 "The National Federation Party says Electoral Commission Chairman Chen Bunn Young is wrong in saying that legislation in place disallows political parties from obtaining an electronic copy of the National Voters Register. Mr Young’s comments made during a briefing with the media last Thursday and reported in Saturday’s (1st March) Fiji Sun that the advice from the Solicitor-General’s office is the basis of the Commission’s decision, makes the Party question the independence and neutrality of the Commission. The Electoral Commission is an independent body solely responsible for the conduct of free, fair and credible elections. It must interpret legislation in place governing elections and not rely on an office (in this case Solicitor-General’s office) for advice or interpretation of legislation that the S-G’s office had a hand in formulating. In our letter to the Permanent Secretary Responsible for Elections on 30th January 2014, the NFP pointed out that the Electoral (Registration of Voters) Decree 2012 does not prevent the release of an electronic or soft copy of the National Voters Register to political parties. The Decree defines the National Register of Voters “as a register of persons entitled to vote at an election and includes an electronic register”. Section 14(4) of the Decree allows a person, upon application to the Permanent Secretary, and upon payment of a prescribed fee to obtain copies of any sub-division of the National Voters Register. The Decree also stipulates the role of the Permanent Secretary Responsible for Elections to publish the Register and defines “publish” “to produce and make available to the public, including electronically”. The Register has been published in bulky hard copies. The work of the Permanent Secretary Responsible for Elections is incomplete because the Register must also be published electronically. There is nothing whatsoever in the Decree that prevents political parties from obtaining an electronic copy of the National Voters Register. | Bainimarama's 99.9% support in 2011 drops to 79%, and falling further - a decrease of 20.9%
Mr Young should know that an electronic copy of the National Register of Voters has always been made available in previous elections, both in provisional and final forms, then known as voter rolls. This was done to facilitate accessibility. The NFP re-iterates that while revealing the theft of a laptop containing the National Voters Register, the Attorney General revealed that the laptop contained analysis of statistical data like gender, age, voter distribution etc. Mr Young’s denial of access to the electronic copy of the National Voters Register by political parties shows he is condoning exclusive use of the Register and statistical analysis by the Government’s proposed political party only, giving it unfair advantage over other parties. This undermines the Commission’s credibility and neutrality. The NFP requests Mr Young to re-look at the issue with urgency and make a decision that is sensible and based on rationale, with a view to ensuring free, fair and credible elections. Basing it on the advice received from the Solicitor-General’s Office, which had a hand in the Decree’s formulation, is erroneous and raises perceptions about the inability of the Commission, which is eminently qualified, to interpret electoral legislation independently." Raman Singh, President |
In response to questions from the Fiji Sun on the matter of a soft copy of the rolls Mr Young said quote: “That has to be taken up - with the legislation that’s already set in place and my understanding from the legal people in the Solicitor General’s office – there is no specific provision that entitles them to a soft copy. “I can’t take it any further than that. If the political parties think I have a magic wand and give it to them – I’m not in a position to do that. I work within the framework of what we have and I think that is what the legislation says,” Mr Young said
The United Front for a Democratic Fiji (UFDF) says in less than 8 weeks since it was formed the Electoral Commission is showing ‘signs’ of its imminent capitulation to the authority of the Regime if it has not already done so.
The UFDF says the comments attributed to Electoral Commission Chairman Young if reported correctly by the Fiji Sun saying there are ‘no provisions’ to give political parties a ‘soft copy’ of the rolls so there’s nothing he can do about it and that he will work within the current framework? Is a lackluster response to what should be a ‘non issue?’
The UFDF said it is obvious that Mr Young has no wand let alone a ‘magic’ one? But the UFDF says one does not need to be a ‘toothless fairy’ in need of a ‘magic wand’ to apply common sense to the matter and if there is no provision to ‘allow’ the distribution of a soft copy to political parties then there is also no reason ‘not to allow’ its distribution either?
The UFDF said providing a ‘Soft Copy’ of the ‘Hard copy’ of the rolls that political parties have already received is almost a ‘standard provision’ in terms of documentation exchange in today’s digital environment and a USB with the capacity to hold the data is less than $50 so withholding it is simply being ‘mean spirited & antagonistic’ towards the registered political parties and not the kind of behavior that suggests there is any fairness, freedom of information or transparency 6 months out from the elections.
The UFDF says the Commission Chairman’s announcement that he quote ‘can’t take it further’ is nothing more than a ‘cop out’ and dereliction of his duty and responsibility to the people of Fiji. The UFDF says that the Chairman and Commission must insist on allowing the distribution of a soft copy to all registered political parties as part of the hard copies they have already received and if that requires an amendment to the decree to get it done correctly, then the Commission must insist on the appropriate amendments being done and get on with it.
To do ‘nothing’ about something that is clearly unfair is tantamount to declaring the Commission will operate as another department under the control of the Attorney General and thus his direct influence and all the integrity and credibility that each member bought to the Commission which is what the people of Fiji are pinning their hopes on for a ‘Free. Fair and Transparent election will amount to nothing!
‘The world is a dangerous place, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it’………Albert Einstein."
The United Front for a Democratic Fiji (UFDF) says in less than 8 weeks since it was formed the Electoral Commission is showing ‘signs’ of its imminent capitulation to the authority of the Regime if it has not already done so.
The UFDF says the comments attributed to Electoral Commission Chairman Young if reported correctly by the Fiji Sun saying there are ‘no provisions’ to give political parties a ‘soft copy’ of the rolls so there’s nothing he can do about it and that he will work within the current framework? Is a lackluster response to what should be a ‘non issue?’
The UFDF said it is obvious that Mr Young has no wand let alone a ‘magic’ one? But the UFDF says one does not need to be a ‘toothless fairy’ in need of a ‘magic wand’ to apply common sense to the matter and if there is no provision to ‘allow’ the distribution of a soft copy to political parties then there is also no reason ‘not to allow’ its distribution either?
The UFDF said providing a ‘Soft Copy’ of the ‘Hard copy’ of the rolls that political parties have already received is almost a ‘standard provision’ in terms of documentation exchange in today’s digital environment and a USB with the capacity to hold the data is less than $50 so withholding it is simply being ‘mean spirited & antagonistic’ towards the registered political parties and not the kind of behavior that suggests there is any fairness, freedom of information or transparency 6 months out from the elections.
The UFDF says the Commission Chairman’s announcement that he quote ‘can’t take it further’ is nothing more than a ‘cop out’ and dereliction of his duty and responsibility to the people of Fiji. The UFDF says that the Chairman and Commission must insist on allowing the distribution of a soft copy to all registered political parties as part of the hard copies they have already received and if that requires an amendment to the decree to get it done correctly, then the Commission must insist on the appropriate amendments being done and get on with it.
To do ‘nothing’ about something that is clearly unfair is tantamount to declaring the Commission will operate as another department under the control of the Attorney General and thus his direct influence and all the integrity and credibility that each member bought to the Commission which is what the people of Fiji are pinning their hopes on for a ‘Free. Fair and Transparent election will amount to nothing!
‘The world is a dangerous place, not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it’………Albert Einstein."
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