SUVA – A committee member overseeing the public competition to design Fiji’s new flag has confirmed that members basically composed the 23 final entries themselves, selecting elements from the around 2000 designs submitted.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the National Flag Committee member says the group reports directly to the Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum, and they were told to go back to choose more options after it initially selected five final designs.

Of the now 23 final entries many are variations of similar themes – nine feature a triangle emerging horizontally from the left, while five feature an identical wave and sail design, four have an identical boat on a straight line, and four others feature yellow stars or a sun.

“Following an open and inclusive process, the Fijian public can review and comment on the shortlisted 23 designs that were chosen from more than 2000 entries submitted,” the Department of Information said in a statement, encouraging all Fijians “living both at home and abroad” to participate in making the final selections including expressing their views on a special webpage showcasing the finalist entries.

At the end of June, the entries and the feedback will go to cabinet for consideration before a vote in parliament.

Some Fijians who entered their designs in a nationwide competition to select a new flag are reportedly unhappy that their designs have been modified.

The leader of the Sodelpa Youth Council, Peter Waqavonono, says the process has been undemocratic from the start because the government ignored a petition with 2000 signatures to take the matter to a referendum.

Waqavonovono says reports of the flag committee amalgamating design elements from the entries have further alienated the public.

“Given the designs that have popped up thus far, a lot of people have shared their opinions that they don’t think that they were part of the process in designing the new flag.

“After 2000 entries that went in, it seems like the committee decided to come up with their own design.”

Waqavonovono says he is organising a peaceful march in October against the new flag.

Despite ruling out a referendum on the change of flag, Sayed Khaiyum says the process has been consultative.

Acting Prime Minister and Attorney General Sayed-Khaiyum said the public has been asked to give their feedback on the designs that have been chosen through the new flag design website www.newfijiflag.com, by text message, email, social media or through the post.

He said the feedback period will end on the 30th of this month and the designs will be submitted to cabinet for consideration before going on to parliament.

Sayed-Khaiyum said people from all walks of life submitted their entries during the national flag competition.

He said the government is following through on a mandate engraved in last year’s general election and that political critics of the new flag are anchored to mentality of the past.

“There is a small backward looking political faction that claims they are disturbed by the raising of a new flag for a new Fiji.

“For anyone still listening to them, please remember this: Prime Minister Bainimarama first proclaimed the need for a new flag in 2013.

“Knowing this, Fijian voters elected the prime minister in overwhelming numbers in 2014. The prime minister then officially announced the national competition for the design of a new Fijian flag in 2015,” the attorney-general said.

Earlier this year, Bainimarama expressed the motive behind the change.

“The Union Jack flag belongs to the British, not to us. The shield on our flag has the British Lion and the Cross of St. George – a British patron saint. What does this have to do with us? They are the symbols of the coloniser Britain – a country with whom we are friends and will continue to be so.

“But they are not symbols that are relevant to any Fijian in the 21st century,” he said. “And they should go. They are honored symbols of our past, but not of our future.”