There is no word as yet on whether the Registrar of Political Parties, Mohammed Saneem has completed the assessment of the declaration of assets and liabilities of all the officials of the registered parties.
Some party officials just gave in the lump sum figures last year although it is a requirement under the Political Parties Decree that they provide the source of their income.
Saneem had earlier told us that he was trying to verify all the details submitted and cannot comment on some party officials not providing breakdowns and not revealing their sources of income.
Fiji Labour Party Mahendra Chaudhry had earlier refused to make any comments on the declarations he made on his assets and liabilities.
Chaudhry said he has complied with the requirements when Fijivillage approached him to ask about the breakdown of his total assets amounting to $3.8 million.
Many of the party officials are not showing their sources of income in the declarations, some are not showing specific bank balances in different accounts here and abroad and many have not revealed the assets and liabilities of their children.
According to the Registration of Political Parties Decree, any party official or applicant should provide a statement containing their total assets whether in Fiji or abroad, the total income in Fiji or abroad and the source of such income, any business connections, any directorships, any gifts received, any assets acquired by each of them whether in Fiji or abroad during the period to which the statement relates and the liabilities incurred or discharged by each of them.
We have sent questions to Saneem on whether the verification process is complete. We are yet to get a response.
Story by: Vijay Narayan
