Voter registration will remain apolitical: A-G
Government has assured the nation that the voter registration will remain apolitical, or free of politics.
Attorney-General and Minister for Elections, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum was reacting to a statement made by the Soqosoqo Duavata Ni Lewenivanua Party (SDL) leader, Laisenia Qarase, that the involvement of senior military officers shows that the Government will control and direct the election process.
Mr Qarase said the direct involvement of the Attorney-General and military officers in the election process had cast doubts on the process and its outcome.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum dismissed the comment.
He said Fiji continued to follow the recommendations of the European Union’s Report on Fiji’s 2006 elections which cited irregularities of voter registration and voting practices.
An example was the 101 per cent voter turnout in one constituency and the disenfranchisement of certain voter groups.
He said they want to cut out fraud.
He said comprehensive and thought-out logistical planning was necessary to ensure that each and every Fijian had the opportunity and ability to register.
A logistical team will be headed by Major Isoa Loanakadavu of the Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF).
He will be joined by William Hogan, an Australia-based electoral operations consultant with the UN/UNDP, and Mark Jones, manager operations at the Electoral Enrollment Centre in New Zealand.
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said electronic voter registration for the 2014 elections would begin on July 3 in Suva.
The team is expected to work in collaboration with the Canadian electronic voter registration firm CODE Inc.
“We will have a massive public campaign. It can be done, and it will be done.”
Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said the voter registration would run for eight weeks at centres across the country.