CHANGES in the draft constitution highlight that the Prime Minister, who is the head of government, will also be the Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces.
According to the document, the prime minister shall keep the president generally informed about the issues relating to the governance of Fiji.
Under the draft constitution, the prime minister shall appoint a minister to act in the office of prime minister during any period, or during all periods, when the prime minister is absent from duty or from Fiji or is, for any other reason, unable to perform the functions of the office, and a notification of the appointment of the acting prime minister must be published in the gazette.
It also proposes that the prime minister must be a member of parliament.
After the elections, the person who is elected to parliament and who is the leader of a political party which has won more than 50 per cent of the total number of members in parliament assumes office as the prime minister by taking before the president the oath or affirmation of office.
The document says that once each year, the prime minister must present to parliament a speech outlining the policies and programs of the government for the following year. It says the prime minister may only be dismissed by a motion of no-confidence, which must also propose the name of another member of parliament to be the prime minister.
A motion of no-confidence, the draft says, must be called for a vote within 24 hours of it being introduced.