Voters) (Amendment) Bill 2023 will be tabled in a future Sitting of Parliament.
In a statement, Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka said the two Bills are the outcome of consultations on the review of amendments made in 2021 to the Interpretation Act 1967 and Electoral (Registration of Voters) Act 2012.
Rabuka stated the general response from the public consultations held around Fiji on the name change policy laws, was for the removal of the amendments made in 2021 in implementation of the name change policy.
“In addition, those who made submissions were disappointed at the manner in which the change was introduced, as well as the financial and emotional burden caused by the policy, to those directly affected.”