The clock is ticking as the existing political parties have to ensure that they are re-registered as a party under the new criteria set out in the new decree by Valentines Day.

February 14th will be the D-day for the existing parties as they have from this Friday to that day to re-register.

The Registration of Political Parties Decree states that if an existing party does not apply to register, then it shall be deemed to be deregistered upon the expiry of the 28 days and the Registrar who is the Permanent Secretary for Elections will wind up the party and any outstanding net assets of the party shall vest in the state.

People who represent political parties can be fined up to $50,000 or face up to five years imprisonment or both if they continue to operate as a party without re-registration after the 28 day period is over.

Any person who is an applicant or party office holder for the registration of a proposed political party has to provide a statement to the Registrar relating to the person and his or her spouse and any children, and this should contain the total assets whether in Fiji or abroad including money and other property, their total income, any business transactions, and any gifts received other than a gift received from close relatives or a gift received in accordance with custom, in the course of traditional exchange of gifts.

This also does not apply to gifts given on behalf of the nation which is transferred to the government.
 
Under the decree, a political party should have a register of its members, a copy of the party constitution which shall be non-discriminatory, particulars of any contribution, donation or pledge whether in cash or kind made by the founding members of the party, estimates of the expenditure of the party and the latest audited books of accounts of the political party.

A person who interferes with, damages or destroys the records of the party commits an offence and can face a fine of up to $10,000 or 5 years imprisonment or both.

The name of the proposed political party should be in the English language, 5 people have to make the application to register the party and they need 5,000 members to meet the criteria.

From the 5,000 members, the proposed party must have 2,000 members from the Central Division, 1,750 from the Western Division, 1,000 from the North and 250 from the Eastern Division.

The party should also have a branch office in each division.

Acting Prime Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said the numbers are based on the population makeup from the last census and the need to have a political party office in each division.