Professor Anthony James Regan. Picture by Australian National University (ANU) website.
Fiji National University (FNU) will host a Vice-Chancellor’s Leadership Seminar on August 1, featuring distinguished guest speaker Professor Anthony James Regan, from the Australian National University (ANU).
Professor Regan will present on the topic “Constitutional Change in Fiji: Looking to the Future.”
Professor Regan is an academic in constitutional law at the Department of Pacific Affairs (previously the State, Society and Governance in Melanesia Programme) Bell School, College of Asia and the Pacific, ANU.
He is involved in advising and conducting associated research on the roles of constitution-making and review (both process and content) in conflict resolution and peacebuilding in conflict and post-conflict situations in the Pacific and some Asian states.
His duties include teaching undergraduate and postgraduate courses, supervising PhD students, and performing administrative duties. Professor Regan is a constitutional lawyer who specialises in constitutional development as part of conflict resolution.
Professor Regan’s discussion will be on Fiji’s constitution, which is a complex issue marked by instability and rigidity. While constitutions typically balance stability with adaptability, Fiji’s history is punctuated by wholesale replacements rather than gradual reforms.
FNU Vice-Chancellor Professor Unaisi Nabobo-Baba said the seminar will highlight and provide information on the topic that is important for Fiji.
“FNU is delighted to host Professor Anthony James Regan for a seminar on constitutional change in Fiji. His distinguished career and deep understanding of governance will enrich our understanding of this critical issue. Fiji’s constitutional history is marked by challenges.
Professor Regan’s presentation offers a unique opportunity to explore potential pathways for a more resilient and responsive constitution,” Professor Nabobo-Baba said.
“As a nation, we face significant constitutional questions. This seminar, featuring Professor Regan, will stimulate thought-provoking dialogue on the future of our governance framework.”
Professor Nabobo-Baba indicated that the presentation would offer valuable insights and foster stimulating discussion.
“Professor Regan’s presentation will focus on the challenges posed by Fiji’s current constitution,” Professor Nabobo-Baba said.
“Despite widespread criticism of its creation and content, the constitution is exceptionally difficult to amend. This raises crucial questions about the nation’s constitutional future: Can a document widely viewed as illegitimate continue to govern Fiji indefinitely?”
“The discussion will also explore how a constitution so resistant to change can adapt to the nation’s evolving needs. With limited avenues for reform, Fiji faces a constitutional dilemma: the imperative for change versus the difficulty of achieving it. This may necessitate considering drastic measures to avoid stagnation.”
The seminar will commence at 6pm in the Lecture Theatre of the Fiji National University’s College of Business, Hospitality and Tourism Studies, Nasinu.