Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has confirmed that municipal council elections will be deferred until after Fiji’s next General Election, citing financial constraints and broader national priorities.
Speaking during a press conference today, Mr Rabuka said Cabinet discussions had considered the timing, cost and logistics involved in holding both elections separately.
He said preparations for municipal elections would need to be assessed alongside the constitutional requirements governing the next General Election and other major Government activities.
“The two elections, as well as the other activities that will have to take place before we go into the General Election, will all have to be considered as a whole issue,” Mr Rabuka said.
He noted that the current national budget ends on July 31 and any election-related expenditure would likely fall under the next budget cycle.
“What we will do is consider the expenses or expenditure involved in these as we come to consider the budget after the 31 July end of this current budget,” he said.
Mr Rabuka also acknowledged the constitutional timelines surrounding the General Election, saying there was limited flexibility to alter those dates unless extraordinary circumstances arose.
“The next General Election is governed by the Constitution, so we will have to consider that, and we have very little leeway to move those dates around, unless there are more pressing circumstances,” he said.
The Prime Minister thanked local government interim administrators for continuing to oversee municipal councils in the absence of elected representatives.
“To the local government interim administrators, thank you for holding the fort of our municipal communities, and I ask that you persevere for just a little longer,” he said.
Mr Rabuka also urged the country to move forward with “unity, resilience and hope”, saying Fiji had overcome greater challenges in the past and would do so again.
