People will not have to worry about transportation on election day as they will be provided with free public transport services following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Fijian Elections Office, the Land Transport Authority, Ministry of Commerce, Trade, Tourism and Transport and the Ministry of Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management.
Supervisor of Elections, Mohammed Saneem says the Free Public Transport Plan for election day will be available at least a week before the general elections.
He says the Transportation Plan is a detailed map of the entire 101 election-day hubs the FEO will operate and within individual hubs, the FEO has worked with transport providers to determine the most suitable means of providing transport in those hubs.
Saneem says under the guidance of the Electoral Commission and with cooperation from the Ministry, they have secured the services of District Advisory Councils so that on the day of the election, they have people from those localities supervising the provision of transport in those areas.
He says their plan on elections day is to have a full blown call centre operational where members of the public may be able to make a free phone call to get details of the person who can tell them when and what time transportation services for that area will be provided.
He says they will be working closely with the Ministries to start the call centre and will employ more than 60 people and adds other details will be announced later.
Saneem says they have obtained directly from the District Advisory Council how the routes for the buses or the carriers should be determined so that on election day they are able to monitor themselves and have the same operation.
He says Advisory Councillors and their assistants will be required to vote via postal ballot and they have also informed the bus companies and carrier operators, that their staff will also be required to do postal ballots.
The Acting Permanent Secretary for Rural and Maritime Development and Disaster Management, Manasa Lesuma says the 298 District Advisory Councillors are currently getting trained.
He says the Ministry has been doing well in coordination and facilitation of national disaster operations and disaster risk reduction, especially as the country has entered into the cyclone season so such partnerships will not only ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of the operations on election day, but also ensures that Fijians are able to execute their basic democratic rights.
Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Commerce Trade, Tourism and Transport, Shaheen Ali says they will ensure all relevant support is provided to the FEO in the build-up to and on the election day.
Ali says the Ministry has already begun the collaboration through the engagement of the six government shipping vessels for charter available to FEO.
He says this collaboration will ensure Fijians living in maritime islands are able to access the services of the FEO and be part of the general elections.
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