Opposition Member of Parliament Premila Kumar has called on Minister for Public Works Ro Filipe Tuisawau to stop attacking civil society organisations and instead address growing concerns over the security and transportation of ballot papers during the upcoming General Election.
Ms Kumar said the Minister’s suggestion that NGO leaders should either remain silent or contest elections was unreasonable and undermined the right of Fijians to participate in public debate.
“Hon Tuisawau needs to stop attacking civil society organisations and start addressing the genuine concerns Fijians have about the way their votes will be counted,” she said.
“The suggestion by the Minister for Public Works that NGO leaders must choose between speaking out and contesting elections is completely unreasonable.”
She said every Fijian had the right to express opinions, question Government decisions and participate in discussions on national issues, regardless of whether they held elected office.
“You do not have to be an elected Member of Parliament to speak on issues affecting the country,” she said.
“Civil society organisations, and community groups play an important role in keeping those in power accountable. Their role should be respected, not questioned or discouraged.”
Ms Kumar questioned why civil society organisations were being criticised for raising concerns about electoral processes when the Minister responsible for Elections had acknowledged that concerns about transporting and safeguarding uncounted ballot papers were legitimate.
“So why attack those who raised these concerns in the first place? They are asking questions that Government should be prepared to answer,” she said.
She noted that while centralised counting was not compulsory under the Electoral (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 2026, the legislation allowed the Electoral Commission to introduce it at its discretion.
Ms Kumar said this raised important questions about the security of ballot papers during transportation, the monitoring arrangements and the ability of political party agents and independent observers to verify the counting process.
“Counting votes at polling stations, where communities and party agents can witness the process, should remain the default,” she said.
“If centralised counting is to be considered, Government must first ensure that strong security and monitoring arrangements are in place and publicly explained.”
She stressed that the debate should focus on protecting the integrity of every vote rather than criticising those seeking greater transparency.
“At the end of the day, this is about protecting every Fijian’s vote,” Ms Kumar said.
“Government should not be more concerned about attacking those who raise questions than addressing the questions them
