Fijians go to the polls in December

Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama. Photo / File

Fijians will go to the polls to choose their next government on December 14.

In a statement, the Fiji Government said Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama visited President Wiliame Katonivere on Sunday morning to advise him on the date of the general election.

Parliament has also been dissolved with immediate effect as the government moves into caretaker mode.

Almost 700,000 Fijians are registered to choose their next government in a one-day election set to cost $FJ26 million.

The Chair of Fiji’s Electoral Commission, Mukesh Nand, said the Fijian Elections Office team of 7541 staff would conduct polling between 7.30am and 6pm on election day, in 855 venues across the country. There are also 613 early voting venues. Over 11,000 people registered for postal votes during the 2018 Fijian elections.

Bainimarama has been in power since a 2006 military coup that led to him becoming acting president and acting prime minister before being sworn in as prime minister following the 2014 election.

He also spent several months in Australia earlier this year recovering from heart surgery.

The ruling Fiji First Party has announced a further 10 provisional candidates to its lineup of aspiring parliaments, the most notable of which is former SODELPA MP Mosese Bulitavu.

Opposition welcomes election

The leader of one of Fiji’s main opposition political parties said the next six weeks will be one of the most critical periods in the country’s history.

National Federation Party leader Biman Prasad (below) said four more years of Frank Bainimarama and his Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum in power will destroy Fiji’s democracy and reduce the nation to a two-man dictatorship.

He said only a new start, under a new People’s Alliance and NFP government, can take Fiji away from the politics of fear and division.

Prasad said the people now have the chance to vote in a government that brings the country together and leads with vision, humility and compassion.

Fiji Government agencies have plans to provide free transportation for all voters during election day.

The FBC reports the Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem saying they will be releasing a public transport booklet detailing what will be operating to help voters on polling day.

He said there will be alternatives in areas that have no bus services.