Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka says the first meeting of the Great Council of Chiefs is still scheduled for this month on the chiefly island of Bau – and a taskforce under the Ministry of iTaukei Affairs is putting things together.
Rabuka said the Taskforce under the guidance of the Minister for i-Taukei Affairs is also arranging preparatory works to this historic first meet, after being abolished by the FijiFirst Government.
He said once the Great Council of Chiefs is set up and is running, they will play an advisory role to the Government; however, as leaders in traditional settings, they will lead and provide counsel to their people.
“Fijians should not be worried or be wary of the GCC and the role they will play. There is total separation of powers that the Government will have from the role of the Great Council of Chiefs will play,” Rabuka said.
The Prime Minister said Government is however concerned about the administration in the law and order situations in the country.
Rabuka said that Government will rely on the cooperation of traditional leaders to address certain issues that affect the vanua.
“Government can take these social issues to the GCC, so that they can use their own channel of communications to command in order to improve situations,” Rabuka added.
The Prime Minister said the Government will rely on the wisdom and the knowledge of these traditional leaders.
