Deputy PM: Nothing illegal in referendum date announcement

Deputy Prime Minister Manoa Kamikamica says there is “nothing illegal” about Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka announcing December 9 as the referendum date.

He insists the Electoral Commission itself advised the early announcement to allow overseas voters to register for postal voting.

He rejected claims that the Government pressured the commission.

“There’s no circumvention or ordering of anybody, we’re just working collaboratively to ensure that the process is smooth,” he said.

Asked whether the announcement was the commission’s suggestion, he said: “Correct.”

He said the commission’s chairman and the Supervisor of Elections were involved in the discussions.

Mr Kamikamica said the meeting was held on the Saturday before Parliament began sitting.

Also present were then acting Attorney-General Siromi Turaga, Solicitor-General Ropate Green and Minister for Lands and Mineral Resources Filimoni Vosarogo.

“In order to ensure that we are able to issue a writ and start the voting process within 30 days, we needed to trigger the postal voting early,” he said.

Voters living overseas must first register through the portal, he said.

“We want to make sure everybody that’s a registered voter, whether they be in Fiji or offshore, get the opportunity to vote in the referendum,” he said.

The Electoral Office has already invited applications for postal voting.

Asked about a possible blackout period, Mr Kamikamica said the law provides for one. The commission would decide after conducting its assessment.

He said people were interpreting the Prime Minister’s statement “the wrong way”.