Current Position
Though Fiji is now a republic and suspended from the Commonwealth, the Queen's effigy is still displayed on Fiji's currency, the St Edward's Crown still forms part of the badges of the military and the police, and the Queen's Birthday remains a public holiday. The Queen and the royal family retain widespread affection among the Fijian people, and there have also been sporadic public debates on whether to return to a constitutional monarchy. The motto of the republic remains "Fear God and honour the King" (or "Queen") (Fijian: Rere vaka na kalou ka doka na Tui), which was adopted by Cakobau in 1871. In addition, the flag of Fiji (which includes the Union Jack) and the country's coat of arms remain unchanged.
In 1998, the Great Council of Chiefs debated Elizabeth II's role as "supreme tribal chief". In 2002, on behalf of the Council, the Council's chairman, Ratu Epeli Ganilau, the son of Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, declared that Elizabeth II was still the traditional Queen or paramount chief of Fiji or Tui Viti, even though this position no longer conferred any constitutional prerogatives and it was "not widely known that she is the paramount chief of Fiji in the traditional sense; only some of the council members remembered her status". The majority of the members of the Council were descendants and blood relatives of the chiefs who ceded Fiji to Queen Victoria, Elizabeth's great-great-grandmother, in 1874. Consequently, while Fiji is a republic, a monarch or paramount chief was recognised by traditional tribal structures.
As Queen Elizabeth II has made no official claim to the Tui Viti title, and it is not officially recognised by the current de facto Fijian government, it remains dormant in usage. When broached on the subject of restoration by Sitiveni Rabuka during a meeting with the Queen in 1997, her response was simple: "Let the people decide".
After another coup in 2000, further political tension led to a fourth coup in 2006. The Great Council of Chiefs was suspended in 2007, and the Constitution, which gives the Council the right to appoint the Head of State from among its members, was suspended in 2009. On 14 March 2012, the Council was formally de-established.
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