The Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Suresh Chandra says Fiji has taken one of the first steps to implement the Multinational Observer Group’s recommendation where the Electoral Commission has established its own Secretariat with two full-time staff.
Chandra says the Commission has undertaken to write its own reports and other correspondences from last year.
He says the Ministry of Economy, based on a request from the Electoral Commission, separated the Fijian Elections Office budget and now provides separate funding to the Commission.
He says the Electoral Commission Secretariat staff are now funded through their own budget.
He says the Chairperson and Commissioners work on a part-time basis and are remunerated with a sitting allowance of $500 per meeting and also for work undertaken on behalf of the Electoral Commission as and when required.
The Electoral Commission’s first report was tabled in parliament last week.
