The National Council of Building a Better Fiji said the new voting system that will replace the current preferential voting system will be very simple and easy to understand for the people of Fiji.
NCBBF member Loraini Tevi said the proposed open list system will now be looked at and plans are in place to ensure that it is implemented after consultations before the next elections.
“The preferential voting system is not recommended in this – that the personal one that has been agreed upon. The voting system will be very simple. It will be one page in terms of tricks that people will give to get. There will be no double column. But it’ll be very simple to know that what their choice is , is what they will choose on the paper. Voter certification is an important part of what we need to do. And that will be carried out as well.” Lorine Tevi.
Tailevu Provincial Council chairman and NCBBF member Josefa Serulagilagi also said the proposed system is the way to go for Fiji.
"I think what is really recommended by the NCBBF is to go to the Open Listing System. We have considered a lot of voting systems, particularly the ones that are used by overseas countries, and we thought that the Open Listing System would be the best. The preferential one they are talking about maybe that’s in the old system. But in the listing system, you have all the sets of candidates that will eb listed. Political parties and everybody there. As a voter, you just come to the polling station and vote for one candidate who appears in all the ballot papers."
Interim Attorney General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said these recommendations to reform the electoral system will now be taken back to the people, their views will be taken into account and then a report on the recommended changes will be tabled in the proposed political forum in either July or August.
Ousted Opposition Leader Mick Beddoes said one must expect the steps taken by the National Council of Building a Better Fiji.
Beddoes said although NCBBF has put together their recommendations on the electoral reforms, he still maintains that Parliament should make the call, not an illegal regime.
"What I’m interested in, is how they intend to legalize this because none of them have the authority or the mandate to be playing the roles that they are playing. In other words, they have the self appointed roles of deciding what the rest of Fiji needs or doesn’t need. So I think what we need to look at is how they propose to incorporate whatever it is they’ve decided into the Constitution, or through a legal means. At this stage in the proceedings we do know that nothing can become law unless it’s passed through Parliament."
Electoral Reform A Must Publish Date 24/06/08
The National Council for Building a Better Fiji (NCBBF) has resolved that electoral reform is a must for Fiji before the country goes to the polls.
Following their two day meeting, the NCBBF today announced major changes to the current Electoral Act including a change in the current Alternative Voting System.
Several recommendations have been made including the complete abolishment of the communal representation system as provided for under the constitution and the Electoral Act 1998 and to replace this with the use of a common roll for all future elections.
It has also been recommended that the electoral voting system as provided for under the constitution and Electoral Act be reformed to enable the adoption of a proportional representation system and that the Open List System be strongly recommended as the preferred electoral system in the public consultations on electoral reform. The NCBBF has also recommended after receiving a report from one of its working groups that these proposed electoral reforms be implemented before the next elections.
The National Council has also resolved that the voting age be reduced from 21 to 18 years, the abolition of compulsory voting and that the specific anti-discrimination measures be incorporated into Fiji's electoral laws to ensure no person is discriminated against by political parties on the grounds of race, religion, gender or circumstance.
The NCBBF has also recommended the removal of the mandatory power sharing arrangement as provided under subsections 99(5) to (9) of the constitution and due consideration to be given to provide for the formation of a truly representative cabinet.
Section 99(5) to (9) of the constitution deals with the establishing of the cabinet and criteria set out for the political parties who can qualify for cabinet seats.
While speaking in a press conference after the NCBBF decided on these recommendations this afternoon, Co-Chair of the Council, Archbishop Petero Mataca said the changes are necessary for the benefit of Fiji.
"The recommendation is that the council is there to come out with the people’s charter. It’s not of the council. It’s the people’s charter. And many times when I go around to the communities and to villages and towns and settlements. I am asked: Archibishop, tell us something about the charter. I, first of all, highlight it is not the charter – it is the people’s charter. It is your charter. You - the people, Fiji, this charter is yours."
When questioned by Fijivillage on the stance of the NCBBF on political parties like the SDL, NFP and United Peoples Party, that the electoral system should not be changed and all these reforms will be unconstitutional as they have to go through parliament, the Interim Attorney General said this will not stop the NCBBF from moving ahead.
He said those matters can be discussed at the upcoming political forum.
"The deliberations of the NCBBF is not determined because of those political imperatives. That’s another process. That’s through the Forum process. The NCBBF is deliberating on the recommendations on the recommendations that has been made to the NCBBF and that’s the recommendation that has been made. In respect of the political imperatives of the respective political parties, that’s their mandate or that’s their view. And that can be expressed through the forum process. So we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it but this is the NCBBF and they’ve made a particular set of recommendations." Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum.
Interim Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said these recommendations to reform the electoral system will now be taken back to the people, their views will be taken into account and then a report on the recommended changes will be tabled in the proposed political forum.
The Co-Chairs, Interim Prime Minister Commodore Frank Bainimarama and Archbishop Mataca are expected to send the recommended electoral changes to the leaders of all political parties later today. The political forum will either be held in July or August. The final decision will be made when Commonwealth representative, Sir Paul Reeves arrives in the country early next month.
Changes Must Be Within Constitution
Changes are welcome but as long as these are done through a parliamentary and democratic process and within the ambits of the constitution.
These are the words of leader of the SDL party and ousted Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase who reiterated they do will not agree with anything outside of the constitution.
"Well I think we can see that there is no doubt that most people in Fiji would like to see some changes to our electoral system. But as far as our party is concerned, any changes to the electoral system must be made within the provision s of the constitution and by an elected parliament and not otherwise. Any changes made outside of the constitution and parliament will be illegal. And SDL party cannot support illegal activities and that has been our stand all along. Changes are welcome and are okay provided that they are agreed upon through the normal parliamentary and democratic processes." Qarase
Fiji Labour Party President Jokapeci Koroi declined to comment as she is part of the National Council for Building a Better Fiji.
