‘Desperate attempt to deflect from bad publicity’

‘It’s a vision, it is hope’ – Bainimarama launches 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific

Fijian Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama launched the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific as part of the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday. In a statement, Mr Bainimarama said the strategy was more than a framework. “It is a vision, it is hope, it is the wind in...

‘Attack is a diversion’ – Tabuya: Desperate attempt to deflect from bad publicity

Attacking the “Rock The Vote Fiji” campaign was an attempt to shift people’s attention away from the issue surrounding the Prime Minister’s son, Meli Bainimarama in Australia. This, according to The People’s Alliance party provisional candidate, Lynda Tabuya during a media conference in Nadera, Nasinu yesterday. She said it showed a desperate attempt to deflect...

Saneem attacks Times

Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem has questioned the integrity of The Fiji Times, saying social media posts by senior journalist Anish Chand showed “very poor understanding of the legal framework around elections.” At a news conference yesterday, Mr Saneem shared screenshots of a social media post titled ‘Amazing Fiji’ by The Fiji Times West bureau...

Kamikamica questions party democracy, values

There is a wide public perception that the Government is using giveaways including money, equipment, tools, boats, infrastructure and other items to influence voters during an election campaign, says The People’s Alliance (PA) party deputy leader Manoa Kamikamica. Speaking during a news conference yesterday, Mr Kamikamica said government ministers should not use government vehicles to...

Rock the vote – ‘Group not a project of The People’s Alliance’

The Rock the Vote was not a project of The People’s Alliance, says The People’s Alliance (PA) party deputy leader Manoa Kamikamica. However, Mr Kamikamica said they applauded it since the group were doing a civic duty to encourage the citizens to register to vote — and then turn up to vote — which is...

FEO confirms receiving complaint

The Fijian Elections Office (FEO) has confirmed receiving a complaint from the former National Federation Party provisional candidate Hiroshi Taniguchi. However, Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem said the nature of the complaint was private. “And we will not be able to release any more information to the media until and unless Mr Taniguchi expressly consents...

‘No greater opportunity to serve people of Fiji’

After serving for 20 years as a teacher, three years as a school principal and eight years as a senior academic at the Fiji National University, Basundra Kumar says she is ready to serve the people of Fiji in a different capacity. The Korotiri, Labasa, woman wants to contest the 2022 General Election as a...

Biman: PM was right about ‘wolves’

National Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad said Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama was right to describe the FijiFirst party as “wolves”. But, he said, a People’s Alliance-NFP government would act as “shepherds” when it came to power after the elections by being fair and compassionate to everyone in Fiji. In an interview on New Zealand-based...

The People’s Alliance Party on FijiFirst’s 19-page complaint: ‘Unjust persecution’

The People’s Alliance party has expressed shock and anger at the “unjust persecution” by the FijiFirst party leading to it being referred to the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC). Deputy Party leader Manoa Kamikamica said the PA had not even had a chance to respond to the FijiFirst letter. He blasted FijiFirst party general...

SODELPA unveils 2022 General Election manifesto

Fijian political party SODELPA unveiled its manifesto for the 2022 General Election this afternoon. This makes it the first political party to release what it has dubbed the Lewenivanua 2022/2023 manifesto budget estimates. Party leader Viliame Gavoka said the budget estimate covered all aspects of government species and was a prerequisite for a government to...

Ali: I want to be a voice for cane farmers

Provisional candidate for Social Liberal Democratic party (SODELPA) Hazarat Ali says he wants to be a voice for canefarmers in Seaqaqa and Labasa. The former police officer considers himself a hardworking person and is well-known to many people in the rural communities in the North. Mr Ali comes from a farming family background in Seaqaqa,...

Naivou believes challenges inspired her

Ana Naivou believes her 26 years of experience as a teacher and the challenges she faced while growing up in Nailuva, Saivou, Ra has provided her with the experience she needs to venture into politics. The 55-year-old says it is her political ambition to be of service to the people of Fiji and she intends...

Saneem dismisses complaint

Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem has dismissed a complaint made by the National Federation Party (NFP) on September 13. In a media statement the Fijian Elections Office (FEO) said the NFP complaint was related to an alleged SMS text message received by certain individuals during the recent Constitution Day public holiday and other claims of...

FEO refers ‘Rock the Vote’ to FICAC

The Fijian Elections Office (FEO) has referred the ‘Rock the Vote Fiji’ organisation to the Fiji Independent Commission Against Corruption (FICAC) for breach of Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding & Disclosures) Act. Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem said from the FEO’s assessment, based on its Facebook accounts, the organisation “purely exists to promote the election...

