House of Representatives of Fiji facts for kids

The House of Representatives was an important part of Fiji's government for many years. It was like one of the main groups of people who helped make laws for the country. From 1970 to 2006, it worked alongside another group to run the country.

What Was the House of Representatives?

Imagine a school council, but for a whole country! The House of Representatives was a bit like that. It was one of the two main groups, called "chambers," that made up Fiji's Parliament. The Parliament is where elected people meet to discuss and create laws for everyone in the country.

The House of Representatives was considered the more powerful of the two chambers. This meant that its decisions often had more weight when new laws were being made. People from different parts of Fiji were elected to be members of this House. They represented the citizens and worked to improve life in Fiji.

How Did it Work?

Members of the House of Representatives were chosen by the people of Fiji through elections. Once elected, these members would meet regularly to talk about important issues facing the country. They would debate new ideas, propose laws, and vote on them. Their main job was to make sure that the laws helped the people of Fiji.

Why Did it Change?

The House of Representatives stopped working in 2006. This happened because of a big change in the government. The military took control of the country, which is sometimes called a military coup. This meant that the normal way of running the government was put on hold.

Later, in 2013, a new set of rules for the country was created. These rules are called the 2013 Constitution. This new Constitution decided that the House of Representatives would no longer exist. Instead, Fiji would have a single chamber Parliament. This new Parliament would have only one main group of elected people making laws, instead of two.