80% registered for 2014 elections: PM

Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama has reported that more Fijians have registered for the 2014 general elections.

He told Melanesian leaders gathered at the 19th MSG Leaders Summit yesterday that 80 per cent of the Fijian population have registered.

“More than 80 per cent of the estimated number of eligible voters, which equates to over half a million Fijians, have registered for the elections,” PM Bainimarama said.

“This is very encouraging given the challenges of reaching out to our disadvantaged communities in the rural and remote islands.”

PM Bainimarama said preparatory work for the country’s elections was well underway which will be on the basis of one person, one vote, one value instead of the racially weighted method employed until recently.

“Fiji would hold for the first time in its history a truly democratic parliamentary elections by September 2014,” he said.

“At present, the elections office is working on a system whereby Fijian voters abroad can also register for the 2014 elections and any Fijian over the age of 18 or who turns 18 before the election is also entitled to register to vote in the 2014 elections.”

Phase three of the Electronic Voter Registration for next year’s elections began in June and will be completed by the end of the month.

PM Bainimarama acknowledged the support of foreign countries that have contributed towards Fiji’s election process.

“I sincerely appreciate and acknowledge the generosity of the Government and people of Papua New Guinea for the endowment of the 50million kinas as financial assistance that will go towards the 2014 general elections process.”

-Information Ministry