NADI resident Hussein Ali Shah says by-elections should only be held as a last resort to address vacant parliamentary seats.
Mr Shah’s comment came in response to a question posed by New Zealand-based technical adviser Deidre Brookes during the Fiji Electoral Law Reform consultations at the Nadi Airport mosque.
Ms Brookes asked whether Mr Shah had any suggestion on how vacant seats in Parliament should be addressed and if a by-election was the answer.
While he had initially said by-elections needed to be abolished, Mr Shah said this could possibly be held.
“If (candidate) D has passed away, why do you appoint E and F from the same party,” Mr Shah said.
“Z and E fought the election, but they did not qualify (or) he was not a popular candidate in society, then have a by-election, like the previous government.
“Whoever is there has to be a public figure, one who has standing, one who respects the public. It’s not the one who says, I’m the big man.
“At the moment, some people feel they are the big men.”
Mr Shah said marginalised communities felt they’re being given the run-around and their concerns were not fully addressed.
“The poor people think, if I say anything, they might get offended.
“They may not be able to assist me, whether it’s to get social welfare.”
According to the Journal of Pacific History Volume 4 (1969) by J M Anthony, the last by-election in Fiji was held between August 31 and September 7, 1968 after nine Federation Party members of the Fiji legislative council walked out in September 1967.
They had protested against the introduction of the ministerial system and the government’s inability to call a new constitutional conference.
Their seats in Parliament were declared vacant after they had missed two of the council’s meetings and the by-elections were held.
