FijiFirst Party de-registered

The FijiFirst Party has been de-registered by the Registrar of Political Parties, Ana Mataiciwa.

This is the end of the party that led government after the 2014 and 2018 general elections following non-democratic rule after the 2006 coup to 2014.

Mataiciwa de-registered FijiFirst in accordance with section 12(4) of the Political Parties (Registration, Conduct, Funding and Disclosures) Act.

This was prompted by a complaint lodged by former FijiFirst MP and now an independent, Mosese Bulitavu who alleged that FijiFirst had breached its own constitution by not allowing its Parliamentary Leader to participate in the Leadership Committee meetings.

In trying to refer Bulitavu to an internal party dispute resolution in the FijiFirst Constitution, Mataiciwa noted that FijiFirst did not have any such provision.

As a requirement of the Political Parties Act, the contents of a Party Constitution must comply with Schedule 2 of the Act.

On Thursday 30th May 2024, FijiFirst was notified to amend its constitution to include provisions required under Schedule 2 of the Act.

The party was given until 4pm on Friday 28th June 2024, to make the necessary amendments.

Mataiciwa says as the party has not complied with this requirement, FijiFirst has been de-registered effective immediately, in accordance with section 12(4) of the Act.

Following the de-registration, section 20(1) of the Act stipulates that no person shall summon a meeting of members or officers of the political party other than for the purposes of winding up the political party or for the purposes of challenging the deregistration of the political party; attend or make a person attend a meeting in the capacity of a member or officer of the political party; and publish a notice or advertisement relating to a meeting of the political party except for the purposes of a meeting to wind up the party.

Mataiciwa adds that pursuant to section 30(1) of the Act, any person aggrieved by the decision to de-register FijiFirst may appeal to the Electoral Commission within 14 days from the date of this decision.

If no appeal is lodged with the commission by the end of the 14-day appeal period, the Registrar will commence the winding-up process.

The Registrar of Political Parties has notified all 26 FijiFirst Members of Parliament and the Speaker of Parliament of this decision.

The Speaker had already indicated that should the FijiFirst Party not rectify the breaches with the result that the party is deregistered, he has asked that the FijiFirst MPs notify him promptly as to whether they will become an independent Member or whether they will join an existing party.