The Government is reconsidering plans to hold municipal elections in September as it weighs broader constitutional and electoral reforms alongside upcoming budget discussions.
Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka confirmed yesterday that the proposed timeline for the municipal polls was under review and would form part of wider government deliberations in the lead-up to the next budget.
“Yes, we will reconsider, and it will be part of that study into the budget coming up, where we will also think about whether we will only have a mini budget to the end of the year and the full budget from January to December,” Mr Rabuka said.
He said discussions were ongoing regarding the government’s legislative priorities, including constitutional review processes and proposed changes to electoral laws.
“That will all be part of our discussions and considerations of the current budget and the new budget from July on, and the things that we need to complete – the Constitution review, the processes in Parliament, the referendum, any changes in electoral law, all those will have to be incorporated into the law, then we go into elections, or go into elections and then incorporate that in the new government.”
Municipal elections have not been held in Fiji for years, with city and town councils currently run by government-appointed special administrators.
The last municipal elections in Fiji were held in 2005.
