Fijians are being urged to insist on consultations regarding the Local Government Act. Jon Apted, a former supervisor of elections and a constitutional lawyer, made this statement, highlighting the issues stemming from the government’s decision to replace outdated local government provisions with rules that mirror those for parliamentary elections in Fiji, leading to confusion about the new system’s functionality.
Apted emphasized that local government elections are inherently different from national elections and noted that although the law was amended last year, many regulations governing local government elections remain incomplete. He expressed concern over the difficulties in organizing elections without a clear understanding of the rules.
During a panel discussion organized by Dialogue Fiji, Apted pointed out that the public was not consulted during the amendments to the Act last year. He advocated for the inclusion of public input, particularly from political candidates and their parties, on critical matters such as candidacy procedures and polling processes.
He also suggested that the government reconsider the current restrictions on candidacy, proposing that local ratepayer groups, especially in smaller towns, be allowed to participate. As it stands, much of the legislation related to Local Government elections is still unresolved, leaving uncertainty about how the election system will function.