CANDIDATES with military backgrounds need to prove their non-involvement in the past coups to qualify for election.
This was part of the submissions made by the Fiji Council of Social Service (FCOSS) at the Fiji Electoral Law Reform Commission’s consultation with voters who hail from or have links to Kadavu.
FCOSS project manager Josaia Tokoni said the presentation was not only theirs but also from other NGOs around the country including the National Youth Council of Fiji, Femlink Pacific, Mobile Kindy, Fiji Women’s Rights Movement and others.
“Remove immunity provisions to disqualify all coup perpetrators from participating in politics,” Mr Tokoni said.
“Require candidates that are former military to produce independent references attesting to their non-involvement in past coups to qualify them for candidacy.”
Mr Tokoni also said pensions should be collected from the Fiji National Provident Fund, not from the Government and “only for one term until the next election”.
