British stand by for elections request

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British High Commissioner to Fiji, Melanie Hopkins during an interview with The Fiji Times at her office in Suva on Monday, May 14, 2018. Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU

THE British government is ready to assist  the Fijian Government in conducting this year’s general elections.

British  High Commissioner to Fiji Melanie Hopkins said the  United Kingdom(UK) government had not  been involved in detailed discussions on assistance for this year’s polls but they were ready if a request was made.

“We haven’t been approached by the Fijian Government to provide assistance. What we have done is to follow the process though and we look forward to fair and free elections being held in the country,” Ms Hopkins said.

She added that  in the  last elections in 2014, there was a multinational observer group sent to Fiji which had a  UK member in it.

British High Commissioner Melanie Hopkins holds up a preserved Fiji Times newspaper during a visit to the National Archives. Picture: FIJIAN GOVERNMENT