Almost everyone I spoke to in Kadavu did not have their birth cert names on their Voter cards, married women concerned – Rabuka

People’s Alliance Leader, Sitiveni Rabuka says the feedback he is getting from the ground when he visited Kadavu is that almost everyone did not have their birth certificate names on their Voter ID cards.

Rabuka says these feedbacks are from Tavuki, Namalata, Nabukelevu-i-ra, Nabukelevu, Muaninuku, Kabariki, Levuka, Ravitaki, Cevai, Nasegai and Tabuya.

He says these people have not been able to make the changes according to the Electoral Registration of Voters Amendment Act, and also do not know why they need to make the changes.

Rabuka says the women are asking why they have to go back and change their name on the Voter Card if they are using their married name.

He says the married women also do not want their husband’s name on their birth certificate.

However Rabuka is calling on people to just follow the law and make the change if they have to as they would not be allowed to vote if they do not adhere to the amended law.

When asked by fijivillage, the Fijian Elections Office confirmed that the FEO teams will be visiting all villages and settlements around the country as part of the Nationwide Voter Registration and Awareness Drive from 26th February to 2nd April 2022.

The FEO says the teams will be providing voter services such as registration, VoterCard replacement/correction/upgrade and conducting election awareness and polling venue assessment.

The Fijian Elections Office says the specific villages in Kadavu highlighted by Rabuka are also part of the Nationwide Voter Registration and Awareness Drive in March 2022.

The Electoral Registration of Voters Amendment Act requires the application for registration as a voter to state the person’s full name as specified on his or her birth certificate and to also be accompanied by his or her birth certificate.

While tabling the amendment, Attorney General, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum said with the new law, the women can decide themselves if they want to change their names, and all they have to do is go to the Births, Deaths and Marriages Office, fill out the form and a new birth certificate with the changed name will be done.

He had also confirmed that the Births, Deaths and Marriages Office will accompany the Fijian Elections Office during their roadshow.