Prorogation of Parliament and the Next State Opening of Parliament

Parliament will stand prorogued from Monday, 4 December 2023 until the Opening of Parliament on Monday, 4 March 2024. By convention, prorogation is not a sitting day – prorogation signifies the formal end of a Parliamentary session or year during the Parliamentary Term of four years. The Honourable Speaker has duly informed His Excellency the President of the prorogation as well as the next State Opening of Parliament.

During the prorogation period, Parliamentary business including Parliament sittings and Parliamentary Standing Committee proceedings on Bills, Motions and reports are suspended until the opening of the next Parliamentary session, with the exception of matters that would be deemed urgent and necessary such as Standing Committee work on Bills, but these would be at the discretion of the Speaker of
Parliament.

The State Opening of the second session of Parliament will be officiated by His Excellency the President of the Republic of Fiji, Ratu Wiliame Maivalili Katonivere on Monday, 4 March 2024 at 10.00 a.m., after the Guard-of-Honour by the Republic of Fiji Military Forces.

The State Opening will also be attended by the Acting Honourable Chief Justice Salesi Temo, Justices of Appeal and other Puisne Judges.

Parliament will then resume on Monday, 11 March 2024 for the week-long sitting.

All other operations by the Parliament secretariat will continue during the prorogation period.

-Ends-

Accessibility

Parliament Office will close on the following days, for the non-essential functional units –

(a) Friday, 27 December 2024;

(b) Monday, 30 December 2024; and

(c) Tuesday, 31 December 2024.

The non-essential functional units that will be closed on those days are the Tables, Hansard, Research and Library Services, Committees, Inter-Parliamentary Relations and Protocol, Monitoring and Evaluation, and Civic Education and Media.

The essential functional units that will remain operational with the necessary/appropriate staffing arrangements are the ITC, HR, Accounts, Assets and Transport.

We humbly apologise for any inconvenience that may be caused.