Deputy Speaker of Parliament and National Federation Party MP Lenora Qereqeretabua has spoken out against calls to declare Fiji a “Christian State” in the Constitution, warning it would undermine equality and ignore the country’s history.
In a statement shared on social media, Ms Qereqeretabua said such a move fails to reflect Fiji’s diverse identity.
“Calling Fiji a ‘Christian State’ in the Constitution ignores our own history,” she said.
She pointed to the country’s political past, including the coups since 1987, as a reminder of the dangers of using identity to define belonging.
“The coups from 1987 and onward showed us what happens when identity is used to decide who belongs. We should have learnt that lesson,” she said.
Ms Qereqeretabua emphasised that Fiji is a multi-religious society and that constitutional changes would not alter people’s beliefs.
“Fiji is not one religion. Yes, many of us are Christian — but changing a clause in our supreme law does not change our psyche, nor our ‘Christianity’,” she said.
She warned that elevating one religion above others risks eroding democratic principles.
“The moment we elevate one religion, we move away from equality and democracy,” she added.
Ms Qereqeretabua reaffirmed her support for maintaining Fiji as a secular state, advocating for mutual respect among all communities.
“I vote for a secular state and ‘you do you’, with all our blessings continuing to celebrate each other without prejudice as we have done for decades,” she said.
