Attorney-General (Fiji)

Attorney-General (Fiji)

Fiji's chief governmental legal officer is the Attorney General. According to the Constitution of Fiji, the Attorney-General is required to be a qualified lawyer and sits in the Cabinet. The office of the Attorney-General is the oldest surviving executive office in Fiji, having been established in the Kingdom of Viti in 1872. It continued throughout Fiji's years as a British crown colony (1874–1970) and subsequently as a Commonwealth realm (1970–1987) and republic (1987–present), with minimal modifications.

The Attorney-General is the only Cabinet office, apart from that of the Prime Minister, specifically established by the Constitution. The Attorney-General must be a member of either the House of Representatives or the Senate. A unique feature of the office is that except for voting rights (which may be exercised only in the chamber of which the Attorney-General is officially a member), the Attorney-General has the authority to participate in the business of both chambers of Parliament. The office is normally held by the Minister for Justice, although they are distinct offices. Like other members of the Cabinet, the Attorney-General is appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.