Party lodges complaint

The FijiFirst party has lodged a “19-page letter” of complaint to the Fijian Elections Office (FEO) against some candidates of The People’s Alliance who they alleged breached certain provisions of the Electoral Act. Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem confirmed during a media conference yesterday that he had received the complaint. “We have received a complaint...

Biman quizzes FijiFirst

National Federation Party (NFP) leader Professor Biman Prasad claims the FijiFirst party was using the taxpayer-funded Fijian Government Facebook page as an election platform. He said this at a media conference at the NFP headquarters while responding to comments made by Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum on September 9 during a media event in Suva where he...

FEO dismisses NFP complaints against ruling FijiFirst party

A complaint by the National Federation Party (NFP) in relation to an alleged possible breach of section 113 (2) of the Electoral Act that prohibits any public officer to conduct campaign activities has been dismissed by the Fijian Elections Office (FEO). Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem said after a “thorough evaluation” of the complaint by the...

Investigate ‘own caucus’

The Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum should investigate inside his own parliamentary caucus if he wants to know more about vote rigging in the 2018 General Election, says National Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad. He made the comment after Mr Sayed-Khaiyum challenged him to give the name of the person who claimed the elections were rigged...

Prof Prasad’s response to Sayed-Khaiyum

I would never claim that I can ever fill the shoes of Ambalal Dahyabhai Patel, Siddiq Koya, Harish Sharma or Jai Ram Reddy. That was National Federation Party leader Professor Biman Prasad’s response to remarks by Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum at a recent media conference. Mr Sayed-Khaiyum said the 2013 Constitution was the only Constitution “that...

Khan: Change needed

Former Reserve Bank of Fiji (RBF) financial regulator and economist Mohammed Rieaz Khan says he voted for the FijiFirst party in the past two general elections but will not do so this year because of what he claims to be “the party’s failed economic policies”. Instead, the businessman has put up his hand to contest...

Biman fires back at A-G – ‘We are doing what our predecessors did’

National Federation Party (NFP) leader Professor Biman Prasad said Attorney-General Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum needed to be reminded of history when he berated the NFP leader for asking “what is there to celebrate about the imposed 2013 Constitution”. “He basically labelled me as a hypocrite saying I had taken an oath as an MP under the very...

All Peoples Party founder brings God’s vision to life

The creation of the All Peoples Party is the fruit borne of a vision from the Holy Spirit, says founder and leader Pastor Tuiloma Tawaivuna. This is the same vision he says that gave birth to the 11th Hour Ministry. He says the political party believes in one form of governance and that is the...

Kumar inspired by late father

Amen Kumar said he was inspired to stand for the National Federation Party (NFP) in the 2022 General Election by his late father Ram Adar, who passed away 15 years ago. “My family were staunch NFP supporters so you could say that I grew up with the party,” the 43-year-old said. “The motivation to stand...

Elections supervisor dismisses NFP’s complaint

Supervisor of Elections Mohammed Saneem has dismissed a complaint made by the National Federation Party (NFP) on September 13, 2022, to the Fijian Elections Office (FEO). According to the FEO, the NFP complaint related to alleged SMS text messages received by certain individuals during the recent Constitution Day public holiday and other claims of weaponisation...

Election readiness survey: 84 per cent indicated ‘a lot’ of information released

Of the 8075 voters surveyed for the 2022 General Election: Election Readiness Survey Report, 84 per cent had indicated the Fijian Elections Office had either released ‘a lot’ of information on the 2022 General Election (35 per cent) or ‘just enough’ (49 per cent). The report stated that in addition to press releases and press...

Vakatora claims Unity Fiji lacks accountability

Tomasi Vakatora claims lack of accountability and transparency in the Unity Fiji Party is the reason he jumped ship and joined the Social Democratic Liberal Party (SODELPA) to contest the 2022 General Election. He said he disagreed with the way the party was managed. “For over five years – from the time the party was...

Standing for the people

Josefa Tauleka believes his 12 years of work in the vanua of Namosi, 30 years in the Catholic church and 37 years in the Republic of Fiji Military Forces has given him broad experience in terms of community and national service. And this is what he wants to bring to the political arena as a...

2022 General Election: New All People’s Party registered

All People’s Party has become the 13th registered political party in Fiji under the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act 2013. Registrar of Political Parties Mohammed Saneem approved the party’s application for registration submitted on August 25, 2022. Mr Saneem said there was one objection received from the People’s Alliance in regards to...

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