Fiji mulls national flag redesign

A woman holds a Fijian national flag in Suva, Fiji, Jan. 3, 2013. Fiji's new national flag which will be designed this year will focus on uniting the island nation, the prime minister's office Thursday. (Xinhua/Michael Yang)

Fiji's new national flag which will be designed this year will focus on uniting the island nation, the prime minister's office Thursday.

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has revealed that the government will revamp Fiji's flag in his New Year message.

Pio Tikoduadua, permanent secretary for the Prime Minister's Office, said Thursday that Fiji needs a new identity and this is the way to do it.

"Fiji is embarking on a new journey and a new vision. We have a new constitution, a new brand for our national airline, new currencies and we want the flag to include things that are found in Fiji," Tikoduadua told the Fiji Times.

The new flag is part of the changing spirit Fiji is heading towards and one that would brand and market the country, Tikoduadua said, adding that everyone would unite under the flag and it would set out a new direction for Fiji.

The new flag would be like the new currency released this week which captured Fiji's unique flora and fauna, he said, "While the there is nothing bad in the current flag, the new flag will be for the people of Fiji."

Fijians will be given the opportunity to design the new flag, Tikoduadua said. The government "will put up an advertisement for a competition and people will be asked to design the flag", but the criteria for the design has yet to be confirmed, the official added.

It is widely thought the Union Jack will be dropped from Fiji's current national flag.

The move will be the latest attempt by Fiji to distance itself from its colonial past, after the country was suspended from the Commonwealth following a bloodless coup in 2006 and its repeated failure to hold elections. Enditem