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The Great Council of Chiefs ''(Bose Levu Vakaturaga'' in Fijian), was a constitutional body in the Republic of the Fiji Islands from 1876 to March 2012. In April 2007 the council was suspended, due to an unworkable relationship with Frank Bainimarama, leader of an "interim government" which came to power through military coup in December 2006.〔("Fiji soldiers sent to close Council of Chiefs" ), Samisoni Pareti, ABC News, April 13, 2007〕 It was formally disestablished by decree in March 2012.〔http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/south-pacific/6573396/Fijis-Great-Council-of-Chiefs-abolished〕 It is not to be confused with the ''House of Chiefs,'' a larger body which includes all hereditary chiefs, although membership of the two bodies overlaps to a considerable extent. The Great Council of Chiefs in its most recent form was established under Section 116 of the now-defunct 1997 Constitution, but it actually predated the Constitution by many years, having been established by the British colonial rulers as an advisory body in 1876, two years after Fiji was ceded to the United Kingdom. ==Institutional history== The Council was established in 1876 under the governorship of Sir Arthur Gordon. The decision was taken following consultations with chiefs, who advised Sir Arthur on how best to govern the colony's indigenous population. In the words of anthropologist Robert Norton, it "embodied the privileged relationship of trust and protection established between the Fijians and the British". During the colonial era, meetings of the Great Council of Chiefs were held every year or two, "with rich ceremonial protocol", and chaired by the British governor. Council members advised the governor with regards to policy on indigenous affairs, and, until 1963, selected indigenous representatives for the colonial Parliament. Among its nominees to Parliament in the 1950s and early 1960s were Ratu Sir Lala Sukuna, Ratu Kamisese Mara, Ratu George Cakobau, Ratu Edward Cakobau and Ratu Penaia Ganilau, who were to ascend to positions of leadership in government. In 1963, this function of the Council was abolished as indigenous Fijians obtained the right to elect their representatives to Parliament. In the 1950s, the Council ceased to be reserved for chiefs; its "membership () was broadened to allow representation of trade unions and other urban organizations". All members remained indigenous, however. Fiji's first Constitution, adopted upon independence in 1970, gave the Council the right to nominate eight of the twenty-two members of the Senate. Following the 1987 military coup conducted by Sitiveni Rabuka, the Council reverted to being an exclusively aristocratic body, its membership reserved to high chiefs. Rabuka argued that hereditary chiefs should retain paramount decision-making power. The 1990 Constitution thus enhanced the Council's power. It was now authorised to appoint 24 of the Senate's 34 members, making the Senate a GCC-dominated body. The Council would also, henceforth, appoint the President of Fiji and the Vice-President. The 1997 Constitution reduced its representation in the Senate to 14 members (out of 32), but recognised its right to name President and Vice-President.〔("The changing role of the Great Council of Chiefs" ), Robert Norton, ''in'' Jon Fraenkel, Stewart Firth and Brij V. Lal (eds.), ''The 2006 Military Takeover in Fiji: A Coup to End All Coups?'', April 2009, ISBN 978-1-921536-51-9〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Great Council of Chiefs」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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