After the London Constitutional Conference of May 1970, the Leader of the Opposition, S.M.Koya, said: “This is an agreement between the two parties.”
“As we have indicated in your Lordship, we would like to go back to Fiji with an agreed formula for the method of elections and composition of our future parliament, and I am indeed grateful that all sides have been able to reach this agreement,” said Mr Koya in addressing the British Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Lord Shepherd.
“This particular agreement will be regarded as a historical document because we did not realise that we would reach a stage where there would be a compromise of this nature, particularly, having regard to the events that took place in the last two years.
“I am sure that both sides have had the opportunity of studying the formula. I am sure that no adverse criticism or statements would be forthcoming from any quarter.
“I support the statement which has been read out by the Chief Minister and hope that the conference will accept this so that it forms part of the final minutes of the 1970 independence conference.”
At the conference, Lord Shepherd said: “May I make one suggestion? You speak, Mr Minister, of entrenching the composition of the Lower House after the Royal Commission.”
“I think it would be right and proper to entrench what we call the interim composition of the Lower House for the first election after independence — in other words, the composition that we have agreed to is entrenched up to the period of the election and the House coming into being.
“It then can be amended by legislation as the Chief Minister said in his statement; then the new composition itself would become entrenched and I understand from my legal adviser this can be provided for in the new Constitution.
“This is a great act of statesmanship by the Fiji delegation,” Lord Shepherd said.
