Former elections supervisor and constitutional lawyer Jon Apted has called for Fijians to demand consultation regarding the Local Government Act. He criticized the government for replacing outdated local government provisions with rules resembling those of parliamentary elections, leading to uncertainty about the functioning of the system.
Apted emphasized that local government elections are inherently different from national elections, and despite amendments made to the law last year, significant regulations governing local elections are still pending. He remarked, “It is very, very difficult to organize and predict how you’re going to play the game if you don’t know the rules of the game.”
During a panel discussion organized by Dialogue Fiji, Apted noted that the public was not consulted during last year’s amendments to the Act. He urged for a platform that allows the public, potential political candidates, and their parties to provide input on rules governing candidacy and polling processes.
He suggested that candidacy for local government elections should not be limited strictly to political parties and independents, proposing that the government reconsider whether local ratepayer groups, especially in smaller towns, could also be allowed to participate.
Apted reiterated that, with the current lack of clarity on how the system will operate, it remains challenging to prepare for the upcoming elections. He stressed the necessity for mobilization to secure a commitment from the government to engage the public in meaningful consultation regarding these critical regulations.