Electoral Review Team member Professor Wadan Narsey has raised serious concerns about the government’s delay in tabling the Fiji Electoral Law Reform Report in Parliament, questioning why it has not already been released for public debate while legal processes continue.
Writing in his Fiji Times column, he said while the formal legal processes are simultaneously ongoing, why has the report not already been simultaneously tabled in Parliament or released to the public for discussion and modifications.
The review committee has recommended a new Proportional Open List Constituency System (POLCS) for voting under which Fiji would be divided into 25 constituencies—including five maritime seats—though Prof Narsey said the number could be reduced to 20.
Prof Narsey questioned whether internal resistance within the Fiji Elections Office (FEO) may be contributing to the delay.
“Is it that some senior staff in the Fiji Elections Office are opposed to introducing the proposed system given that it would require more work from them than required by the Bainimarama/Sayed-Khaiyum system that they have implemented for the last three national elections?”
Prof Narsey stressed that the Fiji Electoral Commission remains the “superior authority” and has the prerogative to bring in new staff if current officers are reluctant to implement the proposed People’s Open List System (POLCS).
“If necessary, [it] could appoint additional new staff more amenable to implementing the democratic changes.”
He also suggested that political self-interest could be influencing the delay.
“Is it possible that the current Coalition Government is receiving Machiavellian advice… that the current parties in Parliament will gain by having elections under the current electoral system rather than the POLCS?”
Prof Narsey warned that such motivations would be damaging to democratic principles.
“It would be tragic for democracy in Fiji if selfish political self-interest is the reason why the Coalition Government is reluctant to speedily table the Fiji Electoral Law Reform Report in Parliament and release it for public discussion… which is what the voters of Fiji and taxpayers want.”
