FRANK BAINIMARAMA'S POLITICAL CIVIL SERVANT AND PARTY OBJECTOR EPELI VUASE
Soldier-cum-Public Relation Co-ordinator in PM's Office VUASE broke civil service rules in objecting to Social Democratic Liberal Party's registration application
Book publisher to Fiji Correction Service and regime lackey KISHORE KUMAR
of Kishore Kumar Publication was second objector to the party's registration application
BY VICTOR LAL
| The proposed Social Democratic Liberal Party or SODELPA has been asked to explain why details of members of the proposed party are incorrect, including some names that do not exist in the Electronic Voter Registration database. It is not the first time SDLP has been asked to explain or defend itself to Moahmmed Saneem, the new Registrar of Political Parties. On 26 March, SDLP had to respond to objections from EPELI VUASE, the Public Relation Co-ordinator in the Prime Minister's Office, who in objecting to the SDLP's registration application was flagrantly in breach of civil service code which requires political neutrality. Responding, SDLP's Registered Officer Pio Tabaiwalu wrote to Saneem: "Objections by Mr. Epeli Vuase. I wish to respond to the objections by a Mr Epeli Vuase, Voter Identification Card Number-0055 373 001138 of Makoi, Nasinu; in his letter of 15 March 2013, as follows: "In the first paragraph of his letter, he mentions that …” following due inspection of the Fiji Sun edition of Tuesday 12th March, 2013, and on behalf of the people of Namuana, Tavuki, Kadavu, I wish to raise objections to the Registrar of Political Parties. He then goes on to state in paragraph 3 …” I make particular reference to registration 165 to 172 in the Eastern Division which were obtained in Namuana Village in Kadavu Province.” I have consulted the Fiji Sun edition of Tuesday 12th March, 2013 and have noted that registration 165 to 172 in the Eastern Division refers to a list of names from Tubou, Lakeba, Lau; rather than from Namuana, Tavuki, Kadavu. It must also be noted here that the only official list of names one can use for objections would be the one put out by your office and printed in the Fiji Sun on Tuesday 12th March, 2012. Mr Vuase has attached a list of names which do not correspond to what he has stated in paragraph 3 of his letter. In light of his inaccuracies and confusing statements, his objections are to be considered frivolous and baseless and should be rejected." KISHORE KUMAR In the same letter Tabaiwalu also responded to Kishore Kumar. Tabaiwalu wrote to Saneem: "Reference is made to your letter dated 21 March 2013 in regards to the particulars submitted pursuant to section 9(2) (b)(ii) of Political Parties ( Registration, Conduct, Funding and disclosures) Decree 2013 pertaining to the objections raised by Kishore Kumar of Kishore Kumar Publications. In response to the objections by Kishore Kumar of Kishore Kumar Publications, in his e-mail of 12th March of 201 I wish to deal with these as follows: 1. The Soqosoqo Duvata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) stiil exists. The provisions of Decree No.4 of 2013 on Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and disclosures) article 8 (b) states that the Registrar shall refuse the application for the registration of a proposed political party if …”the name of the proposed political party is not in the English language.” Due to the above provision of the Decree the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party (SDL) decided to dissolve the Party under the provisions of its Constitution. A duly constituted meeting was held on 25th January 2013 at the Fijian Teachers Association Hall attended by more than 100 financial members. The meeting considered the motion of dissolution which was subsequently approved by the members present as noted below: |  “This meeting resolves that pursuant to Section 36 (a) of the Party Constitution that the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party be dissolved.” A letter, the minutes of the meeting, Party Constitution and a list of attendees were subsequently hand delivered to your office on the 18th of February, 2013. Please note that the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party was dissolved before the deadline for the re-registration of existing parties as required under Section 4 of Decree 4, 2013. Hence in response to the first objection and contrary to Kishore Kumar of Kishore Kumar Publication’s allegation, the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party no longer existed after 25 January 2013. Therefore all other objections in the e – mail from Kishore Kumar of Kishore Kumar Publication premised on the grounds that the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party continued to exist and party officials continued to operate as Party officials cannot be substantiated following the dissolution of the Party in accordance with its Constitution. In order to further clarify the developments after the dissolution of the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua Party and to respond to Kishore Kumar of Kishore Kumar Publication objections as in (2) below: 2. The Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua (SDL) Party still exists and that signatures were gathered using the old party name. Contrary to Kishore Kumar of Kishore Kumar’s Publications assertion … “that the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua still exists and that signatures were gathered using the old party name.” This is not factually true. The dissolution of the Soqosoqo Duavata ni Lewenivanua is explained above and the proposed Social Democratic Liberal Party was the party name that the association of persons and its volunteers explained to those that were approached to support its registration under Decree No.11, 2013.They signed knowing full well that it was a newly proposed party. You can also observe that the forms used for the signatures of the proposed party supporters, which were sent to your office with our application to register, had Social Democratic Liberal Party at the top. In our view, the objections are effectively nullified on the grounds mentioned above and the objections are not factually substantiated by Kishore Kumar of Kishore Kumar Publications. Lastly, in accordance with Decree No.4, 2013; Article 9 (3) states that …”Particulars sent by a person under sub-section (2) (b) shall be signed by and specify an address of, that person.” This has not been done by Kishore Kumar of Kishore Kumar Publications and on this ground alone all his objections should be rejected." |
