Nation to replace its colonial-era flag

Fiji will change its national flag as its colonial symbols are no longer relevant, Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama confirmed on Tuesday.

In the past two years Fijians have been consumed with the task of holding "our first genuinely democratic election in Fijian history", he said. "But now that our new democracy is in place, we can proceed with the program I flagged at the beginning of 2013 to adopt a symbol that is more in keeping with our national aspirations in the 21st century.

"We need to replace the symbols on our existing flag that are out of date and no longer relevant, including some anchored to our colonial past. The new flag should reflect Fiji's position in the world today as a modern and truly independent nation," Bainimarama said.