A statue of the Fiji statesman Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna stands guard outside Fiji's government buildings, Suva Photo: RNZI/Sally Round
Fiji's parliament has voted out a petition seeking to reinstate the Great Council of Chiefs.
The chiefly body was established in 1876 and abolished by Frank Bainimarama's interim military regime four years ago.
Members of the opposition urged the government to allow the petition to go to a committee which could consult the people on the issue.
Under new rules petitions must gain 40 percent of MPs approval before they can be considered but the ayes in today's vote gained only 32 percent.
Salote Radrodro of the Sodelpa party told parliament the Great Council of Chiefs had taken Fiji forward and represented the fabric of Fiji's indigenous people.
"The gist of the issue here is how are we going to hear the voices of the people? Abraham Lincoln said government is by the people and for the people. If government is by the people, and that's why we are all sitting here, and if it is for the people we should provide for an avenue, for a space, to hear their voices."