Municipal Elections ‘Still’ in Planning Stages
Supervisor of Elections says delay could have an effect on election timelines.
Thursday 20 June 2024 | 14:43
icipal Councils Chief Executive officers and special administrators during their forum at the Suva Civic Centre on June 19, 2024. Close to 80 participants from various Municipality councils are part of the two-day programme. Photo: Suva City Council
The anticipated Fijian municipal elections are still in its planning stages, says the Minister for Local Government Maciu Katamotu.
He said the delay, after announcing last August the establishment of reforms to improve municipal councils, was because his ministry had been working closely with the Office of the Supervisor of Elections in mapping the way forward for municipal councils.
“We are still doing some ground work,” Mr Katamotu said.
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“It not a simple task, it requires a lot of planning and paper work.”
The last municipal elections were held 18 years ago in 2005.
On January 31, Cabinet had approved the process to be adopted to facilitate the election of municipal councillors for towns and City councils.
Cabinet had approved that the working group formulate recommendations to the Minister for Housing and Local Government on municipal boundaries, demarcation of wards for each municipality, number of counsellors for each municipal council and the necessary amendment to the existing legislations.
Supervisor of Elections Ana Mataiciwa said the FEO was still waiting on the commencement of the Local Government (Amendment) (No.2) Act 2023.
“The said Act was passed in November, 2023, but the FEO would not be able to legally conduct any work on the elections unless the Act had commenced,” Ms Mataiciwa said.
“From the commencement date, we will then be able to develop our operational timeline which could then provide a good indication of the possible election dates.”
She said the delay in the commencement date had an effect on the election timelines.
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