51
Part B—CABINET
Responsible Government
90. Governments must have the confidence of Parliament.
Cabinet
91.—(1) Cabinet consists of the Prime Minister as chairperson, and such number
of Ministers as determined by the Prime Minister.
(2) Cabinet members are accountable individually and collectively to Parliament,
for the exercise of their powers and the performance of their functions.
(3) A Minister must appear before Parliament, or a committee of Parliament,
when required, and answer any question concerning a matter for which the Minister is
responsible.
(4) Cabinet members must provide Parliament with full and regular reports
concerning matters for which they are responsible.
(5) Cabinet may seek an opinion from the Supreme Court on any matter concerning
the interpretation or application of this Constitution.
Office of the Prime Minister
92.—(1) The Prime Minister is the head of the Government.
(2) The Prime Minister shall keep the President generally informed about the issues
relating to the governance of Fiji.
(3) The Prime Minister—
(a) appoints Ministers with such titles, portfolios and responsibilities as the
Prime Minister determines from time to time;
(b) dismisses Ministers; and
(c) by notice published in the Gazette, assigns to any Minister or to himself
or herself responsibility for the conduct of a specified part of the business
of the Government, including responsibility for the general direction and
control over a branch or branches of the public service or over a disciplined
force and responsibility for the implementation and administration of each
Act, provided however that the responsibility for any part of the business
of Government that is not specifically assigned shall remain with the Prime
Minister.
(4) The Prime Minister shall appoint a Minister to act in the office of the 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 office,
and a notification of the appointment of the Acting Prime Minister must be published in
the Gazette.