LOCKED INTO A BOX: SODELPA has spent most of its campaign, finance, and manpower talking of Chiefs, Church, Christianity, Land and Indigenous Rights Issues at the expense of bread and butter issues which really matter come elections, especially to
Youth Voters and 'Fijifirst' Voters!
ONE FIJI set to enter election fray for votes Fiji's Registrar of Political Parties has overturned his previous ruling and has registered One Fiji Party to contest the forthcoming general elections after admitting an error in their data matching exercise. Mohammed Saneem had on Friday morning declined the application of the party under Section 6(3)(1) of the Political Parties Registration Decree because they lacked the number of signatures. However, in a statement released this afternoon, Saneem said otherwise after reviewing the party's application after it was discovered an error was made during the data matching process. “After the review, we were confident that the applicant met the minimum membership requirement in each division, making it eligible for registration,” he said. After having met the minimum threshold, the Registrar then considered the objection filed by FijiFirst party comparing it against the One Fiji party's response. “Having considered the matter, I have decided that the applicant’s official name – the One Fiji Party – does not resemble “FijiFirst” enough to cause confusion for voters,” he said. However, the Registrar said it was also his opinion that the applicant’s logo “OneFiji” too closely resembles FijiFirst's concept and has therefore instructed the party to submit a new logo by Tuesday, August 5. The One Fiji Party becomes the seventh registered political party under the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Decree 2013. Source: Fijilive, 3 August 2014
ANOTHER powerful threat to Sodelpa's youth votes: Fiji United Freedom Party, led by charismatic president Jagath Karunaratne, set to take votes!
The Fiji United Freedom Party that was registered two days ago is expected to make announcements in the next few days about the directions it will take towards general elections next month. Party President Jagath Karunaratne said they are finalizing on some issues. The Fiji United Freedom Party is the sixth registered Party in Fiji. Source: Fijivillage News, 3 August 2014
VOTE-BUYING ON EVE OF ELECTIONS: After diverting Chinese loans to build sea-wall in his village, Bainimarama provides farmers digger - will he plant the new variety of sugarcane named after his village - Kiuva?
Farmers of Kiuva Village in Tailevu will be able to capitalise on farming activities after the Ministry of Agriculture provided a digger under the Flat Land Development Program in the Central Division. A statement said earlier this year, government through the Ministry bought a digger, a truck, other small machineries and agro inputs totalling $500,000 allocated under the capital program for 2014. Principal Agricultural officer in the central division Tepola Seniloli says the digger works will facilitate drainage and farming works undertaken in the village. Seniloli says there are a lot of farmers in Kiuva and this assistance will be helpful for them to improve food security.
